Thursday 22 March 2012

Thursday - Lent 4

Museum had another great evening with Army Cadets.  Last evening we were out at 71 Bty 2520 RCACC Brandon Cadets showing the Vimy Powerpoint Presentation.   Awesome cadets!  
Please keep my Mom in your prayers as she undergoes cataract surgery today.


Devotional....
Return to the Lord,  for God is tenderness and compassion.  You love truth in the inmost heart.  Teach me the depths of wisdom; cleanse me with hyssop and I shall be clean.  Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.  Restore the sound of joy.  Forgive me of my sins and restore to me a life lived in Your love.  This I ask in Your Son’s name.  Amen.

Read:  St. Matthew 10: 5 – 10

Jesus sends out the twelve disciples with this charge: 
1.  Don’t begin by travelling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers
2.  Don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy
3.  Go to the lost confused people right here in the neighbourhood
4.  Tell the people  that the Kingdom is here
5.   Bring health to the sick
6.   Raise the dead
7.   Tough the untouchables
8.   Kick out demons
9.   You have been treated generously so live generously.

Wow!  That is quite a list.   But this is the mission of today’s  Church too… start with your neighbourhood.   How else will people in the neighbourhood know that you were sent by God to help them?

Then Jesus says, “You don’t need a fundraising campaign before you start.  You don’t need a lot of equipment!  YOU are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day.  Travel light.”   Wow!

You don’t need a fundraising campaign.    Wow!   Tell that to the Board of Managers J    But if we don’t need a fundraising campaign,  how will we let everyone in our neighbourhood know about our Church? How will we keep a Church roof over our heads as the roof starts to leak?     Jesus answers these questions by saying, “YOU are the equipment”.     YOU are given the resources by God.  

Read over the list of nine items that Jesus charges to the disciples.    Read over the list again with your Church in mind.    How will you tell the people that the Kingdom is here.   Telling.  No texting on cell phones,  no roadside banners.  Simply telling your neighbour about God.  
This week pray for the Elders,  the Spiritual Leaders, in your Church.  Pray that they may
study this Word of God and have compassion on the Harvest.  Then ask the Elders how they want you to help.

Great God,  we bring before You today those who are Your Spiritual Leaders.   We ask that You will have mercy upon the Elders and grant them great joy in their calling.   We pray that You provide the Elders with a renewed sense of Your presence. May the Elders know of Your redeeming love.  We ask that the Elders may ask each of us this day to help them spread Your Good News.     This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.  

Many blessings!

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