On Sunday the men of our church cooked a meal for the SERVE homeless shelter. I was surprised to see over 20 men there. After the meal was prepared we had to ask them to leave because the those at the shelter were a little intimidated by so many guests. What a turn out! praise God! We’re talking now to the shelter about helping refurbish some of the rooms.
The world is doing it’s best to paint the followers of Christ as angry, close minded, out of touch, mean, heartless, and hypocritical. In June of this year a Christian business man was arrested in Pakistan and in his possession were a gun, sword, night vision goggles, and a Bible. He said that he was in Pakistan to hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden. That story ran through the news for a week or so and was fodder for many jokes. They especially enjoyed tying together gun and sword with Bible and Christian.
When we take our love outside the walls of the church and let it shine, not to prove anything, but because we can’t hold it back, what a powerful testimony for the truth of the gospel! Our world today is more interested in seeing our deeds than in hearing us argue about creeds. So, let’s do both – hold fast to our ancient creeds while displaying the reality of it in our actions.
I’ve been asked on several occasions, “What kind of outreach programs does your church have?” Not always, but sometimes the attitude behind the question is, “Show me how serious you are pastor and impress me with a big outreach you did. I want to see if you’re serious.” We do outreach. This Sunday we’ll be feeding the homeless at SERVE. In October our church will dig a well in Sierra Leone.
However, I still believe the greatest outreach is each Sunday when we open the doors for worship. We don’t see it on the outside but people who are hurting, broken, depressed, controlled by sin, and eternally lost come to church and each Sunday is a chance to rescue them. Every Sunday IS an outreach opportunity. Are you involved in some capacity helping us reach the lost each Sunday? If not, I pray that you’ll jump in and serve somewhere! Together we can help people cross over to a life of victory through Jesus Christ.
Galatians 6:7-10 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Here’s a principle from God’s Word. We’re planting all the time through the choices we make each day. That seed over time, will produce a harvest.
What kind of seeds have you been sewing? If you are tired of the harvest you’ve had thus far in life, look at the seeds you’ve sewn thus far. If that’s you, I encourage you in Jesus name to throw away the seeds you’ve had “in your hand” to this point, seeds that you’ve planted year after year, after year, after year – seeds to satisfy your sinful desires. Stop asking your self, “Why has this happened to me? Why the loss? Why the struggle? Why the pain? Why the frustration in my home?” Look instead at the seeds you’ve planted.
Throw the rotten seed away, and grab the seed of the things of God, and begin to plant them day, by day, by day and your harvest will change. Over time you’ll find the joy from the new harvest you’re reaping far exceeding the pain of the old harvest. You will reap eternal life in this life, in your family, and in the life to come.
Last night I was at my brother’s house for a birthday party. It was strange to see him under the sink grunting with water on the floor. His drain pipe was clogged. When the pipe was finally dislodged this is a picture of what it looked like inside. It was completely clogged with egg shells and other rotting debris.
This is what our hearts can look like spiritually if we’re not careful. Unconfessed sin – harsh words spoken, jealousy, pride, bitterness, defeating thoughts, selfishness, etc. can collect and clog us up. After a while the water of the Holy Spirit, God’s grace and power are no longer flowing in our lives leaving us miserable on the inside.
The best way to unclog your heart is confess your sins to Jesus. The word confess literally means “to say the same thing as.” When we confess we say the same thing that God says about our sins. We call it like it is. We take responsibility, express sorrow, turn from our sin, and ask for mercy.
If that’s you, turn to Psalm 51. Read it through and make that Psalm your prayer. Put your name in it and personalize it. You’ll experience the living water of God’s presence flowing through you again.
What happened to King David was tragic. He was in his prime, a bit over 50. He had ruled as king for around 20 years and had known nothing but success. His future could not have been brighter.
Then came Bathsheba. We read in 2 Samuel 11:1-2, “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.”
This was the time of year that kings led their troops into battle. The spring meant great weather, plenty of food for animals and soldiers, and travel on dry roads. King David should have been with his men, but he remained home alone. What was he doing? 2 Sam. 11:2a says, “It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch…” He was taking it easy, napping, laying around, and basically wasting time. It was while he was idle he fell into temptation.
One of the great ways to beat temptation is to stay busy. If David had been busy he would not have given in to temptation. Idleness is the devil’s workshop. Have you noticed that standing water gathers filth? One of the best ways to beat temptation is to simply be where you’re supposed to be, doing what your supposed to do with all your might for the glory of God.
This year our church will raise money to dig a well in Kenema, Sierra Leone beside a newly constructed church. Clean water is a huge need in Africa. Below is a video clip with Pastor Gregory Bangura, our contact. In it you’ll see what a poorly constructed well can look like. The one we will dig will be much safer. Our hope is that as people come to draw water for thirst they will discover the Living Water – Jesus.
Pastor Gregory Bangura has devoted his life to training church planters all through West Africa. He’ll be with us this weekend. Please, take some time to listen to this interview. InterviewwithPastorBangurawebcast
John Calvin, in the early 16th century was a theologian, pastor, and leader of the Protestant Reformation. How he found his pastoral call is quite interesting. When he was just in his mid twenties he wrote his famous work, The Institutes of Christian Religion. Instantly it became a best seller. He was now known around the world. It was his dream to move from France to Strasbourg to spend the rest of his life writing, studying, living the secluded, sheltered life of a scholar in solitude and silence. So, he set off, but because of a war he had to take a longer way, and ended up staying in Geneva, Switzerland.
While in Geneva, a local minister, William Farel, heard that the famous young author was in his city and he went to see him. Farel had just led the city of Geneva into a spiritual reformation but still much was to be done and he knew needed Calvin’s help. So, he went to plead with him to surrender his dream of scholarly seclusion. He wanted Calvin stay and pastor a church. Calvin refused saying he was not cut out for public life. Farel grew angry. Farel was a firey person, intense and bold.
Later Calvin would write, “When he Farel, realized I was determined to study in some obscure place he descended to cursing, and he said that God would surely curse my peace if I held back from giving help…terrified by his words I gave up my journey and attempted to apply whatever gift I had for the defense of my faith.” (Taken from a lecture by Dr. Frank A. James – http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/rts-public.1379833356.01379833359)
So, John Calvin surrendered. He set aside his dream and he became the pastor a church in Geneva, Switzerland. In time that church transformed the city and became a light of reformation and revival all over the world. It was not in a secluded study but in the rigors of ministry that Calvin had his greatest impact.
May God help us to give up our dreams for His. His dreams are far greater for our lives than we could ever imagine. We find God’s dream when we surrender to Him.
We are on the way home going 75 down I95 after 2 weeks of vacation. If you are able, I would encourage you to take two weeks of vacation. If you are like me , it takes the first week to unwind. And then on the second week it actually feels like you are on vacation.
Honestly I was tired physically, and looking forward to some time off. But now on the way home I am refreshed and looking forward to getting back to work. I recently heard a formula that I found to be true on my time off.
It is change of pace plus change of place equals change of perspective. Times of rest help us get a new perspective.
Thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers who made it possible for us to get away. We love you.
Here's a link to a recent Washington Post article on the ">Whitlow family pastors. My father made a call to the Post and suggested they do an article. I'm thankful for the coverage it brings to our church. May the word spread and God's church grow.
