God Afternoon Family,
There is something weighing on the heart of God that is beginning to weigh on mine.
God is looking for Ark builders.
The end of this world as we know it is coming. Two thousand years ago the apostles declared that Jesus was coming soon. Two thousand years later we stand at the brink of that Great Day.
In preparation for that coming the church has been commissioned to win as many souls to Christ as we can. Very few are doing that, but for those who are I believe there is an aspect of soul winning that can be overlooked, or at least not given priority in the mind of the soul winner.
Generally in winning souls, great mercy and kindness is shown to the lost. The message, preached truthfully and without compromise, is ornamented with patience and a great show of love. For the one that is drawn by the Father and receives Christ as Lord, this "love" is sweet refuge from the rejection and harshness of the world.
All too soon however, once it is relatively assured that the new convert really is saved and locked in to the local church, seasoned men and women seem to breath a sigh of relief as they remove their spiritual masks. Almost in unison it's as if they say,
"Okay, now we can be ourselves."
Patience now begins to wear thin, compassion and concern is rarely evident, the fruit of the spirit has gone sour, and instead of being our brother's keeper the scripture of the day is, "work out your own salvation...". At the end of the day, the body lays down it's head down in peace because we've done our job and the poor heathen is saved.
People are not that stupid. As a sales woman I do my utmost to give sincere compliments and to be kind to my clients because they are people, not because I want their money. I do this because I hate being "sold". I know when people are being nice to me because they have an agenda.
People know when they are just another notch on the evangelistic belt.
There is a difference between loving people and loving bringing people to Christ. One continues to cultivate the relationship while the other dumps the heathen at the feet of Christ and walks off. Jesus is looking for those who will cultivate the relationship.
God had Noah build the Ark to preserve life until the danger passed. God expects us to do the same. Instead of wooden boats, arks are now the hearts of men where people can remain safe until Jesus comes for His church.
When we do not develop hearts filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control what comes out of us is everything prideful and wicked. Instead of patiently helping one another just stay saved we have become a source of stumbling.
When our brother backslides, offended, it is not simply because they had no relationship with God it's because they also had no relationship with the body. If a finger is dismembered the tissue in that finger will die because it it cut off from the nourishment that comes through the blood flow of the body. If a brother has not connected intimately within the body he will eventually die because he is cut off from the nourishment of Christ that flows through the church. Before one develops intimacy with God he connects with the one made in the image of God.
I understand all to well that there are those who will not connect no matter how well they are loved by their brethren. But when the body refuses to grow in the fruit of the Spirit we in effect
cut off our brother from the love and mercy of God. Then his blood is on our hands.
We build arks for souls. Therefore we do not just show love to the new convert, but our spouses, children, leaders, pastors, and peers. Everyone in the church is a soul in need of keeping
We build arks when we choose to be the peace maker, when we give, and when we labor in God's house instead of leaving the work to others. We build arks through sincere gestures of kindness to one another, forgiving one another (quickly), and looking out for the troubles of our brother as well as our own. We build arks when we prefer one another before ourselves.
We build arks not out of duty but a sincere desire to see everyone make it to the right hand of God.
We build arks because hell is real and we are our brother's keeper.
When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family..." Gen 7:1
Stay in prayer and in the Word!
Love in our Lord,
Lauren
