The Call of Christ

The call of Christ to every Christian - both young and old - is to GO! When Jesus left, He gave us a job to do. While we await the coming of the Lord, we are commanded to be Christ's hands and feet here on earth; to be His eyes and the very mouthpeice of the God who says, "Come unto Me!"

They don't know!! The world is dying without the saving grace of our Savior and they don't know! Christians, let us die to self so that we may live and bring forth fruit.

Answer the call of Christ of today.

A Cry in the Night

Late last night I got an unexpected phone call. As I'm about to settle in for bed, my plans were interrupted. At first? A total inconvenience. Then I realized that God's hand was in this surprising call. Now I'm not going to divulge their identity but let's just say the person has been on my heart and in my prayers for many years.

The caller didn't originally phone to talk to me but, after a minute, began to talk to me anyway. Out came the baggage, the dirty laundry....and tears. Years of drugs, alcohol, lawlessness and rebellion and this was the result. It amazes me how so many waste their lives living for the very things that destroy their homes, families, and bodies. They hate their addictions, yet cling to them with every ounce of strength they posses. For nearly an hour, I listened as the caller told of their demons, their "burdens." I listened as I heard the statement: I've done so many horrible things.

And my heart broke.

After giving this person truth, offering them true hope - Jesus Christ - this remark was made: It's too late for me. I can't think of anything more heartbreaking than in hearing a soul who needs Jesus say that there is no longer hope for them. There is always hope!!!! There is grace, love, healing, mercy, FORGIVENESS! It's all right there! But the devil, once again, dishes out the lie that it's too late.

There are so many more just like the caller last night. There are those, and maybe you know some of them, who are in the darkness...and they are crying. There are tears of shame, regret, loss and pain, and there are tears of hopelessness.

Lord, let us be a light that shines out in the darkness. Let us have ears to hear their cry and hands to reach out to them.

Those of you reading, join me in prayer for this person, and for the millions more who are in the same position.

What Will Break Us?

This past summer at a youth Camp, the theme was "Broken." I thought it was an excellent theme! Now, more than ever, we (Christians) could use a little brokenness. Why?

* Our family members are lost
* Our friends are lost
....and hell is real.

* People are starving
....and we are well fed.
  
* People are lonely and abandoned
...and we have friends and family

While we text, play on Facebook, surf through YouTube and go to and from school, college and work with parties and dates on the brain, millions are reaching out and crying for help. We don't hear. Why? Because we're not broken. Our hearts are cold, not warm. Our lives are built around us, not others. Our mind is saturated with self, not consumed with Christlikeness. We don't cry unless there's been a broken relationship or something to that effect. We certainly don't weep for the lost, or for those kept in bondage to sin. ...maybe it's because we enjoy a little sin on the side ourself.

At Camp, I was moved seeing dozens at the alter. I wept. I wept for others and I wept for myself. And I walked away changed. But I saw others weep too. I saw big brothers cling to their younger siblings as tears streamed down their face. I saw girls weep at the alter for hours. I saw young men praying, crying, shaking with grief and sorrow.

I saw brokenness. Or at least, I thought I did. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was all an emotional experience. Maybe it was a bit of a stirring....a moving. But certainly not a changing.

Think about it.

IF there had been a change, would they be drinking every Friday night?

IF there had been a change, would couples still be sleeping with one another?

IF there had been a change, would Facebook statuses still reek with foul language and impurity of every kind?

IF there was a change, would there be a willingness to compromise?

NO!!

From where I'm sitting, there weren't that many people broken. And along with the ache and burden that puts on my heart, there is also a fear. A fear of what God might bring to break His people. If the enslaved don't break us, if the alcohol and drug addictions don't break us, if the compromising and justifying Christians don't break us..... and if the lost millions don't break us...

....What WILL break us?

Mighty Muscle

For years, I’ve been a Rocky fan. I know coming from a girl who rambles about princes and fairytales, that might be a bit odd. I cry watching “Sleeping Beauty" and sigh when I finish reading “Pride and Prejudice”….but I also enjoy watching a good fight. My fiance’ is a cage fighter and my Dad can break bricks and lift logs and show macho strength. So though I wrinkle my nose when I think of sweat and dirt, I also revel in it.

This weekend, I'll be a part of a very cool show here in south Arkansas. The WWC (website here), which stands for World Wide Crusaders, is what we call Muscle, Music, Mania. It's bat breaking, steel bar bending, concrete busting, log lifting, awesome feats of strength! And it brings a message that NOTHING (aka - Satan and all his tricks) can conquer you. NOTHING is too hard for the Christian who has the Living God inside of them.

Too often, we get to thinking that the things we face are too big for us. The boy who is caught up in violence and gang activity who thinks he can't get out needs to know that there is hope! The girl who is involved in an abusive or sexual relationship needs to know that there is something better! The boy consumed with alcohol, the girl strung out on drugs, the hundreds and thousands who are trapped in some kind of dangerous and destructive activity, substance, or relationship needs to hear the wonderful message - there is hope for you!

The men performing the awesome feats are mighty men, indeed. They snap baseball bats like sticks. They bust through concrete blocks with their arms, hands, and even heads! They roll frying pans into burritos! They bend steel bars in their teeth! So many acts of strength. Yet honestly? That's childish games when compared to the strength and might of Jesus Christ. The human muscle is as weak as a spaghetti noodle when held up next to the muscle of the Son of God! The men this weekend who will tear through phone books and bust open coke cans showcasing their human strength for one reason: It is not to glorify themselves and show the world what they can do. It is to glorify our Savior and show the world what we can all do by His power - both physically and spiritually!

