REACH: ARE YOU?

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.   Act. 16:13-14

 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

¹⁸ This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 16-18


The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
²⁹ The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” ³² And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. ³³ Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.  27-34

Here are three instances where Paul and Silas (recorded by their accompanist Luke) reached out to others all for the GLORY of God.   Each time they did...something amazing happened.  

 Lydia...a successful entrepreneur, was a worshipper of God, but apparently hadn't received Jesus, and upon hearing about Him, immediately received Him and shared Him with her family to which they too were saved.   POINT:  HOW many SUNDAY's will it take for your to respond? She responded in minutes.......you know when oatmeal sits out too long it hardens, and isn't really good.  That oatmeal could be a example of either your heart, or your brain.   GOD has all prompted us to give: beit of our monies (resources), our time, or our talents to be used to advance His Kingdom....have you become hard headed/hearted?

Demon Possessed Girl - whether your possession is in the vein of music, movies, or some form of media....do you even desire healing from that.  They didn't follower her, but rather she followed them.  POINT:  Maybe it was to antagonize them.....maybe.....but if you are wallowing in your own sin are you even following, tagging along with people who are Spiritually Mature that could be a blessing to you?

The JADED JAILER - He had seen it all.   His job was to house broken men, that needed punishment for their offences.  As the saying goes......" We don't belong in here.....we didn't even do anything...." and truth be told, that was Paul & Silas story, but they didn't protest against their imprisonment, nope...they prayed and sang praises.    POINT:  When you are wrongly accused, beat up on, maligned....what's your response?  Does your prayers lead you to praising GOD right where you are?  This is END of YEAR Reviews for many of you....and will you play the victim or VICTOR.  Will you look for opportunities to be a blessing RIGHT where you are?  Because of Paul & Silas faith....it turned the heart of the JADED into the JOYFUL.  

Simply put are you REACHING others?  He didn't give you this day to REACH another rung on the LADDER for your glory.  He gave you this day, with the expectation you'd REACH a life with His love, that would transform their moment, their day, their week......that points them to Him.   LGLP247

 

REACH: OPPOSITION TO WELL INTENTIONS

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. ⁷ Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. ⁸ So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

⁹ That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.  Acts 16:6-10

In the game of chess there are certain moves that can be made by certain pieces.  Strategy is a key element in the game of chess of knowing when to make particular moves, so the ultimate goal of preserving your Kingdom is essential to winning.  GOD is a master at the GAME of LIFE, after all HE creator of all LIFE as we know it.  He knows who needs to cross paths with......and when.  And like a great CHESS player He's always thinking several moves ahead.....hence HIS omnipotence.

Paul after being converted had a heart to serve and teach the GOSPEL.   There were people he knew in places that needed the GOSPEL.  He shared this with his cohort Silas and they set out to make GOD famous in places he surely wasn't, but there was a problem.   The Holy Spirit prevented him from traveling to Asia at that time.    Wait a minute is there anytime better than the present?  Apparently so......cause they were not allowed to "Go There," and for many of us we need to pause here.   There are people all around you that need JESUS.   You feel inspired some days, some Sundays, etc. to BRING IT to them, but they won't/don't hear you.     We don't know why Paul/Silas were being prevented but what we do know it was FOR THEIR GOOD, and GOD's ultimate cause.

We have been planted at 1701 North 2nd Street for 4 years.   It's a beautiful body of diverse, in every way, believers housed in really old building.   If we aren't careful we will miss the blessing of being planted there, because GOD has a purpose for us being there.  Many churches have come and gone, and yet there is a ripe community all around us that need to SEE and HEAR the GOSPEL.  While moving maybe on many of our hearts........it won't be WE HAVE fulfilled GOD's purposes in that area that we've been planted.   Some of you maybe at jobs that you have grown to hate ( I say grown to, because there was a day you called it a blessing) and have been seeking another job.   My question to you is....have you really REACHED the people that God has planted you around.  It might be one person, it might be the whole team.....but seriously.....Has He been glorified fully through you?

