I was already to sit back and enjoy my afternoon but I had one more thing to do, wash my car.  Yep, I wash my own car.  It gets me out of the house for a break, it’s good exercise, it’s within the budget and I get some sun while I’m at it.  While I was out there my husbands truck parked at the end of the driveway had this pathetic look to it. I kept ignoring it the best I could.

My husband has a truck, because it’s a truck.  He doesn’t drive a truck to look good, he drives a truck to haul stuff, to go places cars don’t go. Simply it’s for getting dirty.  Don’t get me wrong he takes care of his truck, it just gets dirtier than my car (I park in the garage) and it gets dirtier quicker.

While washing my car, I heard the Holy Spirit say “wash Dave’s truck.”

Okay, put the brakes on that right now. Wash his truck!?? Seriously?!!  Now?!!

It’s like a hundred degrees out here and of course let’s not mention the whole love bug thing that seems to have splattered all over the front of that monstrousity (it’s a big truck now that I’m contemplating washing it)

Your kidding me right?  What is washing his truck going to accomplish?  He knows I love him, he knows I would do anything for him.  What if he doesn’t even notice? Why even do it?

Hey, I think it looks like rain now, if I wash it today then it’s just going to get dirty by the end of the day.  Yep, by tomorrow he will have driven down some dirtroad and of course there will be puddles to drive through and all of this will be for nothing. I can even see the kids egging him on “Come on Dad, you can do it, let’s see how big of a splash you can make!”

Seriously you want me to wash the truck? Lord, is there some deep truth I’m going to get out of it? What? Are you trying to teach me about sanctification, because I can go do some topical study on that right now.

Really?! Wash the truck?!

It was not one of my finer spiritual moments I can guarantee you that.  I was worse than complaining I was whining – ugh -who likes a whiner?

Well heaven opened up right then and there and those gold bricks God paved the streets with landed right on me. I think the pearly gates too.

I heard in my Spirit “Does this offend you?”

“Well now that you put it that way.  Nope, I’ll get right on that” I sheepishly replied as I gathered the buckets and rags.

You know sometimes God asks us to do things we might not understand in the moment, or even years later.  The one thing we do understand is we don’t understand. Sometimes the Word He gives us is just plain old hard  to do.  Forgiving someone of something unthinkable is hard.  Climbing down off your stand even though  you know your right but making the stand is just wrong is hard.  Losing face, and apologizing for something you didn’t intentionally mean to happen and of all people to apologize to the most prideful unmerciful person you know, that’s tough.

God can offend us and His Word will cut you right to the bone.

I like to think of the Word of God like milk and meat.  

The milk of the word are all those refreshing Scriptures that are full of promise and possibiliites.  I love those Words that seem to just refresh you especially when things seem to be getting dry, weary and dreary.  Ever meet someone and that’s all they know? Hmmmm

Then there is the meat.  This is the Word you got to chew on, sometimes for days to really get the meaning. It’s the tough Word that sometimes doesn’t seem to go down as easily as those promises.

I look at this kind of Word like a sword.  I have to ask myself, am I willing to walk into the sword, willingly.  I am willing to allow Jesus to cut me through and through with the sword of the Spirit?  That’s the tough word that sometimes can offend us, but if allowed to do it’s thing reaps a huge reward for God’s Kingdom.

Jesus was giving a hard Word. He was talking about abiding with Him, not just giving Him access to your heart but the throne too!  He was talking about consuming Him like you would if you were starving, really starving!  Ingesting Jesus into every area of your life!

This theology offends people even today.

Today take a look at the things that might be offending you and give it to Jesus, He might be trying to teach you something.

Now of course there is always those in the crowd that cross their arms and ‘Humpf” their way through this with things like “A church shouldn’t need someone to come light their fire, humpf!”  Yep, but I find the people making those statements normally don’t win souls.  They are what I call a “humpf-alottas”  It’s okay they will get the point one day.

I sort of understand them though. Follow me on this one for a second.  I like doing things I want to do, not things I have to do.  When I find myself “having” to do something that I’m not particularly motivated to do, I cross my arms and say “humpf, why you guys always talking about that?”

There are three distinct reasons I like to win souls, they motivated me, they keep me getting back on my feet when it seems like all else is lost.  I hope these three reasons will cause you to be inspired and motivated to seek a deeper and more fullfilling walk with Jesus.

You see if you want to find Jesus check out what the Word says in Psalms 109:31 For He (that’s Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit) stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them.