This weekend we will bring uplifting and inspiring music that speaks of the glorious redemption and freedom in Christ! And along with that, mighty men will do unbelievable feats of strength - as a picture of what we can do with Jesus Christ.

All need to know that there is hope. The lost need to see salvation, freedom, and sin conquered. The Christians need to see what can be done with a life yielded and full surrendered.

Romans 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Being Christ's Hands - To Haiti

Missions.

Orphans.

The Poor.

The Needy.

The Lost.

....all are passions of mine. All are things that tug on my heart.

In light of the recent devastation in Haiti, those very passions have been on my heart a bit more than usual. A country already riddled with poverty, malnutrition, sickness, and Vodou religion, is in need of help. Since Tuesday, when the 7.0 earthquake hit, people have been sleeping in the streets alongside dead bodies, people have been hearing the cries of people trapped under rubble and there is no food or water to go around. On that horrifying day, homes and towns were destroyed and hundreds of thousands lost their lives. Where did they go? is the question on my
mind.

Looking at the country's history of negative response to Christ and Christianity, and its open arms to Vodou, it doesn't look good. Yet with a crisis like this, there is no better time to reach out than now! Of course, Haiti is in dire need of medical help and financial relief, but what they need the most is spiritual help. They need Jesus!

Pray how you can help! Pray how you can reach out to the broken, the poor, the suffering, the homeless, the sick, the orphaned, the widowed, the childless, and the LOST! Find ways to give. Find ways to go. Be the arms, legs, mouths, ears, eyes, and hands of Jesus Christ.

Help Haiti. Help the world.

James 1:27
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Websites that offer assistance:

http://www.nwhcm.org/
http://www.danitaschildren.com/
http://www.bhm.org/

Set-Apart? Or Settled-In?

This past week, I have seen a new craze throughout Facebook as an awareness for breast cancer. In "the spirit of raising awareness" all the women are and were encouraged to share the color of their - ahem - top. Just one word, one color, posted in their status to let the whole world know that they support cancer awareness. How ingenious!

Of course, I did not participate. And my naive' self thought "Surely no Christian lady would!" How wrong I've been. I was stunned speechless when one girl after another - both young and old - gladly and proudly posted her "color." And before I knew it, the boys jumped in, giving their brand of underthings all in the name of a good cause. I naturally had a response. For a Christian to post the color of their undergarments, then stand up in Church and sing, testify, preach or teach is a shame and a disgrace to our Holy God who said "COME OUT" from among the world and "BE YE SEPARATE!" What happened to modesty and purity among God's women? Where are the Ruths? The Marys? The Hannahs? What happened to nobility and honor among the men? Where are the Davids? The Peters? The Joshuas? Sadly, it's not the lost people that argue, it's the Christians. It's the Church. It's God's people who have a strikingly amazing ability to let their pride have full control. I have been met with the typical...

The Bible says not to judge!

Stay out of my business!

It's not your place to tell me what's wrong and what's right!

God has not convicted me!

I am NOT going to hell!

My sin is no different than your sin!

God loves me just as much as you!

Quit starting fights! etc. etc. etc.

I find it odd that with one correction, people can jump to the most off-the-topic-issue they can think of. For example:

"Hey, you shouldn't be doing that. It's not holy, it will cause others to stumble. It's not right."

"I am not going to hell! Quit judging me! God loves me the same as you!"

Okay....

However, in the midst of such ridiculousness, I have been touched, blessed, encouraged and edified seeing many stand up and defend set-apart living, and in hearing several say "Oh my! I shouldn't have done that. Everyone, please forgive me for being so thoughtless!" Amen. :)

But I am forever amazed at how quickly we can forget the true meaning of holiness. Moreover, I'm amazed at how shallow and self-oriented the Church has become. A topic such as declaring to the world your "brand/color" is debated and defended by Preachers, Pastors, youth leaders, and Church members. God help us! Deeming it their "right" and throwing around "opinions"....forgetting that according to 1 Corinthians 6:19, we have no right and we have no opinions of our own. ALL is dead and is now the property of Christ. Yet there are still debates; Christians still fussing and arguing over how "innocent and noble" it all is. While lost people die and slip into eternity, the Christians stumble around, wasting their lives living for themselves. While orphans are abandoned, while 5-year-old prostitutes are kept in slavery, while scores are left in drug and alcohol abuse, while millions are left in poverty and hunger, and while the lost search for what only Christ can give, His people settle in, quite satisfied with the world in which they live. While they claim to be on fire and set-apart, they fail to see that the life they demonstrate holds little power and little victory.

So I ask you... are you set-apart? Or are you comfortably settled-in?


God, may we see ourselves as You see us. May we shun the world and grab hold of You and cling to You with every fiber of our being. May we rise up and be mighty men, mighty women - a mighty generation who give NO PLACE to the devil, NO PLACE to the world, NO PLACE to compromise and shallow thinking and lukewarm living. Your word says that we are more than conquerors, that we can do all things through You. So help us, dear God, to put off our flesh and put on the Spirit. May we fuel the fire that has been burning in Your heart since before time began. Give us boldness. Give us martyrs passion. Give us a hunger for prayer. Forgive us for thinking of ourselves. Forgive us for living for our own pleasure. Forgive us for justifying what Your Spirit is not a part of. May we come back to You and be named a set-apart generation.