(2-01-08)
Today, I write this email from an overwhelmed heart. I have been back down in New Orleans for a little over three weeks and God has been here working on me in so many ways, challenging me to go to new places and do new things. There are many but today I want to share just one and hope you will be encouraged and challenge in the same way I have been.
God has been burdening me recently for lost people. As a Christian and future minister I do not share my faith enough. To be really honest I don’t do it all. I’m scared and terrified of failing, what people will say, rejection. There are tons of excuses that I give. And while I spent time giving them,
people in America are dying and going to hell. I have the answer and the way, but I am keeping it to myself. I got it (my salvation) because someone shared it with me. But I’m not willing to do the same for the people living here in New Orleans. It’s not that I don’t believe that Jesus wants to and can save people, for me it’s simply a faith issue. I don’t trust God enough when he says that He is going with me. If I were to begin to share, God promises to be with me & guide me.
My week of thinking and conviction started on Monday night when I attend a volunteer meeting for a gathering called “HimnI” that I help out with here in the city. (
http://himni.org/) Greg Wilton, one of the leaders and communicators for this ministry shared a song with us. I got a copy from him that night and have not taken it out of the player yet. The story and message of this song will rock your world.
The song is by John Mark McMillan. (
http://www.thejohnmark.com/) Several years ago John had this friend named Steven. One night at a prayer meeting Steven prayed a prayer in which he told God, “If it would shake the youth of the nation, I'd give my life. I would give it (my life) today.” That night he died in a car accident. From this John wrote the song “How He Loves,” as a way of trying to help fulfill Steven’s commitment and conviction to shake and reach the lost youth of America. The song is about what it might have been like the first time Steven met Jesus, his Savior for the first time.
Following are two links, I hope you will check them out. They are really powerful!
To “How He Loves” Video w/ John Mark McMillan’s explanation behind the song
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=728592151001639646&q=How+He+Loves+John+Mark+McMillan&total=10&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0 To “How He Loves” Video w/ pictures of people from the world. (substitute in faces from your town and work)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1795272959768779210&q=How+He+Loves+John+Mark+McMillan&total=10&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1I’ve been thinking a lot about this song, and message that comes from it this week. From this I think we can see that God is faithful. He answered the first part of Steven’s prayer (even though Steven died, that was his prayer. Seems weird but it’s true.) And God is moving things toward and working to answer the second part of it…shaking the hearts of the youth of this nation. For me I try to think further than just the youth of this nation to all the people of this nation. God loves America in the sense that he wants all people to come to knowledge of him in which they receive salvation for their sins and are redeemed.
Steve offered a sacrifice for something he believed in, he literally died for it. I think God has issued the same call to all believers; unfortunately we don’t like to think of that too much. In both
Matthew 10:37-39 and
Luke 14:26-27 Jesus tells his disciples that those that love their life lose it and those that deny themselves find life--die to themselves and their selfish desires. Being a follower of Christ means that we have to figuratively sacrifice ourselves daily and follow wherever and to whoever Jesus leads.
This past week God has continually revealed this to me throughout the day, many times. Wednesday in a class I am taking on personal evangelism. (
Isn’t God funny sometimes? My heart is burden and I’m taking a class in which we are talking about sharing our faith. There’s another picture of God’s Faithfulness.) My teacher said that the fear of failure is the #1 reason people don’t share their faith. But the fact that Christians forget is that if go and share we don’t fail, ever. Even if the person doesn’t pray to receive Christ. We fail only if we don’t go. To not go at all, to not share at all is to be unfaithful, this means that we fail God. Thinking on that fact for a minute will rock you world and change your feeling toward sharing your faith. At least it did for me.
Related to this issue, David Crowder also wrote a chorus which says, (paraphrasing here)
“I’m just trying to make you sing from inside where you believe.
Like it’s something that you mean…like it means everything to you.
That this is for real.”
In conclusion, let me ask you a question.
How do you “sing” with your life? Is your heart broken for the lost people in your city, workplace, school, home, wherever else you do life at? There are a line that is referenced a ton of time in the Gospels which says, “
Jesus saw the people and had compassion on them.” What goes on in your heart when you see people? Being a follower of Jesus means that
we love the things he loves.
I don’t have this mastered, but I am working on it and journeying with Jesus. I pray and hope that God will lay it on your heart to pursue the same.
“Oh, How He Loves Us
Oh, How He Loves Us
Oh, How He Loves Us”
--“How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan
He Loves Us and Wants Us to Love Others,
Travis is a mad man with a rake! We have all become really good with one, this is the main work that we have been doing.
Tiffany and Howard, a man that lives next to Laurence Park, bag up some leaves.
We bagged up about 35 bags of leaves and limbs in the park which lined most of the street.
A shot of the Saturday Relief Team.
As I look back over this long week of work, I know that God is working in this city. As we count down to our September Launch (28th) I'm really excited to see the people that God is going to bring across our path. Whether it be through another hurricane (Ike), Vintage mission work day or just talking to people in the area; God is going to use this church to display His Glory in a dark and dying city. Thank you for your prayers. 
St. Louis Cathedral shot showing some damage to Jackson Square.
Cafe Du Monde- usually line out door and down the street. 
The empty streets, which will probably be filled in just a few short days and weeks. 
Our Boys protecting us! Thanks guys.
A closer look at Mike's outfit for the day of work. What in the heck is this? Look at the pants.
Fuel Coffee House and the trash that we cleaned out.
My pancakes from Slim Goodies...Yummy! Good way to start a day of work. 
