Thanks for your prayers! God is doing so much as we work in the barn! We're having more and more opportunities to tell people about the love of Jesus every day, so please keep praying that the the Holy Sprit touches their hearts!
Here's one example of my day in the barn: There's one 14 year old tough guy name Peter who I run into quite a bit as I work. I'm trying to teach him about the truth of Jesus, which I don't think he really hears about much in his church. I keep calling him "King Peter," jokingly but completely serious at the same time;) I told him that he is royalty as a son of the God who created him, and for that reason I treat him like a king and not just kid working in a factory. Every time I say "Hey King Peter!" he tells me, "No man, I'm not a king, I'm just a box maker," with a bit of a smirk. He's a kid I know has taken a liking to me, cause he watches my every move, so pray that the glory of God touches his heart, and that he truly receives a revelation of the Father who loves him!!
A quick something God convicted me of and I want you to be blessed with:
Revelation 2: 4-5 "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."
I was actually very convicted by the entirety of this letter to the church, but this section stuck out. So much of the time when we read through the bible and we come across a rebuke or a correction we tend to push it to the side and say, "You know, I think that's for someone else. I've been doing pretty good in that area of my life so God probably has another correction for me." This statement may have truth to it, but it is easy to let this become a habitual response. We often form and a mindset of indifference to God's correction- and I think it is often because we don't really understand the INCREDIBLE reward of repentance to these convictions. It's all to bring us deeper into the POWERFUL glory of God and intimacy with Jesus!!
Jesus is speaking these words to the church, and I am the church. Yes, "we" are the church. But I'm not taking ownership of these convictions enough if I forget about the "I" aspect of the church. Why am I complaining about complacency and lack of passion in the church when I myself am not overflowing with an unquenchable fire for Jesus? I must take up this conviction in my heart and let it move me to act. I must do this if I am going to step out in confronting the church and correcting those in the body of Christ. I gotsta walk the talk!!! Amen. We all need to return to our first love-to never stop pursuing a deeper passion for Him. Be blessed in your pursuit because Jesus says "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." Haha, PARADISE!!!
My prayers are with you all! Because I freizenheizen love you all with the love of Jesus!!!
