i have been prayerfully thinking about a few things.
i apologize in advance for its length
a few posts 'prompted' me to share my thoughts with who ever reads it
one post talked about 'evangelism' and how they criticized evangelists as using 'music' (i think hip-hop) as a worldly method to reach 'the unsaved' (i understand people have reservations about these things, or feel they have a right to criticize those evangelists, but then again those feelings probably come from within and we all know what comes from within or the heart)
(this is my own opinion)i cant stand when people say, oh, their hearts in the right place because it clearly goes against what Christ taught. i have seen the pastor i grew up with push away many disciples, many new believers, he pushed away so many people from his congregation and damaged the image of Christ because his 'heart was in the right place'.
i want to acknowledge the christian hip-hop that might have been used. christian hip-hop is an entirely different realm in itself, it has people like Lecrae, Trip Lee, Shai Linne, Hazakim, timothy brindle, Stephen the Levite, there are so many brothers that are able to reach places that others are not able too. paul teaches,
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. o the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it
if your so worried about it, watch them on youtube,
this is a link for a sermon paul washer did for the rappers mentioned
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfdpFdZq7nA
in the end, i hope that whoever criticized these guys are evangelizing and reaching the lost too, because a person cant really criticize someone if there not doing it themselves.
which is the next thought i want to share
someone wrote as though they had the authority, or thus saith the lord, that revival wont happen because we don't pray hard enough or as fervent as our persecuted breathen over seas. (and just so who ever reads this, these are things i would say to a persons face, i am not hiding behind my screen.)
i want to share a story before i go on i met up with a brother from bible college for coffee one time, at college we prayed for revival many times together, listened to the same sermons, which were from this website. he was involved in a church plant in the city here and most of the people he reached out to looked like me, an indian, the head dress wearing kind. we caught up, talked about how things were going, but all he could talk about was how he wanted to be overseas, specifically turkey to be spreading the gospel, i thought to myself, i remember thinking and wanting to be like that, then i asked him, brother, do you find yourself in repentance, he looked at me like i was crazy, and said well ya. i asked him, are you in continual repentance? he looked at me like a face of disbelief and said well ya. i said good; because if your not repenting or continually repenting then you wouldn't be repenting. then i said, the same principle can be applied to the lost. if your not out reaching the lost now, you wont be later. i said there a numerous amounts of people here not needing to be told about Jesus because all these street people continually hear about Jesus and His work, they need a new demonstration of Christianity, not a new definition (ravenhill quote) then lastly, i asked him, are you feeding his sheep? he responded when i get to turkey i will. i sat there thinking, how could someone think like that, i didnt respond, we prayed and went our seperate ways.
i couldnt believe him, because he felt this burden across the seas he neglected the sheep around him. he was doing all the proper things, but he neglected the 2nd commandment Christ gave us,
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, "‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
interesting how Jesus said, the second commandment is like the first
there's nothing wrong with having burdens or carrying them but when we write posts with some kind of authority i think we become contrary to one of Christs most intimate teachings,
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
i know for myself, id rather have His yoke and burden, and i couldn't imagine trying to project my burdens on my brethren
this is a quote from a christian rapper that sparked these thoughts and i end with it.
Most segregated time of day is Sunday service
Now what you think that say about the God you worship?
