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The Antidote to Anger

When Angry, Engage Your Brain

PREVIEW: Everyone gets angry. You, me, everyone. So, since God expects us to control the emotion of anger when it arises and use it for good, how can we become skilled at managing this common yet potentially destruct response? Well, the strongest antidote to uncontrolled, destructive anger is your ability to be rational because destructive anger is stupid. King David’s answer for anger that doesn’t lead to sin was, “When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” That is, rather than venting, be still, be silent, count to ten, and allow your brain the opportunity to do what it does best — to think! In other words, count the cost to the people you will damage, to the damage it will cause to God’s kingdom, and the damage it will cause to your relationship with God.

The Antidote to Anger, Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 4:4

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

You and I have a lot in common. Really! Not only are we incredibly intelligent, unbelievably likable, and unusually humble, we have a very large capacity for anger.

Have you experienced that capacity for anger lately? Have you found yourself snarling at those TV “talking heads” when they pushed your political hot button this week? Have you experienced any mental road rage lately? Did you wake up grumpy this morning and snap at the kids or come home tired and verbally abuse your dog? No? Perhaps you are the one person on Planet Earth that had an anger-free week, and you really don’t need to read this blog.

The truth is that we all experience anger. Anger is a God-given capacity that is common to humanity. In fact, you don’t have to read very far into the Bible to realize that God gets angry. Jesus got angry, too, and ran some moneychangers out of the temple. The Apostle Paul taught that it was possible to “Be angry and not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26)

So, anger is not the problem. It’s when we mishandle anger—that’s the problem. Uncontrolled and unredeemed anger leads to unhealthy families, fractured relationships, lost jobs, damaged reputations, and worse. And the Bible is very clear that we had better learn to control and channel that anger appropriately or not only will we cause some irreparable damage in the here and now, but in the “there and then,” we will have to stand before a righteous God to give account for our unrighteous anger.

Jesus said, “I tell you anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22)

James said, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:20)

The Apostle Paul warned, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Eph 4:31)

So, obviously, anger can be a real problem, both before God and in human relationships.

Given that it is a potentially destructive emotion, here in this psalm, King David described what is arguably the most effective way to manage our anger. And what he is recommending is — get this — to practice the rare art of “thinking” when emotions begin to give rise to anger. Seriously, the best antidote to inappropriate anger is to simply think it through … to bring that emotional response of anger, which can obviously be quite unintelligent, into the realm of intelligent thought.

The strongest antidote to uncontrolled, destructive anger is your ability to be rational because destructive anger is stupid. That’s why David’s answer for anger that doesn’t lead to sin was, “When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” That is, rather than venting, be still, be silent, count to ten, and allow your brain the opportunity to do what it does best — to think!

What is it, then, that you are supposed to think about when you are angry?

First, think about your anger’s potential destructiveness to the people you care about, and to yourself. As Proverbs 29:11 says, only “a fool gives full vent to his anger.”

Second, think about how Satan wants to use your anger to manipulate you for his purposes. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Just remember, every time you give vent to anger, you are opening the vent to Satanic vapors.

And third, think about the person you are angry with. And whatever else you do, remember that this person is someone who matters very much to your Heavenly Father. They are someone so loved by God that he sent his Son to die for their sins. They are someone that he has great plans for throughout eternity. So, think about that before you let any angry words fly — and remember that to damage them is to do damage to God.

Since thinking is the greatest antidote to anger, think for a while about what Proverbs 19:11 says: “A person’s wisdom gives them patience; it is a glory to overlook an offense.”

And don’t forget what David said, “In your anger, do not sin!”

My Offering of Worship: What is your pattern with anger? Do you explode, seethe, retreat and sulk, hold grudges, manipulate, withhold love, or all the above? If you are honest with yourself and admit to misusing your anger, then confess it to God, ask for his help, then enlist the support of a trusted friend to hold you accountable for filtering your anger through the three steps offered in this devotional. And remember, I am rooting you on. More importantly, so is your Father, who offers you his help if you ask.

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In God’s Hands

The Best Place to Live

PREVIEW: There was a time when King David had to flee his beloved Jerusalem because of a coup. But he found an even better place, an oasis from the chaos of the coup. That oasis was not a physical place. It wasn’t even just an emotional state of mind. It was something much more important, much more enduring, much more satisfying — it was the spiritual reality of being cared for by the only One who truly has the power of life and death. David found refuge in the hands of God. Your life is there too, you know! Or maybe you don’t. But even if you don’t, that truth remains firm, and because of the saving faith that you have expressed in Jesus Christ, your address has permanently changed to God’s hands. It’s high time you start enjoying your new zip code.

