Gigi's Blog

Well, the queen of biscuits has done it again.  Don’t know who I’m talking about?  Let me give you a few more clues:

1. Pronounces the word flour “fla'r”
2. She drinks vinegar
3. She cooks in fatback grease yet works for the Heart Society

Yes.  That’s right.  My aunt Pat.  It’s like a big joke that people always say she’s my real mother.  We’re just very alike.  Love to cook.  Make big messes cooking.  Procrastinate.  Late for everything.  Dream big in God.  Know that He can do anything. 

I have seen Pat do things that people say are impossible.  She is bold in God, and I believe God likes that.  

The other day she called me and said that she realized the upcoming Beauty Within Seminar needed a bit of a different approach.  She said she realized that we were only targeting churches and youth groups.  She said this needs to go out to everyone.  I mean duh!!  What were we thinking?  So, as per her usual determination, she starts making calls and is attempting to reach out to secular media.  

Pat is so right.  Last night I believe I realized something: Jesus will go out of flock to rescue the lost.  Nothing new, right?  Well for me it sort of was.  I realized last night there’s quite a deep truth and meaning behind that story. 

Luke 15 1-3By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.

 4-7"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

Dear God help us to get it.

OK, who was listening intently?  That’s right, the people of doubtful reputation.  Who wasn’t pleased, wasn’t at all pleased because of who was listening intently?  That’s right, the Pharisees and religion scholars.  What did they say?  That’s right, that Jesus had befriended the lost and hung out with them.  

What did Jesus say?  That’s right, he said he will leave all of the saved to go after the lost.  He will leave the walls of a church and go to the place sinners are.

Church is a place we come corporately to worship God, to learn about Him and to grow as a body of believers.  In our spiritually infantile brain we think lost people just come to church and that’s the majority of where we should evangelize.  Jesus knew better, and if we’ll grow up a little, we’ll know better too.  Jesus didn’t speak in theory about His beliefs. He practiced His beliefs. I’m tired of talking about it.  I’m ready to do it.

I’ve heard many stories of people who use their everyday lives and normal encounters as opportunities.  Do that today.  You never know who you’ll encounter and what difference you might make. 

http://focus.chapelgrove.com/Beauty%20Within.htm

• Main
• archives
• Albums
• Links
• Admin
• Send us a story!

• My belly hurts, I mean stomach
• You don't get it
• Does God Hate??
• Pickles and Ice Cream not needed??
• Shouldn't be doing this
• If you see a bear-don't run
• Just Listen
• Just Listen

• General [134]

• RSS 0.90
• RSS 1.0
• RSS 2.0
• Atom