outside of the box

Matthew 25:40 (nlt) --- "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

I cannot tell you the impact that a change in direction has done to my heart and even to the way I prepare messages. It is exciting, an adventure and even a bit scary. At least it is an area that we are not used to.

But what I want to encourage you to do is to THINK, ACT and LIVE outside of the box for JESUS. That is not easy. But what an awesome place to be and to see God work.

Here are some quotes:

Dallas Willard: "We should not have any regard for the survival of the local church." It's God's church, not ours.

Dave Gibbons: "Maybe Jesus was right: focus on the marginalized"

Mother Theresa: "Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness."

The last quote, from Mother Theresa, started my week and really got my heart to stirring about how I look at people. I stopped to think about something that crossed my path on Sunday. Actually it was a person. A man who is on the edge of being homeless. He crossed the road in front of me as I left the church. What went through my head was different than what I have thought in the past. It really took me by surprise not just because I know the fellow but because my heart's desire is to help him while God's love just totally overtakes him and others.

What does outside of the box look like and taste like? For you it might be far different than where God has me right now. Ask God to open your eyes and mine to how we can really live outside of the box for Him.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 (nlt) --- If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

Proverbs 19:17 (nlt) --- If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!

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