Now What?
I was thinking tonight as Michelle drug me out of the apartment for some fresh air. I know you are amazed to hear, "I was thinking." After a time of shopping the way women like to shop, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK,(another surprise) but I'm smiling, no buy this time so we moved on to other things as hunger pangs set in.
Michelle treated me to a great alternative to hospital food. She took me to Texas Roadhouse! At 5:00 p.m. it was already packed with a 50 minute waiting time. So since I am working on my patience "skill set" I waited calmly with grumbles from below and never though my lips! Just thinking, I need to eat, I lost 12 pounds in the hospital, I'm hungry and ragged.
Finally, great food, not too much, pretty small portion for me, but filling to say the least and praises for the cook are in order.
All the time I kept wondering why the place was so overly packed and I mean packed before 5:00 p.m. Soon I heard the answer! Lent is over! Really, the hostess told me that they are always packed early on the Friday following Easter.
MY QUESTION: Finally you get to see why I'm writing this post. After Easter, what's next for you and your Church family? Are you gearing down? Are you getting ready to take the summer off? Or is there a surprise for me?
Can you see as I do how programs really do hinder the mission. Example: "Whew...We got through it!" I mean too many are thinking they are done. Christmas and Easter are over, now we can relax. Do you really believe that is true? When in a programmed ministry we forget that there is redemptive Holy Spirit power flowing through us all year, 365 days and 24 hours a day.
But then again, when you think the program is what is important you will do the programs and then feel like you earned the summer off. On the other hand, when you realize the Great Commission and the personal mandate of making disciples who make disciples I have yet to see or hear someone say, I need a break for the summer. On the contrary I hear, "Let's sick em like a bull dog." People need the Lord! Yes they really need the Lord! The Christmas and Easter programs are over and many programmed ministries will wait until next Christmas to try to reach the unreached! Are they serious?
Does anyone see the sadness of all of this? I weep over this picture! People are dying without a Saviour and we are tired! Does this strike anyone as being wrong?
So hear this! When we tire easily in the Lord's work, we tire because we are not doing what is really expected of us or natural! God has a redemptive and relational way for reaching those who search for Him. And the very answer and results lies within the heart of every Christ follower.
We are the hands, the feet, the legs, the eyes, the ears, the mouth, the example and the heart of Jesus! No time for resting when Jesus is coming and millions do not know Him.
What is your response to this? Answer carefully! What you really believe -you really do. Anything less is lippy service! Kind of one of those lippy services we often excel in.
Let's stop just doing church on Sunday and lets be the Church weekly 24:7!
Are you with me? Are you O.K. out there?
posted by Bob Carder @ 3:50 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
You are right – no time for lippy service (s)… Are you with me? Are you O.K. out there? It has been a several years since I have heard that statement. I can remember the passion behind those statements years ago and it is good to hear that the same passion is still there.
You are right when you say that there is no time for resting when Jesus is coming and millions do not know Him. I have been looking at the Gospels over the past few months leading up to Resurrection Sunday focusing on His passion and exactly what we were left to do. When I think of Jesus, I think of His heart breaking with compassion for people. How he felt great pity for the crowds because their problems were great and these people did not know where to go for help. I think of how Jesus wept for these people, even those that rejected Him. I think of those that He walked with on the road to Emmaus as they had their heads down, how he turned their “tired” walk into a passionate return “to ministry” of sharing the Good News that He has really Risen! (Luke 23:34) I read an interesting book this week by an “emergent’ author titled “They like Jesus, but not the Church” It reminded me of the passion that we as followers of Christ should have for those yet to believe and follow Christ. Where we should spend our time focusing on “missional” purposes and not the next program. The Harvest indeed is so great, but the workers are few (or tired) So let us pray to the Lord who is charge of the harvest asking Him to send out more workers for His fields. Are you with me? Are you O.K. out there?
It has been so good to hear that the Lord has been with you through this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family as you proceed on through your recovery and the work that he has called you.
Byron & Lawanna
Good to hear from you and great to see that you can still preach!
Love you guys!
How are the folks doing?
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