Chapter 7 Holy Moments for Everyday People

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:12-15

You may be saying that all this teaching about holy moments is great, But I’m not anybody special. I’m certainly not as holy as my pastor or other missionaries or professional ministry people.  How can I be and see a holy moment when

I’m a mechanic; a housewife; a teacher; an IT guy; a trucker; an electrician; a Manufacture plant worker; a beautician; a custodian; a security guy; run a mini mart.  

If this is where you are, then you are exactly who this book is for! Remember the verses about your position with Jesus after you were saved?

“But you (all of the above positions and more) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy”. 1 Peter 2:9-10.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

This is you, my friend. This is your position in Christ, right now! Holy moments are not just for the professional ministry people. More than anybody, you are qualified to see and be a holy moment to the world around you.

Do you see yourself as part of a royal priesthood, proclaiming the excellencies of Jesus? Can you tell somebody how you came out of darkness into the light? This is your story, not some sermon you have to memorize.  Can you offer the mercy of God that you currently enjoy? You don’t need a certificate in biblical studies, or four years at a seminary to do this. Jesus offers you the opportunity to see and be a holy moment as much as you want today and every day. Start acting like the royal priest you are by becoming a holy moment to those in need around you today.

But life has me so tied up in knots! I feel like I’m living at the speed of worry. How can I be a holy moment when I’m so stressed and distracted?

Remember the young lady in chapter five who experiences holy moments all the time? She’s just a surrendered vessel who is open to God using her anywhere at any time in the midst of a chaotic life. She told me a story of a holy moment that was deferred for the perfect moment.

 Sarah Grace writes letters of blessings to college girls she feels need to get a blessing. She delivered one to a classmate by slipping it under her bed to find later. Three years passed until during a suicidal moment the girl stumbled upon the letter under her bed that had been placed there three years ago. Reading that blessing saved her life that day. She shared with Sarah Grace that God had revealed that letter to her three years later just when she needed it. The message here is found in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

Some of you may say that Sarah Grace is young, unattached, and able to give more time to holy moments than you or I may be able to give. Once we marry, have children, embark on a career, and begin developing relationships in a church or neighborhood, we think our holy moment times are limited. I’m here to tell you they have just begun! Every one of those life changing events on the road of life are the perfect moments to turn an everyday moment into a holy moment. Remember the holy moment happens when.

God’s presence achieves God’s purpose

For God’s glory and man’s benefit

Are you on the road driving to a sales meeting? Turn on a worship song or bible teacher.

Are you at home with the kids? Ask God to give you a creative holy moment with them.

Are you stuck in class? Look around and ask God who you can say a quick silent prayer for.

Do you have a big proposal coming up? Give it to Jesus in surrender and dependance.

Is your child sleeping on your chest? Put down the phone and pray over them.

Are you on the way to an appointment? Thank God for your job and seek wisdom.

Text a friend one of the verses you read this morning or this evening.

Send an encouraging email to somebody before you go to bed.

Call a friend to listen and share about your lives. Don’t hang up before you say a short prayer with them.

Look to nature during your day and stop for a moment to reflect with God on the beauty of His handwork.

Try to never hand up the phone with a fellow Christ follower without saying a short prayer with them.

These and many more holy moments are everyday examples of how we can enter into the holy moments all around us. God is always at work on man’s behalf. The challenge is to get in tune to His good works that are strewn out along your path today. 

I’m writing today in my favorite coffee shop here in NC. There are always a few Christ followers sitting around talking about life and Jesus. I have my ear buds in as my ADD doesn’t make it easy to write and listen to all the conversations around me. When I write, I listen to rain forest sounds with no words. It allows me to concentrate while I sit with all the noise and activity around me.  I write in public places because I feel I’m writing amongst the people I want my books to reach. I guess the ear buds communicate to others that I want to be left alone, and I guess that’s correct to a point. The cool thing is that although I haven’t interacted with anybody here, I have texted about 10 people some verses and devotionals I felt the Lord wanted me to send them. Each one of those texts were holy moments. I also prayed for some people who had need for it today. Every prayer was a holy moment. Can you see it now?? That’s the secret to your holy moment journey! It’s not only about talking to people, handing out tracks, or confronting somebody on the street. There are people called to enter those holy moments, and they should be doing what God calls them to do. I will talk to anyone anywhere, but I’m learning that for me, part of the conversation becoming spiritual comes from a desire on both parts to communicate. Any approach is great and biblical, but you just must go with the holy moment God is calling you to. Remember, He will enable you to do what He calls you to do for Him and His glory.

But I’m still afraid of messing up!

If this is your default response to the Holy Moment challenge, allow me to help you transform your mind (Romans 12:1-2) by the truth about who you are in Christ. You may be involved in everyday activities, serving Jesus in an everyday job. You may be full time at home, managing the household and ministering to the kids. You may be retired, looking for ways to spend your time. Wherever you are in your everyday life, Jesus is calling you to see and be a Holy Moment today! Right where you are! With the people He puts in front of you! What is there to be afraid of?? Let me tell you, I have a long list.

Afraid I’ll say the wrong thing

Afraid I’ll be rejected

Afraid they will bring up my past faults

Afraid they will ask a question I can’t answer

Afraid I will lose a promotion if I say something challenging

Afraid I’ll be mocked and ridiculed for my faith

Afraid I’ll be trolled on social media for sharing my beliefs.

