Being In Community

So I've recently started to memorize scripture again... I'll admit I've been lazy in this area of my life. So last week I memorized Matthew 10:22 which states, " All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved". If you look at the context of this verse Jesus was preparing the disciples to send them out. When he sent them out though, they went in pairs. Jesus tells us that all me will hate you because of me! He doesn't give you a twix bar and tell you everything is going to be nice and easy when I send you out!

God knows that we need to be in relation with him and with others. Its been that way since the beginning. We used to walk in the cool of the day with the Him in the Garden of Eden.

He knows that we aren't supposed to go at this thing alone. Thats why he created his church. A fellowship of brothers and sisters that bond together and love one another through this thing called life. Life is tough. We're not meant to go at this alone.

For all of you out there trying to do this Christian walk on your own let me tell you its going to be really hard ( you may or may not have figured that out yet)

I think thats part of human nature though. I get those feelings sometimes of how I don't want to go to a small group. My flesh resists. But when I go I get refilled and rejuvenated. I feel alive and connected to my brothers and sisters. I usually almost end up leaving thinking ' Wow - I'm really blessed and thankful for having come tonight'

Challenge for the Fall: Whether you've been in a small group in the past or you've never been in one, why don't you put your-self out there and get into one this fall. Ask that the Lord do something HUGE in your life through that group. See what happens...

Mowing the Grass

My future father in law is out of town on a back packing trip. Before he left I told him I would mow the lawn for him. I didn't realize his lawn was so big! Not only that but there are two huge hills on the West and South sides of his lawn. So I got out there and I started pushing his heavy Toro lawn mower. Now I have mowed lawns before with my dad's old electric mower. So I got a quarter of the way done with the South lawn when I discovered the lever underneath the push bar. This lawn mower had a drive that when you pulled the lever it would push itself! It was sweet. I would push the lever and then the mower would start pushing itself. I must be behind the times (or its just really that I don't have a lawn to mow) cause I thought this was sweet. The Holy Spirit is like that lever. Our lawn mowers are heavy some times and we just need to push the lever and tap into his power to push us forward.
For over a year now I have had a herniated disc in my lower back. It hurts on and off all the time. I'll admit that I complain about it all the time too. But as I was pushing this mower I started professing out of my mouth that I loved the Lord. That I loved Jesus. I started thanking and praising Jesus for the price he paid on the cross. Jesus knows that I am hurting. He knows the pain that I am experiencing. I know that even though I am not completely healed physically, the Lord is with me in this transgression. He is with me and he's added that bottom lever to my lawn mower and is going to help me propel forward. Call on the Holy Spirit for help this week.

The Son has already paid the price. The Holy Spirit has been freely given to you.