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.
I’m getting ready to take a vacation with our family. Honestly, I’m looking forward to unplugging. I love my job. I love preaching and reaching people for Christ. I want to give myself to ministry for the rest of my life. But, if I’m going to be around for the long haul vacations are a must! I’m also looking forward to our vacation because I love my wife and kids. The little ones are growing so fast. It’s time to Carpe diem -, to seize the day, because the window of life time memory making is so short. So, we’re off to Atlanta to spend some time on Lake Lanier with Wendy’s family. Then it’s off to Orlando. This summer, seize the day! Take a break, refresh, and invest in your family!
Memorial Day this year was one of the best. My family went to Burke Lake Park. If you haven’t been you need to go – http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelake. We had fun paddle boating, hiking, riding the train and carousel, and eating ice cream.
I love my family. As a pastor there can be times when ministry weighs heavy. The extra lift I need usually comes from spending time with them doing something fun.
I came across this version of Amazing Grace by Pastor Wintley Phipps. He has an amazing voice. Before singing he shares how the song was composed. This will put goose bumps on your goose bumps. If not, call me and I’ll pray for you.
My dad yesterday called me out of the blue and asked me to lunch. I didn’t even think about it. I dropped what I was doing. This was a rare joy. When was the last time my dad and I, just us, sat down for a bite to eat? It’s been too long. We had a great time. We talked about life, how it’s changed. We talked about our challenges. We laughed a little. As I sat there I saw not just my dad but my friend. That was the best lunch I’ve had in a while. In fact, it made my day.
It made me realize the power that a parent has over their children. Parents a larger than life to their kids. When a parent takes the time to take their kid out for one on one time it says loud and clear, “I care about you. You’re special.” Parents don’t underestimate the influence that you have. It’s huge. Take time today not just to parent, but to build a friendship with the kids God has given you.
Jealousy has been called the “Green Eyed Monster”. This expression was created by Shakespeare in his play Othello, where one of his characters says: “O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.” The green eyed monster of jealousy mocks us and makes us look foolish as it destroys us. We get red in the face. We say things we don’t mean. Our outlook on life is clouded. We end up hurting people we love.
Long before Shakespeare, Solomon wrote in Proverbs 27:4 – Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
One way to defeat the green eyed monster is to worship and thank God for all that he’s given you and done for you. Transform your jealousy into worship. Realize that God has made you the way you are for a purpose. Worship and thank Him for the gifts you do have! It’s more than you or I deserve.
Let me challenge you a little farther. Thank God for how he’s gifted the person your jealous of. Ask God to pour out his blessings on that person that you’re envious of. Instead of being threatened and worried by them say to the Lord, “I thank you O God for how wonderfully you’ve gifted so and so. Continue to open new opportunities for them and may the grow to be all that you’ve called them to be.” Turn your envy into worship and like light expelling darkness your jealousy will vanish away!
In California there is a tree called the Sequoia. It’s also known as the California Redwood. What’s amazing about these evergreen trees is their incredible size, ranging 200 to almost 400 feet tall, and up to 23 feet in diameter at the base. They also live for up to 2,200 years. You would think that enormous trees like this would have deep, deep roots going way down into the earth.
Actually their roots are shallow and they spread out and connect with the roots of the other Redwood trees nearby. That’s one of the secrets to their long life and stability. They’re connected, rooted, and in relationship with those other trees. They are able to then withstand the heat, the rain, the wind, the cold, and whatever else comes there one.
That is the secret to our spirit longevity as well. God wants us not only to believe but to belong. He wants us to interlock and connect with other Christians. There are many “deep” so called believers, but they don’t have any connection with others. On the inside spiritually they suffer and struggle. Today, choose to belong and not simply attend and observe once a week!
