God uses me ... a scary thought!

As I was driving to work this morning a thought came to my mind ...

"God uses me as a reflector of His image to the world around ... despite my failures, or should I say in spite of my many failures!"

This thought should motivate me to "act" more like a Christian ... to act as though I am being watched every moment of every day!

How am I shining His light?

1. In my work place:

• Am I a faithful employee?
• Do I work my hardest?
• Do I honor my employer? - this means no gossip!
• Do I honor my fellow employees? - once again, no gossip!
• Am I sharing my faith to my employer/fellow employees?

2. At Home:

• Am I honoring my parents?
• Do I respect those I live with?
• Am I "pulling" my fair share around the house?

These are just some thoughts that have been running through my head and I figured that I had better write them down before I forget.

I encourage you to, be a LIGHT to the world around you! Live your talk!

I go to write and the words seem to fail me ... there is so much that I want to say ... the past three weekends have been really good for me, here are some snapshots into some of the recent Sunday school lessons and sermons I have heard!

Sunday, April 11, 2010 ~ New Life Assembly of God, Farmville, VA.

A new perspective of the work of Christ, my High Priest:

• Christ stands in the Holy of Holies, ministering, interceeding for us. As the High Priest, Christ keeps us filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit to be a witness of the gospel. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the boldness to speak in moments when we need to speak, to share the gospel to the world. Without the oil we lose our flame to shine the light of the Gospel. Christ is waiting, like the High Priest in the OT, for vessels to fill with oil (the Holy Spirit) - If you come to Him asking to be filled, He will fill you!
• You should expect Christ to pour out the Holy Spirit - to keep the gospel flame burning.
• It takes FAITH - this is how the kingdom of God is established. Asking, Seeking, and Knocking are the prayers of humility. We need to be PERSISTENT in faith, asking, seeking, & knocking!

Sunday, April 18th, 2010 ~ Rockville Mennonite Church, Honey Brook, PA

Ephesians 5:1-2

• Be imitators of God - Be a mimicker of Abba Father - follow His way.
• Live a life of love in response to God - just as Christ loved us - focus on the needs of others - reach out - show Jesus.
• Jesus said "I have come to do your will" - seek to do God's will.

Sunday, April 25th, 2010 ~ Rockville Mennonite Church, Honey Brook, PA

"Our Human Resistance to Grace

• We resist the grace of God when ... we refuse to forgive those who have "sinned" against us.
• We resist the grace of God when ... other people, who we think are less deserving, receive the same grace we have received.
• the grace of God does not excuse sin, past of present.

What do "grace people" look like?

1. They need to have experienced the grace of God.
2. They do not put confidence in rules or traditions of man, but in the Cross.
3. They make much of the Cross.
4. They are accepting people - non-judgmental
5. They extol the work of the Holy Spirit.
6. They really know how to worship, serve, & obey.
7. They are filled with JOY!

* some of these words are taken directly out of my sermon notes, I hope they make sense!

You have told me LORD,
that You take pleasure in those who fear You,
those who hope in Your mercy.
(Psalm 147:11 personal paraphrase)

So remember me LORD,
give ear to my cries.
In Your faithfulness, through Your righteousness, answer me!

(Psalm 143:1 personal paraphrase)

I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah.
(Psalm 143:6 ESV)

In the morning, show me Your Love,
for in You I put my trust.
Show me the way I should walk,
for to You I lift up my soul.
(Psalm 143:8 personal paraphrase)

Recently I have had the opportunity to sit in on some court hearings ... each time I see how faulty the world's court system is and over and over again I rejoice that I serve a God who does not judge according to man's standards. I serve a God who is perfectly just and perfectly true in every aspect of life.

Psalm 9 talks about this "side" of God:

• When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment. (Psa 9:3-4)

• But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds! For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. (Psa 9:7-12)

As I dwell on these words I cannot help but agree with the Psalmist David's opening words in this psalm ...

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. (Psa 9:1-2)

God is on the side of the oppressed ... they are not alone! God will fight for them - when they call on Him, when they put their trust in Him.

But what if they don't know? It's you and my responsibility to tell them ... this is my personal challenge! When they feel alone and like no one is there for them, God IS!! But, He give us the responsibility to tell them ...

The more you love, the more you grieve when that person is gone.
The deeper your relationships, the more you open yourself up for hurt.

... just some thoughts running through my head.

Christ ... our example.

Servant-hood: devoted to another tot he disregard of one's own interests.

Matthew 20:27-28 - Jesus sets the example ...
"And whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." (NLT)

This is such a hard thing to do ... I know first hand because it is one of the hardest things for me to do. Serving does not come easily for me, in fact it's the hardest thing for me. But this is a calling for each of us as believers ... its a hard but possible through His power.

Community ... do we need it?

"Beneath what our culture calls psychological disorder is a soul crying out for what only community can provide ... the problem beneath our problems is a disconnected soul ... the greatest need in modern civilization is the development of communities - true communities where the heart of God is home, where the humble and wise learn to shepherd those on the path behind them, where the trusting strugglers lock arms with others as together they journey on." ~ Larry Crabb

Right now I am reading the book ... "I will build my church & the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" written by Val Yoder.

Community ... is this something that we as Anabaptists are losing? What has gone wrong? Somehow the Amish have kept a close knit community that I see is slipping out of our fingers as we "progress" and "move on" or should I say ... are we becoming so thinly spread out that we are too busy to interact with our fellow believers, like the early church did in Acts 2:42 - true fellowship ... more than just Sunday morning.

Just some questions I'm wrestling with ...