Devotional Reading Plan

“Jesus said to his followers, ‘Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.’” Mark 16:15 (NCV)

The Great Commission is your commission, and that means you have a critical choice to make: You will be either a world-class Christian or a worldly Christian.

Worldly Christians look to God primarily for personal fulfillment. They are saved, but self-centered. They attend concerts and enrichment seminars, but you rarely find them at a missions conference because they aren’t interested. Their prayers focus on their own needs, blessings, and happiness. It’s a “me-first” faith: How can God make my life more comfortable? They want to use God for their purposes -- instead of being used for His purposes.

World-class Christians, in contrast, know they’re saved to serve and made for a mission. They’re eager to receive a personal assignment and excited about the privilege of being used by God. World-class Christians are the only fully alive people on the planet. Their joy, confidence, and enthusiasm are contagious because they know they’re making a difference. They wake up each morning expecting God to work through them in fresh ways.

Which type of Christian do you want to be?

God invites you to participate in the greatest, largest, most diverse, and most significant cause in history—His kingdom. History is his story. He’s building his family for eternity. Nothing matters more, and nothing will last as long.

From the book of Revelation we know that God’s global mission will be accomplished. Someday the Great Commission will be the Great Completion. In heaven an enormous crowd of people from “every race, tribe, nation, and language” (Revelation 7:9 - CEV) will one day stand before Jesus Christ to worship him. Getting involved as a world-class Christian will allow you to experience a little of what heaven will be like in advance.

When Jesus told his followers to “go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone,” that small band of poor, Middle Eastern disciples were overwhelmed. Were they supposed to walk or ride slow animals? That’s all they had for transportation, and there were no ocean-crossing ships, there were real physical barriers to going to the whole world.

Now, with the Internet, the world has gotten even smaller. In addition to phones and faxes, any believer with Internet access can personally communicate with people in virtually every country on earth. The whole world is at your fingertips it has never been easier for you to fulfill your commission to go to the whole world. The great barriers are no longer distance, cost, or transportation. The Great Commission is your Commission, and doing your part is the secret to living a life of significance.

Assess yourself -- Based on where you are. today, how confidently can you answer the following questions?

My behaviors, thoughts and prayers seem to indicate I want to be used for God’s purposes, not just my own.

I know I was made for a mission in this world.

I am making a difference in this world.

I have made the Great Commission my commission.

Pray about areas where you feel yourself struggling with doubt and ask God to give you a his heart for the lost.