Here I stand, Lord.

It's been an intense 2 months. A lot of transitions. A lot of pruning. A lot of growing.

When Paul and I decided to to step down at Wrecked and become more involved at Church in Action, we didn't know that the Lord would need us to dive in so quickly. But what I have been hearing consistently lately is "the harvest is great, but the laborers are few." God needs us to get serious and not waste a moment of time.

I could move whenever a door opens, but that would not be wise at all. So I have been waiting on the Lord and trusting that He will position me exactly where He needs me. There can be no room for comparison or questioning God's timing or ways. Who am I to question the Creator the Universe? I can read Job to see the rebuke he got from God when he did. No, I must stand firm and boldly say, "Here I am, Lord. I will go, Lord. Lead me and I will follow."

 

I am starting to understand the body of Christ more and more each day. As Jesus reveals more to me about His body and His bride, I begin to see my purpose more clearly as a member of it. I may not confidently know if I am a hand or a mouth, but I do know I am called to love and make disciples wherever I am, even if it doesn't look like I can in a medical office answering phone calls and verifying insurance benefits. He has me EXACTLY where He needs me. I don't need to know why. He's God (I am not), and He says so, that's why! Until He tells me to go, I must stay put and "work at it with all of my heart for the Lord" (Colossians 3:23). If God wanted me to move or to constantly travel from country to country, then He would tell me this and make a way for that to happen. I would know without a shadow of a doubt that I have been chosen to proclaim Christ to the nations as a traveling missionary. But He has not told me to. I have recently realized that my husband and I have been called to be a a part of the wallet for the body and this season is focusing on it now more than ever as we get closer to being out of debt. Praise God! We have jobs in the secular world to help propagate the gospel and send missionaries to places outside of St. Louis.

 

Although it doesn't seem as exciting, I know that I am doing MY PART to help fulfill the mission of advancing the Kingdom of God. I cannot wait for the day when I get to write checks to missionaries to take care of their financial pressures. I get even more excited when I think about meeting others' needs by feeding them, clothing them, and helping them get out of debt (my heart is for the student who has bought the lie that you HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT TO STUDY SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT EVEN FIND A JOB DOING WHAT YOU STUDIED and is strapped with thousands of dollars of debt before they are even 25). How can we advance the Kingdom if we are all in horrible debt? This is an epidemic in America and we are so blinded! This will be a part of our ministry, I know it.

 

Another part of our ministry that God has been revealing to us has to do with justice. I know that when you take a stand for something that is wrong, there will be 10 other people who want to tell you to shut up and sit down. Now when you bring God's name into it, sadly, there will be thousands more people who do not want you to speak up at all and will attack you. This is because the devil wants to silent us and take our authority by deceiving us into thinking we have none. He doesn't like it when light is shed upon the dark things he has worked so hard to create in our world. But we must shine bright!

 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

 

I will shine bright for you God!

 

3 more days until JUSTICE PRAYER GATHERING and I can't wait to gather with a group of radical Christ followers to pray for our city, nation, and world. And as we speak, people are attacking it and me. But we must stand firm and be BOLD. In the end, it will all be worth it!!!

 

Peace&Love.

Emily

Unity and Love.

The Lord really has been hitting me over the head with one topic that He has had me studying for the last few months. LOVE. Every sermon I hear (most times unexpectedly) and every scripture passage that I feel led to read has had something to do with love. Walking in love. Enduring difficult situations and transitions and remaining in love. The definition of love. I can't seem to study anything else. And I really don't want to.

I can't tell you how many times I have read 1 Corinthians 13, "The Love Chapter." And every time I read it, I see love and God, who is Love, in a deeper way. Last night I received a greater revelation to this love walk that we Christians must endure.

"[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, ENDURES all things..." 1 Corinthians 13:7 NKJV

So if we are truly walking in love, we ENDURE through it. What if relationships begin to fall apart? What if people are spreading lies about you? What if the ones you care about disappoint you? What if those you care about hurt you? It doesn't matter. Love endures. Love stands firm through it all.

And guess what? We must love ALL PEOPLE. No matter wh

at!

"But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them." Luke 7:32 NKJV

What if fellow believers are not living a righteous life? Is it our job to point out their flaws? NO!

"[Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV

So here is my ultimate question...why are we keeping a record of wrongs against The Church? I am so tired of hearing sermons and remarks about how screwed up The Church is from other believers. The Church is Christ's bride. He loves her unconditionally. He loves Her so much He died for Her and for others who He wants so badly to believe on Him and become a part of Her. If I was caught up in sin, my husband would be concerned, but would never stop loving me. And if he heard another bad-mouthing me, it would hurt his heart to hear it, but He would stand up for me. I can only imagine how Jesus feels about us bad-mouthing The Church, His bride and His body.

"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." 1 Corinithians 12:26-27 NKJV

"For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones." Ephesians 5:29-30 NKJV

When we speak ill of the body of Christ, we are speaking ill of Christ. He is the head and we are the body. He is a part of us and we are a part of Him. If we are members of the Church then why do we constantly point fingers and poke holes in the Church's behavior? I am not saying that there aren't flaws, I just choose to cover them in love and build up and not tear down because the Bible says to.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 NIV

Last night at CIA, Pastor Rochelle brought a powerful message about the Lord's Supper and Pastor Darnell highlighted something that I never thought of before regarding this

verse:

"Take eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 1 Corinthians 11:24b

We can take the words "remembrance" or "to remember" and break it a part into RE-MEMBER=to put something back together. To re-assemble. Pastor Rochelle and Darnell made it a point to let us know that every time we partake in the Lord's Supper, each member of the body of Christ is coming together in unity to form the body of Christ. We are "re-membering"

ourselves. In unity. In love.

I am reminded of this:

"I see your Church, all rising up in power

Laying down their lives in unity and love

I hear the sound of every tribe and nation

Giving glory to Jesus Christ the Son.."

(lyrics from the song "Do It Lord")

Are we going to lay down our lives for one another (there is no greater love) or are we going to point fingers just as the Accuser wants us to as he dismembers us? We know together we are stronger! Are we going to choose to build up or tear down? Let us re-member and remember what the Lord did for us as He laid down His life for us so that we may have everlasting life forever with Him in heaven together.

Be blessed.

Peace&Love.

Emily