Once again I have been hearing from God in my hectic crazy quiet time with Him. This time its been what are you going to do? I know what you want, I know what you think you need He says to me. But what is it your going to do? When are you going to be My church, My hands, My feet, My voice to this generation? I don’t know about you but thats a heavy question.
We all spend our week running around working, going to school, running kids from here to there. We thank God for our food, jobs and spend a little devotion time everyday maybe even attend a bible study and teach a Sunday school class. But is that what we are called to do? I mean is that all?
We like going to church, but were not really being the church, we are spending our time going to church. But were not really being the church or what it was meant to be and do. Now don’t get me wrong I am not trying to throw a guilt trip on anyone. I for one am just as guilty of this as the next guy. However I think this was brought to my attention to share and provoke thought.
Think about the last time you saw someone who was homeless sitting or even pan handling for cash. Did you just walk by, or did you just look through them? hoping to not have to reach from some change. How about the gay guy at work who your afraid to share the love of Jesus with because you might be taken wrong or ridiculed by the rest of the guys. Or how about that old friend of yours that is the greatest guy you know and would take the shirt off his back for anyone but doesn’t believe in God. You dont want to offend him so you don’t talk about “that” subject around him. These are the stereo types that we all think of that “need Jesus” now for the fact of the matter, I’ll let you in on a little secret we as disciples of Jesus are called to share the good news with… the next person you see and meet. . .
We are called, commissioned, to share the love of Jesus with everyone. But we lavish a lot of time on ourselves, our families and internal church activities. Our prayers focus on what effects us. Prayer is our chance to stand in the gap and intercede for others. To tune into Gods spirit and ask Him to move on behalf of others. Of course we need to talk to Him about our needs but he already knows that. For the most part I fear we have nothing much in common with the way that Jesus and the disciples would have done things. We have seeker sensitive programs that soften the gospel and skirt sin to avoid making people feel bad. The church is acting like a club and “Jesus” is the secret word to get in the door. We have music, dancing, the works, two floor shows every Sunday.
Sadly I was in Baltimore last Friday night in Fells Point, an area known for its adult beverage establishments and a hub of local night life. We were walking around to see who we might be able to minister to. We simply were asking people if we could pray for them. No heavy guilt trips, no long argumentative confrontations, just sharing the love of Jesus and the gospel. If a conversation grew out of it we talked if not we just planted seed or watered. However if someone wanted to ask Jesus into their life we were ready to do that too. Now the sad part was not the people we met, They were great, but the churches in and around the area. They all were closed, doors locked, lights out not a single shred of evidence that they are active. Now the worst part, Big signs declaring Gods love with small signs that said “No Loitering” “keep at least 20 feet away from doors’ now were not talking about one church with these signs but more than a half dozen within two to three city blocks of one another, and smack dab in the middle of where all these people are. No wonder people want nothing to do with the church or God. What a greeting they declare in Gods name. Large segments of the church have lost its way and role, they have “missed the plot” and need to pick the book back up and rediscover the plot and end to the story.
We don’t need to be seeker sensitive we as the church need to be “Spirit Sensitive” aware of Gods presence seeking His face and walking according to His edicts, speaking His words to those we come in contact with because.. God has pre-ordained it to happen. We have been saved and sent out to share the good news with everyone God sends our way. Our success is not dependent on if people accept Jesus but if we did what we were called to do. Love people where they are at and let the Holy spirit convict them and woo them to himself. We can not save a single soul. All we can do is plant, water and harvest, but God causes all the increase.
But there can be no planting, there can be no watering and no harvest if we don’t go into the fields. The field is “ripe for the harvest” are we going to let the fields rot because of our self indulgence and sloth? I hope not and I know that God longs for us all to work in the field.
You say, how do you do this? what is the secret?
Share what you know, open yourself to the leading of the Holy Ghost, He will tell you what to say. People want to know and feel genuine love, they are looking for it in sex, drugs, booze, money, knowledge, power and a hundred other things, they know they have a empty spot but can never seem to fill it. Nothing canned will work they can see a phony a mile off, just be you. Take the chance and let God use you in His plan. Yield to God so God will cause you to Yield 10, 20 even 100 fold.
Be the Church!!
Grace and Peace