Dear Sam,
I drove by the neighborhood this morning to pick up some of our new friends for church. You know, we never asked them to come to church. It was a pleasant surprise when they asked us.
We've been praying for Jesus to do something great in this neighborhood for His name sake.
We didn't pick this neighborhood, Jesus did. He picked it.
Well, it turned out this morning that one brother who asked to go to church with us- who I mentioned last week- who we really believe in- wasn't there because he was arrested on Wednesday.
This news made me angry, and sad, and resolved, and... really, when I got to church today... I just cried. Our friend was pulled back into the street culture in that neighborhood. A lot of people there feel the pressure to give in to that mess just to maintain. We see the struggle every time we visit.
I hate that I cried. Because I really do not waver in seeing the kingdom of God come to the darkest of places. If the devil thinks he's "winning" he's not. If he thinks he's discouraging the people of God with setbacks, he's not.
There is only one possible response to this news. Brokenness before the One who cares the most. I have no power to thwart the lies and the oppression of the enemy. I'm not convincing anyone- least of all myself- to get back in there and fight. I've already given up, and the battle belongs to the Lord. He calls me a warrior, but the weapons are His. My fight is to set my hope on Jesus, who is the author of promise.
I believe there's a storm building- a storm of God's compassion, and power, and deliverance, and we are praying it down from Heaven. It will be good, good news for everyone there. And you know who can go packing when Jesus comes to Jesus Street. He gave it that name, not me. Its His name now. Its His street.
Matt 26: 52-54: “Put away your sword,” Jesus told His disciple. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?"
Prov 21: 31 "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD."
I drove by the neighborhood this morning to pick up some of our new friends for church. You know, we never asked them to come to church. It was a pleasant surprise when they asked us.
We've been praying for Jesus to do something great in this neighborhood for His name sake.
We didn't pick this neighborhood, Jesus did. He picked it.
Well, it turned out this morning that one brother who asked to go to church with us- who I mentioned last week- who we really believe in- wasn't there because he was arrested on Wednesday.
This news made me angry, and sad, and resolved, and... really, when I got to church today... I just cried. Our friend was pulled back into the street culture in that neighborhood. A lot of people there feel the pressure to give in to that mess just to maintain. We see the struggle every time we visit.
I hate that I cried. Because I really do not waver in seeing the kingdom of God come to the darkest of places. If the devil thinks he's "winning" he's not. If he thinks he's discouraging the people of God with setbacks, he's not.
There is only one possible response to this news. Brokenness before the One who cares the most. I have no power to thwart the lies and the oppression of the enemy. I'm not convincing anyone- least of all myself- to get back in there and fight. I've already given up, and the battle belongs to the Lord. He calls me a warrior, but the weapons are His. My fight is to set my hope on Jesus, who is the author of promise.
I believe there's a storm building- a storm of God's compassion, and power, and deliverance, and we are praying it down from Heaven. It will be good, good news for everyone there. And you know who can go packing when Jesus comes to Jesus Street. He gave it that name, not me. Its His name now. Its His street.
Matt 26: 52-54: “Put away your sword,” Jesus told His disciple. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?"
Prov 21: 31 "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD."
1 comment:
Good stuff. Excellent stuff. It's His Fight. He has Won, we are the Proclaimers!
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