1 – It’s the will of God. Yep that whole “Your Kingdom come YOUR will (not my will) be done on Earth as it is in Heaven” is a petition we pray.  How can we sincerely petition this to God if we are going to totally ignore soul winning? Isn’t that whole part of the prayer about bringing Heaven to Earth about soul winning? Expanding the Kingdom to Earth?  There is another Scripture that says “God is not willing that any man should perish”  It is totally God’s will to win souls.

Let me right off the bat say soul winning, or the lack of, is not about bringing condemnation to anyone. I just have to ask why be baptized in the Holy Spirit if your not actually going to do God’s will? That baptisim, the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit is to expand God’s Kingdom and reveal Jesus, the Lamb that takes away the sin, to a world that is hurting in desperate need of a Savior.

I make one very strong stand – and that is – Soul Winning is the perfect will of God! It’s not just for a select few, it’s for everyone. It’s the Great Commission not the Great Suggestion.

It’s His will to win souls and He will give you the grace to do it!

2 – Excitement – The technics of soul winning is just as different for people as there are people.  If you look through history at the lives of some great soul winners you will see they all do it their own way.  Some speak as great orators, eloquent and natural, others are rough and simple, and yet others don’t speak at all, they just bring God’s love to a world craving nothing less. But the one thing that is common is the excitement of seeing lives changed, not just here on earth for a season, but for all of eternity is unforgettable.  To see someone that has been rejected, outcasted and set aside all their lives finally know what it feels like to be accepted, hugged and loved, become the pick of the crowd is a moment you will want to do over and over again.  It never gets old.

It’s the single most rewarding moment of any believers and particularly the church’s life!

3 – Burden-  Now I’m not talking about some burden that has me cast low and depressed all the time.  I’m talking about His weighty presence everytime I get near the hurt, the afflicted, the failures, the sick, the needy.  I just can’t shake it.  I pray for it all the time.  Lord, bend me for souls. If they won’t weep over their sins I will weep for them.  It is the compassion of Jesus that compels me to speak out.  It’s sensing that overwhelming compassion that I can’t shake nor do I want it to leave me.

You see I used to go to all these conferences, and healing crusades and all other sort of church events for one reason: ME.  I wanted to feel His weighty presences, I wanted to experience it like the Bible says I can.  Yeah, I would get a little drop here and there but nothing like I was envisioning.  UNTIL, soul winning, His Presence is full on!

I tell my story not to condemn but praying that anyone who reads this finds healing and forgiveness in the loving arms of Jesus. I pray that you can let go of the pain and hurt and start allowing the sweet Holy Spirit to comfort you.

I have always been pro-life but I became passionate about eight years ago when it “hit home”. During this time I almost lost my faith in Christ because I prayed she would not have an abortion and kill my grandchild. But—she did. I had begged, pleaded and even bribed her, but to no avail. I made her watch a video of an abortion and a video of ladies that had gone through an abortion and regretted it. But still to no avail.

For the first time in my life I questioned God “why”. I was faithful to Him. My daughter was raised in church so she knew right from wrong. I even felt that I had failed as a mother. I was very angry at my daughter and I was so hurt—but I still loved her. God showed me that when we do things that hurt Him, He still loves us. Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy us but we have to persevere.

My daughter has been serving the Lord for four years now. She tells me that there is not a day that goes by that she does not think about what she did. Praise God she knows that Jesus is our Redeemer and she has received forgiveness. But there are so many young ladies and women sitting in our churches or who we work with that does not know that love and forgiveness. We, as the body of Christ, have to show them this love and forgiveness, to offer acceptance and not rejection. As extravagant love from the Father fills us to overflowing, we can pour out the oil of healing and blessing to the hurting around us.

I love the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10, as it gives us a picture of extravagant love. It demonstrates a commitment to be interrupted, inconvenienced, and to not offer just immediate relief, but to follow up and make sure that all is well. It’s a complete picture of ministering one to another and sacrificial love. And He tells us, “to do likewise”.

When we are willing, the Lord can use us to make a difference in the lives of those who are hurting. We can proclaim the Good News and see lives changed by His saving grace and filled to overflowing with His love so that those who receive His love might then become a channel of blessing to others.

It truly has been a journey but, as usual, God has brought me through as I have kept my eyes on Him. One of the things that helped me was turning my sorrow toward helping others.

