ONE READER'S OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING MY STUDY ON ROMANS 2:1
Subject: Guilty of Judging
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. (KJV)
A precious friend and brother in the LORD, Lance recently sent us some teaching on this verse of scripture. The truth of God's word has pierced my heart this morning in this attempt to have "quiet time" before the LORD.
Yesterday my elderly cousin told me about her Lutheran church deciding to spend more big money to update, renew, refurbish their buildings/property. She said she did not believe it was necessary.
Well I jumped right in there to put in my 2 cents worth: Oh if the church just had a heart for missions, look at the great need out there on the mission field and all the groups of believers who have no building to meet in, etc.
The serious problem with this is that I am guilty of the same thing - just like this passage speaks of - also, there was no concern or compassion in what I was saying. If my heart was right/tender before the LORD I would weep when I spoke of the church that the LORD Jesus died for in any kind of error.
When she spoke of this to me, my first and only response should have been to pray for that church, for those people - the hymn says we are to weep o'er the erring ones.
Even more serious, my focus should've turned immediately to my own self, to examine my own heart in this matter. How is my own personal stewardship? How many times and ways am I taking God's provision/money and spending it on myself, making provision for my flesh (food, clothing, entertainment, etc. etc.), spending that which belongs to HIM and spending it for that which is not necessary-needful?
Where is my own heart FOR missions, for the Kingdom of God that would compell me to promote the Kingdom of God with all that I am and have? If "the church" is spending needless funds on itself, its comfort, etc. it's only because I am the church, and I am doing the same thing on a personal level.
Paul spoke of having only that which is necessary - he was content with that, happy with that - had a heart for the things of the Kingdom - longed to promote the Kingdom of God, not his own personal kingdom. I live so far beyond the realm of that which is "necessary", til I can hardly relate to that idea.
I dared to "judge" what my cousins' church is doing when I am GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY of the same wretchedness. This makes me a hypocrite - like the Scribes and Pharisees - who were always majoring on the sins of others but would not examine their own heart/ would not see their own wretched sinfulness in the face of a Holy God. God says in his word this in inexcuseable. How serious a matter is this? What kind of a heart do I have before Holy God toward missions?
We sang a song last night at church about the heavy burdens we carry - and I questioned that. Is my heart tender enough toward the LORD til He can lay a burden on my heart to pray for some serious need - perhaps a great storm is about to take place in another part of the world, or one of my brothers is about to be in a serious accident?
Can God place a burden on my heart, can He entrust to me a serious need that I know nothing about - and have me take that burden to Him in prayer?
Pastor Ronnie Jones up at Mineral Park Bap., Ch. brought a precious, powerful message last night out of 1 John on the heart and that we should guard our heart from disobedience, corruption, coldness from loving the things of this world, callousness by the sin of murmurring and complaining and rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit in our own heart, and guard our heart from being a counterfeit.
This morning my conclusion about my own heart is that it is very hard. Oh God, have mercy on me.
Goodby for now,
Marian Reese
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ANOTHER WAY THE FREE DRINK OUTREACH HAS BEEN USED:
BROTHER DON FARR OF CANON CITY COLORADO SENT ME THIS E-MAIL JULY 25, 1999
Hey Brother, What's this thing about free soda? Are you kidding? I'll take one. Sounds like the Good Lord is really out to bless you each.
Well, anyway just wanted to write to let you know you are still in our prayers and that we appreciate hearing from you. And seeing how God is using you to expand His wonderful Kingdom here on earth.
Oh, yea also to share a story with you. We have been having Sunday afternoon worships and preaching in the park here in Canon. Once a month for that's all we could get the park for. Knowing God is going to release a special blessing through the park ministry this year.
We have been giving out free Hamburgers and hot dog along with drinks at these rallies. But, it seemed we were getting mostly Christians coming and doing the same thing in the park that we do in church instead of ministering to other believers.
Well, I was driving home one night from a meeting in another town and came past the park and there was about 500 people in the park for a concert. When I drove by the Lord Quickened in me that this was the park ministry. So I shared with Kim and we began praying how???
Coming home the next day I read your e-mail about giving away cokes (pop) and once again heard the Lord say this is it. All the mean time we have been feeling like the Lord was saying it is time to get out and evangelize, lead the people out to the streets.
So we checked on this park thing and the Chamber of Commence in Canon has a band or singing group schedule for every Tuesday night this summer (7 more).
Well needless to say, we got in contact with them and they said let me get this straight you wanna give away cokes at our concerts in the park? We said yes we wanna give away ice cold cokes and water with a paper saying IT"S FREE!!! at your concerts.
They said that's great go ahead with a big question of why? (Pray this will be the door to their salvation).
So last Tuesday we began giving away cokes and water (lots of people took a bottle of water over coke). The other thing that bothered me about this was we have our intercessors meeting on Tuesday night. So I just was convinced we needed both, and preached about having this happen.
So last week we still had the praying going on and others that normally would not be there where out passing out cokes and IT"S FREE papers at the park.
We believe God will use this as a mighty witness to His Kingdom in Canon this summer.
Also if we can get your prayers for the ministry here it would be great. August 22 is our last Sunday in the park with Praise, Preaching, Drama, skits, and souls being saved into His Kingdom! PRAISE THE LORD !!
I'll try to keep you updated but please just know God is moving and your in our prayers. Bro. Don
FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING DON FARR'S MINISTRY IN CANON CITY, COLORADO, E-MAIL HIM
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