Hello friends,
Many of you know that Laura and I were at a conference this weekend and we did not go downtown to minister. However, the Lord still desires to speak, so I want to be the avenue in which He can do that. I received the below message from Steve Zollos this morning. God is so good! When I read what he sent the Lord quickly prompted me to post this, as the testimony this week. It's a perfect picture of what God is doing in and throughout the earth. I was convicted immediately of how I assess people and their gifting by their external appearance. I was convicted that just because someone doesn't look like me, speak like me, dress like me, they are probably not qualified for the Lords work. The truth is...apart from God's saving grace I am the worst of sinners. The worst! I realized that God speaks in many ways and I was reminded of the scripture in Hebrews 11 that says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." God is speaking by the example of His son Jesus. This week, I really want to allow you to read what Steve has written below. It's what birthed this ministry and it's God's very heart to us. I want you to know that "A Church Without Walls" is not just a good idea or a way for us to use our gifts. It's from the heart of God and God is speaking to us through the example of His son. The question is...will you listen to the voice of God? Will you throw off traditions, your self images, your prosperity, your relationships, your own kingdoms, to hear and move with the very heart of God. God was ministering to me this week and I feel compelled to share with you, especially after hearing from Steve. Here's the word, as I was asking the Lord how he could use me.
"Lord, how can you use me? I'm not well educated, I'm just a normal guy. I'm nothing special, I don't have much to offer, Lord. I'm a redeemed sinner, but really God, what could you do with me? Haven't you just called me to provide for my family and work? I have no money, I'm not wealthy, I wasn't born into money. God, I'm not a politician or a well known man in the community. I have scars and baggage God...and then I heard Him say to me..."Son, (yes I called you son)...Have you looked at me? I was a normal man, I was the king who came riding on a donkey. I was the one whom was rejected by men, but now I'm seated at the right hand of the Father. Have you seen my scars? Have you seen my wounds? Have you seen my side that absorbed the pierce of the spear? Have you seen my hands and feet? Have you seen the blood dripping down my brow from the crown of thorns that was placed on my head? You are mine! I've bought you with a price. I didn't spend that much on you, because you don't have value. I didn't pour out my blood to the very last drop, to have you sit on the sidelines. I call you Son! I knew you from the very beginning. I formed you in your mothers womb and you are fearfully and wonderfully made. I know all about you. I know your failures, your weakness', your ambitions, as a matter of fact I know each hair on your head. I know when you go out and when you lay down. Before a word is on your tongue, I know it completely. Where can you go from my presence? You are my chosen one and I call you son. You haven't seen who you really are. Here's who you really are...You are a friend of the bridegroom. I've taken you from the ashes and seated you with princes. I am your father and you have been born into money. I own it all! You are well educated, because you are educated with the word of God. You're right, you're not a politician or well know in the community. Even better...You are a heir of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken! You are my delight and my pleasure. You're right, you don't have much to offer and that's why I say, "You who have no money, come buy, to you who are thirsty come drink!" Do you know how valuable you are? You cost me my very son. No money can buy a life, but the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world can! You have been bought at a costly price! Have confidence in this, I really do love you son!
Many of you know that Laura and I were at a conference this weekend and we did not go downtown to minister. However, the Lord still desires to speak, so I want to be the avenue in which He can do that. I received the below message from Steve Zollos this morning. God is so good! When I read what he sent the Lord quickly prompted me to post this, as the testimony this week. It's a perfect picture of what God is doing in and throughout the earth. I was convicted immediately of how I assess people and their gifting by their external appearance. I was convicted that just because someone doesn't look like me, speak like me, dress like me, they are probably not qualified for the Lords work. The truth is...apart from God's saving grace I am the worst of sinners. The worst! I realized that God speaks in many ways and I was reminded of the scripture in Hebrews 11 that says, "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." God is speaking by the example of His son Jesus. This week, I really want to allow you to read what Steve has written below. It's what birthed this ministry and it's God's very heart to us. I want you to know that "A Church Without Walls" is not just a good idea or a way for us to use our gifts. It's from the heart of God and God is speaking to us through the example of His son. The question is...will you listen to the voice of God? Will you throw off traditions, your self images, your prosperity, your relationships, your own kingdoms, to hear and move with the very heart of God. God was ministering to me this week and I feel compelled to share with you, especially after hearing from Steve. Here's the word, as I was asking the Lord how he could use me.
