"This is what the LORD says: 'Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.' " -Isaiah 56:1-2 NIV
What does it mean to do what is right? Is it simply an act of obedience? The above passage tells us that righteousness comes from doing what is right in God's eyes.
This past weekend, some gentlemen from the Greater Philadelphia church of Christ visited us. They were itinerant preachers of sort, simply going around the country strengthening churches and doing community service projects. Over dinner at the Sacramento Church, they shared about how they encountered a group of men recovering from substance abuse answered the call to service. Those men's task were to serve a women's shelter and to help the poor. That group and the trio from Philadelphia all understood that the call to service is an act of righteousness. They also realized that only by the saving grace of Jesus Christ that they are able to perform such vital service.
Earlier, before the Philadelphia Trio arrived, a group of people from the Sacramento Church performed similar projects in downtown Sacramento by serving the homeless and cleaning up our building. After meeting them, both groups were inspired to do more top serve our communities and to continuously spread the gospel.
(For more info about this group, log onto http://www.immanuelbymile.com to see their blog of this journey).
Acts of service is an act of righteousness. Serve someone today so you can continue to share the love of Christ and draw people to Him.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Faith of a mustard seed in spite of what people see
"[Jesus] replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there" and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"- Matthew 17:20 NIV
Do you lack faith? I certainly fall under this trap, especially when it comes to doing my part to advance the gospel. However, in the last few weeks, I discovered that my lack of faith is due to the lack of trust in my Savior, Jesus Christ.
At a recent devotional, I shared my difficulty moving around in the fellowship. After a decade of being in a saving relationship with Christ, I still find it difficult to take initiative with others in my congregation. Even while serving as an usher, I blew a golden opportunity to share with a seeker who came to my church for the first time. I was so afraid o pouring my heart out and answering awkward theological questions that i was stand offish. ( I pray thbat this lady can come back and visit the church again).
The real issue is that I have difficult time believing thta God can and will use me to bring others to Him. In case you do not know, I suffered severe burns all over my body twenty years ago, and I was teased and often asked annoying questions about my injuries. It has gotten to a p[ont that it would be best for me to shy away. However, if God can send His Son to the cross to die for me, and raise Him from the dead, why should I lack the faith that I can turn a personal tragedy into an evangelistic opportunity? Should I care if the seeker take me seriously as His messenger?
The point to this anecdote is that If a small amount of faith can move mountains, people who believe in Christ in spite of personal tragedies and deformities (such as myself) should have faith that someone will accept the saving grace of Christ fthrough his or her testomony.
Do you lack faith? I certainly fall under this trap, especially when it comes to doing my part to advance the gospel. However, in the last few weeks, I discovered that my lack of faith is due to the lack of trust in my Savior, Jesus Christ.
At a recent devotional, I shared my difficulty moving around in the fellowship. After a decade of being in a saving relationship with Christ, I still find it difficult to take initiative with others in my congregation. Even while serving as an usher, I blew a golden opportunity to share with a seeker who came to my church for the first time. I was so afraid o pouring my heart out and answering awkward theological questions that i was stand offish. ( I pray thbat this lady can come back and visit the church again).
The real issue is that I have difficult time believing thta God can and will use me to bring others to Him. In case you do not know, I suffered severe burns all over my body twenty years ago, and I was teased and often asked annoying questions about my injuries. It has gotten to a p[ont that it would be best for me to shy away. However, if God can send His Son to the cross to die for me, and raise Him from the dead, why should I lack the faith that I can turn a personal tragedy into an evangelistic opportunity? Should I care if the seeker take me seriously as His messenger?
The point to this anecdote is that If a small amount of faith can move mountains, people who believe in Christ in spite of personal tragedies and deformities (such as myself) should have faith that someone will accept the saving grace of Christ fthrough his or her testomony.
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