Weekend Update

This last weekend was a thought provoking and moving weekend for me.  The messages I had heard throughout the day were challenging me to think and to action.

Jeremy, our TAG director for global missions, spoke at the LATR's Sunday gathering.  Jeremy had recently returned from a trip to India where he made contact with people who were involved with helping to eliminate sex trade.  He got to encounter some of the ladies who were rescued and/or had somehow gotten free of their "handlers."  It was quite amazing to hear some of the stories and testimonies of the ladies.  Jeremy has launched a web site to inform people about the problem and ways to help - www.endthetrade.com

Jeremy did a great job relating his experiences and more importantly, he did a great job challenging everyone that was there.  The scripture reference he used was taken from Matthew 11:4 & 5.  It is where Jesus responded to John the Baptist's question while he was in prison.  "4Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."

Jeremy in his studying noticed that Jesus made it a point to say in His response that "the good news is preached to the poor."  Jesus could have talked about the good news being preached to everyone (rich and poor) but he made a distinction here.  Immediately my mind raced to several other verses in the Bible which Jeremy also referred to.  Here are some of them:

Matthew 25:35-45

35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

James 1:27

27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Luke 19:8

8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Throughout scripture we find that Jesus was personally involved with the poor and also had an impact on people who encountered Him who in return did something for the poor.  The question remains, what I am doing to help the poor.  And if so, is it enough?  My wheels are turning.  As a church, we are determined to be involved and I am excited and looking forward to be a part of that.

Here are some pictures of what a Sunday morning at Life At The Ridge looks like:

Sunday evening rolled around and my good friend Peter spoke at Cedar Park Church.  Peter did a very good job speaking and once again I was challenged in my heart.

The title of the message was "Stuck In The Upper Room."  Peter talked about how there are many people who are content to remain in the "upper room" after they are saved and get filled with the Holy Spirit.  He challenged us to be like the disciples who were in the original upper room.  They didn't just remain there, they got out of the room and began sharing their faith in Christ.  There is a reason the Holy Spirit is around.  The Holy Spirit is not an "It" or some entity, He is the third person in the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and the one who empowers us to carry out the mission of sharing the love of Christ.

I don't want to be content and be stuck in the "upper room."  I want to experience all the Holy Spirit will take me through.

After I heard Peter's message, I reflected on how the whole day tied in perfectly.  Jesus is passionate about people and I know we ought to feel the same.  The Holy Spirit is here and is ready to work in and through us.  I thought about how the little girls and women in India were being abused and how so many have lost the will to live; but we know the Holy Spirit is ever present to provide comfort and peace and also to restore lives.  The Holy Spirit is also actively working in us who have some means to help.  I am thankful for that.

I am not sure if any of these thing make sense to anyone - so many thoughts being spewed.  Nonetheless, I am challenged to not sit back and to help make a difference with the Spirit's help.