I am really not comfortable with thank you's and what not. I do what I do because it makes me feel good knowing I helped if only a little bit.
Then I was going to go to a district retreat with my wife, and because of financial concerns, we decided not to go. I received a phone call from those in charge, and said, "Roy, your way has been paid for" WOW. Then last night I get a phone call from Monica, and she says, "Roy, God told me to call you and ask you and your wife out for a special evening of a meal and theatre." WOW. God is so good. The "ACTS OF KINDNESS" can change the world. I have been over whelmed. Also last sunday the church here gave Betty and me a dinner out for Pastor's Appreciation Week. WOW, WOW!!
Has God done something for you through someone. Write me and let us know, to the praise of God.
Pastor Roy
Where has all the time gone? I hope that you all are continuing to ask God for opportunities to "befriend, with the love of Christ, those whom God loves and has chosen, no matter what the cost." Jesus tells a story of three men who were given the opportunity to serve. (Luke 10:25-37). While two of them continued in their fears, one made a bold escape. Jesus was asked by a lawyer in the crowd, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus' answer was essentially, "It's very practical. Love God and love your fellow man."
The man, wanting to minimize his level of responsibility asked. "Why is my neighbor?" Jesus replied with the parable of the good Samaritan:
"A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Jesus' answer to the question "Who is my neighbor?" was "Your neighbor is the person right in front of you with a need in his or her life." Not matter what those people look like, even if they happen to be our natural enemies, we are called to show them the love of God.
Jesus tells us that the way we treat others displays the condition of our hearts. In other words, the way we (the church) treat them (the unchurched) serves as a litmus test of our spiritual health.
Frankly, most of my Christian life has resembled the actions and attitudes of the priest and the Levite who walked right past the wounded man. The personal pain of the priest and Levite kept them away from life and focused on their own fears and myths. I'm learning not to allow my pain to keep me paralyzed and sequestered from the world around me which is the object of God's love.
True kingdom vision will always be people-centered. The priest and Levite were inwardly centered, caught up in the rules and activities of their religious system. They were in a hurry because they had programs to run. Their programs appeared altogether worthwhile, even biblical and obedient, but these two men were ultimately corrupt because they didn't see people as being at the center of God's kingdom.
Talk to me about your walk of faith, and what God is showing you these days. I'd love to hear from you.
Roy
How is everything going. I was wondering why you are not sharing your stories, and then it occured to me that I haven't shared mine. I guess the funny thing about this is that it seems like you are blowing your own horn, and maybe that is why we are hesitate to share. But I think we need to encourage one another in this adventure. I have been trying to do extra things around the house and the office, just small deeds of kindness. Like the other day, I did the washing, and the ironing, and putting away of the clothes. This is just a small thing that I could do for my wife who has been ill. I must admit it was good just to do this small thing. I also believe that just the knowing I am a Barnabas has made me a kinder person this past few weeks. I think that sometimes we think that it has to be big, or that we have to really feel like do it. I got this encouraging letter last week from our Children's Church's adopted missionary to Thailand. I asked him if I could share it with you, and he said yes. Here is most of it. If you go to our children's Zone Ministry you can see the Paton family. This is from Wade Paton of St. Albert, Alberta:
Another highlight from this past weekend is that we had the opportunity to make a return visit to an orphanage for girls that we were at a few months ago. There are about 16 girls that range in age from about 9 years old to 15 or 16 years old. Their main caregivers are a Thai couple who have 2 children of their own and they all live on the same property. Bonnie and I really enjoyed the little bit of interaction we had with the girls and their caregivers and we are excited about the possibility of visiting them on a more regular basis. We brought them some candy and yoghurt and spent some time talking to them about various things. We went as family along with our friend Debbie (our language coach) and being there with our kids was so amazing. Watching them play and interact with the girls was a blessing for us.
God used this experience to remind us of some things we had been neglecting. The night before we went out to the orphanage I was sharing some of my frustrations with Bonnie and how I felt so depleted in energy, focus, and desire. As I spoke to her about the physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue I was going through, we prayed together and asked God to restore us and inspire us again. The next day came and, to be honest, the thought of going out to the orphanage for a visit was an exhausting thought for both of us. We even thought about not going or maybe just one of us going. In the end we all loaded in to the van and headed out to the home. We thought we would come back more tired but the opposite was true. Through a small act of service it felt like God blessed us with the energy, focus, and desire we felt we were lacking. Serving others is like fuel for life. When our time, our thoughts and our attention is spent only considering what is going on in our own lives the result is exhaustion. God made us to serve others and that service can be something as simple as taking some candy out to some girls that don't get many sweets. In God's kingdom, it counts! The Lord continues to speak to us about this and we want to stay alert for opportunities to serve others. Pray for us that we would not get distracted from serving. Pray that self-centredness would be pushed back and that the heart of Jesus to serve would grow in us each day.
I Love that Letter. Let's hear from you!
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Wow, I truly have to say that I am overwhelmed with the response to our club. There are 38 and counting, and I praise that Lord for everyone of you. Remember our purpose:
“I am willing to befriend, with the love of Christ,
those whom God loves and has chosen, no matter what the cost.”
As members of the “Barnabas Club” you are encouraged, to do a kind deed, at least once a week, for someone else, for absolutely no personal gain whatsoever. Undertake a “Random Act of Kindness” (RAoK) on a weekly basis... maybe it’s paying for the cup of tea that the person in the line in front of you has just ordered at Tim Horton’s... maybe it’s offering to carry an someones shopping... maybe it’s as simple as holding a door open for someone.
To make it even easier to remember let's make the day that we undertake at least one random act of kindness. That would make it a Good Friday. Do something Good this Friday.
Click on "Comments" under "The Barnabas Club" to leave yours and to read others and scroll to the bottom.