What the Church Needs Now is Love

    Of course you do; every congregation has them. Those people in your church who seem to blend into the wall paper, or into the crowd. There are those who hide in a large church for many reasons. Often they hide from rejection. They've been hurt enough times that they just won't risk the pain, but they see their need for God, and so they come to church, and hide. Well, you say, maybe if they would make friends they wouldn't be loners. Sure, easy for you to say, you're confident in your ability to make friends. Maybe you've never been hurt, maybe you never put people on pedestals and expect them to treat you like they value you. Actually, we all do that. We expect people to treat us with respect, to like us, and keep from talking about us to others.     Crush the cliques. Take the people who are so complacent in their cliques (their safe little groups) and use them to reach out to others. Form a ministerial group. Maybe you could begin a group where the memb

Photo by Julia M Cameron: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-holding-a-cardboard-with-inscription-6994992/ I saw a video short on YouTube today about a man who asked another man if he would help him cross the street. The second man asked him 'why do you need help across the street?' The first man said because he had a leg injury. So the second man helped him cross the street. Then the first man said thank you very much and started jumping around. The second man said, 'why are you jumping around when you said you had a leg injury and it hurt?' The first man said, 'I have to tell you the truth, I don't have a leg injury. I decided that the first person who would help me across the street, would receive $500.' The second man was overcome by this information because he was a homeless, destitute man who needed to get home and couldn't afford the trip. He then received his $500. When I saw that, I began to weep and I asked God why am I weeping? Why is it th

I woke up recently, in more ways than one. I lay in bed one morning, not yet praying, but thinking. Then a thought came to me: what would it be like when Jesus comes back? How would it be for me? Then, in what I can only say must have been a 'guided image,' I saw Jesus suddenly shining like the lightening from the east to the west around the Earth. Then, as I was being lifted up into the sky to be drawn to Him, my only thought was, 'Wait! I'm not ready!' I was surprised, shocked. What? Me, not ready? Do I love my life so much, or the world so much that I would seriously say such a thing? And as I thought about how I had felt when saying 'I'm not ready!' I had to admit that it was my life, no matter how dull or painful or uninteresting it might be, that I was talking about. Apparently, I am not ready to be with Him when I am in one of those life states, when I am complaining that I think I am ready but find doubt in my heart. That isn't w

Add caption The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV) Hey there, everyone. This morning at church our pastor spoke about how to keep from having regrets or making excuses when it comes to the Great Commission. I have had myriad excuses for why I haven't broached the subject.  All of my excuses are inadequate.When He speaks to me on the day of judgement, I would hate for Jesus to ask why I hadn't told people about what He has done for me. I would feel ashamed that I had declared  'I love Him,' but I hadn't backed up my words with action. Our excuses keep others from accessing the forgiveness that He holds out to all of us. Our excuses result in sin and in regrets. Do you like having regrets? Jesus said that If we love Him, then we would follow His commands. Our job is to tell others that He has redeemed us so that they will see that He has made a way to the throne-