2023-06-09 In God's Hands

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 3:1-5

Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.

Where is the best place to live in the entire world? Periodically, national magazines will rate the various cities around the world for their livability — based on the city’s beauty, environmental practices, economic health, crime rate, the number of parks, the average lifespan of the inhabitants, and so on.

There are some amazing communities in this world, and I believe I live in one of them, but the very best place to live anywhere, bar none, is squarely in the hands of Almighty God. If you live there, by saving faith and daily obedience, the physical address of your residence doesn’t really matter. The crime rate and economic vitality are non-factors. The natural beauty and livability quotient are inconsequential. Even the most hostile environment can be a great place to live when the Lord “is a shield about you.”

David passionately loved the city of Jerusalem. In fact, it became known as the City of David. But there came a time when he had to flee the city, running for his life because of the uprising of his son, Absalom. Absalom wanted to assassinate his father, and he had plenty of support among the religious community, the military, and the common citizens — the very people for whom King David had provided such a good life. But they had turned on David, forcing the king to run for his life, barely just a step ahead of death, and with absolutely no prospects of ever regaining his throne and returning to the city.

Yet as David fled from his beloved Jerusalem, he found an even better place, an oasis from the chaos of the coup — he found refuge in the hands of God. Obviously, that oasis was not a physical place. It wasn’t even just an emotional state of mind. It was something much more important, much more enduring, much more satisfying — it was the spiritual reality of being cared for by the only One who truly has the power of life and death.

In another psalm wrote, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16, NLT) David knew and relied upon the truth that God knew the exact number of days that David would live, and he would not die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what God had foreordained. And nothing could change that — not Absalom, not betrayal, not war, not poverty, not disease…nothing. God alone held that power over David’s life.

That is why, coup and exile notwithstanding, David found this world a perfectly safe place. That is why even in the midst of his crisis, David could “lie down and sleep — and wake again.” It was the Lord who was sustaining him. You just think that way, and live that way, when you understand that your life is in God’s hands.

Your life is there too, you know! Or maybe you don’t. But even if you don’t, that truth remains firm, and because of the saving faith that you have expressed in Jesus Christ, your address has permanently changed to God’s hands. It’s high time you start enjoying your new zip code.

My Offering of Worship: If at the moment worrisome circumstances have you doubting that you truly are in God’s hands, take a moment to listen to this song by Kirk Franklin, “My Life Is In Your Hands” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joUMvH9v4vw

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When Fools Rule

Let God Rule the Throne of Your Heart

PREVIEW: Scripture defines a fool as one who rejects God’s rule, denies God’s reality, defies God’s moral code, and mocks God’s judgment. In Psalm 2, King David pours out his complaint against the rulers of nations who have set themselves in opposition to God. He calls them fools. By his definition, the fool is no idiot; he or she is one who deliberately rejects God’s rightful rule, denies God’s reality, defies God’s moral code, and taunts God’s judgment. And he offers those fools this sober warning: “What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange their leaders should try to outwit God, calling a summit to plot against his plan. … But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans.” (Psalm 2:1-4) Wouldn’t you agree that we’re living in a time when far too many fools rule from their seats of power? And like me, you’re frustrated that there’s not much we can do about all the fools running around and ruining things these days — ruling in high places of government, finance, cultural influence, and even spiritual leadership. But whenever we get frustrated with all the foolishness we’re forced to endure, pause to remember that it is God who truly rules. And when he finally brings all the foolishness to its deserving end, we will have found blessed refuge in him because he rules in the most important place — the throne of our hearts.

When Fools Rule with Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 2:1-4 (Living Bible)

What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! For a summit conference of the nations has been called to plot against the Lord and his Messiah, Christ the King. “Come, let us break his chains,” they say, “and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.” But God in heaven merely laughs! He is amused by all their puny plans.

In light of the times in which we live, with all the godless and foolish leadership occupying seats of power, consider these potent words from Psalm 2:4 again: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.”