I started volunteering at a local pregnancy care center. I became a voice for the unborn because of this journey and I believe there have been some ladies and there are still more that will receive healing and forgiveness in Jesus name. I pray that many more will also become a voice for the unborn babies. Another thing that helped me was dedicating a cross for my unborn grandchild. Many churches and/or pro-life organizations take part in this every year around Roe v. Wade. Pray to end abortion. Volunteer at a pregnancy care center. Love the hurting.

I pray you are ready to go back into your past and get over your pain because you will find incredible purpose in your life—whether or not you are the one who had the abortion or you are the parent or grandparent of the one who had the abortion. And remember to show God’s love and compassion.

Ever feel like you never are enough, or have enough for the circumstances you are faced with?

Do you sometimes think you could have done it better, or tried harder if only you were smarter, stronger or even more loving? Try being a parent of a teenager, that will give you a run for  your money.

Or maybe you wanted so badly to have succeeded, pleased your spouse more, make your boss happier, have your parents proud of you, or even be used of God more and it seems like you just don’t have the right stuff?

Have you ever wished you could get a do over? Or wished you you had thought of that sooner? Maybe you even wondered why you waited so long to act?

Have you ever thought why am I passed over again? Unrecognized? Ignored? Unvalued? Not respected?

How about the whole why did he pick her and not me? Am I not pretty enough? Do I weigh too much?

Why didn’t they ask me on their team?

Am I inadequate?

Do you know how many people battle this sense of inadequacy? I am one of them for sure.  When I get my eyes off the truth, this form of assualt rushes in like a flood.

How could we go through this life without ever feeling inadequate again, especially when God seems to keep calling us to higher and higher roads? It seems like just when you finally learn to lean into His sufficiency, take a deep sigh of relief, rest a bit there He is calling you to an even more difficult path.

Just when you think you got this whole forgiveness down, don’t you know that’s when something even more unforgivable comes your way, demanding even more excellent mercy from you!

It’s when I take my eyes off His truths (the very ones that set us free) and fail to walk in them, applying them to my life, looking to man and in particular myself than to God I fall incredibly short.  I allow what I see, feel and think is necessary or advantageous or strategic to overtake what I know is truth.  I have fallen to my knees, weeping in repentance because I had forgotten or even in disbelief that I am adequate because I am a child of God and nothing, absolutely nothing else matters.

We all are a treasures.  
If there was a treasure map you would have a great big X on your head.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

If we were to translate this whole thing in Greek (which would be an excellent study) it would say something like:

We possess treasure within ourselves! And not only do we possess treasure, but our easily broken, inferior, temporary bodies are themselves the treasure chambers where this astonishing cache is kept…”

The Greek for earthen vessels phrase used to describe our bodies is ostrakinos (the original version for ostracize, hmmmm that could preach too).  This phrase describes something as cheap, small, easily broken pottery made of inferior materials.  It was considered very low class to have them in your house.

Think about this for a second.
Eating just one wrong thing can kill you (I know this personally)
Working too hard could break you
To much pressure and you will crack
Eventually we all die!
YET!! God places His greatest treasure in you anyway!

I just love how God uses the foolish things to confound the wise!

If your feeling inadequate today.  Have no fear God is here!

Get this picture in your mind and your heart.  You are a treasure hunter’s dream! You have a great big “X” on you. You are the hiding place, the residence of the most formidable force of the entire universe God’s Holy Spirit!  YOU!! Yes YOU!!

I don’t know about you but that’s a total game changer for me. l don’t have the right stuff, but God does!  And everything God touches He makes glorious.  I feel a shout coming on!

So how do you never feel inadequate again?!

Go to the Cross and lay down (every day, every minute if you have to. Don’t let go till you truly grasp this truth) every area of lack, any inadequacy.  After you have layed it all down, and I mean all, start receiving all that Jesus died for you to have!

Wisdom, strength, wellness, love, acceptance, peace, mercy – GIRLFRIEND – the list is unlimited.  Go get everything the Lord has for you! Your going to need every bit for the plans He has for you!

Sometimes we make plans and preparations just assuming the good idea is a God idea.

We have to learn how to put the brakes on, stop ourselves long enough to find out if even God is in on the plan. It might seem like things will take longer.  However, when He does speak giving us the marching orders the results are exponitally greater!  Not to mention we totally avoid the pitfalls that cost us time, money and energy.

Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit is vitally important if we want to see successful results not only in the ministry, but also at home or at work.

A classic example of Jesus being led by the Holy Spirit is in Matthew 9:27-30.

