"Connect the Dots"
I Kings 5:1-6:38
Acts 7:1-29
Psalm 127:1-5
Proverbs 16:28-30
You never know how God is going to use you. One thing is for certain, he plans to. So many times we get caught up in our own orb of to-do lists, personal crisis', and the cares of life. It's very easy for us to miss the fact that we have a purpose. We are here with a Mission to Reach our World for Christ.
As we read yesterday, Stephen was one of the men chosen to oversee the feeding of the widows. He has been described as a man full of the Holy Spirit. Through his life many came to Christ, and many were healed. False witnesses rise up and and accuse him of teaching against the law of Moses. In today's reading in Acts 7, he answers the Jewish Council.
Stephen's answer is lengthy. He goes back to the story of Abraham and tells the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He tells how Joseph is wrongly imprisoned, and yet rises to save Egypt from famine. He tells the story of Joseph's brothers, and how after Joseph's death, the people became slaves in Egypt. Then he gets into the story of Moses.
As I was reading this, I was picturing this cafeteria worker, Stephen telling the Jewish leaders things that they were experts in. They KNEW the history. But here's what's important: Stephen KNEW the Word as well, and God led him to connect the dots for them.
Sometimes we get really stressed about what we're going to say when dealing with unbelievers. What we need to realize is that God is already working in the life of each individual, and all we need to do is be available to connect the dots. Find common ground.
Most of the time it will be a simple conversation with a clerk at a store, or a waitress, or a neighbor, and it can be something simple. There will probably not be an altar call every time. We just have to be faithful to connect the next dot.
This Mission we have is not "rocket surgery". All we have to do is have the mission in mind. Every conversation is a process of dot-connecting. You don't know where the person behind the counter is in their journey toward God, but God does. Find common ground. Draw them closer to Christ.
Connect the dots.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment