Multiplication Through Ministry...Doing What We Do (even if that is cleaning the toilets)

If you are going to do something; do it to your full potential. Don't hold anything back. Regardless of how small and meaningless it appears to be everything we do means something. Growing up, I played baseball a lot, and this was a sport I thoroughly enjoyed. I have to admit that I was a bit prideful of my abilities on the field. I played the Catcher (player behind home plate for those unfamiliar with baseball) for a number of years, and as a result became very familiar with the ins and outs of this position. There are many requirements and pressures that are placed on the Catcher. In fact, if I had to place a value on the positions around the diamond, the Catcher would be second only to the pitcher. I realize there are people out there that would disagree with my assertion, but it is just a personal opinion of mine. The point being that even though this particular position is involved in many aspects of the game does not negate the importance of the other players on the team. For instance, a runner from the opposing team is on second base and is making his way to home plate because a teammate of his just blasted the ball into right field. He is rounding third and headed down the stretch to score a run. If the Right Fielder has not stopped the ball, and if he does not get the ball to the Catcher, then the Catcher cannot tag the runner out.

 Result, opposing team scores to win the game, your coach gets mad and blames the whole situation on the umpire who should have made a better call, or, the ineptitude of the Right Fielder who could have done a better job with the ball instead of fumbling around with it in an attempt to pick it up, and the Catcher takes none of the blame because, after all there is a lot of responsibility that comes along with his position. Just joking right fielders, please read further for the importance of this blog.

As born again, saved by Grace Christians, we should take the "All-in" tag line and run with it. We are all very important in our Father's eyes. "What am I called to do?" is probably a question that has popped into all of our minds at least once, whether a matured Christian or new in Christ, it is likely that we have heard this before. And.......HERE'S THE ANSWER! We are all called to be disciples of Christ. Leading the lost to Christ is what we should be concerned with, not, what we are "called to do." God created all of us with a special purpose. Whatever we are doing it needs to be  done with a clean heart, and with everything that our Lord has placed at our disposal.


So many times in our walk we look at the outward appearance of things. I'm about to take you on a journey that, hopefully, will change your perspective on the minute details that are oftentimes overlooked, but play a big part in the whole scheme of things. All of God's children are valuable. In His eyes, one is not above the other. This means that all we are called to do by the Holy Spirit is of no lesser value than the other task. If you are called to preach, then lead your flock to the best of your ability; if your heart has been pulled to worship, then usher the spirit into the service with the body. The same can be applied to all gifts; whether that be in the mission field, under a bridge passing out blankets to the homeless and preaching about God's goodness, or cleaning the toilets in your church...

HOLD UP, YOU LOST ME THERE! Some of you are wondering how I could equate the Holy Spirit with cleaning toilets.


Servant hood is a spiritual gift also.

A visiting preacher came to our church a while back and passed on some very useful information that I will give to you. The basis of his teaching was this; Imagine visiting a church for the first time as unbeliever. You come in as an unbeliever with not much interest in attending except for the fact that your wife or husband was invited and you felt obligated to attend. Or, you are parents of two small children and are looking for a church home. Say that you are young person between the age of 25-35, and you have lived a rough life; you have the tattoos, piercings, and scars to prove it. All of these scenarios can happen. Upon entering the church, whatever the situation, you are greeted by a friendly member of the body who gives you the bulletin and you continue on your way. Remember, you have not attended church in a while, and you have never been here. If you are the parents of the small children you are probably looking for the direction to the classrooms. There is none, and you choose not to ask anyone because you are extremely introvert, so you hope that someone will eventually tell you where the classes are. If you are the young man who has led a rough life along with the couple mentioned above that are searching for a church family, you will probably need to utilize the facilities during your visit. The bathroom has not been cleaned because no one could get to it this morning before church, and as for the signage there is none. In anyone of the cases above, at this point your opinion of this church is probably not very high. All of that being said to show you that for the majority of time a visitor notices these small things that are often overlooked by the members. This all takes place before church begins, before the worship and before the sermon. All of these things are typically taken care of by person(s) that have the gift of servant hood. God loves all of His children equally, therefore, all gifts supplied through the Holy Spirit are of the same value. There is not one greater than the other. We as Christians want to lead people to Christ, not run them off because our House is not clean or welcoming. The goal should be to multiply Our Father's kingdom through our ministry, whatever that may be, and we should do it to the fullest. Polish and hone your gift until it shines so all can see God through us.

Just because your gift is less visible, does not mean that it is less valuable.

