ROBUST COMMUNITY

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.

James 3:18

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Yesterday was an interesting day.  I think I got to experience what “stumping” in a campaign might feel like.  

We are engaged in a pretty interesting project here in Xenia. It is an effort to transform an abandoned school into a “hub for help”.  If successful we will be able to provide some much needed help to ours and surrounding communities in the areas of homelessness, poverty education and assistance, and recovery and ministerial intervention. Pray for this effort please.

So yesterday I was “pitching the project” along with generating awareness for my other ministries FREEDOM and the JEREMIAH TREE at some meetings, with the Rotary, on video, and at St. Vincent DePaul.

And while it fun to cast vision and dream dreams, it was kind of tiring too.  Made me realize I may not be ready for the campaign trail any time soon.

But why share that today. And why share that verse?

It was following my talk to the Rotarian's that our local Mayor Marsha came up to me with I-Phone poised.  You see at the end of every one of my talks, whether raising awareness for my ministries or encouraging folks to get behind the new project, I share from this passage.

ISAIAH 58 (MSG)

If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out…I (GOD) will always show you where to go … rebuild the foundations…You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again

That verse is the heart beat of the work my team(s) and I do.

So Marsha inspired by that "message from the Message" in turn shared the passage above from James with me, emphasizing “if you do the hard work of getting along with each other”...as her "work verse".  Got to love a Mayor who is rooted in faith!

So the reason I share those passages today and a little about yesterday is to encourage you.

Look around you.  See anyone down and out?  See anyone who could use a little restoration? Maybe you are the one to “fix it”.  

Or maybe there has been a little conflict brewing between you and a colleague or co-worker.  Maybe it is time to mend a fence; to make amends in order to “get along”.

The enemy loves to create strife.  He would love nothing more for us to ignore seeking harmony or lending a hand to another.  It advances his agenda of division and hurt.  

Don’t participate.  

Don’t allow yourself to become jaded to your surroundings or so immovable in your opinions to advance dissent and give the enemy a foothold.

Instead resolve to treat those we encounter with DIGNITY and HONOR.  Let’s resolve to live humbly and graciously.  Jesus said...

Matthew 5:48 (MSG)

Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.

For when we do we bring cohesion to our communities.  

When we do GOD is honored.

And isn't that what we are supposed to doing?

 

Have a great day!

I love you all!

Freedom Church