Trust comes from the Top

This past Sunday morning we had our "Breakfast with Rooftop" with some of our homeless friends in the downtown area. My brothers and sisters from Rooftop and I really saw the Lord working this morning. Conversations were real, they were important, and the Father was present. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son. That we may come to know Him live & abide in Him alone. Put your trust in the Vine.
Trust is hard for most people let alone our friends struggling on the streets. Talking with a few of them about that very matter. Many times they just want that second chance. Luckily I know a God of second chances! He wants to help us everyday.
In His hope, mercy, & Grace I stand today...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:5-8 esv
Be refreshed in the Lord today! Trust in Him that your bones may come alive, to live out His will in your life.

Are You Ready to Labor for the Kingdom?

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

The harvest is plentiful,   where are the workers?

³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples,“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)

(What does my mind’s eye see when you read this scripture?)

I see Jesus traveling from village to village bringing his message of hope to anyone who would listen. Healing anyone that he could and joining them where they were. What joy those towns and villages must have experienced! Note that He came to them. He was not expecting them to come to him. He did not set up a big church and say, “Now come to Me all you sinners. Come over here where I’ve made camp!” Nope, He went to them and healed them where they were. This seems very symbolic of how he stands at the door of our hearts and asks to come in. He does not ask us to first meet Him in church and then He will help us. We must meet them where they are, in the mess they are in and love them well through the easy and the hard times.

I find it interesting that this brief definition of how Jesus went to the people is followed by his statement that “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”…the order of these two verses does not seem to be a coincidence.

The farmer does not wait for the grain to walk into his silo. The wine maker does not expect the grapes to get themselves into the wine press. As followers (disciples) of Christ we are called to go out and share with others where they are. Do not settle for inviting them to your church and expect the miracle to happen there…Jesus knew that we need to be “harvested” gently. Go into their homes. Go where the harvest is, and be a good worker.

What is a good worker? Well, if you were harvesting grapes, for instance, would you pull them roughly off the vine and toss them like an apple in a box. No, because you are not harvesting apples, you are harvesting grapes. The point is that a good worker learns about his harvest and knows about it and finds out the best way to handle it before attempting the harvest.

(How do I apply this to my life?)
I need to be more open in how I try to share Jesus. I need to spend time getting to know the “harvest," build trust, loyalty, and I need to make sure that I am listening to the greatest harvester of all as He steers my course in this life.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

Help me to be a good worker. Help me to handle the harvest in the way that You would have me. All too often I think I know the right way to do things and all too often I choose the easy way or the least scary way; but Your way is best. I know now that I need to know the harvest. Thank you for being the Good Shepherd. Help me to learn to hear Your voice more often and respond as called. In the days and weeks to come, help me to be more like You. AMEN.