Noah; preacher without a hearer

God told Noah to build an ark. You see there was a storm coming and no one else in the world had any idea. Only Noah, why? because Noah was the only one with an intimate relationship with God. Noah spoke to God and heard from God. So what about every body else? The Bible tells us that every thought and intent of the people on the Earth was of evil continually. These folks weren't listening to the voice of God. So Noah began to build the boat, he worked on it with his sons for 100 years but he also did something else during that time. The Bible in II Peter 2:5 says that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Who was he preaching to? Certainly not the animals!! Noah was preaching to all those that were watching him build the ark, all those who kept going on with there lives not wanting to here about a good God that wanted to bless and save them, all those who didn't want to here about the coming storm. II Peter 3:9 says that God is willing that none should perish, but that all should come to that place of repentance when we turn from the things of this world and from wanting to do everything our way and we turn to God and His plan.
If there is a storm coming (and there may be) we want to be the ones that are close enough to God that we here when He begins to tell of the way to go through the storm and the preparations that may have to be made. Hear God and preach what He tells you. Noah preached at least 100 years without a single convert but he stayed true and faithful to his calling we, like Noah, are among those doing the same. Keep up the good works.

Perfection?

After spending some time thinking about Sunday's message which spoke of stewardship of the "times" but a message in which I shared a dream that I had three or four times on Saturday night. A dream concerning myself working on a tile floor and as I prepared to set the tile I realised that no one had told me what size or shape the tiles were so I could not lay the grid pattern out ahead of time as all tile layers like to do. Then when the tile did finally arrive it was a pallet of broken shattered pieces. My first reaction was "what am I supposed to do with these?" then, just as quick, I knew exactly what to do and I began to take all the broken tiles and build them into a beautiful mosaic. The interpretation seemed clear enough; first; when we come to God it is our brokenness that He can work with best. That brokenness is the place where we know we need Him and without Him we can do nothing (nothing of lasting value anyway) it is in this state that He the master potter and planner can begin to fit us in to the beautiful mosaic of the Kingdom where we then begin to find our wholeness. Second; as a pastor we can sometimes think that if the Lord would just send us a whole pallet of nice square or rectangle tiles than we could really plan ahead because after all then we would know just what the finished product would look like. This however is not the case nor is it God's plan He has purposed that we should be in the position with tolls in hand ready to set the tiles (of course all tile work is done on your knees) and as he sends in the ones that He desires to be a part we imitate the Father and place them into His mosaic and plan. If you are one that is waiting to become a nice neat square tile before you turn yourself over to God or if you think He is waiting for you to become that then your wait is over!!!! I have good news for you... You will never make it on your own!!! How is that good news?? If you were trying to push a truck up a hill because it had to get there how relieved would you be if a team of twenty others showed up and said"we have been sent to help you get this truck up the hill" wouldn't you be relieved? wouldn't that be good news?? Well you don't have to worry about being perfect to come to God, the place He has for you in the plan is an opening shaped like you the way you really are, the more you try to make yourself something your not the longer it will be till you get placed in you spot in the mosaic. So come on put yourself in the hand of the master planner let Him place you in that spot so that you can be part of making the Kingdom beautiful, besides there is a vacant spot where you belong and the rest of us miss you.

Try to remember this thought: Perfection is an attitude of the heart, not a product of performance.

PG