You Got The Job

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go, behold I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes, and greet no one on the way.”

Luke 10:2-3

We spend time thinking about why we can’t do things we are called to do. We worry that we aren’t good speakers or that our clothes aren’t good enough or people might not like what we say or that people will make fun of us or argue with us and we won’t know how to respond. It becomes all about what we do not have.

Jesus understands this and that is why He said we should go and not worry about what we don’t have but concentrate on delivering the message of salvation to those who are waiting to hear it. We can use glitz to spark interest in the message, but sometimes glitz is out of order when people are hurting and the simple truth of the Gospel is what they need.

So, let us just go do it – take the Gospel to the world. We can start right where we are and see what God will do. The message never changes; Jesus is the Savior of the world. Ask Him to come into your life today.

Go share the Gospel.

 

A Little More Hospitality

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:1-2.

Here in Ohio, we used to say “Hi” to everyone we met. This custom is rapidly fading. People walk with their heads down and their hoods up. People are so engrossed in texting and cell phone talking that they can barely navigate where they are going let alone acknowledge other human beings who are right in front of them. What can we do? How about we declare a week of Christian hospitality?

Who knows, maybe we will entertain angels.

In A Slump?

 

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Proverbs 13:4

Every now and then we get in a slump.  We don't want to do anything.  We do the minimum.  The kids are fed and have clean clothes and we go to work.  Nothing really sparkles in our life.  If we still go to church, that’s all we do there – go to church. We are disengaged. Maybe we are mad about something or bored or burnt out. Whatever it is, it zaps our zeal for life.

While we may enjoy wallowing in our minimal activity, it is not productive nor is it good for us.  Even when we don’t feel like doing something, when we get up and get busy, God will bless our efforts.

Do your best and God will do the rest.

Hope For Those Who Have Strayed

 

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

We can only hope that if we stray from the Gospel or fall away from the faith, that someone will come looking for us and bring us back to Jesus.  

And, if need be that we will be the one seeking those who have strayed and gently bring them back to Jesus.

May we be so worthy.

Love Your Neighbor

 

… A lawyer asked Jesus a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And, He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and foremost commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:35-39

Did you ever notice that Jesus did not give us a lot of complicated rules to follow?

But just because the rules are not complicated, does not mean that they are not difficult.  

Think about this, how difficult is it to love someone whose actions we do not like?  

Yet, it is easier to love than to hate because hate festers and love heals all heels.  

Love your neighbor.

Be All You Can Be

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25

These characteristics are big goals. Let's face it, some days we are just not feeling it.  Our human nature causes us to respond to the grating of everyday aggravations with irritability and grouchiness.

Yet, here we are given what we are to aspire to – love, joy, peace and the rest. 

And, how do we do this? We do this by working on our attitude and being willing to cut people some slack.  And most of all by the grace of God.

God did not create us to be miserable, angry people. God created us to be filled with love and joy. Let us work to be all we can be.

The Route 66 Kitchen And God's Angels

 

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

To guard you in all your ways.

They will bear you up in their hands,

That you do not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12

In 2009, there was a shootout involving five gun men in a crowed bar, the Route 66 Kitchen, in Toledo, Ohio.  No one was injured.

How could that be?  The answer is, that God sent his angels who protected everyone.  

Everyday in a hundred ways, God's angels are watching over us and protecting us.  Most of the time they are stealth so we don't even know they are working. But, sometimes, like in the Route 66 Kitchen, their handiwork is seen.  

Have faith, angels are watching over you.