| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Steadfast and immovable” Our Bible verse for today: “Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.” 1 Peter 3:12 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Let your conduct speak for itself” I’m sure you’ve been following the horrific events taking place in Ukraine. Russia has not only invaded the country, but they’re using a scorched-earth approach and literally wiping out entire cities and towns. It’s awful – downright evil. The Ukrainians certainly need our prayers. But they also need our help. Not just with weapons so they can defend themselves, but also with massive amounts of humanitarian relief supplies, and relief workers. I have two friends who have been serving inside Ukraine with the Samaritan’s Purse medical disaster relief team. I know another young missionary pastor in northern Romania who has been making continuous runs into the refugee camps on both sides of the border to deliver relief supplies. I have several other friends who are, as I write this, in the air somewhere over Europe on their way to spend ten days with that young missionary pastor to serve the Ukrainian refugees with him. I have another friend who is currently leading a medical mission to a remote region in Liberia; and another who just came back from a medical mission to Mexico; and another who is forming a medical team to go to Ukraine later this month. Yesterday two members of our church made a twelve-hour round trip in a U-Haul truck to deliver food and clothes to our ministry partners in a little church in a little town in the coal-mining region of eastern Kentucky. And we, as a church, also have a full calendar of mission activities and humanitarian relief efforts planned for now through the end of the summer in a variety of locations. What do all of those efforts have in common, and what do they have to do with our theme for this month about being steadfast and immovable? What they have in common is what Peter was writing about in 1 Peter 3:12 (above), that as followers of Christ we need to let our good works among the unbelievers of the world speak for us. The unbelieving world should look upon the activities of Christians and marvel at our willingness to serve and sacrifice in order to bless suffering people in the name of Jesus. And what it has to do with our theme is simply that the best way to boldly advocate for the cause of Christ in the world today is to let the world actually experience the love and compassion of Christ through us. And to do it, even in the worst of circumstances. Perhaps you can’t go to Ukraine, or Liberia, or the Amazon Jungle, or even northern Kentucky, but maybe you can go to the rescue mission in your town, or to your neighbor next door. As the followers of Christ in a broken, bleeding, and confused world that is bordering on chaos, we need to be the rocks in the middle of it all – steady, grounded, undistracted, reliable, steadfast and immovable. I encourage you to make sure your conduct speaks for itself. Let them see Jesus in you. God bless, Pastor Jim |
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