Awakening To Ministry

School is about to begin next week, so that means it's time to hit the ground running. Not only in the classrooms, but also in ministry. I know Ole Miss is going to be overrun with new freshman and that means new potential souls to be awakened. You have to get them while they're young.

What's your idea of Christianity? I've come across people who think Christianity is just Sunday service, bible study and maybe choir practice (if you can sing). Christianity is more than that. Christians represent the living God who (us, Christians) were justified through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We don't see that very often though. We have become like the Israelites, exclusive instead of inclusive.

Christ commanded us to go make disciples. In order to do that, we have to relate to people (not in the sexual context). We can't make disciples if we get the "big head". There are Christians who become bigger than themselves when they get saved and won't even look at, associate with, or even speak to certain people if they don't have that "saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost" aura about them. That perfectly describes people with the selfish salvation syndrome. Selfish salvation is simply people who get saved, but won't share the gospel with unbelievers, who won't dig deep to help someone out of their sin. Salvation was never meant just for self.

People with this syndrome are often worried about their reputation. Read this very carefully... our reputation means nothing to majority of people. Let me explain this. Some people claim to be your friend, your boy or your homey not for who you are as a person. Most people only claim to be your friend because of what you could possibly do for them. That's not a real friend. So if that be the case, why would you try to uphold a reputation for people who won't be there when you need them in the end? WHY????

Why do we avoid being seen with the homosexual/lesbian who's trying to be free from that spirit? Why do we stay away from the neighborhood (or campus) whore who's been around the block a few times, but has a strong desire to make change, to be freed from the guilt of her/his past sins? Proverbs 22:1 says, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." That scripture's context describes a man or woman whose delight is in the Lord, who never participates in sin, who never delights in sin with sinful people. That doesn't mean you don't minister to people who are in sin's grip. Remember, the Bible never contradicts itself.

The purpose of being saved is to know Christ for yourself and to be used by Him as a tool to draw all men to the light of Christ that was lit in you when you surrendered your life to Him. The bible says that man's righteousness (in its entirety) is that of a filthy rag. In other words, what mankind deems as righteous is equal to a filthy, stinking, nasty, moldy towel in God's eyes (Ewwww.... yuck!!!). We have to put aside our reputation (which more or less was given by man's standards instead of being tried and proven by God). Now is the time to awaken to what God deems as righteous. Welcome to real ministry. God bless.