oh my oh my...

Well, in 2 1/2 hours we leave for the airport and then after about a 2 hour drive we'll be with Marlon. God has been so kind as to let this time fly by. On those days where I started to tire and grow weary--he always picked me right up and gave me what I needed to get back on track. I can't wait to see my husband--my love!!!

Harvest Fest has been amazing so far. The other guest missionaries are wonderful and it's inspiring to hear the stories of what God is doing through them. Marlon's video testimony this past weekend was so touching. Of course we loved it, but what was so sweet is how many people came up to me and told me what an amazing man I am married to. How his heart just came through the screen and his love for God. How they could tell of my love for him as they watched me watch it. Humbling...humbling because it is so not of us--only of Christ. Only a kinsman Redeemer could take such brokenness and make it whole, take the filthy rags that we have to offer Him and wipe us clean.

I love what we are being challenged about from our speakers this week at Harvest Fest. Justice...unity...being honest about how crippled we are. Christians...what does that mean if you don't do anything about it. Saying that you are saved and believe with all of your heart will give you everlasting life. So many of us stop right there. That occurs and then we try to live a good honest life and we think that's enough. It's not. And it's not pleasing to God. Our responsibility is not to have a nice little home, raise nice little kids, have nice little friends and go to a nice little church. Those are our selfish desires.

Mt 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Mt 35-40 "For 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 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 fee you, or thirsty and giv eyou something to drink? What 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."

Luke 6:37-38 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

John 15:10-13 "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. My command is his; Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

And that's just the gospels. Read Acts, Romans, Ephesians...
The disciples were fishermen, tax collectors...ordinary men. Commanded to take the gospel to the ends of the earth...to love the unloveable...to do His work. The bible is not just a story book for us to enjoy. It's a manual for how to live and to grow closer to God asnd discover His plan for us. Becoming a Christian is not about how God is going to bless you or what great things God is going to do for you. Following Christ and obeying the word of God is about being a blessing to the world and living out daily as a sacrifice----Romans 12:1-2, "I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Each one. We must each be a "preacher". We must each be a "missionary". The mission field isn't just Africa or Pakistan. The mission field is our next door neighbor. We are living next to people going to hell because we won't share the love that Christ has for them. Who are we to deny them that love? Christians can't be worried about what others will say, what others are doing...how nice their lives are or how comfortably they're going to retire. We can't...not that and be in the world giving all that we are for all He is. The end of the world will come and we will stand before God and give an account of our life. Every thought. Every deed. Every mean, angry, snide, prideful thing we've done. Even worse...every opportunity we walked away from because of how the person looked, or acted, or lived. I confess it now the times I've been too busy to stop and chat with someone...seen someone at a store looking lost and alone and just hurried past with a quick smile and then prayed for them out in the car later.

Anyway...sorry...lol. Harvest is amazing. Come if you can. I've said before--check out the link to the right for details. It's transforming.