Good morning, Church! Still in South Carolina studying for the "Mannequin" series. This is going to be a really good series to strengthen your marriage (or future marriage!). It starts the weekend of 5/30 and goes through 6/28. Don't miss a single message! This weekend is the "One Prayer" message, a really powerful, life changing message by one of America's greatest pastors! This message changed me when I heard it, and I know it will change you, too!
"...I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." 1 Cor. 9:22 (NKJV)
What means are we willing to go to so that others can hear the Gospel? Paul said, "by ALL means"! How about:
Going to Costa Rica
Giving so that someone else can go to Costa Rica
Volunteering at the Helen Wright Center
helping in a "support circle"
bringing someone to the "Mannequin" series
Hosting a connect group
leading a connect group
volunteering for "Angel Food"
Helping with the upcoming Red Cross blood drive
Of course all of these are things that we DO. Paul here says that he is willing to BECOME! What are we willing to become that others might know Christ? How about:
Kind
Compassionate
Understanding
Reasonable
Loving
Caring
Generous
Honest
Faithful
...and yes, the list could go on and on. We as THE CHURCH should stand for TRUTH, and be the Voice of God to this generation, to this world. But too often I see Christians who are so insistent upon proclaiming truth, that they forget HOW to proclaim it. Paul called it, "speaking the Truth in LOVE". No, we don't compromise. But as you have heard me say before, "it's hard for people to accept what you are saying if you are screaming at them".
Jesus was hard on one group of people, hypocrites. The Greek word for "hypocrite" actually means, "an actor in a play". These are the people to be hard on, those who pretend to be Christians, then cause trouble for everybody else in the Church. But those who aren't Christians, know they're not, don't even pretend to be, and often don't seem to be interested in it are the ones we are to reach out to. By yelling the loudest? No, by caring. Because the Truth must win out in the end? No, because the Truth must win out in the end...FOR THEM.
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