Is Anybody In the House Working?

Volume 12 Issue 1

Greeting in His Name,

WOW, we have already made it to the end of January, and time is not slowing down for anyone. I hope that as you move into February, you have already set goals and are progressing in making them happen. If not, today is a GOoD day to get started. I also hope that one of those goals is to share your faith. Not necessarily with those who believe already but with those who need to hear the Gospel message for salvation. We communicate with believers all the time, but this year stretch yourself to talk with those who don't know Jesus or are straddling the fence. Reaching the ungodly, take prayer to ask God to bring these folks across our pathway. Today's blog was born from a conversation about the church's challenge to be productive. So with that being said, today's blog is entitled Is Anybody In the House Working? Hope you find some inspiration, conviction, and queries.

shalom and love,

heidi

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Scripture: Matthew 28: 16 -20 The Message Version

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Is Anybody in the House Working? And to take it further, I like to use a sub-topic, READY-SET-GO!

This month the entire AME Zion church had a week of prayer, praise, and proclamation through our Spiritual Emphasis week. Many across the globe shared a word with believers centered around the third portion of our Quadrennial Theme: Sharing our Faith. The most important thing or the thing that we should be most aware of for the body of Christ is to share our faith. If – there – be – no – sharing, there will be no growth.

As I thought about tackling the scripture of Matthew 28 and the subject Is Anybody In the House Working? I thought about a time long ago when our church used to host ministry fairs. It was required of every auxiliary to showcase a table of what they had to offer the church community. This fair was geared towards giving everyone a - place - within - the - church to work. Is Anybody In the House Working? At that time, I was a part of the dance ministry, and we desired to make everyone comfortable with joining our ministry. So, our pitch, draw-in, and sale were 'all are welcome.' We set up our table with all kinds of vases, some short, tall, some round, and slender. We wanted those approaching the table to know that you - are - welcome. One of the unique things we did for those who were already members was to wear signs torn from cardboard that stated, WILL WORK FOR JESUS! I must stop here and ask, is anybody willing to work for Jesus? Is anybody ready to sacrifice their time, talent, and money? The ministry fair was geared towards moving warm-blooded bodies from the pews to a place of service. Oh, how proud a pastor is to see his congregants on the move for Jesus. In our current culture, it can be challenging to answer the question, Is Anybody In the House Working? But I hope that as you continue to read, you will find yourself in a position of READY, SET, Let's GO!

Verse 16 and 17 says this in the Message Bible; meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Did you hear that? Some of the disciples were challenged whether they were willing to risk themselves - TOTALLY. Indeed, these are not the ones who saw Him turn water into wine. Certainly, not the ones who saw him feed the 5000 and the 3000. No, not the ones who saw him heal the sick and raise the dead. No! Not them. The ones who walked with Him were challenged to risk it all. The ones Jesus declared in John [14:12 ESV]: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. And in John 20:21, Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And so, we have the same challenge today. Those of us who made our way to somebody's altar; experienced the hand of God moving in our life. Yes, we have had some good days and some weary nights, and we sing, I won't complain, but when the rubber meets the road, are we READY to risk ourselves totally? The Word reminds us we are not our own; we have been bought with a price. So, Live_Life is GOoD readers, are we willing to WIN the World for Christ? Is Anybody Ready In the House to Work? If you are ready, prepare yourself.

Matthew goes on in verse 18 MSG, Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge. The ESV says, And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. We briefly covered READY in the previous section. Now, let's look at SET. When something or someone is in a mode of set. They are in a place of position, and they are focused. Jesus said ALL authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. (What does that mean?) Jesus was given authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom the Father had given him. -Does Jesus possess you?- (Selah) Jesus has more than dunamis power; He has exousia power. Jesus has dominion over every imp and demon. He possesses great authority, and that authority He has given to us to reach the masses. Didn't He say, in Acts 1:8, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. So, to modernize it, Jesus is saying I'm giving you the power to witness in your neighborhood, on your job, and every other place the soles of your feet tread. Jesus is saying to LLIG readers, "so I send you." Is Anybody In the House Working? Can we be a part of the great enterprise of world evangelization? Is Anybody Set, is anybody in position, is anybody focused, In the House to Work?

In this last portion, verses 19 and 20, Jesus then gives the command, "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." The King James is what most are familiar with Go Ye, therefore. Whenever I read the great commission, I always stop at the Word GO because years ago, God gave me an acronym for GO… GET OUT! Jesus is exclaiming Start MOVING! Even as I write, I reminisce on days long gone when I led the singles ministry, and we would visit Gateway and Salvation Army downtown. I remember when Rev. Yolanda Lowe and I would canvas downtown streets. I remembered when a group of us would hit Meadowlane and try to share the gospel with folks who were unreceptive, unruly, ungodly, and remiss. I remember when we started feeding in the park downtown, and no other ministry was out there, and now there is an abundance of folks feeding the homeless in the park. But even as I reminisce, my mind is in a place of expansion. How can we extend beyond this surface level, pity-pat, preemie -I don't want to offend anybody sharing? To, teaching as Jesus commanded. It is time for CHRISTIANS to share our faith. It is time for CHRISTIANS to share our hope and joy. It is time for Christians to share the good news of Jesus Christ, individually and corporately.

For my denomination in particular, it has blessed my heart the way my Bishop has challenged the South Western Delta as an episcopal district to get out - to share our faith with those in the community. He is truly giving us the answer to the question, Is Anybody In the House "Going" to Work? Will we be like Isaiah, here am I send me?

Remember, I said earlier if there is no sharing, there will be no growth. I want to end with this. Some weeks ago, Rev. Gary D. Adams, Sr., preached a message I Need to Grow. One of the verses we honed in on in John was if ye love me, keep my commandments. Church, if we say we love him, Jesus gave his disciples a command through the great commission to GO. Let us not turn it into 'the' great omission because we refuse to share our faith with those who don't believe. The world needs some light. And we can punch some holes in the darkness with our faith and prayers and our going out to witness to a sin-sick world. Let us not allow someone's blood to be one our hands because we neglected to share the goodness of Jesus. I declare and decree that we will be God's special agents of revelation and miracles. Is Anybody In the House Working? Duty Calls! Get ready, Get set, church Let's Go.

LIFE QUOTE

“Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.”

-Dwayne Johnson

Let Us Laugh!

G.O.A.T. Get Out And Try

(https://www.scienceofpeople.com/work-jokes/)

Hope to see you Next Month...

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