Mine is terrible and it is frustrating. I am a guy who wants to be hard wired into the internet and wifi is something you use when you just have to, but it is not the optimum choice in getting a good signal. Are you a Christian who just gets your signal for living your life off the backup, or are you hard wired to the source to get a good strong signal? Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” So, the latest, greatest way of making our lives easier may not be the best way to do things? Just like how we rely on wifi and it lets us down just when we need it. There is a point in our life when we have to say, “I am just too dependent on these things that make my life work and if they fail, I too will fail. What are you depending on and is it reliable. Internet companies spout out figures about how reliable their internet is and how strong their wifi signal is and then we begin to rely on it just to be let down again and again.
The knowledge, not wisdom, of the world is constantly feeding us one thing after the other and calling it truth. Sadly, we as the church have bought in to the compromised way of doing church and we have relied so heavily on it to be disappointed again and again. What am I talking about? We have been taught “by experts” that the way to reach our world is through social media and through trusting these resources that are everything but God-centered. It makes us feel current and up-to-date, but is it really? Facebook has become our door to door visitation and outreach ministry, the complete lack of sitting down and talking with someone face to face has been widely accepted as reliable. But is it? The social network that has always worked has been the disciples of Jesus sharing their faith one on one with people wherever they go. Here is how the disciples did it “in the day.” Luke 10:Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. You may say, “Well they didn’t have internet or face book or twitter or Instagram.” You are right and Jesus didn’t just “say the word”, even though He could have and share it on the wall of each of those homes. He “sent out” His disciples and they became a part of the ministry process and changed lives were the result. One on one interaction was at a premium and the testimony from the person who was changed, complete with facial expressions and heartfelt words had their effect and lives were impacted for the kingdom. In other words, Jesus didn’t just “phone it in.”
If there is a slippery slope here we are riding on it as we minimize the interaction between two souls discussing eternity. We have slipped so much now that it is all we can do to get anyone to go out and visit one person per week. Our signal has gotten weak and the things we have relied on to make our lives easier has actually led to the defeat of ministry through our lives. That may seem a little deep for you, but if you look a little deeper about the whole thing you will begin to see it is true. We have relied on weak, apathetic teachings far too long and we are reaping the result of depending on it. Just when we think it is going to help us our signal gets weak and we are shut down.
Time to go “old school” which is really the “best school” and quit avoiding talking face to face with those in the harvest field. The field is totally ready for harvesting, but the laborers are few. I pray God will send out a group who are ready to do some harvesting, not through social media, but through face to face interaction and quit depending on a ministry example that is failing right and left. Time to be a part of the “sent out” and take it to the streets. If you have been following the way that seems right, but it isn’t working, just a little common sense will spur you on to get back to the hard wired way of reaching people. One on one…face to face….one soul to another. The way of Jesus. If your signal is weak, it is time to get to the source and you will receive all the information you need. I was going to put a clip art at the beginning of this blog, but my internet would not work.
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren
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