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beyond expectations // Monday E-Devotion

2 Corinthians 8:5 (nlt) --- They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

I really like that verse, and I get excited when people do that. Our folks at The Community Fellowship shined big time this weekend in many ways for me. They are an awesome group of people who love Jesus and work great together....kind of like God put us together (duh).

What I don't get is when people don't meet your expectations. You have to ask some questions. Did they know what I expected? Were my expectations too much, too little, off base or just wrong? I believe that people will do what you ask them to do when they know what are asking. Especially when it comes to the church, we need to give our best every way we can. Even bigger, when it comes to telling people about Jesus, we need to go beyond the norm to get His name out.

Easter is over. The Anna Nicole Smith situation has died down. Virginia Tech and the world is moving on. So, what's next? Better question, what is going to be plastered all over the news and make the headlines next? Why not get Jesus' name out there?

That's our calling. That's what we are to be about. I learned a long time ago that you have to have right thinking when it comes to doing church. Our philosophy for reaching people (and this is not original) is this ... do everything you can to get the attention of people and while you have their attention, tell them about Jesus.

We have people's attention. They are asking questions. There are people looking for God, but they are not coming to church. So, what are we going to do? We're going to talk about, walk like and give out Jesus. Will you join me?

I am not a fan of just getting by or of just matching what someone else is doing. It is time, Christians and church, to go beyond expectations others set and do our best for God. Be creative. Give more. Pray harder. Talk it up.

Why? People need what we got. Lets give HIM away every chance we get. Shhhhhh, don't tell the normal, everyday church 'cause they might get with it. It is time to move and go beyond expectations.

1 Corinthians 9:19 (MSG) --- Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

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