One Sunday morning, a large group of men were hanging out in the lobby of our church. They were sharing their hunting stories from the fall season. A woman passing by complained that if a visitor came in and heard them talking, “they might not agree with all that hunting stuff and not come back.”
My first gut response was to talk to the men in my group, but deep inside I knew that hunting is just a part of who we are.
When Jesus called people like Matthew, the tax collector, He didn’t ask them to change who they were to follow Him (Matt. 9:9-13). He simply said, “Follow me and be my disciple” (v.9, NLT).
I can work so hard to be someone I am not just to please others, and I can forget that God made me exactly who I am. I might not be the same guy that I was before I said yes to Jesus in my late 20s, but He has written a story, experience, interests and passions into who I am today.
My community of faith is going to look different than someone else’s, and I am OK with that.
This Week’s Prayer Focus [5 in 5]
Personal Prayer
1. Ask God to break your heart for your community. Contend in prayer for those who are far from Jesus.
2. Ask God to continue to highlight those in your community who you are called to connect with or serve in outreach.
3. Pray that your heart, and the hearts of your congregation, would break for your city, and that you would reach the lost.
Foursquare Focus
4. Continue to pray for those who experienced devastating loss in the fires in California, and ask that Jesus will connect with them through this tragedy.
5. Pray that our movement will always follow in the footsteps of Jesus, allowing Him to guide our lives and lead in a way that is inspired by who He is, who He wants us to be and who He wants us to serve.
Share your thoughts. See comments below, and add your own.
Love you Pastor Jacob. Great article. You are the man!
Hahaha Spelled my own name wrong!
Thank you Jacob for inspiring us through your devotion to be accepting of others the way God is accepting of us. Many times we forget that we do not walk in the desires of others but in the desire of God trusting that He is the great Potter and a loving Shepherd.