I some of my clearest summer memories are of that special week where kids were the focus of the Church, where Kool-aid and cookies flowed like the proverbial "Milk and Honey" and I had some of my first chances to stay at a friends house overnight.
The music this year was great and as usual I eagerly sought the job of "song leader". I love learning these songs and the motions that go with them. They are exactly what I love- stealth spiritual growth. They are the spoonful of Sugar to scripture memory. What kid likes to memorize things during the summer? For that matter what grown up really memorizes scripture as we know we aught? But give it a beat and fun steps and Viola! You tuck a few words of life away in your heart.
Minus the verse notation, I sang this all week. I know it by heart now. Nifty little trick.
Now before you dismiss my single verse (I learned about six others), from my catchy little ditty, think for a minute how deeply profound that verse is.
WE HAVE TO HEAR THE MESSAGE TO HAVE FAITH.
Kind of puts a crimp in the "let my life say it all" plan of witnessing.
Connecting with others- unavoidable.
What do you connect about: The message about Christ. The hope He personally gave me in my life.
I connect with folks that don't know Christ but I also connect with those who do.
I spend most of my time teaching young Christians and even there it's still all about the Message about Christ.
The kicker is, few want to trust the real news. The real news for the Christian is OBEDIENCE.
Yeah, boring, lonely, hard to understand, takes too long.
Everyone wants to feel power, see unexplainable salvations and miracles to build their faith, but the message of Christ was Obedience and Faith are so connected that you don't have one without the other. Romans 16:26.
When we do the "work" of obedience (Memorizing scripture, Reading scripture, prayer, fruit of the spirit, slaying the desires of selfishness, cultivating hope and trust in God) then our sin blacken eyes open to the wonders in His will.
It happened to me! I didn't just play Lady liberty this week but I have found liberty in obedience of all things.
I want to be like the Mom sneaking veggies on the plate, except I want to sneak fruit in on people.
Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
God really put this on my heart this week- maybe it was talking about the Big Apple all week ;).
At times if you stop and listen in your church you may have a hard time locating the forbearance, or the gentleness or the peace, or the faithfulness. I found myself uttering words of frustration to someone Sunday as they listed the advantages of a plan I found to be illogical. I felt the spirit tugging at me, whispering "this is not the battle to fight". I needed to bring a little forbearance into the mix. God stirred on my heart that the more I just pour out the fruits all over everyone, they may be catchy, contagious and spread. Speak words of Life, Trust in God, Hope and Love all over the people around you. Friend or Foe- whether it's easy or hard.
It is my deepest prayer for us all.
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