In Psalm 14:1, David wrote, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

Of course, David’s idea of a fool was different than ours — and much more serious. We speak of a fool as one who lacks intelligence, direction, and sound judgment. David, on the other hand, understood the fool to be one who lived willfully in complete disregard to God and his law. He ignored God’s rightful rule over his life, expressed an attitude that aggressively denied God’s reality, defied God’s moral code, and went so far as to even dare God to execute judgment.

By David’s definition, we are living in a time where there are a lot of fools running around. In fact, many of them seem to be running our country. They are in high places of government, finance, cultural influence, and even spiritual leadership.

But as powerful, popular, and prosperous as they might seem to be, they are still fools. David’s psalm reminds us of this sobering truth: God still rules. While the fools are seated in places of power, God is seated in the only place of power that really counts. And he scoffs at the unbelievable hubris and overt rebellion of these he created and provides their very moment-by-moment breath. He sits on the real and true throne, patiently waiting for them to repent but knowing they never will.

Psalm 2 speaks of that time when God’s patience will finally come to its end, and then he will indeed execute judgment on those who have dared and defied him for so long. When that time comes, it won’t be a pretty picture. As you read Psalm 2, you will not be reading a very happy psalm.

Yet there is hope strategically placed within David’s song. This psalm of divine judgment is also a contrasting psalm of eternal optimism. Embedded in David’s diatribe is also an invitation to live wisely (v. 10 — as opposed to how the fool lives) by serving God gladly (v. 11 — contrasted with the defiant rebelliousness of sinful man) and the promise that all who willingly do will find “blessed” (happiness, favor, and eternal joy) “refuge” (a safe and secure place) in him (v.12).

There is not much you and I can do about all the fools running around and ruining things these days, but whenever we get frustrated with all the foolishness we are forced to endure, we can be reminded that it is God who rules. And when he finally brings all the foolishness to its deserving end, we will have found blessed refuge in him, because he rules in the most important place — the throne of our hearts.

My Offering of Worship: Over the days, weeks, and months ahead, when you get frustrated by the foolishness you see coming out of the seats of power that rule our nation at various levels, instead of ranting and raving, pause and praise the One who truly rules. And remember, the day is soon coming when he will dramatically institute his eternal rule.

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Be Happy!

There is Only One Way to Achieve Happiness

PREVIEW: Everybody wants to be happy! You do, and so do I. So how do we find true and lasting happiness? Well, the Psalms — which, may I remind you, is God’s inerrant, authoritative, eternal Word — tell us that happiness comes by completely, deliberately, and consistently ordering our life according to the full counsel of the Holy Scripture. Not just a favorite verse here and there, mind you, or a Bible reading when it strikes the fancy, but through a “day and night” absorption of the whole “law of God.” Furthermore, true blessedness and lasting joy come by completely, deliberately, and consistently rejecting the humanistic definition of and path to happiness. The Psalmist calls for a complete ordering of our life around the Word of God — “meditating on it day and night.” That is truly what will produce the joyful, blessed, and happy life!

Psalm 1 with Ray Noah - The Attainment of Happiness

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 1:1-2

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night

Every human being who has ever walked this planet has this in common: The desire to be happy. In fact, our most revered national document, the Declaration of Independence, proclaims that the pursuit of happiness is our unalienable right, universally endowed by the Creator himself.

Now we can pursue happiness until we are blue in the face, and most of us do, but there is just one way we will ever attain it: By following God’s “roadmap.” The Psalmist called that roadmap “the law of the Lord.” Today, we call it the Bible.

In this opening song from the songbook of the human race, the Psalms, we are told that happiness comes by completely, deliberately, and consistently ordering our life according to the full counsel of God’s Word. Not just a favorite verse here and there, mind you, or a Bible reading when it strikes the fancy, but through a “day and night” absorption of the whole “law of God.” Furthermore, true blessedness and lasting joy come by completely, deliberately, and consistently rejecting the humanistic definition of and path to happiness.

In Psalm 1, the Psalmist calls for a complete ordering of our life around the Word of God — “meditating on it day and night.” So here is the most important question you will be asked today: Are you? Are you reading God’s Word regularly, and not just reading it, but absorbing it? Are you not just absorbing it, but are you figuring out ways to apply it to your daily life — your thinking, your situations, your responses, your decisions, and your planning?