Two blind beggars heard Jesus was walking by, so they waited for Jesus to heal them.  He was healing people, a lot of people then so it was a good plan.  Yet Jesus walked on by.  Not even a stop, not even acknowledging they were even there.  The two blind guys were so upset they started screaming at the top of their lungs (that’s one way of getting someone’s attention) “Son of David, have mercy on us!!”

Jesus still walks on!  That is just incredible restraint. I mean really, there was no way he could have missed not one guy, but two guys groping around desperately following Him screaming at the top of their lungs.  It’s not like that happens every day.

Finally, Jesus gets to a house.  The two blind guys still following and screaming for His mercy.  Now I don’t know about you but that shows amazing amount of determination on their part.  How many of us would have given up after the first over look?

Jesus then asks them “Do you believe I can do this?”

This story perplexed me for years.  How could he pass them on by in the first place?  I just couldn’t imagine Jesus walking by not one but two determined guys like that.  Why didn’t he just immediately turn around and heal them?

Then one day I got it.  I walked up to a lady with severe back problems and as soon as we locked eyes I knew that I knew God was going to heal her. It was an instant rising of my faith.  There was no talking me out of it.  I prayed for her and sure enough she is healed!

Does that happen every day?  Nope.  Because I don’t always sense the anointing to heal at every moment.

I believe Jesus didn’t sense it on that day either. If He did He would have stopped like so many times before and layed hands, maybe even spit on the ground again and healed those two.  But, He didn’t.

The question gives it away and is also a great source of encouragement.  Let me show you what I mean.

That question was like Jesus was saying to the two guys “I don’t sense the leading or the anointing to heal you right now, so you two boys are going to have to receive this one on your own!”  Then Jesus tells them “Be it unto you according to your faith!”

When the healing virtue is flowing eveyone is healed.  Luke 5:17 says while Jesus was busy teaching the Word He suddenly sensed “… the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”

One thing I have learned about God’s anointing, you can’t turn it on and you can’t turn it off.

Jesus over and over told His disciples “the Son of Man can do nothing.”  It was His right relationship with God and His complete dependence on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

We too, because of what Jesus did on the Cross have the right relationship with the Father.  So how dependent on the Holy Spirit are we?  For the two blind guys their dependence was going to have to get personal.  Sometimes we lean on the pastor or some traveling prophet for our healing or Word, when in reality God wants you to lean on Him yourself.

I got two things from today’s question.  
1- Sometimes having other people pray for us, or give us a word is not going to produce the results we would like, however the good news is we can, by the grace of God, use our own faith to be healed anyway, or get a Word anyway!

and

2- Jesus didn’t go with a preplanned program or act mechanically every time a need was presented.  We can learn from this question and sometimes even ask those with the need “Do you believe He can do this?”  You will be really surprised at what people will say.

Here’s the top ten most looked up Scriptures in reverse order:

10 – Matthew 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

9 – Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

8 – Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

7 – Proverbs 3:6: “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

6 – Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

5 – Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

4 – Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

3 – Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

2 – Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

1 – John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I find this interesting for a couple of reasons. 
First, these are the verses people have seen somewhere, bumper sticker, billboard, t-shirt, Facebook even under someone’s eyes on the football field and they had to find out what it says.  I like that because now they are searching, they want to know what it says, what it means, and really deep down they want to know is it true and will it change them.

I wonder if they just read the verse or did they read the whole chapter it was located in.  My next thought, only because this is how my train works, what Scriptures could we put out there that would cause discussion.  What if we advertised Scriptures like “Lazarus, come forth.”  Or how about Mary’s infamous “let it be as you said.”  Or Jesus on the Cross “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”  What if people saw these Scripture references on cheeks, billboards and business cards without the Scripture, causing people to pull out their bibles or even download an App and look it up.  Hmmmm, just thinking out loud.

Second, they are all spread out over the Word, Old Testament, New Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles.  I like that.  However, it seems there is something missing.  There are no scriptures about why we need a Savior, there is no scriptures pointing out the consequences of our unbelief.
Now I’m not about going around condemning people, if you have read the blog any length of time you will find that out pretty quickly.

I do believe though we sometimes shy away from the tough truths with people.  We don’t want to scare them off, or come off judging.  So when is a good time to bring the whole “there is a hell” issue up?

I like how Francis Chan puts it in this video and would love to hear your thoughts on this.  It’s 9 minutes but worth the watch.

Calling all Women’s Ministry Leaders.

District Council is around the corner and the Women’s Luncheon is going to be out of this world!