"Lord, how can you use me? I'm not well educated, I'm just a normal guy. I'm nothing special, I don't have much to offer, Lord. I'm a redeemed sinner, but really God, what could you do with me? Haven't you just called me to provide for my family and work? I have no money, I'm not wealthy, I wasn't born into money. God, I'm not a politician or a well known man in the community. I have scars and baggage God...and then I heard Him say to me..."Son, (yes I called you son)...Have you looked at me? I was a normal man, I was the king who came riding on a donkey. I was the one whom was rejected by men, but now I'm seated at the right hand of the Father. Have you seen my scars? Have you seen my wounds? Have you seen my side that absorbed the pierce of the spear? Have you seen my hands and feet? Have you seen the blood dripping down my brow from the crown of thorns that was placed on my head? You are mine! I've bought you with a price. I didn't spend that much on you, because you don't have value. I didn't pour out my blood to the very last drop, to have you sit on the sidelines. I call you Son! I knew you from the very beginning. I formed you in your mothers womb and you are fearfully and wonderfully made. I know all about you. I know your failures, your weakness', your ambitions, as a matter of fact I know each hair on your head. I know when you go out and when you lay down. Before a word is on your tongue, I know it completely. Where can you go from my presence? You are my chosen one and I call you son. You haven't seen who you really are. Here's who you really are...You are a friend of the bridegroom. I've taken you from the ashes and seated you with princes. I am your father and you have been born into money. I own it all! You are well educated, because you are educated with the word of God. You're right, you're not a politician or well know in the community. Even better...You are a heir of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken! You are my delight and my pleasure. You're right, you don't have much to offer and that's why I say, "You who have no money, come buy, to you who are thirsty come drink!" Do you know how valuable you are? You cost me my very son. No money can buy a life, but the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world can! You have been bought at a costly price! Have confidence in this, I really do love you son!
By Steve Zollos:
A Church Without Walls 2-11-12
Jesus says in Mathew 16:18 “I will build my church…” He doesn’t tell Peter to build His church. No, instead He declares that He Himself will build His church.
He does not build a denomination. He does not spend time and money constructing buildings. He never takes an offering to pay for His needs.
No Jesus does not build His church in this way. Instead he goes to the streets. He heals the sick, He ministers to the downtrodden, He encourages the broken hearted with the truth of God’s love for them. He eats with sinners, and He sets people free from their afflictions. Jesus builds His church by loving others, and thereby building disciples…. Followers of Christ.
As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones , are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-6
This week I realized that A Church Without Walls is not about a person or a place or a ministry. It’s about being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. This week as we continued to endeavor to build a community garden for a disadvantaged community a homeless man came out to lend a hand (I mentioned him in my last blog post). If I hadn’t been about God’s business of serving the homeless with Jimmy these past months I’m not sure I would have had the ‘eyes to see’ my opportunity to serve Christ. That’s the beauty of God’s plan for ‘building His church,’ He builds his church one living stone at a time, right in our own hearts. It’s a living miracle as we are transformed into the likeness of Christ.
I welcomed ‘John’ to the work site and he told me that he had carpentry skills. Skills we desperately needed on the site. I put him to work with another volunteer to build a raised 8’x4’ garden box and to raise our ‘pizza garden’ box off the ground 2 feet, along with other tasks to be completed over the following few days. Then John disappeared. To my surprise he returned in about 15 minutes with his own leather tool belt fastened around his waist.
John set about his work and it became clear very quickly that he really did have superb carpentry skills. I would have never known it to look at him… in the past I might have been nice to him but marginalized him and his skills because of my own blindness. But God is doing a new work in me, He is giving me eyes to see beyond exterior appearances, and a hunger to serve others – especially those in need.
John worked with me for three days asking nothing in return. He was happy to put his hand to his trade and help the community. After visiting our mobile health clinic he was given a prescription for blood pressure medicine that he couldn’t afford to fill so I took him to Walmart to get it for him. I was also hoping to have him pick out a new coat because his had gaping holes at the bottom. When I told him I wanted to buy the coat he laughed and said all he needed was a needle.
“A needle?” I questioned, and he pulled a piece of material out of his pocket. “yeah, uh, uh, I can sew this coat and it’ll be as good as new,” said he.
I bought him a needle. It struck me how this man loved to work, how he didn’t want hand-outs, and how, although he was homeless he was a proud man still intent on making his own way, no matter how slight or lavish that ‘own way’ might be.
I consider John a real friend now. We talk and laugh. He has taught me more than a few things about carpentry and about life. I can see why God loves him so dearly.
As God continues to transform me, giving me eyes to see and ears to hear, I pray for everyone who reads this blog to begin to walk in faith. I pray for those whose gifts have been marginalized by well meaning pastors, or fear, or laziness, to trust in God to lead you and to make His Will known to you.
I’ve attended a particular church for many years and have only been provoked to build a church out of brick and mortar, not the church that Christ is building. My gifts were being marginalized, limited, or put on the shelf completely.
In some churches service to Christ is seen as staying ‘within the walls of the church’ – serving on the worship team, faithfully paying your tithe, building relationships with ‘church people,’ and protecting yourself from the outside world. This stands in stark contrast to the ministry of Christ. One pastor actually told a church member that ‘God isn’t working out in the world, He’s working in the church.’ Nothing could be further from the truth.
I’m not saying that all churches are bad or ungodly. In fact I encourage you to attend church every Sunday. I am saying that you need to be discerning when deciding which church to attend. Your church should be literally equipping you to discern the will of God, and empowering you to take on the ministry God has for you OUTSIDE the walls of the church.
If your church is not equipping you, if you are not being provoked to minister in some way outside of the church, run don’t walk out of that building and find a real church that is about equipping you for the ministry God is calling you to.
Sz
This is awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove, Judy and Art
Incredible!!
ReplyDelete~Sundi Rose