God of Wholeness, please fill the voids in the life, if any, of this dear reader; in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.
Prayer Request: For Lindsay who faces a special need. God knows her need and we pray for God to richly bless her.
Imagine joining a church where all your needs were met? We're talking ALL of your needs: spiritual and physical hunger, spiritual and physical thirst, spiritual and physical nakedness, spiritual and physical loneliness, and the topper: your financial needs were met as well! In a seminar I attended a couple of years ago, this senior pastor of a megachurch said that when they hire new people to work for them, the first thing they do is pay off all their bills. The reason? They want their focus to be completely on the work of the Lord with NO distractions. Amen!
Such is the case in Acts 4:32-37. Here is that text:
32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"). 37 He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Talk about a stimulus package! This church was of "one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions." I smile as I type this because we have members who think they own particular pews! And that would be funny enough, but these folks fight for them and do not care they run folks off by doing so. Anyway, I digress, we're talking about First Church Jerusalem! The folks gave witness of their faith to complete strangers, and God's "great grace was upon them all." Here's another awesome part, "There was not a needy person among them." It explains that if anyone in that church owned property, they sold it, and brought the profits and gave it to the apostles, who in turn, shared it with all. How times have seen US change.
We wonder why most of our churches are not growing. We have come so far from caring for others and have become institutions of tradition and comfort. We own not only the pews, but also the thermostat, the sound system, the hymns (or songs), the bulletins (at least during the hour of worship, then we toss them with no regard for the prayer needs listed in them), etc., etc. As long as we're being "cared for," and that's why we hire pastors and staff, we're all right. Friends, we have wandered off too far from where God would have us be. And it's not a good place where we are. That's why our sermon series is called "Yoked." We need to yoke with God to do and be exactly as God wants.
PRAYER: Loving God of all, forgive me for being among those comfortable with things. Let me never stop caring for the guests we receive in worship. Open my mind, heart, and spirit to know how I can best greet, welcome, and love them. Let a move back to the spirit of that first church begin with me. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Love,
Eradio Valverde