May I suggest that before you do anything else — read the headlines, surf your social media platforms, check your email, or have coffee with your posse, which is the modern equivalent of “WALK in step with the wicked or STAND in the way that sinners take or SIT in the company of mockers” (NIV) with anyone else before you get counsel from God — that you carve out time and then ruthlessly guard that time to read, absorb and apply God’s Word. And then discipline yourself to bring what you have read back to mind at various parts of the day to make sure your thoughts, actions, interactions, responses, and accomplishments have been true to the plumbline of God’s Word.

By the way, when “meditating day and night” on Scripture becomes the “organic” practice of your life, the discipline of daily Bible reading will have turned into the delight of practicing the presence of God. And when you practice the presence of God, you will experience the presence of God. That is truly what the joyful, blessed, and happy life is all about.

My Offering of Worship: Set an appointment with God on your calendar — literally — to read and reflect on his Word. Add it to whatever type of calendar you use, then ruthlessly keep it. Set it for the first thing in the morning (before you read the news, use social media, make your to-do list, etc.) or for the last thing you do before you go to sleep. Or do both. I would recommend the first since it centers you on the Word and will of God at the very first part of your day. I would also recommend you join me in reading through the Book of Psalms.

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Psalms: A Journey of Worship

You Were Made to Praise — So Don’t Neglect Your Reason for Being

DEAR READER: I invite you to join me for the rest of 2023 on a journey of worship. And the book of Psalms will be our guide. Psalms, the songbook for the human race, expresses worship like no other. Throughout its many pages, Psalms encourages its readers to praise God for who he is and what he has done. It describes the greatness of our God and affirms his faithfulness to us not only in times of blessing, comfort, and ease but also in times of trouble, heartbreak, and seeming defeat. And at the end of the day, whether in the valley or on the mountaintop, the Psalms remind us of the absolute certainty and necessary centrality of worship in our lives. So, let’s journey together through these 150 psalms. I will post devotional blogs each week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday … and I hope they will be a tremendous blessing to you on your journey of worship. In today’s devotional, to give you a preview of the kinds of devotionals to come, I have skipped way ahead to Psalm 139 and have written on, in my opinion, one of the most encouraging and comforting verses in the entire Bible, verse 16. Then on Monday, we will start with Psalm 1 and begin our journey until it concludes with Psalm 150.

Psalms: A Journey of Worship with Ray Noah

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 139:16

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How many days do I have left? I don’t know. No one does except God. He knows the exact number of years, days, and hours — even right down to the final second — that I will occupy my address on Planet Earth, the exact moment that my death will occur.

Now that may not seem like a cheery thought to you, and in fact, most people would find that sobering at best and frightening at worst. Not me. I find great comfort and security in knowing that God has my life so ordered that I will neither die a day sooner nor live a day longer than what has already been recorded in his book. You see, life and death are far above my pay grade, so I will happily let Father God take care of that department, thank you very much.

So, if I truly and correctly understand this profound truth, then I am set free from the fear of death to fully live the life that God has planned for me. So, what does that me for you and me?

We can enjoy an intimate walk with the One who is intimately involved in each minor detail of every single day we have lived — and will live:

You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too — your reassuring presence, coming and going. (Psalm 139:1-4)

We can rest assured that we are never out of his sight, and, in fact, he is guiding our every move:

Is there any place I can go to avoid your Spirit, to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, you’d find me in a minute — you’re already there waiting! (Psalm 139:5-10),

We can know with confidence that our Heavenly Father is not limited by our circumstances:

Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light! It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. (Psalm 139:11-12).

In fact, God is so involved in our lives that he was even there at the very moment our mother and father conceived us, and that he superintended even the most infinitesimal details my physiological and temperamental formation:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God — you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration — what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Yes, we can relax, knowing that God sees us, knows us, guides us, and continually cares for us:

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong — then guide me on the road to eternal life. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Wow! God knows everything about you and me. He planned us, built us, watches over us, can steer us back on track when we wander from his purpose, can be completely trusted to keep us safe until our sovereignly allotted number of days ordained for us are up, and then will take us to the next life that he has prepared for us for all eternity.

The psalmist was spot on in summing up this marvelous and loving Heavenly Father’s perfect oversight of our lives:

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand. (Psalm 139:6, NLT)

Yet even if we can’t quite wrap our minds around such knowledge, let’s not allow our limited comprehension to keep us from enjoying this day and praising the One who oversees every detail, big and small, of our lives!

