"Prepare your shields both large and small, and march out for battle!"
Good Salvation Wednesday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Yes, the day we pray for those who are lost and work HARD to get them to the feet of Jesus to be saved. Other prayer requests today for Vicki, Vicki has a full plate, and really needs the help of God. Please keep praying for Beverly and others who have drinking problems. Prayers for an Aunt Joan and her family, Joan is now in hospice care. And please keep praying for Mayor Linda Thompson, as she fasts and prays for the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. When a Mayor of a town lays her job on the line for Jesus SHE NEEDS OUR SUPPORT. I was born and raised in Harrisburg, coming out of John Harris High School back in 1959.
Back in those days you did not need to lock the door, and if you did, the key could be found in the milk box. For you younger folks, a milk box was something that was on the porch so that when the milk man came he would either put your milk in it, or use the key to come into your house and put the milk in your fridge. Ok, so much for that trip down memory lane. Let me get back to the days of paved streets and start my brain up for God...
Onward Christian Soldiers 2: Jeremiah 46:3 - "Prepare your shields both large and small, and march out for battle! 4 Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor! 5 What do I see? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee in haste without looking back, and there is terror on every side." declares the Lord. (NIV = New International Version of the Bible)
Some people may laugh when I talk about getting ready to fight for our Lord Jesus and talk about the full armor of God and next week I will try and remember and go over each of the pieces of armor. We should be sitting on the side of the bed each morning and as we pray, go through the motions in our minds and hearts about putting on the armor of God. Surely in the course of each day you will run across at least one person who will put an attack out against our Lord, and you will have the protection you need and the words in your mind and heart to fight back. Folks, I am not talking about packing out two six guns as in the days of the wild west and mounting up on Trigger like Roy Rogers and shooting it out for God each day, but I am talking about having some protection and some weapons to fight this good fight... And again I do want to mention that we will win.
Today I want you to maybe think of something like this. Instead of those six guns of the old wild west, you get some ready material, tracts, not big ones, and please don't lay them on the back of the toilet in the restrooms of places. I mean who wants to pick up something off of a toilet and take it along? If you use the rest room at a place, ask the manager if you may let some of your information about Jesus on the counter, but better yet, just hand out a few as you walk in and out.
Or talk to people and tell them about Jesus. Anyway, load those holsters with some good things, and be sure to keep your Bible with you. In fact, maybe even carry an extra one in your car in case you come upon someone who does not have a Bible. This past year we were blessed to have Bibles to hand out to people coming in for food. After the first supply was about all gone, one of our supporters brought in a big box of brand new Bibles that he purchased at Ollie's and all the first timers at our food bank get a Bible. And you people who shop at Ollie's, if you see some, pick some up for us. Ollie's tells us it is good stuff cheap, and let me tell you when you can purchase new Bibles there it does really mean "Good Stuff" because our Bibles are loaded with "Good Stuff".
Ok, back to arming and getting ready for the fight. Each day we will get attacked in some way, and each day we will, and you must look for it, get a chance to fight back. But you must be armed and ready for the fight. I find that I am in the food store a lot, our local Giant store. Years ago, I don't remember how many, our ministry partner, Pamela, was shopping in that same store and like so many ladies had her purse laying on the child seat of the cart, laying open... Someone went by and in a flash her wallet was lifted and she found out when she went to pay. Now we know the mess of losing all of our cards, drivers licenses and all that we keep in a wallet, including our dollars if we carry any. But wait, I have used her misfortune to witness to folks. I walk the store slow, as I struggle to walk and as I pass those ladies with the open purses laying on the cart, I stop and say, "I could have just slipped your wallet out of your purse and walked away with it." Without telling Pamela's name, I tell them "my singing partner had her wallet lifted in this store." I make suggestions like keeping the purse zipped and over their shoulder or zipped and tied into the cart with the baby seat belt, or even bringing in just their money and/or cards in their pocket and leaving the purse locked in the trunk of their car. They always say thanks, never has anyone turned away for hearing that. Then I hand them our card that has our information on it and about the food bank.
This has also led to praying for people. I shake hands with workers at the food store, I thank them and wish them well and I have prayed for them right on the spot, and even the manager, the top manager who had some health problems... I have prayed with him more than once... And folks, if someone asks you to pray for them, do it on the spot. I know some who have trouble praying like that, but just grab their hand and do it... YOU CAN DO IT. You do not need to pray a sermon, just pray for their needs and thank God and always, always put your prayers to heaven in the name of Jesus. I am sure that more than one person thought I was "nuts" and I am, I am a "nut for Jesus".
Bottom line, my dear, dear brothers and sisters, we need to be ready to fight back, HOWEVER, I don't see a thing wrong with our side, starting the fight, so to speak. People are hurting, you can see it on their faces, you can hear them in line at the store. People are out of work, or in some cases working two or three jobs to pay the bills. (Folks, back in the 50's and 60's it was common to work part time jobs, just to pay the bills.) Anyway, don't be afraid to speak out for Jesus, and please learn in the food store to say excuse me when you walk in front of someone looking up at a shelf, say sorry if you almost hit them with your cart, even if it was their fault. Let them see Jesus in you. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE FOR HIM. Folks, and if you know someone who needs help with food, don't just pray for them, put feet on your prayers and share your blessings with them, and call us, yes CALL US for we stand ready to help them. When we work for God it is not an I thing it is a we thing, it is a team and God heads up the team. Think of the coaching staff we have... God The Father, Jesus His Son, and The Holy Ghost. Put your mind to work when you leave the house, stop before you start your vehicle and say a prayer... Lord, keep us safe, and Lord, open a door for us to witness for You before we get home. And folks, please, putting a bumper sticker on for Jesus is really nice, unless you pop "someone the bird" while driving down the road. I drifted a lot today but God is just keeping me going, and what He is really saying is "You work for Me, and I will help you get it done."
Dear Father in Heaven, I really went long today, please Lord, help us all, teach us where to find those who are not saved and give us the courage to talk to them about You. Open doors that we might bring people to Your feet. Lord, You are such a blessing to all of us, even those who do not believe in You, let us learn to share those blessings... please, Lord, address our prayer requests according to Your will for us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Now go forth and share your blessings and remember about the picnic, July 2nd at Willow Mill Park, off of route 114 in Silver Spring Township Mechanicsburg Pa. Using Map Quest or one of those other map things. Just use our address 16 Dewalt Drive Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050. When those directions tell you to turn left onto Dewalt Drive, look to your right and you will see the park. Do not turn onto Dewalt drive, just hang the next right. Ok, got to run, be blessed and share them, love ya. Pastor Dan.
And here are my phone numbers... Use them if you need me for any reason.
Home 717 691 8200 pocket phone 717 991 0754 Bye Bye
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