Tag Archive | but to serve

Are you walking out the gospel?

Sep26

mark10-44 When a person loses a loved one we often see family and friends reach out to them and love on them. With our family and friends we kind of expect that that would be the case because we know them and love them.  Last week during our visit to the U.S. for my brother in laws funeral, I was quite simply blown away by the love demonstrated by the Pastors and members of Greenbriar Church in Albany,Georgia. (http://www.greenbriarchurch.net/)

I haven’t stopped thinking about the way they loved on my sister, her husbands brother and all of our family. It was New Testament church being demonstrated even though my sister and brother in law were no longer attending there due to a job relocation!

It made such an impact on my husband and I  that I have shared the experience with my own church and friends since returning. The Pastors actually drove drove by car from Georgia to Florida and back to be there for the actual funeral and also held a beautiful memorial service for my brother in law at their home church in Georgia, which we all attended.  From the moment they arrived in Florida till the end of our time in Georgia the members and friends went out of their way to take care of my sister and all of us.  Their church logo is   “For God. For this City” and it really should include and “For Beyond!”

Their love, compassion and efforts by all, so beautifully demonstrated the love God has for each of us. The love that Christ has for us really was shown through our brothers and sisters in Georgia.  I am so inspired to do more for my own community after seeing this. Each of us followers of Christ have the ability to do something for others. Jesus calls us to be people of action and I have been inspired to demonstrate the love of Christ more.

So THANK YOU to all the Pastors and members of Greenbriar Church. THANK YOU to all of my sisters wonderful friends who loved on her and did so much to turn a time of sorrow in to a time of love! You have all inspired me so much.  Not only did you share the gospel but you lived the gospel!

My prayer is that each one of us followers of Christ will ask God to show us ways we can demonstrate the love Jesus has for others. To quote Francis Chan,  “I believe God wants us to love others so much that we go to extremes to help them.”  

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Don’t sit idle!

May24

Some days my heart hurts for this world we live in. I watched the news and heard about the British soldier slaughtered on the street in London. He wasn’t in battle but simply walking down the street when he was approached and slaughtered by a raging terrorist who felt justified in killing him  because he wasn’t of the same faith. Today, I heard of an attempted plane high jacking from Pakistan to England, that thankfully it was thwarted but could have ended in tragedy. Again, an attempt to take the lives of others who don’t share their extreme ideology…

Anyone that doesn’t see the evil in this world we live in has to be wearing blinders. There are wars and rumors of wars all around us. Governments are involved in corruption on so many levels and refuse to admit or take any responsibility for their actions. One country feels the right to annihilate another because of a difference in beliefs. We hear stories of parents killing their children and children killing their parents, abuse in homes, schools, churches and so much more…

So what is the answer to all of this mess? Do we just resolve ourselves to the fact there is nothing we can do? Do we live in our own little bubble and refuse to help and make a difference? Do we harden ourselves by ignoring others and moving forward without a thought for their difficulties?

As Christians, God has called us to a world such as this.  We are men and women with the tool of prayer at our disposal. We are men and women with the answer. Christ didn’t come to save the “found” but the lost! We have the good news and we need to share it with a dying, messed up world.

Luke 19:10 NIV 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Matthew 20:28 NIV 28 Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.                                                              

Luke 5:32 NIV 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

When you see destruction and heartache all around, take the time to ask God what it is you can be doing to make a difference? There is always something we can do! Pray, pray for the lost, pray for the hurting, the broken, the rebellious, the bitter, your enemies and then do something to demonstrate the love of Christ to another!

It’s important that we don’t sit on our hands and moan about the state of things without getting down on our knees and praying! Prayer is the thing that will usher in the most change.  It is a mighty and powerful weapon that is at the hands of every follower of Christ!  Even the most frail, limited body can pray and therefore is capable of bringing about huge change in this world of ours!

When you have done that ask God how you can serve others?  What can you do to be the hands and feet of Christ?  Ask Him to put people in your life that need to hear the GOOD NEWS and when He does, share it!  Ask Him to provide opportunities where you can minister love and compassion to others and when He does, do it!

We are only limited by our indifference!  Determine to make a difference in this world. Determine to help others by sharing the good news. Determine to not sit back and watch but get involved in doing Christ’s work here while you still have time and while you are able.

Psalm 145:18-19 NIV 18 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;  He hears their cry and saves them.

 James 2:14-17 NIV 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.