My Offering of Worship: Memorize Psalm 139:16 and before you leave your house for the day’s activity, quote this verse aloud. Do that each day this week and watch your confidence in God’s sovereign care over your life grow.

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T.E.A.M

It Takes A Team To Advance The Kingdom

UNSHAKEABLE: Paul, the great theologian who was largely responsible for the evangelization of the western world, didn’t do it all by himself. He needed a little help from his friends in every city where he preached the gospel and planted a church. Though you will likely never hear a sermon or attend a Bible study where his team is given any mention, Paul gives them their props in the eternal Word of God in Romans 16. Take a moment to read this long list of strange names and grasp the truth coming from this list that it takes a team to do the work of the kingdom. For sure, there are leading characters on the Kingdom team, but it’s still a team, mostly of unnamed, unsung heroes who are typically forgotten — except by God. So as you think of the unnamed, unsung heroes in your life, be grateful for them! Especially the ones who serve behind the scenes simply being faithful to God and being kind to God’s people.

It takes a team to advance God’s Kingdom. For sure, there are leading characters on the that team, but it’s still a team, mostly of unsung heroes who are typically forgotten — except by God. —Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 16:1

I commend to you Phoebe…she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.

So who was Phoebe? We don’t really know, except that she was a deacon in the church in Cenchrea—which brings up a whole different matter about women deacons. I won’t go there for now, but, hey, the Bible sure does…

Anyway, we don’t know much about Phoebe, or the other friends that Paul names as he closes out the book of Romans. Now at this point, I want to do something normally guaranteed to lose your interest at this point—I want to list those names for you. But before I do, promise me that you’ll read through this entire list. You probably won’t be able to pronounce these names correctly, but that’s okay. I can’t either. I just read them really fast and with a lot of bravado, so when people hear me they think I must be an expert in ancient languages. Try it—  you’ll impress your friends.

So here they are: There’s Priscilla, Aquila, Penetus, Mary, Andronicus, Junia, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, Apelles, the household of Aristobulus, the household of Narcissus, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus and his mother, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and his fellow Christians, Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympia and her Christian friends, Timothy, Lucias, Jason, Sosipater, Tertius, Gaius, Erastus, and last but not least, Quartus.

Whew! My spell-checker is smoking. I don’t think it will ever be the same again.

So what’s up with these names? Simply this: Paul, the great Apostle, the guy who deservedly gets his name in lights almost every Lord’s Day in churches around the world, knew very well that he couldn’t have done it without the help of his friends. If Paul were accepting an Oscar, he would be up there for minutes listing off all the people he’d like to thank—these names and many others he mentions in some of his other writings.

This great theologian who was largely responsible for the evangelization of the western world didn’t do it all by himself. He needed a little help from his friends in every city where he preached the gospel and/or planted a church. Though you will likely never hear a sermon or attend a Bible study where these names are given any mention, Paul gives them their props in the eternal Word of God.

My point is, it takes a team to do the work of the Kingdom. For sure, there are leading characters on the Kingdom team, but it’s still a team, mostly of unnamed, unsung heroes who are typically forgotten—except by God. God never forgets. He appreciates the contributions of each and every single one — even the lesser lights. And he has stored up indescribable recognition and reward for them in the Kingdom to come. And Paul’s mention of them here in the last chapter of Romans is a subtle reminder to us of their contribution to his efforts and of their value to God.

Maybe you are one of those unnamed, unsung heroes who goes unnoticed by everyone else. But your faithfulness is noticed by God. Perhaps you are a Phoebe to a Paul or a Patrobas to a Peter or a Junius to a John, and you wonder if you really matter. My response to you is, “Yes, you matter. We wouldn’t be effective in building God’s Kingdom without you! It takes a team — and no matter how you feel, you are an integral part of that team!”

But more important than my acknowledgment is God’s. He has written your name in a book, too — one that’s even better than Romans. It’s the Book of Life. And God himself will celebrate your name all eternity long. How’s that for recognition?

So just be faithful in doing what you’re doing. Your day is coming!

Get Rooted: Every church is made up of friends of Christ as well as enemies of the Gospel. Even your church! That may be hard for you to swallow, but it’s true. Now rather than getting you riled up and ready to go on a witch hunt, here is what Paul would ask you to do: Take the time to express your gratitude to God for those true friends who make the Gospel possible in your church. And not only thank God for them, but also thank them, too.

