MESS YOU UP

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I know I often recap the “goings on” from our FREEDOM gatherings with the Tuesday DISPATCH. And I could share so many stories from last night’s fellowship.

I could share about an amazing worship set led by our New “FREEDOM FOUR or SOMETIMES FIVE” band. I could share about some of the real challenges that dot that room and ask for prayers of encouragement and deliverance.

But instead I just want to say GOD never ceases to mess me up.

You see FREEDOM exists to provide a place to advance healing and recovery but there are seminal moments where GOD shows up and does some healing right on the spot. That was the case last night.

How else could I be sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot around 10pm with a young man who just six weeks ago professed to me a deep skepticism, a deep cynicism and an atheist bent toward life and we are confirming in prayer his acceptance of Jesus Christ?

Didn't see that one coming!

THAT is GOD messing me up.

I will be honest; “we” didn’t do anything out of the norm for this young man. All we really did is show this young man that GOD loved him. That is it. No Bible thumping, no brain washing, we just loved him. We welcomed him, shared a meal with him and listened to him.

GOD AND GOD ALONE DID THE REST.

Like that old song,

“They will know we are Christians by our love”.

Like scripture says,

Hebrews 13:1

Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed.

That was our part. GOD did the heavy lifting from there.

This young man even confirmed it! He made it perfectly clear. All "we" did was show him that he mattered and then GOD changed his heart.

I think far too often we (and especially me) get caught up in trying to be overly eloquent or sure we have the right scripture or profound word in order to make an impact rather than trusting GOD to deliver the right message at the right time through us through love.

We need to be reminded sometimes that our job is to take our cues from Jesus, follow that lead and leave the changing in GOD's hands.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

You see there were no bombastic revelations or lightning from the sky that turned this young man’s heart. It was GOD’s love shown by those that love Him to one who needed Him and that made the difference.

That’s it.

Simple.

But amazing!

Another sinner set free. Another brother added to the fold.

Another friend for eternity because of love?

That will mess you up!

So today, don’t discount the impact of your love, your kindness or your investment in others. You never know when the unexpected might happen and GOD messes you up too.

I love you all.

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney