Preaching To The Hungry

 My friend Julio and I evangelizing in Washington Heights

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the world. My heart breaks for the brokenness of the world. There are so many people who are hungry for love and acceptance. There are so many people who are hungry for a genuine touch of God. I am not okay just staying with church folk who think they are okay when they're really not. We all need Jesus just as badly as the next person. We all have areas of brokenness we need the Lord to heal and mend. But I am tired of using my resources reminding people why they need God. I want to talk to the people who know they need God.

So, I'm going to pray that God prepares me to preach.

I'm going to go to the New York City subways and be a witness. I know what you're thinking- I'm crazy. But you know? People thought Jesus and the 12 were crazy too. I know there are many who do this out of the wrong intention- Paul wrote about it:

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Philippians 1:15-18

However, I'm not just going to bring The Word. I'm going to bring myself. I'm not just going to talk about Jesus. I'm going to bring Jesus. I'm going to pray for the people I am going to talk to and listen to what the Lord has to say. I'm going to bring food with me. I'm going to share my testimony. I'm going to do my part. I'm going to hug people who need a hug and comfort those who need comfort. I'm taking the church outside.

We have way too many people sitting in our pews waiting for a "ministerial opportunity". Or thinking that ministry in confined to the 4 walls of the church.

No. We are the church.

So, who is with me? Who is willing to take the church outside? Who is willing to feed those who know they are hungry and are just waiting to be fed?  Let's go. Julio and I are going. How about you?

I Am Not Willing To Die Like Jesus

There are many things I love about the Church (The universal body of believers). I am a part of it. 

But there are also many things I don't like. The one thing that is most important to me in terms of the Church is unity. Ever since I gave my life to Christ, I have longed to see a Church united. I have always thought that this one aspect should be the easier to accomplish since we all believe in the same God and have the same Holy Spirit living in the inside of us. 

The problem is that we are also very different. This is because we are supposed to work together and what one person has, the other doesn't and viceversa. 

Lately there has been a lot of complaining in my heart. I complain to the Lord a lot about the Church. But He centers me right back when He reminds me of how much He loves the Church and how He died for her. He reveals to me how unChrist-like I'm being. He prompts me to love in the midst of problems.

But there is more. The things that I love and desire are also in the heart of God. He wants to see us truly working together and loving one another. It didn't occur to me until very recently that if I am to see any of that, I need to start doing my part even when I don't see anyone else doing it.

That means that there is more required of me. And this is truly when it is revealed how unChrist-like I am. 

I am not willing to die.

Why would I die for a Church that doesn't understand me? Because Christ did.

Why would I die for a Church that doesn't want to watch and pray with me? Because Christ did.

Any question that I would ask in terms of dying to myself for the sake of unity in the Church is answered in that Christ already did it. I have no right to complain or to be angry because I am not loving the way that Christ did. 

I have to die.

I have to die to my pride. I have to surrender my right to be right. I have to confess that underneath it all, I just want to be comfortable. But I have to be who He has called me to be.

The truth is that we all like to pray big prayers and ask for big things. We like to say: "Have your way Lord". But truthfully, we don't want Him to have His way. His way is a lot more uncomfortable than we expected it to be. We like to pray for unity but we're not willing to die for unity- at least I am not. 

I don't know about you, but it's very hard for me to sacrifice and love people who hurt me. However, this is when I find out out I don't really want it. If I truly wanted it, I would die. I would sacrifice. 

So here's the choice: When Christ calls you to be more like Him, to die like Him, to sacrifice like Him, will you answer the call? I am learning to do it. There is no other way but to become more like Him. I have already given so much, why not go all the way?

I have to have Him. I have to count it all as garbage; all of my pride and wants. I have to because I love Him, and I made a commitment to Him. He is not just my Savior. He is my Lord. He is also my Father. He is also the Lover of my soul. Outside of Him there is nothing. So, I am answering a higher call to die and sacrifice. Will you?

I'm Ready To Date!!

I'm ready to date... Jesus. He asked me if I wanted to be His Beloved and I said yes. The problem is... I haven't been very faithful. It's hard to let Him take care of me and I have been very resistant. This does not make for a good relationship. I often stand Him up for dates and I seem to be more concerned with what I do for Him than what I do with Him. I want to please Him terribly but I don't give Him enough of what He loves the most: my presence.

So, I'm ready to date Jesus.

In the meantime, I'm going to ask you for a favor, dear reader. Please stop telling me that I need a man. I have the Best Man. Don't give me a sermon about how God created us to be together. Though He certainly did, there were many people in the Bible who did wonderful things with the Lord while they were single. In fact, all the people who were married were not significant because of their marriage but because of the amazing things they did with God.

So.... stop. I want to adventure with God too.

We have many plans together. We are going to rescue many lost people and bring them close to the heart of the Father.  We are going to bring the gospel of reconciliation to many. There will be wisdom, miracles, signs, wonders and.... fun. Yes, you read that right. It is going to be SO fun.

Last year around this time I was falling in love with a man. I thought we were going to be married and could not wait to do amazing things for God with him. But we never really did things for God together. I was just waiting to be married to do those things. But what I learned is that when you are in the right relationship, you start doing the right things even before the wedding. You pray together, for other people, read the Bible, preach the gospel and go on an incredible adventure with God. Don't get me wrong. I did some of that in my past relationship. But it was always strained. I wanted to pray and read the Bible for hours. He preferred to serve other people instead.

But with Jesus, it's not strained. It's easy. I can read the Bible, pray, serve others and do the unimaginable. Jesus never says no. He is always present with me and cares about every single aspect of my life. He is the Best Man.  He is my Beloved. He is mine. I am His. So why not? Why not date Jesus? What I am learning is that He is the standard for every relationship. If my other relationships do not resemble my relationship with Jesus, there is something wrong. Now, those relationships will never be perfect, but there is a selflessness, a love and togetherness that should be there.

I'm going to do amazing things with Jesus. Please don't shame me. You need to understand that this relationship is the most important relationship I'll ever have. Through this relationship I'll learn how a man is actually supposed to treat me, protect me and encourage me. If I ever do end up in a relationship with another man, I'll know a whole lot more truths than I ever did.

Let me answer the most popular question:

Why are you single?

I am single because I have yet to find a man who knows me in a way that only Christ can reveal to him. A man needs to be deep in the love and knowledge of God to be able to see me for who I really am. A man needs to be strong enough to hold the responsibility that is to not just care for me but care for the ministry and call that will be birthed through me. A man needs to be secure enough in His call of God to follow it fearlessly, understand and see how I am a part of it, without undermining what the Lord has given me. I am single because God loves me too much to give me to someone who doesn't understand who I am. I am single because there is too much I am going to do with Jesus regardless of my marital status and He can't afford to have someone hold it all back.

I am single. But I am not alone.

I am ready to date Jesus. I am ready to conquer the world with Him. How about you? Are you doing things with the Lover of your soul regardless of your marital status?

Worn Out Friday

There are so many words brewing on the inside on me. I almost wrote and posted a bomb last week and then it seemed like things piled one after the other. I got too busy. I got too worried. I fought many battles, but I missed this one. I didn't contend for what I wanted to write. And now I'm here, and I can't post the bomb I was going to post last week, because I'm worn out. I need prolonged Jesus time- but of course, that's also an excuse. I can die and drink from Him any minute. And I don't because I got busy, and because I made a habit out of being busy. The Lord stopped my routine dry on Monday and then I got myself back into it Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So now I'm here, trying to get back into the quietness of soul I let myself get out of. Maybe I'll publish something else tomorrow. I need to take a drink from the living waters. Whereas the world would have me convinced I need to get busier, the Lord will always make sure I stop to take a drink.