Christian Responsibilities
I heard an interview some time ago on the Focus on the Family radio broadcast with Mike Yankoski who along with another guy went homeless for 5 months back in 2003 in 6 different U.S. Cities, Denver, Washington D.C., Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix and San Diego. He has since written a book "Under the Overpass." It is a real eye opener for the church in America. It gives practical insight into real Christian responsibilities. We have taken "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel" to mean send missionaries to foreign countries while we stay in our comfortable church building collecting the money to send them. (Nothing wrong with that) but Mike and his partner show how we are failing in America to reach the homeless and "the least of these." Not only are we failing to reach them by going to where they are but also by not welcoming them into where we are (unless they are like us.) I hope that interview and Mike's book changes me forever.
Jesus, who is to be our example, spent little time in the Synagogues and much time with the people. Jesus and the early church revolutionized the world in that day with that formula. Today we have abandoned that formula and wonder why America is in the condition it is. You can't bake a cake using a mud pie recipe.
I could expound on that thought a lot but I won't because I believe in trying to build up rather than beat down which is what would happen if I elaborated extensively. Let me just say let's get back to basics. Help the hurting, whether it be the poor, the young, the elderly, the grieving or the broken. People have often misspoke saying "God helps those who help themselves." In reality God helps those who can't help themselves and often He uses people to do it. Let's use the church building for worship and let's get the gospel (good news) out into the streets where it belongs.
Jesus also gave us the parable of the good Samaratian for a reason. The injuried man was not in a temple or synogogue and neither are most of the hurting in our society. Look for ways to help the less fortunate and disavantaged outside the wall of the church. That is where you are most likely to find them. You don't shop for groceries in a used car lot.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Fear Not
Deut. 31:1 ¶ And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
The phrase "fear not" appears 63 times in the Bible from Genesis to Revelations. That is an average of almost 1 time per book considering there are 66 books in the Bible. I think that is significant, indicating 2 things. (1) It is something that is common and (2) Something God cares deeply about.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
In the text in Deut. the Israelites were fearful of the unknown. Hmmm, doesn't that sound familiar. That covers most of our fears as well, doesn't it?
In the absense of trained engineers and building materials to build a bridge, they feared crossing the swollen Jorday river. Then there was still the giants on the other side that their forefathers had feared 40 years before.
However, God's message to the individual Israelites (verse 6) and their new leader, Joshua (verse 8) was the same. "Fear not." But he doesn't just command them to abolish their fears without giving them reason. I like that. I used to hate it when my parents used to say, "Just because I said so."
He gives them three (3) reasons to not be afraid:
1. He would go with them.
2. He wouldn't fail them.
3. He wouldn't desert them.
Does those promises apply to us today? Sure! He is no respecter of persons, Acts 10:34. and For I am the LORD, I change not, Malachi 3:6.
So when (not if) fear rears its frightful head, trust God to go with you, never to fail you and never to desert you.
2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
The phrase "fear not" appears 63 times in the Bible from Genesis to Revelations. That is an average of almost 1 time per book considering there are 66 books in the Bible. I think that is significant, indicating 2 things. (1) It is something that is common and (2) Something God cares deeply about.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
In the text in Deut. the Israelites were fearful of the unknown. Hmmm, doesn't that sound familiar. That covers most of our fears as well, doesn't it?
In the absense of trained engineers and building materials to build a bridge, they feared crossing the swollen Jorday river. Then there was still the giants on the other side that their forefathers had feared 40 years before.
However, God's message to the individual Israelites (verse 6) and their new leader, Joshua (verse 8) was the same. "Fear not." But he doesn't just command them to abolish their fears without giving them reason. I like that. I used to hate it when my parents used to say, "Just because I said so."
He gives them three (3) reasons to not be afraid:
1. He would go with them.
2. He wouldn't fail them.
3. He wouldn't desert them.
Does those promises apply to us today? Sure! He is no respecter of persons, Acts 10:34. and For I am the LORD, I change not, Malachi 3:6.
So when (not if) fear rears its frightful head, trust God to go with you, never to fail you and never to desert you.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
