Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Spiritual Junk-a-holics


Wasn’t it our Master who said, “When you throw a party, do not invite your friends or your relatives or your rich neighbors. But, when you throw a party, invite the poor, the crippled, and the blind ?”

Wasn’t it our Master who said, “The healthy do not need a doctor, only those who are sick. I did not come to befriend the righteous – but I came to befriend sinners.”

Wasn’t it our Master who was accused of being an alcoholic and a prostitute lover ?

And wasn’t it the religious junk-a-holics that gave him the most grief ? All they wanted to do at their parties was sit around and argue about religious stuff !

So……….if I am going to throw a party, I need to serve more hotdogs to those of a different lifestyle – and less and less hotdogs to my religious friends. After all, if I am indeed healthy, I’m not the one who needs the Hotdog Therapy!

This whole thing is not about religious get-to-gethers – it’s all about reaching out to those who desperately need it most.

It’s all about Loving God and Loving People – whether they’re “His” or not.

So, don’t get me wrong, I love my religious friends and enjoy their company. I’m just looking for a few of them that will sit with me on my back porch with my prostitute friends.

2 Comments:

Blogger Jon said...

Hey, where'd you get my picture? I thought that one was buried somewhere. Actually, it's not me but if that burger could represent Jesus, that's how I want to be. Ready to get messy and deep into His word and His work!

You're right...we need to reach out to the unsaved and show them the love of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, we need to uplift those of our brethren in need and teach the "new" Christian as well. I find that all of these can be accomplished in the same event with smaller, break out, sessions (or meals or get togethers) coming as a natural part of the initial meeting.

But the bottom line is showing God's love for everyone...so that each person can see the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ and will desire to have one as well. Reaching, teaching, and keeping--those are our goals. To reach the unsaved, to teach the newly saved, and to keep those in need. As a Ranger Commander, our motto is to reach, teach, and keep boys for Christ...let's expand that motto to the world! Let's reach, teach, and keep everyone we can for Christ!

God loves you. He loves you just as much today as He did when you were in the womb and as much as He will when you are in heaven. That's His promise of redemption to us...that His love will always be there for us if we but ask. Ask now with a simple prayer (or conversation if that makes it easier for you). Just simply say, "God, I realize that I need you in my life. I accept that you sent your son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die so that I might be saved today. I accept that He rose, that you returned Him to life, after three days so that I can understand that even after all I've done wrong, I can be restored to you through His sacrifice. I confess, God, that I have done so much wrong in my life that I don't deserve your forgiveness but that you are willing to forgive me anyway. I accept that gift of forgiveness from you today. Help me to walk with you for the remainder of my days and please lead me to a bible believing and teaching church where I can learn more about you. Thank you God."

If you had that conversation with God just now, and really meant it, know that you have entered the kingdom of heaven. Find a good church and learn more about being the person that God would like you to be but know that God loves you right now and forever. Spread the word of your life change, let others know that God loves them too!

Love God, love people.

Jon

6:50 AM  
Blogger Charlie said...

Hey, I'll be there. I'll even bring some dogs. You on the other hand have to find out where that guy got that burger.
Although we need to sometimes get off the porch too, and take our hotdogs on the road.
Give me a call or email me at gardner.charles@comcast.net

To god's muse,
Everyone should have those type of experiences on a regular basis. God wants us and we should desire a fresh reality and relationship with him.
If we don't look for them , we will miss them. Sometimes they are the screaming kind, that really will get your attention. Others are just the still small voice type when you really need to hear from Him.
Now that you can read the words, you and fall in love with God and view Him in a whole new, wonderful way and be awed by His Greatness.
Never lose your ability to be awed by the greatness of our God.

4:30 AM  

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