All of the above fears are legitimate until you bring them into the presence of God. Then you realize those fears are just F.E.A.R.s. False Expectations Appearing Real. The enemy knows that once you become a willing participant in the Holy Moment movement, you will be bringing the light of Jesus to the darkness of the enemy’s domain. You will be rescuing people from darkness and eternal death into Jesus’ light and eternal life. Satan must stop this threat to his dominion any way He can. One way is to accuse the believer using the above lies. All of the above F.E.A.R.s are just that, lies. What do we do with lies? Exchange them for truth! 

Afraid you’ll say the wrong thing? Be rejected? Jesus promises that He will speak through you by His spirit to bring the message He has planned for this holy moment. It might be a short prayer you offer, or a word of blessing and encouragement. Reject the accusation that you are not qualified to experience a holy moment with another person.  Jesus is with you, in you and working through you. If following Jesus is your daily experience, this lie will be exposed. If you are struggling in your daily walk with Jesus, then go back to chapter 5 and review the biblical process for restoration. Don’t allow the enemy to bring this lie unchallenged.

 Here is an answer to these F.E.A.R.s  directly from Jesus. The context here is the time Jesus sent out his disciples to share His message with the cities around Jerusalem. He sent them out to experience the holy moments He had already prepared for them. He warned them and then encouraged them. This message is for you and me today.

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:16-20.

No, I don’t envision you being dragged before your boss and delivered over to be fired, but it could happen. You could be the target of broken people in your company who see your faith as a threat to their chosen lifestyle or behavior. Your freedom from sin may be seen as self-righteous judgement about their self-inflicted bondage to sin. People respond to the light of Jesus in different ways. Some people at work will be attracted to the light you shine. Others will be repelled and look for ways to reduce or eliminate your glow. You can’t control people’s responses, but you can control how much you shine your light. Jesus is making a promise to those who choose to shine for Him. He promises that He will give you the words and guide you with the wisdom you will need in the moment. Don’t F.E.A.R. the moment when it comes. The people around you at work are dying to hear about the hope that is in you. You can’t mess it up when Jesus is the one initiating the holy moment. 

I’m afraid they will bring up my past sins and failures.

This F.E.A.R. can really become a barrier to us when we allow it to stay in our mind. I once heard that the most holy people you know will live at least a hundred miles from you and only see you once a year! The point is that we all mess up, have bad days, overreact, and under perform. We say things we wish we didn’t, and we hurt people we wish we hadn’t. The result is that we sometimes feel that we are not worthy to represent our Savior to the broken world we live and work in. Jesus knew this would happen. He knew that our attempts to live a holy life would be compromised by our attachment to the world and our past trauma experiences that would lead us to self-medicate or self-protect. His intention was to come into our lives and renew us spiritually at salvation. Once we are saved and spiritually alive, we enter into the process of sanctification, developing a spirit led life. This is a process and will happen as fast or as slow as we want it to. Some people have a lot of unlearning and a lot of F.E.A.R.s to address and gain victory over. They may benefit from Christ centered counselors who will help them find freedom and deliverance from the past.  Others have less of an initial challenge based on the Christ centered family and culture they grew up in. This is a great way to come to Jesus, but a lifetime believer can slip into a self-righteous attitude that hampers their holy moments as effectively as a believer struggling with sin.

The key to victory over this F.E.A.R. is to admit you have past sins and failures that people know about, but you also admit that you know those sins and failures have been forgiven at the cross and you bear them no more. You are totally free from your past sins, and you walk in holiness with Jesus based on His life, death, and resurrection on your behalf. You are an imperfect person indwelt by a perfect Savior. You are a broken cistern who now leaks out the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit. People don’t want to hear from perfect performing Christians, they want to hear from broken people made whole by Jesus. They want to relate to people who see themselves as everyday people who have a personal, powerful, and relevant relationship with the God of the universe. Your calling is to live your life so connected to Jesus that other people see the light in you and are attracted to eternity. You will mess up, and you will make mistakes. The difference will be that others will see you struggling with that and watch as you ask Jesus to make you better. You should always be moving towards a more holy, more surrendered, intimate relationship with Jesus. You won’t always achieve those goals.  Others will witness your holy struggle and see it as sincere and life giving. Don’t be afraid of messing up around others. It is a chance to show them the forgiveness and restoration of Jesus.

What if I can’t answer their questions?

People ask questions for different reasons. Some ask because they are genuinely interested in your answer. Others ask questions to start an argument where they voice their beliefs as superior to yours. Others will ask questions because they want to test their own beliefs with other beliefs, always seeking knowledge but never applying it. Don’t be afraid of not knowing the answer to every question. When one comes that you can’t answer, respond with “That’s a great question. I will find an answer and get back to you next time we talk.” We can’t possible have all the answers to unforeseen questions, so don’t let that fear keep you from sharing. I will leave you with a challenge to understand your generation and find the online tools to explore the types of questions your peers may have and what the biblical answers may be. We should all be making the time to grow in our knowledge of our faith and how it relates to those around us.

The bottom line for this chapter is to remind you that you have a vital role to play in God’s redemptive plan for His beloved creation. It doesn’t matter what line of work you are in or what your education experience is, God is planning holy moments for you to walk in. Those holy moments are empowered by His spirit in you. Do your best to grow in your knowledge of His word and His ways so you can be His beacon in the night to those walking in darkness around you.

Make the commitment today to set spiritual goals in your life just like you set other professional, financial and physical goals. Share them with a friend to support you and keep you accountable. The motivation is to grow into the spiritual fruit marketplace people can come to and pick the fruit you produce as you abide in Jesus daily. Any fruit they take is replaced by the spirit for somebody else to take. This is the economy of God. He gives to you, you share with others, and He gives you more. This is the abundant life every believer is offered by God. John 15 goes into detail on this topic. Study it and become the fruit stand on the side of the road people can come to for refreshment and nourishment.