Kerry Clarensau, the Assemblies new National Women’s Ministry Director, is the keynote speaker.  She is the very one that transformed Missionettes and made them more relevant today.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV )

I was taking with a friend recently about the concerns and frustrations we had while we were raising our children. Every day seemed to bring on new challenges and we discussed how we overcame them. God blessed me with four children, each of them are totally different and unique in their own way.  They had to be nurtured individually. Thankfully, they are all grown  now,  but that doesn’t mean I am free at last !  Things still pop up every now and then and my children reach out to me because they know they can still trust and rely on Mom to help.

A friend related an incident that happened to her  and though humerous, it allowed her to know how to pray to God for help.

One day she took her daughter to the Mall and met with a couple of other young mothers for shopping and lunch in the Food Court.  Everyone had their children in strollers. They sat meekly in their strollers, that is, all but my friend’s daughter.  She wanted out of that stroller. But her mom told her no.  At the Food Court as she turned to place their food order, the daughter somehow managed to wriggle free from the straps and got out of the stroller.  She stripped off  her clothing and made a beeline across the Food Court to the fountain and jumped in.

When the mother turned around and saw what was happening she ran to the fountain but no coaxing could get her daughter out. So a very frustrated mother had to get in the fountain to retrieve her daughter.

Talk about embarassing…something like this to happen in public brought her to tears and she cried all the way home.  She felt like a failure and because of this, she called out to God  for help. She begged God to show her how to raise a good child, one that other people would comment about how well behaved she was.

She said that God seemed slow in answering her prayers. And as her daughter grew,  her prayers changed too. “God, show me how to raise my daughter to be who You want her to be.”  She said she started changing her prayers because God had begun changing her heart to realize her daughter was very independent and determined…all the things she would need to succeed in life.

We need to rely on God for guidance and direction while raising our children.  God’s goal  isn’t only for us to raise good rule-following children, but the goal should be to raise them to be God-following adults . Like the scripture says in Proverbs 22:6

We do need to train up our children in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not turn away from Biblical principles, but rather would use them in their life-long pursuit of God.

Remember this: the things that might aggravate you about your child today, might be the very things when matured that make them great for God’s kingdom tomorrow.  Always pray for your children every day and talk to them about how to make good choices in life.   Last, but definitely not the least, is to tell them you love them. Let them feel your love as you draw them close in a hug . I have always said, “Our actions speak louder than words !”

Here are three simple perspectives to hang on to while raising children:
1. Don’t take too much credit for their good.

2. Don’t take too much credit for their bad.

3. Don’t try to raise a good child.  Raise a God-following adult.

When we see our adult children serving the Lord, we can be a proud MAMA !

You know a constant walking miracle. I have a friend like that.  Every breath she takes is a miracle and she is still walking and talking.

It happened to the Israelites too.  Check it out.
Hebrews 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works forty years.

That word tempted in the Greek means to put to the test.  Like test driving a car to see if it runs and handles like the commercial says it will.

The Israelites were led into the wilderness and were in a situation that demanded miraculous intervention daily, for forty years!  Without God’s divine help they would have never survived.  Their situation allowed God to be tested.   It was a time God used to demonstrate just how faithful and reliable He is.

Maybe your going through some tough times. Although you didn’t intend to get into the situation your in, wa-la here you are.  This is a time where you need to see the goodness of God! In a sense, your predictament created a moment when God’s goodness, faithfulness and power could be tested.

The Israelites needed supernatural intervention and they got it – for forty years.

1- God provided manna.  Scholars estimate about 4,500 tons a day, which means 65,700,000 (yes that’s million) tons over 40 years.

2- Quail supernaturally came out of nowhere.  That would be 90,000,000 quail in one day!

3- Water out of a rock!  This one always gets me, because this isn’t a trickle of water the movies like to portray it as.  This would mean 15,000,000 gallons of water a day!!! I just don’t see a trickle of water doing that.  It was either a gushing of water or God was multiplying it like Jesus with the 2 fish.

The challenges you, I and the Israelites face puts us in positions in which we have to see deliverances.  Each situation puts God in a position to prove who He is.  That word prove means tested and found to be true and geniune.

But let’s notice something.  You would think after God proving Himself day in and day out for more than 40 years these guys would be so ready to take the Promise Land.  Hadn’t He proved Himself as faithful?

What was wrong with this picture?

Hebrews 3:8 warns us not be like these guys by saying “harden not your hearts…”

That word harden in the Greek means basically stiff necked, hard soil that water can’t even penetrate.  Ever see water roll off the soil?

