Interesting Day

Today, my family visited a nearby Baptist church. It is one of only two Sundays where we haven't been traveling or speaking somewhere. My wife attended there on the other Sunday, when I was so sick that I didn't go to church.

They knwe my wife when we walked in from the other time she visited. Today, they were glad to see us (and meet me and the rest of the family). So glad, that they asked me to teach their kids' Sunday School class. The they pastor also asked me to preach! My goodness! They didn't know I would be attending; I was a visitor; I was the preacher!

What an interesting day.

MQotW

"People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." - Nate Saint, missionary martyr

MQotW

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" - David Livingstone

Pray for Art Rogers

Please take a moment and pray for Art Rogers who posts over at 12 Witnesses after you read today's post.

Rejoice with me!

Luke 4:17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him (Jesus). And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, Luke 4:18 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, Luke 4:19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." Luke 4:20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Luke 4:21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

My grandmother (same on as in the post below) had some sort of stroke behind her left eye in 1986 and left her sightless in that eye. A year or so ago, she had a stroke behind her right eye and eventually lost 99% of the sight in her right eye. It has left her (understandably) depressed and sad by the turn of events in her latter years (she's 91).

Today, my mother took her to the eye doctor . (She has been to countless eye specialists to see what could be done; they all said they could do nothing) However, this new doctor took a look at her eyes, then another look, then yet another look. Finally, he sat back and said, "I think I can help". He told her about a laser procedure and my grandmother wanted it done right then and there. They were able to do it.

MY GRANDMOTHER HAS FULL SIGHT BACK IN HER LEFT EYE!
PRAISE THE LORD!

Update on my grandma's church

Well, I preached yesterday at my grandmother's church. To give you some background, this is the church that dismantled the indigent clothes closet because they "didn't want that riff-raff coming in and out" of their church. Since then, they also made it clear to me that they weren't going to give me an honorarium because I was still on full salary with the IMB and didn't need the money. They are correct; I don't need their money. (at this point, I don't want it, either)

So, for the past 6 weeks or so, I have been praying about what to preach on. I specifically didn't want my emotions to get away with me and prevent God getting the glory for yesterday. So, I ended up preaching on James 2:1-13. I called the sermon "Prescription for an Ailing Church". I was gracious, but I didn't hold back. I told them that they were a sick church and they needed fixing and anyone who didn't see that their church was in trouble was part of the problem. My whole family attended, since it was Mother's Day. I saw many, many mouths gape open wide at much that I had to say. Again, I was gracious, told them I needed to hear it as much as they did, and the reason that I was saying what I was saying was because I loved them and wanted them to be the very best they could be.

Last night, I showed slides about our missionary life. I challenged them and encouraged them to reach our of their comfort zone and reach the people around them. I did a mini-sermon on Acts 1:8 before I showed the slides (PowerPoint) Afterwards there was an ice cream social. I mentioned at the beginning of the slide show that several people had been offended by what I said, due to the number of folks, (n0ticably deacons) who weren't there that night who normally were. I went on to explain that since most of what I had to say was scripture, that they were offended by the Word of God and were under conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Many people who attended last night told me how much they appreciated what I had to say. They said they felt like their toes got stepped on, but that was OK as they hadn't been stepped on in a very long time.

Pray for this little church. Pray that God would get a hold of them and really shake them up. For HIS glory!

MQotW

"The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." - Mike Stachura

Really?

Do we really need this many different kinds of cereal? I need therapy after every time I go to Wal-Mart!

MQotW

"Go, send, or disobey." - John Piper