After all of Paul's efforts, it wasn't until GOD revealed to Paul where he was to go, that he got the direction he needed.  Stop trying to fulfill God's mission through your plans.  Slow down, and let Him reveal it to you, THEN be bold enough to follow where He leads.   LGLP247

REACH: THERE'S HOPE FOR US

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.   So he went to the high priest. ² He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
³ As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
⁵ “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! ⁶ Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  Acts 9:1-6  NLT


Have you ever killed somebody? Sure you have......stick with me, and prayerfully you see that you too, are a murderer....and there's hope for you too!     See this passage opens up saying that Saul was uttering threats with EVERY BREATH and eager to kill the Lord's followers.   So even while evil was in the breath and heart of this man, who actually thought he was justified in the WHY he was doing what he was doing, the LORD had a use for him.  Surely Jesus had every justifiable right to blink and eye and this righteous terrorist would cease to breath, even exist.   Much like you and I, he could've blinked an eye when we said what we said about Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party folk, or maybe not them.    What about what you had to say about the President, or those hurting young ladies at the abortion clinic.   What about what you had to say or think about your Ex-boyfriend, girlfriend, husband.   Ok maybe not them....but what about the feelings you have about your boss, your co-workers, your neighbors...or that homeless guy...or young lady/man dressed inappropriately that had the never to walk into the Lord's House. 

See we are more like Saul than we want to believe.  I can hear it now....Ray, you've gone too far!  God aint for.......................(fill in the blank).  If I remember right my KKK brothers and sisters were followers of Jesus Christ, that too thought they were justified in hanging, beating, burning, dragging, and murdering some of  my people......and as God would have it....they weren't of the ones directly in the line of my existence, so here I AM DEAL WITH IT!   But ok maybe that doesn't resonate with you.....but what about this summer THEY DON'T BELONG OUT HERE...LET THEM STAY WHERE THEY ARE AT........if I was in a coma and awaken to these words, I'd swear a time machine had to have been invented.   From what I understand about JESUS, these were not His heart regarding the Samaritans or Gentiles. 

So see.....you too are a murderer if you've never shed physical blood, you've assassinated a few people's characters.  Even if it was by accident, you know believing something about someone, because a ?trusted? friend told you.....and you never took the time yourself to give that person, that creation of  GOD the time of day for you to know them yourself.  

So how does my JESUS deal with the ELEPHANTS that despise the DONKEYS, and the left that can't seem to get along with the right, or those hurling insults to those at Planned Parenthood,  or those carrying prejudices.....He says, " Why are you persecuting me?"  Remember whatever you do to the least of these.......you are doing it to Him.   So that being said if you are reading this.....and maybe you're a little peeved at me....that's ok....YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE ME, but if you expect to worship HIM IN ETERNITY, you GOTTA LOVE ME!  So with that being said.....if GOD reached out to SAUL (Saul wasn't looking for this encounter) HE can reach out to you.....and I pray you are humble enough to repent, and make a complete transformation to WIN more people, than you have divided them......leave the division of up to Him on that GREAT DAY!   FOCUS ON LOVING HIM, and OTHERS!  LGLP

IAS : Balancing Healthy Desires & Goals w/Contentment

How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Phil. 4:10-13



I am still to this day a gamer, although now I'm a closet gamer.   By that I mean, I don't play as often due to many other responsibilities, but I still like to play every now and then.   One thing I realize though, may games don't drive contentment....actually none of them do.   Some of them you desire to get the highest score.   Many if not all of them you desire to defeat it, until they come with a another one.  Did you know there's the possibility of achieving a perfect score in Pac-Man?  Who knew....now somebody will probably plug up the old gaming system, because we are not content with someone else holding that record.  Being second, is never really good enough......or is it?

Paul while sitting in prison realized life, ministry wasn't about being the top dog, but rather enjoying being second to Christ.   He writes to the Philippian church a thank you letter for them thinking of him.  He remembers that their generosity was greater than any church, while they weren't the riches...they were the most generous, and despite his present circumstances he shares with them the secret to contentment.  We struggle with contentment.   We look at our cars, and desire a newer one....not because anything is wrong with the one we got...but just because.   Cell phone co. know just how discontent and competitive we are....ask owners of the Galaxy II, or III, or I-phone 4, 5, 5c,........they know we want the next new thing.    Certain shows help breed discontent...you look at your kitchen, your yard, your ......and after a few hours of house hunters....well you know.

