Monday, June 25, 2007
My schedule as of late has been so busy I have had no time to sit down and write the TFD. With planning for Mexico in July, the Ruby’s Pantry food distributions with 2nd Harvest, our own distributions and other parts of the ministry it has left no time for anything, which has got to change. One day we hope to have funding to hire the people we so desperately need. And I am cutting back some of my parts of the ministry to be able to do the things that are essential. In other words, I am going to quit doing some of the good things to do the best things.
When you think you are busy doing the good things, sometimes you have to ask yourself if you are doing the best things.
One time we were going to do some painting at the church and I asked for volunteers. One of our members was a physician and said, “Pastor, it makes no sense for me to volunteer to paint when I can spend the same time making $200 or more per hour and I could work at the things I do best and donate the money for someone to paint.” Not that she was above painting but rather could make better use of her time being a Doctor than a painter. And it was better for the church.
As Christians, we need to be wise with our time and talents.
-Lyn Sahr
-Matt 25:13-33 NIV
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Only when people see the light do they recognize they live in darkness. In other words, until people see Christ they will never know they are living without him. Therefore, how will people see the light? People see Christ in believers so that is why it is so important that Christ shines through in our lives.
P.S. It is the secret to evangelism and church growth.
-Lyn Sahr
-John 17:20-23 NIV
I (words of Jesus) pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
There is an old saying that says, “God helps those who help themselves.” If you take the time to think about it, it really seems to be saying that God provides for only those who are able to help to help themselves. What about those who can’t help themselves? And what about those who are doing the best they can and still can’t make it in today economic climate? Does this mean that God isn’t going to help them?
My guess is today we have so many people helping themselves that they don’t need God which may be why church attendance is so low and offerings are low for those who are attending. Perhaps we can write a computer program that we could scan people and determine whether they need God’s help or not. Then, only those people would need God’s help would go to church, Sunday School or Bible Studies. Those who help themselves could then stay home and invest their money in something other than church. Hmm, it seems that is what is happening anyway without the scan. I guess we don’t need it!
The reality is that God helps those who love Him with all their heart, soul, strength, and mind and love their neighbor as themselves. And yes, He even helps some who don’t!
Until Jesus comes as He most certainly will.
-Lyn Sahr
-Luke 10:27 NIV
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Saturday, June 02, 2007
As people enter the church of their choice tomorrow morning, many will enter churches in crisis. It seems like the church crisis epidemic is running rampant through all denominations and independents. In the 70’s few churches escaped the charismatic movement and, although there was an awakening of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit there were many, many abuses. Today we have the purpose driven church which has impacted most churches in the country and has created an awakening toward the unchurched. But, just like the 70’s and the charismatic movement, there are many, many abuses. And today, just like the 70’s, many, many churches are in crisis. So what do we do to get our churches healthy again?
In the 70’s there was a purging in some churches where charismatic’s who were causing division on the church were asked to leave. Eventually, the sincere spirit led believers came to the surface and stabilized the churches. Although there will always be periodic divisions in churches, there were relatively good times for over 20 years. And then along came the “Seeker Driven” movement.
The answer, from my perspective, is to purge the church of shallow self-seeking pastors and leaders and let the spirit led leader’s surface again. It is time to relax the “Seeker Driven” church and re-embrace the “God Driven” church! What a novel idea… having God in charge.
If it ain’t holy, it ain’t hope!
-Lyn Sahr
-Rom 5:5 NIV
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
