Last month Pastor Michael read a poem questioning are we really a friend to those we come in contact with? If you remember, in the poem the person who was the “friend” did all manner of things for the other person…except the most important thing. The “friend” did not share the Good News of Jesus and the other person went to their death unsaved and eternally lost in hell. Wow! How many times have I been a “good’ friend and done all sort of good works and actually even felt good about myself because of it and yet failed to share the gift of eternal life. We have all sorts of excuses…we don’t want to offend, we think we don’t know how to go about it, isn’t that the Pastor’s job anyway?, I’m no Bible scholar or I just don’t have the time. Let’s face it, we can talk ourselves into thinking that these are all reasonable excuses, but the Great Commission was not given to someone else. It was given to each of us who are saved through faith because of what Jesus did on the cross. If we give into our (un)reasonable excuses, we are saying NO to a very clear command from Jesus. We are saying that those who don’t know aren’t our responsibility. That is a lie…a lie the Enemy loves to encourage us to believe. What if someone hadn’t told us? Most people need to hear the Gospel over 20 times before they accept Jesus. What if no one went out of their way for us? Would we think there excuses were reasonable? If we are saved because of Jesus, then we are to live as He did. He did not live in excuses, but lived out of a great love for us all. To love Jesus is to love others. Love puts the other person first, not our excuses first. God forgive me for all the many times I failed to do what you commanded me to do. Help me to share the truth, not live in excuses. Amen.
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Lord, I am being attacked by two mighty enemies The one whose name I will not mention, and Human Nature. These enemies share a common turf…the world. And both would use me for their glory.
Jesus, I claim you as my savior And I have taken your name. But it is your nature that you want me to embrace. Too often I represent ‘the other one’, Dishonoring You without hesitation. The ugliness of my flesh spills out through my mouth. My harsh words to a brother are a slap to your glorious face. My judgment of another points a guilty finger to myself. My words reveal my heart, To my shame. Father, let my words unveil Your heart! Lord, make me choke on my unkind words Before they are uttered. Let me taste their bitterness. And be sick at the thought of their formation. Give me a sweet mouth with a kind word, A heart that is one with Yours. Change me, Lord. That my words would bring life In their encouragement and lifting of others. And may the moniker “Christian” Truly reflect You and not me. By Candace Sorondo If you have any dance ideas please share them in the comment box below.
New ideas in regards to: New song New attire New instruments New themes for a dance New locations to minister New events and services As believers we are supposed to be different then those who don't believe, right? But are we? This past week my sisters, brothers, and I moved our near 93 year old grandmother out of her New York City apartment to a senior community in Cresskill, New Jersey, that she might be closer to us and receive some of the help she currently needs. The apartment she left behind was one which she had rented for 68 years. It was the home my mother grew up in, having moved there at the age of 2 years old. And, it was the home my siblings and I have gone to since we were born. Although just another one of the thousands of apartments within New York City, Apartment 24 of 609 W. 114th Street was to us a place where we played, ate, and launched out from towards Chinatown or RadioCityMusic Hall, or that great big world called “The City.” Yesterday morning was recycling day in our part of town. As usual, each street was lined with dark blue buckets overflowing with plastics, glass, and aluminum. But there was one difference from most other recycling days: many of the buckets were laying on their sides with their contents spread across the street. Because of the incredibly windy weather, many of the buckets had been blown over. As I drove my son to school, I couldn’t help but notice all the people out in the street chasing down the items that had spilled out of their blown-over blue buckets. A great interview with Rick Warren. I am reading this somewhat controversial Christian book called “The Shack”. It is a work of fiction, but still it has some exciting concepts that has me really thinking. I recommend this book highly and I don’t want to ruin the story for you. But there are two ideas that have been powerful for me to ponder. One of the characters calls God the Father, Papa. I thought that was a bit odd, but then doesn’t the Bible tell us that he is our abba father, meaning our daddy? Some of us have great memories of our dad’s and some do not. Some have a mixed set of memories. It can be hard to relate to God as daddy. But the truth is that He wants us to have the most intimate relationship with Him. Sometimes I am so busy reverencing God and thinking of Him as so wholly other then me that I forget that He wants that daddy relationship with me. It feels almost disrespectful and I’d never want to be that. But I want to want what God wants. And He wants that intimate and cozy and relaxed relationship with me. Yes, I need a Papa and He wants to be that for me. Thank you! This past Sunday I heard a sermon that excited me for the new year. The sermon was taken from varies stories from the life of King David. It was broken down into sections in which the pastor talked about items David held and what each item represents. |