But Paul wanted to communicate to them, desiring things isn't altogether bad.  So how do we Christians, who live in a consumer based society keep our desires in check, so that we don't find ourselves blending consumerism into our Christianity:

1) Make sure you desires are under control....Yeah the Bible does say (Psalms 37:4)" God will give you the desires of your heart..." but you have to make your priority delighting in Him (that comes first I that scripture), meaning if you truly are delighted in him, your desires will probably be few, and never get in the way of your relationship with Him.  

2) Make sure your desires are legitimate....So you need a new ____________________ because why?  Because you want it.  Because you've worked hard for it....don't justify it as purchase.  If my car doesn't work, and can't be fixed, that means I need a dependable & affordable car.  Not a new one. 

3) Make sure you don't feel you need it, to make you happy or complete you.....    Whenever you need an external solution to fix an internal problem, that should make you pause.  I've heard people say after a hard day I NEED A GLASS OF WINE or a CIGARETTE, and to that I say JESUS aint enough?   I've also heard people say if I could just find the right man/woman...everything we be great....and again I say JESUS aint enough?   You've heard it or said it.....If I could find a better job, a bigger/smaller church, a ___________________ only to find themselves in discontent again.  



Paul discovered that " I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." In other words I can persevere in  prison, I can endure this job, etc (that He blessed me with), I can do without this momentary, emotion driven, selfish want....because He, Jesus Christ is enough!

So how do we get that balance, unlike Pac-Man it's not about being first, or defeating everyone it's about.......seeking first the KINGDOM OF GOD, and His righteousness....Delighting yourself in Him....and whether or not you get those desires, won't matter as much, because you'll count that stuff as dung, compared to having Christ, and being second.  LGLP

IAS PEACE: KEEP YOUR MIND STAYED on HIM

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.  Phil. 4:8-9 NLT

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.  Phil. 4:8-9 MSG

Am I the only kid that liked playing with magnifying glasses?  Getting the opportunity to make something seemingly insignificant and small, bigger if only for an illusion.  Oh how when we magnify things we can see details that we never recognized existed.  We can see the eyes on an ant, or how our skin folds (ok some of us you can see that without a magnifying glass...lol) or remember those microscopic pictures that when you zoom out it's a block of concrete, but it looked like your were on the moon.    Also remember setting leaves or things on fire when you used a magnifying glass with the combination of "focused" light the destruction it could cause?

Paul while sitting in jail, who had every right to be found complaining about his present condition, opted to keep His mind stayed on, focused on encouraging others and on Jesus.   In these verses he tries to give the people of Philippi who were hard-workers, and aware of the stresses of their culture something to ease their minds.....no it wasn't a glass of wine, or a drug...it was the WORD of GOD instructing them to FIX THEIR THOUGHTS on...................   Cause like with a magnifying glass whatever you focus on, fix your eyes or thoughts on....increases in size.    If you think of the one reason, or many reasons you hate or dislike _______________________  then those things get bigger.   When in essence they may be microscopic, harmless, or really insignificant in the big picture....focusing on such will cause us to feel defenseless, fearful, or overwhelmed.   Take for instance looking on a microscope for too long, focusing on the amount of bacteria and such can cause one to become a germ-aphobe. If a spouse focuses on the wrong thing or person too long an affair is easy to happen.   If an employee focuses on what they don't like about their job instead of praising God for it, they'll end up unemployed.   But if we focus on the TRUTH of Scripture.  If we focus on HONORING our  FATHER through doing what is RIGHT by them, how PURE our LOVE would remain for one another.   So much so that those without this would ADMIRE the community we have PRAISE GOD, not CURSE Him.



So today, instead of focusing on what or who you don't like, put into practice this truth to focus on the EXCELLENT things of GOD, His Word, His Son....not on the debt ceiling*, Affordable Health care * (Obamacare for some), not your discontent in or with_______________________________ and watch how much more PEACEFUL you are in Heart/Mind.   Trust me...if you choose to focus on anything other than what GOD told us to focus on, your day will go sideways!  LGLP247



** I know we need to be educated, informed, vigilant and aware of what's going on around us, and I am...and I'm not suggesting we close our eyes to, or ignore some of these issues....I am though asking your to consider why the WORD would instruct us on what to focus on to have peace, and it's not the hot topics of our culture.

