Today was such an exciting day. For over 40 some years I have taught Bible studies, classes, seminars, etc. but today was very special.
December was such a busy month of baking, cooking, teaching, training, giving, giving, giving, but somehow in the midst of everything 4 ladies accepted Jesus into their hearts. Christmas Day finished with one stating she wanted to accept Jesus into her heart while standing in our front door entrance with her friend who brought her.
Today I sat down across the table from 2 of the ladies to teach them their first Bible study ever.
The freshness of telling someone that there are 66 books in the Bible, and then explain the front part is called Old Testament and the latter part is called New Testament was so special. They have such a desire to learn. There are no words to describe how privileged I felt today.
Isn't it amazing how people sit in Sunday School classes, feeling and acting so bored? Isn't it amazing how people sit in Church, feeling and acting so bored? Sitting with the different people I have been teaching and training in the Word, they are not bored, but instead they are thrilled to have found out about God's love. They all want to know more and more and more. The more they hear, the more they want.
You see, when you were born in the midst of many, many idols, shrines, and temples, you can't imagine anything about an unconditional love. You can't imagine there is actually a deity that is all about an unconditional love, because all the gods you have ever known about control people with fear, fear and more fear.
To hug a Grandma and her feel love, what a smile comes on her face. To smile at someone in a store, bank, post office and watch their whole countenance change, makes you want to keep smiling all day.
I'm sorry, but I think that boredom and no interest in church is because God's love is not the center of the gathering. If Jesus were there, would He actually be welcome? Why would I say such a thing as that? Well, you see He went where the people were. He met their needs and didn't stop to build a building to get attention and show what he had done. He always thought about the needs of the people. When the disciples wanted to send the crowd away, Jesus cared for their hunger and fed them. When the blind man was told to shut up, Jesus heard his cry and healed him.
How many walk into church buildings that are cold and lifeless? They are hungry for truth, love, joy and peace, but walk out empty. The service was perhaps beautiful to the natural eyes and ears, but why did people leave the same as they had come?
Jesus was never too busy to stop and heal someone; to raise a woman's dead child; to set someone free from demonic control or just listen to someone. He loved. He forgave. He cared.
When you see someone that is broken and cast down as this rose, do you usually choose to walk on by, step on it, or pick it up?
