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- Written by: Don Goulding
And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
If you invite me to your house for dinner, I’ll be delighted. If you say, “Please, don’t bring your wife, we really don’t like that woman,” I will decline.
My wife is my greatest treasure, and where I go, she goes. We’re a package deal.
The church is the bride of Christ, the apple of his eye. We can’t say we love Jesus, but want nothing to do with his bride. Jesus and his church go together.
People in the church are hypocritical. I should know because I’m one of the hypocrites. We say things that offend, and we judge unfairly. The bride of Christ has warts. But we cannot commune with Jesus Christ and run from his betrothed.
My responsibility is to find a fellowship of believers that needs my spiritual gifts, and bind myself to them in body, mind, and soul. I need to stick it out through good times and bad, even when they offend, or we disagree about noncore doctrine.
I’m not perfect, and neither are church goers or leaders. We need to help each other beautify the bride for the return of the groom. Time is of the essence.
May I invite you to dinner? It’s actually a banquet. It’s the wedding celebration of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). Jesus will be there, as will his bride. I hope you say yes.
Prayer: Holy Groom, use me to prepare your bride.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of Godʼs angels over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:10)
Gaunt buffalos flaunted their holy status by heedlessly blocking rickshaw traffic. Arching palms cordoned flooded rice paddies, and in the center of it all, a purple and red tent fluttered over hundreds of worshipers in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Dani noted that during all our time in India she never saw duplication between saris. On this day, the ladies didn’t hold back on their vermilion, chartreuse, and tangerine. Worship music pulsed with the rattle of metallic shakers and the thromb of a lap drum.
“You, and not the many shrines around you, are the temples of God. Let Jesus cleanse you now, so God can enter his temple.” As I spoke, the Holy Spirit ignited the crowd.
At the invitation, the entire congregation came forward and mouthed prayers of repentance. Tears ran and they pressed up on their toes, closer to God. There is nothing so pure, so attractive as a repentant heart, and here were hundreds.
Repentance cracks a whip that purges my temple of pride. It drives out the rabble of self-rule to leave me cleansed, quiet, and sacred again. It’s into this space that the Spirit of Jesus rushes.
Humility, not great features, and brokenness, not firm skin, are the marks of true beauty. The repentant heart is an irresistible attraction to jubilant angels. The human that admits errors and lays down earthly claims is such a rarity that Yahweh ranges the earth seeking them. When he finds these precious ones, he proclaims a celebration in heaven. And I know he found plenty in India that day.
Prayer: King Jesus, make me beautiful in your sight through repentance.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Godʼs power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
“Stomp ‘em boys. Go win today because of what’s in here, in your heart. Do this for your team and your school. Shoot, do it for the whole town.”
I’m bored with those sports movies where the underdogs make their big comeback. They’re so predictable. At halftime, the coach delivers a pivotal locker room speech, then the players storm the field to victory. But no matter how impassioned the coach is, the pep talk sounds hollow.
“Spill your blood for this sport and this game.”
That’s pretty thin compared to the truly inspiring message in the gospel.
To tell someone God loves you so much he died for you is by far the best possible news to deliver. Christ’s resurrection is a message of ultimate love demonstrated with power. No other faith, empowerment seminar, or locker room rally is even in the same league.
When people are enabled by the Holy Spirit to grasp the truth of the salvation offer, they beg to be told what to do. That’s what happened on the day of Pentecost, and it still happens today, when the gospel is explained.
In my business days, I traveled annually to Washington DC to lobby for our industry. I dreaded it when I was called on to speak to congressmen and their aides. My voice trembled and I could barely get the facts out.
Then I stood on a festival stage in India before seven thousand skeptical Hindus, and I was on fire to tell them about my Lord. What makes the difference is the message. There is soul rending, heart exploding power in the message of the gospel. And the delivery can come from any fumbler such as me.
Prayer: Holy Lord, allow my voice to spread your beautiful message.