Be Careful.........

Hello everyone,
So this week I'm in New Orleans to do some school work and the last two days have been sitting in a classroom with 15 other worship leaders from the Southeast and we have been discussing our ministries and how we can become better worshippers. I've enjoyed hearing what God is doing in the life of other churches around the area. One of the things that troubles me is how quick some of us are to criticize others ministries because their methodology doesn't line up with what their church does or what they feel the church needs to do. The message does not change, Jesus is still the Savior and he still rose again, but how we convey that message may be different. We have got to be careful what we say and how we act when we speak about ministries, WE ALL HAVE ONE GOAL IN MIND-TO REACH LOST PEOPLE.

This morning I read Numbers 14 this is a story about how the Israelites rebelled against God and the leadership God place over them(Moses and Aaron). They cried out that they would have been better off as slaves in Egypt, and that God led them out in the wilderness to be miserable. So what did they want to do, overthrow the leaders and get a new one. Then Joshua stood up ripped his clothes off and told them they are crazy, but they still didn't listen. What happened next is amazing God told Moses "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?" WOW. So God did all these miraculous things for them and they still did not trust God and believe He would deliver them. The bad news is there are consequences for our actions. So God then brings down his judgement by not allowing the Israelites who are over the age of 20 to experience the Promised Land.

You might be asking where do I fit in? Well have you ever sat around talking about the people who are leading people in the correct path, but not doing the way you have always done it. This may be someone on TV, down the street, at work, or it may be your pastor. We learn from this passage in Numbers that God calls us to get behind the people He has appointed as leaders. This goes beyond just the church, and includes every aspect of our lives the workplace, the home, or school. God has placed these people in leadership for a reason respect it and treat him the same way away from work or school as you do sitting at the table with them. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not good at this. I sometimes think there is no way an old hymn can still work, but it does every Sunday across the world. I challenge you to be careful when you speak about another church or your church.

See Ya'll Sunday
Mickey