Cyber Monday

Hello online shoppers!  It's Cyber Monday.  Are your fingers ready to shop? Is an e-reader on your shopping list?  The recipient will be doubly surprised if they unwrap their gift to find it pre-loaded with e-books.  My books are only $1.99 through Christmas on Smashwords.  Prefer paperback?   Shop Amazon.

Running on the Road

I learned something this week-end.  Runners do not take vacations from running. We might take a break to recuperate from a race or recover from an injury.  However, we or at least I do not take vacations from running. 

Take this Thanksgiving, for instance.  My husband, daughter, and I drove 13 hours to Beaumont, Texas to visit my family.  Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go...

We arrived Wednesday evening, ate dinner, took a walk.  Thursday morning, I go for a run with my mom on her bike to keep me from getting lost.  Friday morning, we drove out to see some property my late-grandfather had purchased when I was a child.  What do I do?  I go for a run.  My reasoning is, well I HAVE to, I have a race in a week!  

Running in a new location was a lot of fun.  Watching the scenery go by made the miles seem to fly by and, as a bonus, I ran faster. For once, I didn't use my headphones and I was able to hear the birds chirping loudly in the trees. At times it was deafening and absolutely amazing.  Did you know the squirrels in the woods here are twice the size as Florida squirrels? Family and running, it's in my blood and I don't ever want to forget that trip. My grandmother is well over 90 years old and you know what, I would have run all the way to Texas just to  see her!  Now I am home, tired and....it's time to go run.  

Arthur and Verna Weishampel

Ripple and revolve

Last night in my Bible study class, this quote was shared by our minister:  "A world that is going through revolutionary changes can't be reached...by a church where everything remains the same."   

I tried to find the author of the quote but to no avail(addendum: Brad Powell).  Do you believe it?  I do. 

Merriam-Webster defines the type of revolution I'm speaking of as this:

a : a sudden, radical, or complete change

b : a fundamental change in political organization; especially: the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed

c : activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation

d : a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something : a change of paradigm revolution

>

e : a changeover in use or preference especially in technology revolution> revolution>

The world is constantly changing whether we want it to or not.  It cannot be stopped.  Acts 2:42-47 describes the early church as this:   

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.  44All the believes were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.   And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Does "the church" look like this today?  Do you break bread in the home of believers daily? I don't.  Do you sell your possessions? Do you and your fellow "church" have everything in common?  I don't.  Are unbelievers walking in the door and becoming Christians DAILY?  Not where I worship.

Why not? What happened?  The world changed, people haven't. We are all sinners who gravitate towards sin. We become complacent.  Business (busy-ness) takes over. God gradually becomes second, then third, then only on Sunday morning, if that.  

So, what do we do about it? Do you even care? Take the quote above and change it to read:

A church that is going through revolutionary changes can't be reached by a people where everything remains the same.

A family that is going through revolutionary changes can't be reached by a mother/father/parent where everything remains the same.

A community that is going through revolutionary changes can't be reached by a citizen where everything remains the same.

A lost sinner that is going through revolutionary changes can't be reached by ME where everything remains the same.

Do you care that your neighbor is lost, hurting, family in shambles, kids in trouble, divorce emminent?  What about your co-worker or your brother?  You'd better.  Jesus commanded in Mark 16:15  "Go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation."  Matthew records this, spoken by Jesus:  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  (Matthew 28: 17-20)

So, what does this mean for you and me?  Do we have to sell everything and move to Africa or Honduras?  No, not necessarily.  My family is in this world. My city is in the world.  My workplace is in the world.  You and I have our own circles of influence.  Your immediate family, your neighbors, your co-workers, school friends, etc. 

Think about every action you take, every word you speak as a tiny ripple in a big ocean.  Every person you come into contact you touch in some way.  Will it be positive or negative?  I challenge you to make a revolutionary change within yourself to make great waves that will impact the world for Jesus. 

A few steps to make ripples courtesy of Cary Hadley:
*  Surrender to the spirit
*  Lordship is Jesus
*  Accountability
*  Share with others
*  Prayer
*  Study the Bible, come to our Wednesday night class
*  Training.  Need it? Want it? Ask!!!

PS:  Butterflies do not change the world.  Jesus, through you and me, does!

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