Worry Doubt, and Fear...Weapons of Spiritual Warfare

Psst! Hey, yeah you. You know that test that you have coming up tomorrow? Your not going to pass, its way to complicated for your simple mind. What about that job interview? Man, you don't even need to waste the trip there. The economy is tough in this day and age, and there will be a lot of folks there smarter than you. Face it, dude, you didn't even finish school. Mortgage is due, final notice arrived in the mail today from the utility company telling you that the disconnect is next week. Get use to it; I have made your life a struggle from Day 1, and trust me it will only get worse. Hear that? Its the Devil speaking! He is hoping beyond all hope that you will believe this nonsense. Even if you believe a small inkling of this venomous diatribe, he's got something to work with. The seed of doubt has been planted if you give this a second thought. We all have our personal day to day struggles, but maybe this blog will shine a light on dealing with them, and with the Almighty's help, OVERCOME THEM!

Whaling, Planking, and other popular fads.

In today's world we have access to all sorts of information via online search engines. Whether you have a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smart phone, or all of the devices listed you only have to type a word in, and a barrage of data; useless or beneficial is coming your way. For instance, type the word #whaling and one of many results you will find is a video showing a new fad that is taking the online culture by storm. The same goes for #planking, another popular craze that took valuable hours from the lives of many in an attempt to be a part of the in-crowd. We are always striving to obtain self-satisfaction by mimicking things such as these in order to fill the holes in our lives. We want acceptance, approval from our peers, so we waste valuable time in an attempt to fill the void temporarily with things that will certainly not help us attain eternal life with our Father. Here's one for us to try; #follow Jesus.

By doing this I cannot tell you that you will be a part of the "in crowd", as a matter of fact you will probably lose friendships and make enemies as a result of your choice. Choosing to follow our Heavenly Father will likely not garner many likes, follows, or re-tweets in the Social Media world either. One thing I do know for sure is that we can attain Eternal Salvation (John 6:47  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life), Peace  (Phillipians 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you), and Hope (Lamentations 3:24 "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him.")

Some information obtained by looking online occasionally will pop up sights that give "how to" directions in regards to the data that was input. I will attempt to set forth steps of my own in regards to following Jesus, just to establish a plan of action both for myself and those in the audience that have found interest in this article.

1. Believe and Accept

Believe that Jesus Christ is our Risen Savior, and that God sent Him to die on the cross for the remission of our sins. Believe that He is the Alpha, the Omega, beginning and the end. Accept this and begin your journey.

     2.  Repent
 

Repent of your sins. Ask God for forgiveness and it will be given. Repentance is change of direction in thought and behavior. Turn away from your old ways, and begin your walk in God's ways.

     3.  Confess

Declare your faith! State that Jesus forgave you of your transgressions, and you were made a new creature in Christ.

     4.  Be Baptized

 

Show your commitment as a disciple of Jesus. Wash off the old self, and come out of the water cleansed and refreshed as a Child of the King.

     5.  Receive the Holy Spirit

 

When you allow Jesus to become the Lord of your life and God's Presence is poured into you the Holy Spirit comes alive in you.

     6.  Walk as a Disciple

Even though this is the last step it can be the hardest step, because a believer changes their mind but a disciple changes their life. This is where we live the life of the called. Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 16:24 that "Whoever wants to be my Disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."  Challenges will come in many forms. We will experience trials and tribulations while walking as a Disciple in this world, but we need to remain steadfast and faithful in order to gain our rewards of an eternity with Our Maker.

Well, there you have it folks. Straight from the archives of WIKI-ROBERT. On a serious note, I am believing for a change in the hearts of people whether it be through this blog post or some other form of spreading the Gospel. God is longing for His children to come home. He is pleased when we answer the call that has been placed in every one of our hearts. #Following Jesus is not a passing fad, it may not be the latest craze, but I want to spread my wings in Heaven; I hope you'll join me.     Be Blessed.  

 

AGAPE....Possible or Not?

 Is it possible in this life for the human race to truly display "unconditional love" to each other. Considering that we are born into sin, making us from the beginning, imperfect creatures; are we able to genuinely exhibit a "Perfect Love, Agape" and apply that to our daily lives in this world?

There have been many books, blogs, and articles written in an attempt to define love and it's many forms. We use the word "love" quite often as human beings, but I don't believe we truly know the meaning of the word only the context in which we use it. For instance; telling my wife that I love her does not have the same connotation as saying "I love apple pie, or I love my dog." It would be absurd for us to believe that the word "love" alone can be applied the same way each time we say it, the meaning lies in how it is used. Through my research, I have found that there are four different kinds of love all with different meanings and applications. In order to understand the word "love" and the different types there should be a clear definition of all. I will place these in the order of least importance and value in which I believe them to be.