This last Tuesday at our food pantry--it was truly like a little bit of Heaven!
We had over 35 clients who came to receive food--and I was so excited that we had enough food to give out 14 items to each person. Normally we have been having to give 12 items, but God has really been providing lately. So right off the bat everyone was so excited when I announced the extra items!
Soon afterwards after we had gotten everyone inside and lined up down the hall as we do each week, it was like a worship service! We were singing lots of hymns--and almost everyone was singing! Even the folks who could not speak a lot of english were singing the best they could! A sister from another congregation who speaks fluent spanish was there to translate for me which is a big breakthrough for us. We had a couple of ministers from Highland Oaks Church of Christ there to help us love on people and pray with them.
Oh it was just so beautiful! You could feel hope abounding. My heart was full of joy!
Grace and Peace,
Bruce
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Discovering Real Christianity
Over the past five years, I have spent much of my time as a minister serving somewhat unchurched people--many from low income backgrounds. I have learned much about Psychology and Sociology that I never learned when I took those respective classes in college.
I have learned much about what so many children who grow up in unGodly homes go through and the handicap many of them have--when they are constantly pulled in two directions--with those of us trying to reach them for Christ having some influence and then those preying on them if you will--on behalf of Satan having influence. I have learned that many people who may be poor economically--still are people who want to keep their dignity and are not all looking for a handout.
And in all that, I have learned some tidbits about real Christianity here and there. But tonight--I learned some more!
I spent some time with a man tonight who has over the years, been knocked down peg after peg and is in his mid-fifties and feels like a failure. Because of that feeling of failure, he gave up trying to make it in society some years back and basically lives off of charity. Its not that he is sorry or lazy--he just is embarrassed and is afraid to go out and ask for jobs--knowing he has a college degree--but that he messed up so bad over the years--that he will be asked hard questions and he just can't handle that. So he has very little. He eats at a church kitchen everyday and usually eats enough there to make that his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He would gladly do some work if any were available to him. But he is just a beaten man, who fortunately is able to live with an old friend who is in bad health and he helps take care of his friend.
This man is not a regular "church goer" but he is a Christian. I personally watched him be taught the Gospel and watched him be baptized some years back. But what struck me so much--was that this non-attending church guy--has a greater love and appreciation for the Lord than most I have ever known who are regular church attendees.!
While he has little and lives very simple--he constantly gives thanks to God for all he does have and all he has been delivered from! Isn't that what God really wants from all of us--for us to have grateful hearts?
Tomorrow I will be having lunch with this man and many others he eats lunch with at a place called "Christ's Kitchen" in Victoria, Texas. I am so looking forward to meeting many of his friends who eat there everyday and those who serve and provide those daily meals. I long to spend time with people who really live out the kind of love Jesus teaches throughout the Gospels!
I am so blessed to get to often witness--"Real Christianity!"
I leave you wtih thse words from Jesus:
The Sheep and the Goats "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 3For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matthew 25:31-46, NIV).
Hooray for Christ's Kitchen in Victoria, Texas! Hooray for Jesus!
Blessings,
Bruce
I have learned much about what so many children who grow up in unGodly homes go through and the handicap many of them have--when they are constantly pulled in two directions--with those of us trying to reach them for Christ having some influence and then those preying on them if you will--on behalf of Satan having influence. I have learned that many people who may be poor economically--still are people who want to keep their dignity and are not all looking for a handout.
And in all that, I have learned some tidbits about real Christianity here and there. But tonight--I learned some more!
I spent some time with a man tonight who has over the years, been knocked down peg after peg and is in his mid-fifties and feels like a failure. Because of that feeling of failure, he gave up trying to make it in society some years back and basically lives off of charity. Its not that he is sorry or lazy--he just is embarrassed and is afraid to go out and ask for jobs--knowing he has a college degree--but that he messed up so bad over the years--that he will be asked hard questions and he just can't handle that. So he has very little. He eats at a church kitchen everyday and usually eats enough there to make that his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He would gladly do some work if any were available to him. But he is just a beaten man, who fortunately is able to live with an old friend who is in bad health and he helps take care of his friend.
This man is not a regular "church goer" but he is a Christian. I personally watched him be taught the Gospel and watched him be baptized some years back. But what struck me so much--was that this non-attending church guy--has a greater love and appreciation for the Lord than most I have ever known who are regular church attendees.!
While he has little and lives very simple--he constantly gives thanks to God for all he does have and all he has been delivered from! Isn't that what God really wants from all of us--for us to have grateful hearts?
Tomorrow I will be having lunch with this man and many others he eats lunch with at a place called "Christ's Kitchen" in Victoria, Texas. I am so looking forward to meeting many of his friends who eat there everyday and those who serve and provide those daily meals. I long to spend time with people who really live out the kind of love Jesus teaches throughout the Gospels!
I am so blessed to get to often witness--"Real Christianity!"
I leave you wtih thse words from Jesus:
The Sheep and the Goats "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 3For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matthew 25:31-46, NIV).
Hooray for Christ's Kitchen in Victoria, Texas! Hooray for Jesus!
Blessings,
Bruce
Saturday, January 9, 2010
"One Body, But Many Critical Parts"
Tomorrow I am preaching from 1st Corinthians 12 and talking about "One Body, But Many Critical Parts." It would be so easy for me to look at myself as someone very important in my congregation since I am the "minister/pastor/preacher" or whatever else people might call my role. But I really don't look at myself that way.
I serve with two wonderful men on my leadership team that are both qualified to be shepherds--a role I am not yet qualified to serve in. Both men can teach and preach God's word, they shepherd the flock well and they hold me accountable, teach and mentor me often. I honestly look at them to be just as more qualified as me in all spiritual roles--I just happen to be the full time guy who gets paid for doing this work. They are both engineers and do this work on a more volunteer basis.
Then I have many members of our flock who do so much important behind the scenes work that is absolutely invaluable to our mission and to the well being of our congregation. We often look at the "up front" people like the teachers and preachers as the important roles--but every single person in the body of Christ plays a very important and "God-Designed Role." No one spiritual gift or service is more superior than another. We are all working towards the same goal!
I am so thankful for all of the workers in our mission to reach the lost in Mesquite. Whether it be our members, or the many Christians from other congregations who help us--every single one of them play such an imporant role in executing the Great Commission! LETS KEEP REACHING OUT TO LOST SOULS!!!
Grace and Peace,
Bruce
I serve with two wonderful men on my leadership team that are both qualified to be shepherds--a role I am not yet qualified to serve in. Both men can teach and preach God's word, they shepherd the flock well and they hold me accountable, teach and mentor me often. I honestly look at them to be just as more qualified as me in all spiritual roles--I just happen to be the full time guy who gets paid for doing this work. They are both engineers and do this work on a more volunteer basis.
Then I have many members of our flock who do so much important behind the scenes work that is absolutely invaluable to our mission and to the well being of our congregation. We often look at the "up front" people like the teachers and preachers as the important roles--but every single person in the body of Christ plays a very important and "God-Designed Role." No one spiritual gift or service is more superior than another. We are all working towards the same goal!
I am so thankful for all of the workers in our mission to reach the lost in Mesquite. Whether it be our members, or the many Christians from other congregations who help us--every single one of them play such an imporant role in executing the Great Commission! LETS KEEP REACHING OUT TO LOST SOULS!!!
Grace and Peace,
Bruce
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