Could it be that after seeing so many miracles they became sort of numb to them? Is it possible that we can become calloused to the goodness of God, because we experience it so much?  I wonder how many times my hard heart was the reason God’s presence just rolled off me, unable to penetrate my stubborness?

I’m a Florida girl and love it.  Last year, I went on a girls trip to New York City.  It was the first time for a couple of them.  We were in awe of the buildings.  Standing on the top of the Rockerfeller Center was breathtaking. Uh Times Square, need I say more? We wanted to take pictures of everything. Being a people watcher I noticed most of the residents in NYC barely noticed how cool their city was.

I found it odd until I went home.  I was sitting on one of our pristine beaches staring at the magnificant Atlantic Ocean.  Tourist were snapping pictures of the ocean, the sand, the flip flops, and the shells. They were so thrilled over their beach towel with Mickey Mouse on it they could barely contain themselves.

They were responding to what they were seeing.  They were awed by it.  They were thankful they were in the sun and not in the snow.

What’s the one thing that will help to avoid being stiff necked and hard hearted?

Never forget how good God has been to you!  Respond to it by thanking Him for all the blessings you do have.  Write them down if you have to.

Every time God proves Himself and past the test – Respond to it.

You can:
Frist thank God for it!  Let it be an opportunity to worship Him again! You can never worship Him enough.

You could then write it down, to read later or pass down to the next generation.  You could call someone up and tell them how God proved Himself reliable, faithful, a Good Provider.

Let’s take time today and recount the many times God has passed the test.

The church is the people, not the building.

It’s amazing to see how much we idolize things in church.  We idolize the building, we idolize the worship music, we can even idolize the new program that was a huge success across the state.  If it looks great or deemed sacred look out when someone suggest to remove it.

Can you imagine Jesus walking through our city, or our church, would he ask the same insinuating question?

“How little Jesus valued the external pomp, when there is no real purity.” Matthew Henry

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe we should tear down all the church buildings, or axe any of the discipleship programs.  I believe if Jesus walked through the events, the ministry and the fellowship groups would He hear the disciples pointing out how great those temporal things are, or how great He is?

I went to an event a few years ago.  It had it all; a great location, a loving and helpful crew, incredible entertaining speakers that presented very well, even the topic or theme was right on. It was very well attended. It was only missing one thing, the most important thing, the Holy Spirit.

As I sat there I heard the Holy Spirit ask “Do you see this great event? Is it for man or for Me?” I knew as soon as He asked it was for man.  Yes, the event coordinators wanted to minister to people, but there was no mention of Jesus, there was no acknowledging the work of the Holy Spirit.

The same buildings the disciples were pointing out to Jesus were the same buildings Jesus was kicked out of.  Were those buildings for man or were they for Jesus?

As I sat there I repented.  I didn’t want to be a part of any more events that weren’t going to glorify God from it’s very core.  I didn’t want to be a part of an event that only promoted man, and not His Kingdom. I didn’t want to be a part of an event that didn’t have eternal longevity to it.  You see, Jesus said that all those wonderful buildings, were going to fall.  The buildings were temporal. Worshipping the Lord is not!

I love Francis Chan’s take on this in his book “Forgotten God”
“If you combine a charismatic speaker, a talented worship band, and some hip, creative events, people will attend your church. Yet this does not mean that the Holy Spirit of God is actively working and moving in the lives of the people who are coming. It simply means that you have created a space that is appealing enough to draw people in for an hour or two on Sunday.

It certainly doesn not mean that people will walk out the doors moved to worship and in awe of God.  People are more likely to describe the quality of music or the appeal of the sermon than the One who is the reason people gathered in the first place.”

Just because the ministry event is well attended doesn’t make it a success. Lady Gaga can put 50,000 people in a room, doesn’t mean God is going to be glorified.

Attendance, decorations, the right program, flyers or even having a ton of people there  doesn’t make an event successful. None of that matters.  What matters are the lives  impacted for God’s glory.  What matters is the display of God’s character to the world.  What matters is the honor and respect we have for His Holy Name.  What matters is we co-labor with God in bringing Heaven to Earth, because God is not willing that any man should perish. What matters is we address the needs of our community, being God’s hand extended.

What so often happens in the church bubble is we entertain ourselves.  Without the presence of the Holy Spirit – it is only club church.  Without the presence of God all our events are just another form of a community center get together.

Let this question stir the desire for a ministry that has eternal consequences, eternal effects, eternal longevity.