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| God on display ... |
June 2, 2009 |
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Greetings!
This past weekend was a whirlwind of activity. From birthday parties to prayer meetings and everything in between. One event stands above the rest as I believe I saw God on display. This is not to say the birthday parties weren't fun and the prayer time wasn't meaningful but this was something out of the ordinary, out of the box and special. I am talking about the project I witnessed at Building Blocks called "Gone for Good".
I drove up to our housing complex for emancipated foster youth on Sunday and was amazed at what I saw. There were people everywhere. They were not there for food or a special program or a concert. There were there to serve. And serve they did. I still can't believe it happened and when I think of it I want to cry and shout for joy! There were five year olds painting fences, grandma's gardening, spouses cleaning apartments together, pastors painting, and youth cheerfully weeding and serving. I tell you I saw God Sunday!
Gone for Good is a service project of Kaleo Fellowship and Life Journey Church. You can read more about it here: Gone for Good. Basically, Gone for Good is "Jesus with skin on". It is a display of God's love, compassion and His servant's heart. I can't say enough about it except that it was wonderful and very moving to see the people of God, in unity, serving and blessing the community and foster children. It was God at work and entirely cool.
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Gone for Good and Following God
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ~ |
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Your Part in the Body
As followers of Jesus we must remember we are His body. We are His representation to the world and this is something we cannot avoid. I was reminded of this truth on Sunday when I witnessed the actions of a group of followers simply following Jesus in serving.
There were no superstars on Sunday at Building Blocks. Sure there were gifted people in painting, building, landscaping and cooking but none stood above the rest. This is how the Body of Christ works. We all come to the table with the gift, or gifts, He decided to give. It is not a competition. It is not a ranking system. It is the manner in which God Himself chose to minister in the world ... through people and through you!
There was so much activity happening Sunday and one person could have never completed the tasks. No, it took a group of people. A group of people in unity that recognized some have to clean up nasty messes while others trim trees; some paint while others dig holes and plant plants; and, some hang doors while others clean carpets. Nonetheless, all served and did so gladly.
As I watched the activity Sunday, I was reminded of the principle of "unequal gifts but equal sacrifice". You see, God may not give each person the same gifting or measure of ability that another receives but He does call each person to sacrifice and serve. We need to set ourselves free from the concept of measuring who we are by anothers gift. We simply need to use the gift God gave us as His blessing to the world. This is how we serve God in our generation.
I encourage you to find a way to be "gone for good" and to participate in an activity where you use your gifts to bring God glory and transform the world. Follow your heart and follow your God in serving with your gifts. This message is especially relevant to me as I have the blessed opportunity to lead a group of 50 "gone for good" servants at the 15th annual Royal Family Kids' Camp of Kern County this next week. These are folks from a variety of backgrounds that will give one week of their life to minister to a foster child in the cathedral of the outdoors. Watch your email inbox for a prayer letter and updates!
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For King and Kingdom,
Randy Martin |
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