I AM SECOND: When I REALIZE ITS ABOUT WHAT HE's DONE

Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!  ⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. ⁶ I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.  ⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.   Phil. 3:4b-7

So I'm sorry....tell me again what school did you go to?  What High School was it?  Oh...you're beyond that....I'm sorry what College did you graduate from?   What's your degree in?  These are questions that are standard when networking.   When meeting someone for the first time in a corporate setting that's what means something, where you went to school, or what degree(s) you have....and honestly.....when you die what does it all amount to?  What does it matter on the flip side of this life; eternity?

Looking at some of these ruins in Turkey (Corinth) one can deduce that at one time these were meeting places.  They were thought to be the best of the best, and I'm sure the builders never saw this picture that we behold coming......ruins.   After being attacked, enslaved, and killed these buildings had little worth to their captors.  Paul in writing to the people of Philippi wanted them to steer clear of comparing themselves to others, and reveling in their accomplishments because if anyone could boast he could, but he didn't.   Why because when he looked at his accomplishments in comparison to having received CHRIST, he counted it as dung, skubala, doo doo.....because there is no comparison.



So if it helps...relax your chest.....stop poking it out like the proud peacock, and humble yourself.  It's great you've graduated, and been here and done that....but the sum total of life is not about your accomplishments.   In Eternity, it's about did you meet Christ & did you choose to live for His Glory, not yours.   So as you are probably well immersed in our day's culture, and you are mingling with, working alongside many people.....care more about have they MET CHRIST, then your accomplishments or theirs.   If you discover (He did say "you'll know them by their fruits.....l" and let's be real you know who the TRUE BELIEVERS are, and aren't....it takes one to know one)  they haven't MET CHRIST then that means you need to actually start living the faith your profess.   LGLP

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  I wonder what would happened if you asked WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS JESUS CHRIST MADE IN YOUR LIFE, instead of what school did you go to, or what do  you do for a living, how that would really throw off the "party"? 

I AM SECOND: WHEN I CARE MORE ABOUT OTHERS THAN MYSELF

I plan (according to Jesus’ plan) to send Timothy to you very soon so he can bring back all the news of you he can gather. Oh, how that will do my heart good! I have no one quite like Timothy. He is loyal, and genuinely concerned for you. Most people around here are looking out for themselves, with little concern for the things of Jesus. But you know yourselves that Timothy’s the real thing. He’s been a devoted son to me as together we’ve delivered the Message.   Phil. 2:19-21 MSG

So yesterday I asked the question ARE  YOU REALLY CONCERNED?  Simply because the people of LIGHT, Disciples of Christ, followers of Christ should be concerned.  There's so much to be concerned about, but the question is what are you going to do about those things that concern you?  Will you politic and rally signatures for your cause or will you look to the WORD and see what CHRIST CALL's, TELL's COMMANDS us to do when...............................  While Paul was sitting in a prison, chained to someone...you know what he did?  You know what the GOD in him, inspired him to do?   Write letters of encouragement and instructions.  Not letters railing the authorities, the Roman gov't, or whoever it was that ratted him out and got him there.....he wrote letters of encouragement.  In this particular letter he writes about Timothy, his protégé' and he said that "he's genuinely concerned for you! While others are focused on themselves, he's concerned about the things of GOD and he's the real thing!"  Just reading that makes me wish Timothy was on his way to see me.

Which is where I want to take this blog.  Lifeguards don't make a lot of money, oops....many of them are actually volunteers.  So let me get this right, they go through hours upon hours of training  to get certified, to watch people who are having FUN, sometimes reckless FUN in the event their lives need to be saved????????   I want a few of these people around the church.   People who are willing to go through some training, and are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of saving another....even though the person who need saving thought at one moment they were actually having the TIME OF THEIR LIVES doing what they wanted to do. 

JESUS tells his disciples to keep watch and pray, as He goes off to pray.  We know the story that they fell asleep, and this was the night they came to get Jesus.    Jesus is now at the right hand of the Father, and I wonder are we like the disciples are like lifeguards?   Are we falling asleep on the job of doing the VERY THINGS CHRIST instructs us to do?  Are we LIFEGUARDS, like Timothy's that are SO GENUINELY CONCERNED about the welfare of others, that we keep watch, and we DIVE INTO LIFE HEAD FIRST with the purpose of loving someone enough to GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE at life! 





THANKS FOR READING....back to my post!   LGLP247