God's moving in HUGE ways right now, and Satan is HOT ON HIS TRACKS.
See, Satan does NOT like the advancement of the Gospel message.
The battle is real.
But, I know who the VICTOR is.
SO! Please oblige me while I step onto my soapbox for a few...
Have you ever heard someone involved in ministry say things along the lines of:
"Man! Things are really good right now! Let's just ride the wave for awhile!"
" Let's sit back and enjoy our hard work!"
"Let's take a little breather." (You mean, you want a vacation?)
"Let's not push our luck."
OH...
PEOPLE...
SHAME...SHAME on you.
I was at a loss for words all week after hearing words such as these, and Mamma always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." So, I respectfully plead the fifth. I think I have somewhat graciously organized my thoughts, and "Shame on you" is the nicest thing I have to say to anyone who would like to sit back and relax instead of press forward with the Message of the Gospel. I mean, LAST I CHECKED, there wasn't a passage in the Bible that mentioned Jesus taking a vacation after He preached in one town. AND, LAST I CHECKED, neither did the Apostle Paul (Go ahead and check out a map of Paul's missionary journeys. The man's passport must have been STAMPED FULL! Note: I DO NOT THINK THEY HAD PASSPORTS. I WAS TRYING TO BE FUNNY. LIGHTEN...UP). AND, LAST I CHECKED, neither did the DISCIPLES, and if you want to go OLD SCHOOL, neither did the Israelites when God FINALLY delivered them into the Promised Land. Not following? The Israelites wandered the desert for FORTY YEARS, and God FINALLY led them to the Promised land (the land they would inhabit), and THEN they had to go to BATTLE to "evict" the "tenants" that were living in this newly gifted land! Don't believe me? Go start reading in Joshua Chapter 1. And, in case you still think that we should "let it ride" when "the gettin's good," go read "Foxes Book of Martyrs." ALL of Jesus's disciples were martyred for their faith in Him, and for relentlessly spreading the Gospel. THAT doesn't sound like a "VAYCAY."
I'm sorry (not sorry) if I have offended anyone. My passion for those who do not know Jesus is FIERY. It keeps me up at night. It makes me cry (and, I'm not a crier). It makes me want to bulldoze my way through ANY barrier that might come my way. Relentless. Unwavering. Passionate. If you HAVE been offended by any of my words, (respectfully) maybe it's time for a gut check. You can label your hesitation to forge into new territory with the Gospel message as "prayerful consideration" or "making a wise decision." You can even say, "We tried this before. It didn't work the first time. We think God doesn't want us to GO there."
I can't even.
My blood pressure is rising.
I'm getting angry again.
Maybe I shouldn't post today.
Maybe I should.
Do you mean to tell me that MY interpretation of Matthew 28:19-20 is incorrect? And yours?
MOM! Call me real quick and REMIND ME AGAIN!
WHAT am I supposed to do when I don't have anything nice to say? Call them names?
It comes down to this (I'm taking this from Matthew 25: 14-30):
If GOD gifts you with a talent (monetary, or a talent such as sewing or singing or giving, or serving, hospitality, discernment...), and YOU BURY IT (sit back and enjoy)?!!! His response:
"You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?...and throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ~Matthew 25:26, 30
I think that often times, people think that God's ways are SLOOOOOOW, and that we have to WAIT. We have to slow things down (sit back and relax). But, Scripture tells us to: "keep in step with the Spirit." ~Galatians 5:25. Scripture also tells us:
"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entagles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." ~Hebrews 12: 1
"THROW OFF." VERB.
"LET US RUN." VERB.
"RACE." FAST THING.
POINT? GOD IS NOT ALWAYS SLOW!
SOMETIMES WE...HAVE TO **KEEP UP**...WITH HIM!!!
FINALLY, I would like to encourage those of you who may have been involved in an "unsuccessful" ministry. YOUR MINISTRY WILL *NOT* RETURN VOID because GOD's WORD does *NOT* return void. If you spent years and years in ministry and ONE person came to know Jesus, EVERY SINGLE MINUTE, EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR SPENT, was worth it. Because ONE LIFE is WORTH IT. Don't believe me? Read the Parable of the Lost (things) in Luke Chapter 15.
So, KEEP PRESSING FORWARD.
GO TO BATTLE.
DO NOT LOSE HEART!
DO NOT GO ON VAYCAY!
This is NOT A GAME!
It's life or death, and we're playin' for keeps, folks.
Mic drop.
(Kelly steps off her soapbox)
I have nothing to say about food.
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