Sunday Words of Encouragement December 5, 2021

We arrived home safely late Saturday afternoon, but hubby is fighting a bit of a cold now. He had two bad nights of sleep and won’t sleep in the car while I am driving. (I haven’t had a ticket since 1978 and have never caused an accident, but I don’t drive just as he would like so he is a side passenger driver.) We attended our church services online this morning. (Illinois and local church for him and local for me.)

Our church hosted a husband and wife team ministry to homeless in New Orleans. Their ministry is in an old bar on Bourbon Street. They are meeting a physical need and, more importantly, a spiritual need. They are sharing the testimony of Jesus of reconciliation, redemption, and revival. There are those seeking, needing to hear the mercy of God, and the love and gift of Jesus. The ministers are discipling them into the family of Christ as sons and daughters; explaining that people are grafted into the family of Christ by faith.

We are ambassadors of Christ. Ephesians 6:19-20. We must be ready and responsive to the voice of the Holy Spirit to reach those who are lost, the unchurched and dechurched. An ambassador takes residence in another land and shares the message of their nation to other nations. We share the message of the Kingdom, the message of reconciliation to God! Ministry often happens when we are on the way to somewhere else, like Jesus being tired but stopping to share with a Samaritan woman. John 4:5-10.

Ambassadors have a unique position. The enemy has no authority over Christ’s ambassadors. They are under the laws of God, not under the cover of darkness. When we resist the enemy, he will not just leave us alone, but he will flee. The enemy trembles and runs from those who know who they are as sons and daughters of God. Be fearless and empowered to take the message to the people. Be sensitive to the Spirit to speak when He urges you to reach the one that God is reaching out to. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:4-6.

We sang this song in worship this morning and it fits the message: Reckless Love.

Verses for today:
Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Lord, I pray that you make me a better ambassador, particularly more sensitive to speak when the Holy Spirit urges me.