I haven’t written a blog since returning to the states from my evangelistic trip to India back in February. I’ve missed writing it. So I’m going to attempt to write a blog a week as opposed to a blog a day that I was doing while I was gone. It seems like the blog was easier in India because there was always new stories and content to provide for those “back home” who were seeing India through my eyes and experience. But if I were to be honest, there is much content here to write about too; I just get too narrow focused and don’t see the big picture as I was doing while in a different culture and country.
I want to begin this blog by giving an update. I received an email from my new friends in India with some pictures that I want to share. There are two pictures that are very meaningful to me. Before I left India, I gave the local pastor enough money to purchase four goats for Kanatha and a bicycle for Danny to use to get to work and to school. Both of these people are very poor and they would never have been able to obtain these things on their own.
I don’t want this to come across as arrogant or prideful, but this was an important part of my experience and I want to share it with you. I walked in the midst of this village’s poverty and my heart constantly went out to these people as I compared my wealth to their poverty. I knew I couldn’t help everyone in the village, but I could send a message to others of how Jesus loved them and cared about them now, not just future salvation.
When I gave the money to the pastor, I took Kanatha aside with the pastor and talked to her about the gift I was giving. I told her that I couldn’t help everyone but I had chosen to help her. With the gift came responsibility I told her: “to whom much is given, much is expected and now she had an obligation to help others in her village as she had been helped.” I asked her to serve her Lord (Kanatha, if you remember, had been one of the first I baptized) and her village by sharing Jesus with her neighbors and the pray for the village.
I hoped she understood the lesson, I had a hard time reading her facial expression and I asked the pastor if something was wrong. She was lamenting the fact that her husband had died before this time and she wanted to share this with him. She was happy, but many emotions ran through her head.
How big is your God? This was the title of a sermon I preached two weeks ago at Walk of Faith. I had seen and experienced a VERY BIG God while I was in India; a God much bigger than most of Christianity seems to believe in. This big God that I got a picture of is bigger than the toothless, elderly grandfather who spoils his grandchildren and shows no discipline. The big God I experienced deserves more honor and obedience than the God most of Christianity portrays. The God in a box is what most Christians have defined and feel they can control. A God that many Christians feel little need to truly serve with all their heart, mind, and bodies.
I fear that as Christians, we have lost sight of the bigness of God as demonstrated by our spiritless and powerless lives. A small God that Christians have defined and give lip service to but hasn’t caused real life changing service in their lives. This God no longer speaks to them or has authority over them, but they go on living and defining their lives as the pagans do. NO, worse, they live a life that is less devoted than a pagan. In fact, I would submit, pagans who know less than what many Christians claim are less guilty than the ones who claim Jesus as LORD and Savior!
How big is your God and how is it shown in your life of devotion and service?
Until next week, may your God be bigger and bigger as you grow to love Him and serve Him.
Pastor Kevin
I want to begin this blog by giving an update. I received an email from my new friends in India with some pictures that I want to share. There are two pictures that are very meaningful to me. Before I left India, I gave the local pastor enough money to purchase four goats for Kanatha and a bicycle for Danny to use to get to work and to school. Both of these people are very poor and they would never have been able to obtain these things on their own.
I don’t want this to come across as arrogant or prideful, but this was an important part of my experience and I want to share it with you. I walked in the midst of this village’s poverty and my heart constantly went out to these people as I compared my wealth to their poverty. I knew I couldn’t help everyone in the village, but I could send a message to others of how Jesus loved them and cared about them now, not just future salvation.
When I gave the money to the pastor, I took Kanatha aside with the pastor and talked to her about the gift I was giving. I told her that I couldn’t help everyone but I had chosen to help her. With the gift came responsibility I told her: “to whom much is given, much is expected and now she had an obligation to help others in her village as she had been helped.” I asked her to serve her Lord (Kanatha, if you remember, had been one of the first I baptized) and her village by sharing Jesus with her neighbors and the pray for the village.
I hoped she understood the lesson, I had a hard time reading her facial expression and I asked the pastor if something was wrong. She was lamenting the fact that her husband had died before this time and she wanted to share this with him. She was happy, but many emotions ran through her head.
How big is your God? This was the title of a sermon I preached two weeks ago at Walk of Faith. I had seen and experienced a VERY BIG God while I was in India; a God much bigger than most of Christianity seems to believe in. This big God that I got a picture of is bigger than the toothless, elderly grandfather who spoils his grandchildren and shows no discipline. The big God I experienced deserves more honor and obedience than the God most of Christianity portrays. The God in a box is what most Christians have defined and feel they can control. A God that many Christians feel little need to truly serve with all their heart, mind, and bodies.
I fear that as Christians, we have lost sight of the bigness of God as demonstrated by our spiritless and powerless lives. A small God that Christians have defined and give lip service to but hasn’t caused real life changing service in their lives. This God no longer speaks to them or has authority over them, but they go on living and defining their lives as the pagans do. NO, worse, they live a life that is less devoted than a pagan. In fact, I would submit, pagans who know less than what many Christians claim are less guilty than the ones who claim Jesus as LORD and Savior!
How big is your God and how is it shown in your life of devotion and service?
Until next week, may your God be bigger and bigger as you grow to love Him and serve Him.
Pastor Kevin
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