One of the greatest blessings and helps to me as a young Christian was the fellowship I enjoyed with other Christians. Not a week went by without us being in someone’s home or someone being in ours. Every Sunday after the morning service and sometimes after the evening service we ate at someone’s house or had them over to our house– no one ate out on Sunday back then. As I’ve often said so many times, you couldn’t backslide if you wanted to because someone would be knocking on your door. They wouldn’t let you drop out without making every effort to get you back. Church back then was like family. Sure we had our differences, but we learned to work through them. But times have changed.

Today, for whatever reason, church members seldom ever see each other except during the services. Naturally you never really get to know one another that way. And, naturally, when a problem does arise you don’t work through it– you run or you let the other person run off. I realize that times are different, but our need of one another isn’t. You need others and they need you. Take advantage of every opportunity to get close to others. Here’s an idea— Although it isn’t the best answer, even something such as Facebook can be helpful in this matter. I realize that it is used for a lot of bad things, but so is corn— you can eat it or distill it and drink it. Some people should probably stay off Facebook altogether, but if you have the discipline to use it properly, why not use it for good?

I am using this example because I have been blessed recently by observing how some members are making use of Facebook to interact with one another. They share prayer request, information, stories, jokes, etc. with each other and you can tell by the comments that people are being blessed as a result. That’s good! It doesn’t make any sense to just call it a tool of the devil and not have anything to do with it, when it can be used for good. By the way, it isn’t necessary or wise to make everything public. You can send a private message to encourage some dear soul who is going through a tough time. And now that we have our Church Facebook page we can make announcements, request etc. that helps us communicate as a church family. I think we are wise to use it– as long as we use it wisely. The internet also gives us the means to reach out beyond our church family to others, especial the unsaved or un-churched. Some people are so addicted to it that it is about the only way to reach them.

This doesn’t take the place of personal face to face fellowship, but it’s much better than nothing. I would encourage you to take someone out to dinner or accept an invitation when it comes your way. You might be surprised at the difference it makes in your life. Give it a try and see what happens. If it turns out to be a positive experience let me know or share it with others online. If you can’t or won’t do that do what is second best and use Facebook. I especially love it when someone brags about the church to others and talks about what a blessing it is to them. Who knows it just might be that your testimony will encourage someone else to attend. Some folks have had bad experiences in churches and maybe even vowed to never go again. Your sweet testimony might be just what it takes to get them back. By sharing your experience you might be able to show them that all churches are not alike and they will come to see for themselves. Think about it!

I missed church last night because I wasn’t feeling well, but I figured a good nights rest would take care of that. But, I didn’t sleep well, woke up for good at 3am and got up at 4am. So, I thought I will just make the best out of a bad situation and get an early start on the computer. Yeah, you guessed it— no connection. Finally, about 8am the cable came back on. Yeah, you guessed it again–I wasn’t in a very good mood. Then I opened my email and learned that Bob and Linda Long’s daughter Kerri had been killed in a car wreck.

God forgive me for complaining about my petty problems! Things could be a lot worse. Then I remembered this poem that I heard many long years ago:
Today upon a bus,
I saw a girl with golden hair,
and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have 2 legs, the world is mine.

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it’d do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
“I thank you, you’ve been so kind.
It’s nice to talk with folks like you.
You see,” he said, “I’m blind.”

Oh God, forgive me when i whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
“Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
And then I knew, he couldn’t hear.

Oh God, forgive me when i whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go.
With eyes to see the sunset’s glow.
With ears to hear what I’d know.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I’ve been blessed indeed, the world is mine.
THINK ABOUT IT!

By way of introducing yesterday’s message I said, I recently noticed an announcement saying that a pastor was starting a new series of messages entitled, “Making A Difference”. I like that–as Christians we should make a difference! However, we can’t make a difference unless we are different. That’s where the rub comes in. Most professing Christians today are no different than the world. While their beliefs differ, their behavior is the same. And, being like the world we have no means of changing it.

Indeed we should make a difference— we are salt and light in this corrupt and confused sin darkened world. But if we are no different than those around us we can’t have a positive influence in their lives. We must be different to make a difference. I’m not talking about being different just for the sake of being different. I’m talking about being different because we are conforming our ways to the Word of God. That’s the only thing that will make a difference in the world.

John Stott wrote: “– when society” goes “bad, we Christians tend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christian world; but should we not rather reproach ourselves? One can hardly blame unsalted meat for going bad. It cannot do anything else. The real question to ask is: where is the salt?” That is right on target! We need to stop blaming the world and start blaming ourselves. We’re salt, they’re not. We need some folks like Daniel who dared to make a difference by being different. It would do us good to remember the little chorus that says, “Dare to be a Daniel. Dare to stand alone”. Think about it!