I have really enjoyed getting into reading and posting blogs. I gotta tell ya that today God spoke to me through a few different blogs that I have read.
First that I’ll mention is one I just read a little while ago from Mark Batterson:
Had to share one thought from the leadership seminar at the Assemblies of God General Council. Dary Northrop shared an amazing story about a stripper that found Christ at their Church–Timberline church. And he talked about how when you’re really reaching the unchurched it is messy! Then he shared a thought from the parable of the prodigal son.
If the younger brother had run into his elder brother first he would have never made it inside the house! Unfortunately, our churches are filled with the elder brother spirit. And sometimes it is the religiousity of elder brothers that can actually keep prodigals from reuniting with their Heavenly Father! That thought was worth the trip to Indy!
Dary also talked about the difference between loving people before they change and after they get cleaned up. That is the challenge and the trick! He said people won’t change until they are fully loved. I think he’s right!
Man… isn’t that so true? I was just in blockbuster the other day and the guy mentioned something about church and dissed it. I spoke up and said, Maybe you just haven’t found the right church. He said I just couldn’t put up with all the politicing that goes on there and how the people with all the money has the power. When I went to Puerto Rico, almost everyone I talked to had been to church and had stopped going because of the people in the church. When are we going to start loving one another first and start representin’ Christ’s love?
I also think that this post from Perry is awesome and I can think of quite a few people I know that need to hear it. So check it out! Now! Seriously, I’ll wait…
Ok, done? I know some people could get mad at this statement, but GOD IS LOVE! I know he has wrath, righteousness, justice and all that other stuff, but everything He does, comes from His perfect love for us.
There were a couple more that spoke to me… but I’ll save them for another time. Plus I gotta get more organized with my clippings from bloglines. Check out this post if you have no idea what i’m talking about. I use bloglines and I can keep up with my 34 blogs I’m reading and it only takes minutes a day.