Churches That Act Like Jesus

These people came into the back of the church.  Still smoking their cigarettes and not very well dressed.  After a few weeks they were still coming to church.  I was beginning to hear about their past and current lifestyle that was not fitting for church people.  

But it felt like a voice from God that said leave them alone.  My Spirit will talk to them in time.  Just show them what I did for them and how much I love them.

People already know the bad they did.  But people might not know that I love unconditionally and forgive every wrong.  Love them for me.  

True story.  One of these hippies- years later said; if you started telling us rules we were not keeping, we would have not come back.  

Churches that act like Jesus.  

English Camp in the Czech Republic

What makes a great camp?

Our leader tried something that really worked.  As we looked to help our new Czech friends work on their English, we discussed some topics that let us get to know each other.  Our family/ Genogram, differences with a personality profile, do we contribute or consume, what makes us happy and our future.  We spent a day on each of these.  These topics opened the door for good conversation.

Often our conversation led us to struggles in our lives.  We realized things that mattered the most in our lives.  I could see character as well as the things that mattered in the lives of the students.  

God is part of each of these conversations that make us who we are.  We can blame God for the past.  But God can bring us through hurt and tough times.  We are each different.  We can embrace that and look to see ourselves the way God sees us.  Our efforts to make us happy often fall short too quick.  Our future plans can be driven by things that matter and things that last.

So today I found myself praying for Zdenek, Lenka, Itca, Anna, Kuba, Jonsa and Justin.  I know these guys.  They are fun, interesting, very kind and have so much potential.  I can see that God put something in the person of each of my new friends.  I hope that the camp was helpful.  But, mostly that we can in a similar way live a life that goes in harmony with God.

I can't believe I heard this at my church

At our church;

The band is great.  There are many who have a lot of talent.  The Sound is current.  They are there to help us to pray and think about the greatness of God.  I hear songs at church before I hear them on the radio.  I look forward to this part of our meeting.  It is helpful for me and is good for the next generation.  

The preacher is simple, fun and biblical.  We are working through one of the books in the Bible.  It makes sense and I leave thinking and talking about something I have learned about God in his Word and how it fits in my life.

But, then it happened.  I went to a workshop training at the church last weekend.  I actually heard them say this.  If you are not careful your church with a great speaker and a really good worship band, will let this become the main thing in the church.      It will never get around to making disciples and training disciple makers.  The leadership seemed to agree with this.  We are not just here to do a Sunday meeting and get more people to come.  

The main thing in the church is making disciples.  

One of our greeters told it to me like this.  I knew the purpose of the church was to make disciples.  I always thought that all the programs that the church did would make disciples.  But recently I realized that I should actually personally be making disciples.  My church is going to train me to help other people know and follow Christ.  

Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach,  Mark 3:14

Maybe churches are taking steps to be more like what Jesus talked about when he said to go and make disciples.  Will pray and watch to see God at work.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNf0NnY-Fy4

Free Wine- the finest

In Isaiah 55:1, God offers free wine.  He invites those with no money to receive the finest of wine, milk and food.  The offer is to any who are thirsty or hungry.  Are you hungry or thirsty?  

No doubt this is a metaphor to illustrate how God wants to give to us.  The actual invitation is to receive the everlasting covenant and unfailing love God promised to David.  It takes no money or efforts to receive this.  It is offered to sinful and wicked people.  I think everyone sins.   

Heres's my own illustration;
I heard this story about a group of soldiers who were training by walking miles each day.  The gear was heavy and the men were tired.  On top of that, the food truck that was to meet them did not arrive.  Now a few days without food the group received some encouragement as a Salvation Army truck met them with hot coffee.  But still no food.  

A couple of the men started eating the cups.  They said it felt better to at least have something in their stomachs.  

Why spend your efforts on food that does not give any nourishment?  Why use your life for things that do not matter?  

Filling your stomach with paper could make you feel like you had some food.  I wonder where I fill my life with things that do not matter.  I can stay busy, but what am I doing that really matters?  I could think I am satisfied.  Do we slow down enough to notice that we are really hungry and thirsty for what God has to offer?  

God says those who listen to him will find meaning/ purpose in life.  God's word will accomplish what he wants it to do.  I plan to take time as a rhythm in my life to listen to God.  To be still and listen to God and his word.  

Who would turn down the finest free wine?  

My High School Football Team at Pinellas Park High School

There is something about being on a team.  

I have good memories of my high school football team at Pinellas Park High.  Win or loose we were in it together.  Our coach asked us to choose the schedule we would take for my senior year.  We were a new school and people did not expect too much from us.  We could play smaller schools and that would be acceptable.  Or, we could play the bigger schools.  That would be the schools we came from.  Our new school had taken students from 3-4 other high schools.  We might loose all the games.  But, we all wanted to take on the challenge of playing our old schools.  

Today, Linda and I are on the edge of a new transition.  No doubt that God is moving us from Maryland, back to Florida.  It is like we have no choice.  God is that clear.  

For 30 years I have been privileged with a paid position as I worked on a church staff.  More and more I look to build a team.  We need to see the same purpose.  It will take work.  There will be training.  My future job is not clear.  But I know there will be a team.  

This will be part of the team.  All Scripture is inspired by God and it is useful for training workers.  Then I read another place that said church leaders responsibility is to train workers.  The church becomes mature in Christ when leaders train those who are teachable to do work.  My goal would be to build a team that would carry this out.  Team up with God to make this happen.  To be a biblical church.  (II Tim 3:17, Eph. 4:12)

As I remember it, the first game we won had the score of 4 to 0.  We scored 2 safety's.  No one really expected that.  But we planned and worked hard expecting to win.  I learned a lot from that high school team.  I hope to keep on learning as we build a team to be the church.  

Change the way I pray

Hey God in heaven.  I am pretty good.  Since I am good I think I should get my way.  Since I am good you will probably give me what I want.  I do sin, but not as bad as other people I know.  So just keep the good times coming.  

Ok, not the best way to pray.

I want to change the way I pray.  It seems I often say the same words without enough thought.  I have been thinking about how Jesus taught people to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. 

I want my prayers to realize the greatness of my Lord and Savior.  I want everything to line up with what he wants to do in my life and in the lives of those around me.  

My needs can be part of my prayers.  My needs and my wants are not the same.  I hope my wants, will keep changing to be more like what my Father's wants from heaven.  

When I seek the holiness of God I notice how I fall short.  My sin must be confessed.  Change my selfish ways to line up with my creator so to fit what I was made for.  

My Father in heaven, you are  .  .  .  .