Monday Morning (okay Tuesday) 10/13/2014

"And of some have compassion, making a difference" (Jude 22)

Last week I talked about being a “WELL” individual and how that would work in our relationship with a “WELL” church. Remember the church is not the building. The church is you and me. Are you “Worshipping (God honoring and Christ exalting),” “Evangelizing” (sharing), “Learning” (watching), and “Loving” (caring)?

All of that comes down to one word: Relationship. What is your relationship with Jesus? What is your relationship with others? If you stop and think about it, if you say you love Jesus or love someone else, it means you do one thing: care. If you say you don’t want anything to do Jesus or someone else because they offend you or something? It means you don’t care.

Acts chapter 3 is an interesting picture of this. A man who could not walk from birth would be carried (Someone cares enough to do this) to the temple every day for him to beg for money to live. People who passed by saw him, knew him by name and probably knew his mom and dad. But who would stop and just encourage this man? Who would stop and just chat with him? NOBODY would stop! People just acted like he was invisible.

How would that make you feel? If you knew he was there would you stop? We will all probably say we would. But in reality, we wouldn’t bother. It’s his problem. He is the government’s problem. He is someone else’s problem.

There are those who ask the question, “What is the opposite of knowledge?” It is NOT “Stupid,” “dumb,” “low functioning,” or “don’t know.” The opposite of knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance can be called “insensitive,” “indifference” “shallow,” or even “don’t care.” Not caring is an attitude. It shows coldness and hardness in our hearts.

But look what happens: Peter and John are on their way to temple. They notice the man who cannot walk. How many days had they passed by and NOT noticed him even though he was there every day and Peter and John probably went to temple every day too! Peter "fixed his eyes on" the man. No-one else would have anything to do with him. You see the Jews believed that such a man must be a sinner (or perhaps his parents were) to not be able to walk from birth. Some even thought this was a punishment of God. But as Peter saw him perhaps he remembered what Jesus had said another time and place, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." (John 9:3)

And so Peter reaches out and heals the man. It is immediate. It is total healing. The man jumps up and leaves jumping dancing and praising God! Tell me - is the hand that reaches out Peter’s or God’s? The answer is: YES! Yes, it’s Peter’s - because WE ARE HIS HANDS AND FEET - it’s also God’s. What does Colossians 1:27 say - "CHRIST IN YOU THE HOPE OF GLORY!"

The lame man was healed because GOD’S POWER FLOWS WHEREVER HE IS. If we would see the power we must secure the presence of Jesus. Jesus wants relationship with us because HE CARES! We should share Jesus’ heart and reach out to those around us that we pass everyday but do not see.

Ignorance is blindness. Do you care enough to open the eyes of your heart and care enough to look around you and see other's needs before your own? That is caring.

Someone once said that the only thing worse than hell is when you find out that no one is looking for you. Jesus said he came to seek and save what was lost. Jesus also said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Whatever is important to you is where your heart is. If wanting people to have life in Jesus is important to you then caring enough to make a difference in someone else’s life is where your heart is. And if your heart is there you really do care.

Remember, if you have faith to make a difference to someone else. You have more than enough faith to care. You have more than enough faith to care.

Monday Morning 10/6/2014

I am seeing more and more people who stop going to church because of their relationship with another person in the church. The church is not the building, nor is it a high school hallway. It is not a social club. Church is a body of believers put together with special skills to be used for the glory of God and for the spread of the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, not you, not the Pastor. We all need a relationship with Jesus Christ and we need a relationship through Jesus with each other. If someone says they don’t want to go to church because some other person with whom they have some problem goes there is like saying we don’t go to church because we might hear about Jesus.

God’s original design for the church is found in the book of Acts. If there was ever a church growth plan that worked, it was the one used by those early followers. Talk about effectiveness. This church exploded. Why? Because the believers knew why they were there and what they were supposed to do.
If we were to do a side by side comparison of the early followers and their church and ourselves, I dare say that we would come up way short. As I look at the Acts church and I look at our church, I can’t help but notice that we have a long way to go. This should not discourage us, it should challenge us, and I would hope it challenges you. Every time I read this passage I see not only what we are not, but what we can be.

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Acts 2:42-47 shows us they were a “WELL” church with four foundational qualities:
They were a Worshipping Church – God is exalted; Christ is the center.
They were an Evangelizing Church – They went to their communities sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
They were a Learning Church – They could not know enough about God’s love for them and His creation.

They were a Loving Church – They were in relationship with each other with One God, One Savior, and One faith.
Is God and Jesus the center of your worship? If not, you’re not “WELL.”

Do you share Jesus with your community? If you don’t, you’re not “WELL.”

Do you really know how much God loves you? If you don’t you’re not “WELL”

How much do you love your brothers and sisters? If you cannot put aside petty unimportant gossip and differences, you are not “WELL.”

I believe that when God set up the first church, HE DID IT RIGHT! So if we are going to do it right, we need to do it God’s way.

God’s church is a church family.

God’s church is brother and sister bound together in love; caring for one another, helping one another, serving one another. Not fighting with each other.
God’s church is a place where there is true fellowship & ministry.

Where is your heart focused? Is your heart “WELL?”