Ask a farmer to tell you about harvest time. You need workers. It's an enormous amount of work and a short amount of time. Jesus says our mission is like a great harvest, only there's nearly nobody who wants to work. Pray for more workers. Then let's get to work.
How does an ordinary church like ours even start to impact the world for Christ? Start at home. Start on your knees.
The shortest verse in the Bible is "Jesus wept." Beside the grave of his friend, Jesus weeps because he's human. He weeps because he's God. And of all the sad and broken hearts, it turns out God's own heart is the biggest most broken of all.
The whole nighttime excursion was Jesus' idea, and when the storm comes, the disciples find him asleep in the boat. "Jesus , don't you care?" they shout. He sleeps, not because he is unconcerned but because he's unafraid. You don't have to be afraid either.
A miracle is when God intervenes, radically inserting his own will and power. Miracles bring change, and while lots of folks say they want a miracle, they don't necessarily want to change. Maybe that's why we don't see more miracles.
The disciples face a hungry crowd and Jesus says, Feed them." It's an impossible situation. It'd take a miracle. And that's when miracles happen. It starts when you show up in frustration and ends when Jesus shows up in power.
The world needs a miracle. This country needs a miracle. I need a miracle, and so do you. Is Jesus still in the miracle working business? You better believe it!
Close your eyes. Picture heaven. If what you see is winged babies with harps on fluffy clouds, come back to the Bible. Our final home won't be off in the clouds. Heaven comes down to a renewed earth. God makes his eternal home with us.
You've heard of the great battle of Armageddon, but have you actually read what the Bible says about it? The armies of the world come together. But there's no war. They're fighting CHRIST. He flattens them with a single word from his mouth. And it's over.