Last night I stopped by a local small town restaurant…wasn’t too sure what I wanted, and it was the third place I had stopped at already.
When I walked out the doors, I had no plans of going over to (name omitted for privacy) …but as I learned GOD did have a plan.
This small place is famous for having the best grilled food around. And yes the food is delicious, top 3 easy in my book ever tasted…but for me personally what I love about this place more than anything else is:
A man that works the counter, he always greets you and takes your order down. He always makes you feel welcome. But the reason I love the guy…is because he is unique, and more importantly He shines The Light Jesus Christ has given Him.
Sometimes I go visit the place, not for their food…but because inside my soul I am hungry for something else-
To talk to someone about Christ, I’m hungry to FELLOWSHIP– with not just anyone but with someone who understands and who APPRECIATES and can relate to WHAT YOUR SAYING about Christ because THEY HAVE SUFFERED AND ENDURED through it all just like you.
You see, talking to people about Christ is a good thing…but it is a definite downer when THE WORDS OF LIFE fall on deaf ears..and they go in one ear, and never make it out the other- instead they are immediately reflected back out the same ear. Because they have absolutely no interest in hearing anything about God, His Son, or making any changes to grow or improve. They’ve essentially given up on themselves, and God. “This is who I am, and this is my life, I can live it how I want. I don’t need ANYBODY TELLING ME HOW TO LIVE MY LIFE.”
Now in complete contrast to this experience, is the experience that makes us REPEAT CUSTOMERS…OVER AND OVER AGAIN..
Many times it is NOT the food. It is NOT the special sauce or the products. We go back to see that smile again, to feel embraced and welcomed by THE LOVE OF CHRIST LIVING INSIDE THAT PERSON. What is my favorite part about this? That you can’t buy it ANYWHERE.. because it is not sold, not for a penny, not for a billion. IF Christ had a living bank of Christ, inside the safe you wouldn’t find any gold bars- you would find BIBLES. Because what is written on their pages is PURE 24 GOLD.
ONE person can TRANSFORM an entire atmosphere, arena, business, church, restaurant, home, ministry, school, hospital, retail store, bank, grocery store, gym, community, state, town, country, region, hemisphere, continent, and The ENTIRE GLOBE just like ALMIGHTY JESUS CHRIST DID.
[Did Christ not say ‘Anyone believing in ME (not themselves) shall do the same miracles I have done and even greater ones?’ ~ John 12:14]
You know it’s true, I don’t have to convince you because YOU YOURSELF HAVE SEEN IT AND WITNESSED it. What drastic changes occur when you go in all excited only to walk in AND THE ENTIRE PLACE HAS CHANGED , everything feels different…the entire ambience, because of the absence of just that ONE person…
On one previous occasion as we were chatting it up, I said to him…”you know Brother…if you ever leave this place…this place will never be the same again.” He responded “you know I get that a lot.”
I recall a few years back I was regularly attending a medium size non -denominational Church, a real popular one in Fort Worth…I had been attending for a few months. What drew a lot of people in was the pastor..he was popular..and yes he was pretty good…but what really got things going was a gal who was part of the worship team.
One Sunday I went in, had not been in a while only to learn she had moved on. What a drastic transformation it made to the entire congregation…she wasn’t attractive, she was HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED!
That’s why the seats were filling up…when she left…two Sundays later I did.
I wasn’t going for her…but I want to be around those who SET FIRES 🔥 AND SOULS ON FIRE FOR GOD.
Because many times I myself NEED TO BET SET ON FIRE 🔥 for Christ by some else who has steadily and consistently been FUELING their FIRE- while I have been lulling mine to sleep by negligence, laziness, and sin.
If your ministry is dead, or church membership is dead- it is NOT the people – it’s You. Clean up your life and heart and God will fill HIS HOUSE. But that’s where you went wrong a while back, thinking it was YOUR MINISTRY and YOUR HOUSE and your PULPIT, na uh. God is the vine, we are the branches.
When I started this post 20 mins ago…it had an entirely different direction that it was going, but God stepped in and changed that.
Because that’s what Almighty God does. He steps in and Changes things all the way around for us and instills HOPE in us once again.
I would like to leave you with this- what does it take? A great personality? An excellent speaker? A great voice? Good looks?
All it takes is someone WILLING to open their mouth and say something -‘to speak’ from the heart about God that’s it. Not try to perform a miracle, or restore sight to the blind man, or ‘TRY TO PREACH’ …just simply TALK ABOUT GOD FROM THE HEART…
Amen and HAL LE LUH YAH!
That’s all it takes to transform the entire ATMOSPHERE AROUND YOU.
Did God not say where two or three are I shall be there?
Because it’s true.
Hebrews 6: 18
16 When a man takes an oath, he is calling upon someone greater than himself to force him to do what he has promised or to punish him if he later refuses to do it; the oath ends all argument about it. 17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those he promised to help would be perfectly sure and never need to wonder whether he might change his plans.
18 He has given us both his promise and his oath, two things we can completely count on, for it is impossible for God to tell a lie. Now all those who flee to him to save them can take new courage when they hear such assurances from God; now they can know without doubt that he will give them the salvation he has promised them.
Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
All we have to do is mention His name ….something He has done..or simply take a moment to say ‘I want to give God thanks right now’. Yes, right here as we wait and stand in line at the grocery store.
This is what WE need more of right now. And yes I know it can be scary, not knowing what people will think of you, or not wanting to offend someone…but why continue living your life wanting to talk about God, wanting in your heart to share something about Him- especially after ALLLLL THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE HAS DONE FOR YOU..then when the moment arrives only to back down in fear…like a turtle sticking his head back in the shell.
“This day I pray, as we pray- TOGETHER, solidified in perfect FAITH through the perfect redemption of your Son- Jesus Christ.
Together, we stand in YOU Christ, and we stand on the absolute assurance of your sworn oath spoken and written in YOUR LIVING WORD -Anyone believing in YOU shall do the same miracles YOU have done and even greater ones. Father in Heaven, we ask you THIS DAY, at THIS HOUR, to fill our God given spirits with strength, courage, and with YOUR WORDS. Inside our hearts place YOUR BLUEPRINT for each of our lives and help us do THY WILL – COMMAND our mouths to move, to open and talk to one another about YOU, COMMAND– our feet to move and walk, and go where YOU send us, COMMAND– our hands and hearts to give, work, and build- so that we may bring YOU the glory YOU deserve, in Jesus Mighty name we pray and ask these things, Amen.“
“Some men desire to change the World, but they can’t even take the trash out. If you can’t transform your home, how will you transform the World? We must begin with transforming ourselves and the homes we live in.”
In regards to the title , I did not edit it as a testimony that God changed this message around…Thank You Jesus!
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