A Thousand Reasons

Over the past two years, we have been ministering to a group of homeless individuals living in tents in the woods in a neighboring town. Recently, God has given us a mission to share the Gospel on Sundays with the people who live out there.

On this Sunday, it had rained all night and into the morning. We were planning to do what is now our regular church service at around noon. Our regular service is usually a Scripture selection, a short message and then we prepare a meal for about 15-20 homeless men and women who we are pleased to call friends.

But as I said, it was raining - pretty hard actually. I could given many reasons for not going - first, it was raining and perhaps no one would want to come out of their tent (there is a community tent for everyone to use). Another reason was that the path leading back to the camp would be muddy and our car wouldn't make it (a prayer request is a donation of a truck). Still another reason would be that because of the rain, we wouldn't be able to cook. Perhaps the biggest excuse would be that it was just too inconvenient.

But then I thought of Jesus, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Take this cup from me." Perhaps Jesus could have given a thousand reasons for not going to the cross. Given our sins, He perhaps had millions (billions, trillions?) of reasons. But He had one major reason for doing it - it was God's will and His love for us.

Delivering God's message of salvation to a group of homeless is a pretty easy task after all.

Angels Among Us

Last Sunday after our service in the woods, we received a prayer request from one of the people living out in the camps. The request was for God to send an angel to help her through a difficult time. The author of Hebrews tells us, 'Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.' (Hebrews 13:2) and Jesus reminds us, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)

We may never know who the person we are ministering to is really is. Could that person be Jesus? Could the person stopping to offer help be an angel? What if we did walk by and refuse comfort or pushed someone aside that offered a helping hand?

In our prayer that morning we asked God to send an angel not really knowing if there was an angel already in our midst and we did not know.

What is God asking you to do?

Sunday, September 20, 2009 - In Scripture, Mark shows us that we all can have a part to play in God's plan. After spending time in ministry with Paul, Mark returns to Jerusalem. Perhaps he wasn't sure of his duties, but God had another plan for Mark, writing the Gospel account that bears his name, The Gospel of Mark. What is God asking you to do?

Houses for the Houseless

Our little Chapel in the Woods is getting a little smaller. Some who are currently homeless are now finding housing and moving out of their tents. Praise God! This is one time when a shrinking church is a good thing. Actually we are encouraging those that move out to come back and strengthened their brothers (and sisters).

Where do you go to church?

Our message from Sunday, September 13th was from James 2:1, "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." It is sometimes easier to hold "church" in a nice clean building. God however calls us to share the Gospel everywhere.