Every Nation: Shift From Local to Global Thinking
“Send us around the world with the news of Your saving power and Your eternal plan for all mankind”
(Psalm 67:2 LB).
God is a global God. He has always cared about the entire world. “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16 NIV). From the beginning He has wanted family members from every nation He created. The Bible says, “From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and He decided when and where every nation would be” (Acts 17:26 CEV).
God has done all this, so that we will look for Him and reach out and find Him.
Much of the world already thinks globally. The largest media and business conglomerates are all multi-national. Our lives are increasingly intertwined with those in other nations as we share fashions, entertainment, music, sports, and even fast foods. Probably most of the clothes you’re wearing and much of what you ate today was produced in another country.
We’re more connected than we realize and God can use that connectedness as a means for us to fulfill His Great Commission. Jesus gave us a pattern for such involvement: “…You will tell everyone about Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world” (Acts 1:8 CEV).
His followers are to reach out to their community (Jerusalem), to their country (Judea), to other cultures (Samaria) and to other nations (everywhere in the world). Note that our commission is simultaneous, not sequential.
We are called to be on mission to all four groups in some way. How would you identify these groups in your community? What nations do you believe God has called you to serve in some form?
Rick Warren
(Psalm 67:2 LB).
God is a global God. He has always cared about the entire world. “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16 NIV). From the beginning He has wanted family members from every nation He created. The Bible says, “From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and He decided when and where every nation would be” (Acts 17:26 CEV).
God has done all this, so that we will look for Him and reach out and find Him.
Much of the world already thinks globally. The largest media and business conglomerates are all multi-national. Our lives are increasingly intertwined with those in other nations as we share fashions, entertainment, music, sports, and even fast foods. Probably most of the clothes you’re wearing and much of what you ate today was produced in another country.
We’re more connected than we realize and God can use that connectedness as a means for us to fulfill His Great Commission. Jesus gave us a pattern for such involvement: “…You will tell everyone about Me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world” (Acts 1:8 CEV).
His followers are to reach out to their community (Jerusalem), to their country (Judea), to other cultures (Samaria) and to other nations (everywhere in the world). Note that our commission is simultaneous, not sequential.
We are called to be on mission to all four groups in some way. How would you identify these groups in your community? What nations do you believe God has called you to serve in some form?
Rick Warren
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