Equality of all in Christ

There is a wall that needs to be broken down. This wall separates those that are being servants of Christ and those that are only watching. There is no Biblical precedent for 1 day a week Christianity. What we do on Sunday, entering into the presence of God, should be an everyday experience. Jesus opened the way for all to have personal relationship with Almighty God. Who is man that God is mindful of him? We have been given much more than we could ever imagine. Is that why it's so hard for most to accept the hand of Christ outstretched for them? That it is so hard to come to comprehend that God had mercy on them in their fallen nature. That the King of Glory wants to spend time with any single person. How great and awesome is that invitation?

We have a Savior who wants to lead us individually. He has a ministry for every believer. He has a love for every believer. He has a gift for every believer. He will talk and tug on the heart of every believer. Do we believe it? Do we really trust Him for our every day waking life?

I say we tear down the wall between clergy and laity. We are all brothers in Christ. We are all one. Jesus is the head. He is building His Church. These walls confuse most on what real Chrisitianity is. There is freedom in Christ. Freedom for all to pursue God with all their heart, mind, and strength. We as "leaders" should not confuse and put up walls but rather break down walls and shine the light on Jesus with His hand outstretched waiting for each person to come to Him on their own.

There are families waiting. There are lost relatives waiting. There are convictions and movings of the Holy Spirit waiting.

God may we see a revival of authentic relationship of every believer with You......

My First Love

He (God) complains much of our blindness, and cries often that we are to be pitied who content ourselves with so little. God, saith he, has infinite treasure to bestow, and we take up with a little sensible devotion which passes in a moment. Blind as we are, we hinder God and stop the current of His graces. But when He finds a soul penetrated with a lively faith, He pours into it His graces and favors plentifully; there they flow like a torrent, which, after being forcibly stopped against its ordinary course, when it has found a passage, spreads itself with force and abundance.

Yes we often stop this torrent, by the little value we set upon it. But let us stop it no more; let us enter into ourselves and break down the bank which hinders it. Let us make way for grace; let us redeem the lost time, for perhaps we have but little left; death follows us close, let us be well prepared for it; for we die but once, and a miscarriage there is irretrievable.

Brother Lawrence (1614-1691), The Practice of the Presence of God

Oh please God, let me not be content with so little. Lord you are the treasure that I seek. Let me find myself in your presence. Teach me how to love you with all my heart, mind, and strength.

Sometimes it is so easy to forsake our first love. The greatest and what should be the most glorious of honors to obey, the command to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength. How often do we loose God in the middle of religious repitition? How often do we go through the motions having not spent a moment with God, because we were so wrapped up in our lives, worries, fears, and events of the day. How often do I have a Bible study time that at the end I hurried and didn't allow myself to enjoy His presence?

It can be so easy to be so busy, to totally ignore God. Sometimes what I am doing looks totally like what I want to be doing, rather than what God wants me doing. Do I even ask anymore what He may want me to do? Or do I follow my routine. Has my relationship with God become stale?

Ignite the fire Lord. Kindle the fire that still smolders inside me. Lord, what is this passion, that feeling, when I am near to you? I have heard it called, the burning heart. It can be so hard to describe when I am in your presence. It feels so good. You have placed a treasure before us, to freely partake of. You have set the table for us to dine at in abundance. Time with you God, that is worth all. To love you and be loved by you. I was made to fall in love with you.

Whats it like?

This is what I see as I walk through a neighborhood today:

Young children playing on a swing set. Two feet from their play lies broken glass mixed with trash. Looks like someone carelessly left it on the ground. Walking through the neighborhood I spy several individuals that look like trouble. Not too far ahead are some more children at play with a young mother swinging her daughter. As I get closer, I can't help but notice the curse words spray painted on the side of the playgrounds slide. The young child is innocently swinging beside it. A young man comes riding his bicycle along the sidewalk. The coat he is wearing comes down to his ankles and he drowns in the coat. A thought runs through my mind, how do these kids stand a chance?

Mark 10:14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

The children are innocent. Sure some of the people in this neighborhood made bad choices. Sure some people abuse the system. But don't forget, some people had a bad turn of events. Some of these people are good people on hard times. And some of these people need a little love. Jesus told us: these kids are innocent and are willing to love no holds barred. As we grow older we loose that innocent affection we so freely gave as kids. My heart goes out to these kids growing up in a place they did not choose. I wonder to myself, what would I be this day if I grew up a tough place like this?

I would like to make known to all followers of Christ. There are opportunities in all communities to touch the less fortunate. There are people with problems you and I never have to consider. There are kids and adults who have a sparkle in their eye. Come with me to the Kokomo Urban Outreach and spend some time with these kids. Their eyes sparkle with a hope. There is something that does not see all the junk they live in, it rises above it. It hopes. It loves. It wants to be loved. Whatever that thing is, Jesus was knew it was there. These kids haven't given up yet.... There is an opportunity to impact them with caring. Are you willing to care? As a community, we should wrap our arms around them.

There is something in the air theses days that I am hearing. God is calling us from all different denominations to come together and affect Kokomo for Christ. There is one creed, Christ. There is opportunity. Will you help? Will you walk like you talk? Will you do like you say you believe?

Kokomo Urban Outreach Sunday 4 P.M. - 6 P.M. Location: Trinity United Methodist
North 1 block off Hoffer on Locke Street. Email me if you have any questions dmiracle2003@yahoo.com

If you have any input or a heart for any of these issues, there are also opportunitites to get involved in addressing these things to: Public transportation, Mentoring/getting in schools, Youth/kids opportunities, and Food assistance

God guide us how to best love this city......

Love your neighbor as Yourself

I often wonder about love. The Bible says, "No greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)." Elsewhere we find, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37)."

I hope one day I can love like Jesus, like God, loved us. A sacrificial love that has no regard for the self. I long for a total abandonment of flesh for true love. The law of the Lord our God can be made so simple, with one word, Love. So simple yet it can be so hard.

When I love, I dedicate my time and energy to whom I am loving. This blog is my love to encourage others onward with Christ. My love for God, that He would have His will done. Oh, if we as Chrisitians could just become more loving. Can you imagine the dysfunction in families that would disappear when love ruled in the household? Can you imagine what would happen to the divorce rate if husband and wife started loving each other with the love of Christ? Jesus has brought us new life. A life that doesn't have to be dysfunctional with people close to you, but rather we can truly, truly start to love and heal our families. We can heal this city. We can heal this state. We can heal this country, with love.

Love can tear down the fatherless families and help them to be loving fathers again. Love can remove the need for drug addiction. Love can lift up the widow and the poor. Oh may we have a little more love. When things get to complicated, keep it simple....Accept the love of Christ. Accept forgiveness for your pride, selfishness, and sin. Accept the mercy that was extended when none was worthy to receive a sacrifice of Jesus life, in love for us while we were still in sin and dead to God. Then go and love, give back what you received for others to KNOW HIM! Share the love Jesus suffered to give to us.