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Becoming Intensely Missionary

It’s Time To Personally Prioritize Reaching The Unreached

UNSHAKEABLE: What does God care most about? I would contend that in the most powerful and profound sense, God desires that everyone on Planet Earth would have the chance to hear the Good News of his plan of eternal salvation that he offers through placing saving faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. Whether people accept the message or not, God still wants everyone to have the chance to hear and either reject or accept his gospel. And I would further contend that when you dedicate your life—your time, talent, energy, and resources—to reaching those who have never heard this Good News, God will devote himself to caring for what you most care about. What a deal! That, my friend, is an offer you shouldn’t refuse.

Becoming Intensely Missionary

Unshakeable Living // Romans 15:20-21

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

Are you a missions-minded Christian? Put another way, are you intensely missionary — especially about reaching those who have never heard the Good News of God’s saving plan through placing faith in his Son, Jesus Christ?

I thought I was intensely missionary. I grew up in the church where the occasional missionary would come and, if we were lucky, show slides of his work in Africa or some other far-off place that I had only heard about in geography lessons at school. Then I grew up and became a pastor, and again, the occasional missionary would come and tell the church what God was doing somewhere far away, and I would feel good that we were a missions church. I would even give regularly to support the church’s missions effort around the world. I was content that I was a missions-minded Christian.

But that began to change. Periodically, I was sent overseas for short-term missions projects by the various churches I served, and my heart begin to get reshaped by what I saw God doing among people who had never heard the name of Jesus before. The signs, wonders, and miracles in the context of the mission (Paul talks about that very same mission-laden context: “by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.” Rom 15:19) blew my mind. I had never seen such things in the U.S., and experiencing it abroad, I longed to see the supernatural back home in my church, too. God was disturbing my contentedness and reshaping my heart for missions.

Then God completely dislocated my heart and gave me a real passion for missions, for reaching people who had never heard the Gospel of Christ. I have a notion now that I have become a missions-minded Christian, and I grow more intensely missionary as the days go by.

It all happened when I reluctantly got involved in a church-planting project in a remote, unreached African region in 2004. I was reluctant because I knew that my involvement would require a lot of my own personal resources, and to be successful, it would require significant resources from my church. Figuring our resource pie was already stretched and limited, I secretly feared that the finances we dedicated to this project would flow away from other worthy projects and that we would simply be “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Then, as I was stressing over this likely outcome, something wonderful happened. God spoke to me. Not in an audible voice or through writing on the wall or some other sensational sort of way (that would have been really cool). He simply and clearly spoke to me through an undeniable and unmistakable inner impression in my spirit. Addressing my stress, he simply said, “Ray, if you will take care of the things I care about, then I will take care of the things you care about. I care about a lost world. I care about people who have never heard my name. And I want you to care about them too!” Let me say that again, for it was not only for Ray Noah, it is God’s message to you, too:

If you will take care of the things I care about, then I will take care of the things you care about. I care about a lost world. I care about people who have never heard my name. And I want you to care about them too!

That was good enough for me. I jumped into this project up to my eyeballs, and true to his word, God turned on a miraculous flow of resources for this church planting project and those other projects I had been so concerned about. Best of all, my obedience and those who joined me keyed a revival in this region of Africa that was beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. Now, twenty years later, the gospel has spread to unreached villages in several nations, and over 1.5 million lost souls have come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! And this modern-day revival is showing no signs of slowing.

What God has done in Africa through this act of obedience changed my heart forever and has given me an ever-growing, all-consuming passion for missions. I still have a passion for the local church and reaching the lost in my community (that’s missions, too), but I have an added ambition now: To keep God’s people focused on reaching people who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ. You see, just because a person happens to be born in an unreached part of the world shouldn’t limit their access to Jesus and the blessings of his kingdom.

Reaching the unreached — that was Paul’s ambition, according to Romans 15:20, way before it was mine. That is God’s ambition, according to Romans 15:21, that “those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

I pray that you will open your heart and let God make it your ambition as well. I hope that you will travel with me down the path to becoming an intensely missionary Christian. If you will, I will make you the same promise God made me:

If you will take care of the things God cares about—a lost world, God will take care of the things you care about—your world.

What a deal! That is an offer you shouldn’t refuse.

Get Rooted: I challenge you to begin to pray this prayer: “God, break my heart for the things that break your heart.”