Work

I have GOT to stop listening to pastors who preach the truth of God's Word! They get me so fired up, I feel so convicted, that I feel like I should repent and change my ways! Said no. Christian. ever.

Yeah, that happened to me this past week. I stayed up late (10:00) and decided to watch Wretched TV. I hadn't watch Todd Friel in a while so when it came on I lingered there for a moment. That was all it took.

He was talking about "work" and it featured a video by Voddie Baucham. Voddie is one of my favorite pastors to listen to because he speaks the truth right out o

f the Bible. He's not afraid who it convicts because it's true. It's God's Word!

Well, Voddie was talking about "work" and how we were never meant to retire. We were created to work until we die.

Ouch.

Having just retired this past March I have enjoyed not having to go in to work. I still do stuff but it was always on my schedule. When I get around to it. Then I listened to Voddie's message. The video clip is only 2 minutes but that was enough.

And then this passage popped into my head. Jesus speaking now.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25:34-40

If I might be so bold as to add a line to this passage it would be, "Whatever even you DIDN'T do for one of the least of these, you DIDN'T do for Me."

I am currently building a tiny home to be used by people who might suddenly need a place to stay. At least I was building it. I kind of stopped because of the cold weather and having to do things I'm not really sure about. If Jesus knocked on my door right now and asked, "How's my tiny house coming?" what would I say?

What could I say?

So this morning I am going to venture out and get to work. Then, should Jesus stop by and ask that convicting question, I can say, "Let me show You!"

What things are getting in the way of our work for the Lord? We need to take a look at ourselves. Is there something stopping us from doing what He asked us to do? If there is, we should probably get rid of that thing right away, and get to work!

Why We Work - Voddie Bauchman

Light Up The Darkness

Have you ever gone to a jeweler to look at some diamonds? Yeah, me neither, but I have heard that when they show you their diamonds they place them on a piece of black velvet. I guess that's so they appear as bright as possible against the dark cloth and are therefore more attractive to the buyer.

One thing that's always bothered me about "the church" is why it looks so much like the world around us? Despite being "saved" we continue to live sinful lives. The divorce rate among Christians is basically the same as unbelievers. There is adultery in the church, stealing, pride, greed . . . we're just like everybody else. The Bible says we are to be holy, set apart from the rest of the world. Shouldn't we stand out and being different?

^"9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed (The Holy Spirit) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. ¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister." - 1 John 2:9-10

There are several young adult couples that I know who profess to be Christians yet are living together "in sin" as they say. And what about Christians who hate others? That's a sin. Does that mean they are not really Christians? Based on that verse we just read, I think it does.

And then there's me. I try but still failing in serving God as much as I should. Why don't I do more? Why don't I spend more time in prayer and worship. Why don't I take more time out of my to speak to others about you, to pray with them, to love them?

We ALL sin. Everyday. But there is a big difference, I think, between committing a sin and wallowing in it. Christians are not to be "wallowers." Swine are. Maybe that's why the Bible doesn't think to highly of them.

Jesus told us that, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." - John 14:15. Uh-oh. So what's our problem? If we profess belief why aren't we living it?

Exactly.

There is a verse in Joshua 24 that reads, "¹⁴ Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15

The key to all of this is choosing whom we will serve. In my opinion, either we are serving God or we are serving ourselves.

Most Christian theologians agree that we are currently living in the end times as prophesied in the Bible. Jesus coming to earth for His children is Biblically imminent. There is no event that must take place to announce His return - only the sudden rapture of His church. I would think that, if we are Christians, we should act like it . . . especially now!

As we walk through this dark world "let our light shine before men, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). When we see a brother or a sister wallowing in sin, let us LOVINGLY come along side them and speak our concern for them. But the responsibility for changing them is not our job. That is God's job, along with the Holy Spirit.

You and I were called to SHINE. We are called to be HOLY. So let's light up the darkness with all we've got and shine our light for the whole world to see. Let us fulfill the reason God created us in the first place. Shine a light!

Washed By The Water - Needtobreathe

Act

Most of us would look at the picture to the left and think, what a nice looking couple. A good-looking groom and his beautiful bride. It's hard to believe that the woman is a criminal. Yet she is currently serving time in prison awaiting her execution.

Execution? "What did she do? Kill somebody?" we ask ourselves? No. Well, it must have been pretty serious to warrant the death penalty. It must have been something major. Maybe she was a spy and betrayed her country. Treason is punishable by death here in the U.S. Maybe it was that. Nope. She is not from this country, but her husband is. This beautiful young woman, a mother of two, has been sentenced to die because she is a Christian and refuses to renounce her faith. You can read the full story by clicking on the following link.

Sudanese Woman Sentenced To Death

One of the things we tend to do as Americans is to let things slide, to not get involved. We procrastinate. We put things off. When things don't actually affect us directly we tend to shrug them off with an "Oh, well" or a "Oh, that's too bad" and we never really do anything about it. We simply refuse to act. That's sad.

We have laws against inaction in this country. They are known as "Good Samaritan" laws. That in itself is sad. We have laws forcing us to do what we should be doing anyway? Why do we need a law for that? Well, it's because we often refuse to act when a particular situation warrants action. Good Samaritan laws basically say that, if you see someone being beaten up for example, and you do nothing about it, there is a price to pay. I would submit to you this morning that the price we pay for our inaction is also measured in heaven, not just here on earth.

"5 I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. 6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth." - Isaiah 63:5

It doesn't take much effort to help someone. It doesn't take much time. Consider reaching out and making a difference in someone's life. The "Christian majority" in this country has been silent for too long. It's time we did something for our Lord and Savior. Please, won't you take five minutes and send your congressman an e-mail. Here are some links to make it easy.

Find Your Senators and Representatives

You might need the additional four digits on your zip code (I did). You can find that here:

Look Up A Zip Code

Thank you!!

Here's a few encouraging verses to help us get off our butts.

"14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." - James 2:14-17

"6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury." - Romans 6:6-8

After I wrote the post above I read the article below. It appears that if we DO take action we WILL be heard.

US "fully engaged" in case of Sudanese woman sentenced to die for Christian faith

Our God is a great God. We who call ourselves His children are also soldiers called upon to fight for Him. Let's sound the trumpet and join in the battle today!