Our works verify our faith.

"God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has he said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?" Numbers 23:19


This week I'm learning a lot about faith. I just joined an "organic" community group at Watermark. It's organic because we put it together ourselves. Whoop for meeting new friends through the summer and coming together to keep each other accountable. We decided to start our group off by reading through the book of Acts. What better way to dig down deep? Anyways we're up to chapter 3, but something in 2 really struck a chord with me.

2:37-- "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart."

To give you some context, Peter is preaching to the people who have gathered together. He spoke of Jesus and the promise He has for the people who believe in the One who sent Him. He spoke of the people who denied Him and crucified Him. Finally, their ears were opened and they were burdened with what they had done. The Bible says they were cut to the heart. Other versions say they were pricked in heart, and even that their hearts were pierced.

What did it take? It took Jesus dying and then Peter, who had denied Jesus in the past, to speak publicly about Christ.

As for me, what will it take? Jesus already died for me. I already know the Truth He came to share. Shouldn't this be the part where my heart is pierced? Shouldn't I be repenting right now? Instead, I continually crucify Christ when I don't believe that He can take care of me. Or how about when I cling to what little money I do have and give the excuse of I need it to pay bills. So what, maybe I do. Oh ye of little faith. Have I forgotten that God blesses those that lend to the poor? I need to stop hiding behind the excuse that I am the poor. Look at what the Bible says next:

2:45--"And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need."

That's it. They figured it out. They have faith in God and their actions reflect that faith. They need nothing else.

This morning at church, I heard something that resonated with me. Listen here, if you wait until your schedule clears to help others or until you have enough money to give some away, you'll always be waiting. God WILL provide.

Trust Him and show your faith.

There will be chills.

so this past week it's been all banquet all the time. Getting to work at 9am and staying past 11. Why?

All for the Glory of God.

This banquet is not about me. It's not about staff or the things we have done to put it together. It's about God and the love He has for His children. It's about taking care of them. It's about being God's hands when my boys need a hand to hold. It's about being His feet when they need a friend to race them. It's about being His arms to carry the sacks of food He freely gives.

The stories that will be told at this banquet are going to be mind blowing. Greer likes to keep things a surprise, but from what I do know, I'll tell you this: There will be chills.

And so in anticipation of Saturday night I'll leave you with a short story of my boys. It's just a sweet story of their love for me. As we're in the communities, sometimes we have to jump big rocks and over holes and through some bushes. Now, if you're Zambian this is no big deal. They fly over the holes with the all the ease in the world. But if you're American.. sometimes it's not so easy. It takes a running start to jump rocks. It takes extra effort to climb them. And it takes a few more hands to find the path through the bushes. Praise Jesus I have boys who love me to death because I think every time we came up to a hole all of them stopped to help me over it. I think all of them were willing to push me up hills. Every single one of them helped me balance when walking on narrow paths.

As much as I try to take care of them, they are doing the exact same thing for me. Oh my heart. It breaks to not be with them, but I know that the reunion will be even sweeter than before!