Mary R. Johnson's Posts - Black Preaching Network2024-03-28T17:19:08ZMary R. Johnsonhttps://abcpreachers.ning.com/profile/maryrenejohnsonhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/61481433?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://abcpreachers.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=250y0uehttaea&xn_auth=noIT STARTS WITH INTIMACY!tag:abcpreachers.ning.com,2009-02-07:916966:BlogPost:4294262009-02-07T22:18:33.000ZMary R. Johnsonhttps://abcpreachers.ning.com/profile/maryrenejohnson
I often wonder how one is able to spend hours each week attending church services, being involved in ministry activities, have on-going fellowship with other believers, and yet be able to spew venom from their heart without missing a beat, even toward other Christians. I also wonder how it is that so many Christians have become insensitive to the will, the purpose, and the plans of God as are witnessed by their conformity to the world around them. It’s rare these days to find someone who has a…
I often wonder how one is able to spend hours each week attending church services, being involved in ministry activities, have on-going fellowship with other believers, and yet be able to spew venom from their heart without missing a beat, even toward other Christians. I also wonder how it is that so many Christians have become insensitive to the will, the purpose, and the plans of God as are witnessed by their conformity to the world around them. It’s rare these days to find someone who has a sincere burden for the things of God; to go where He says go and to do what He says do. Most folks want the glory but don’t want to live the sold out lifestyle or get down and dirty and ‘sit where someone else sits’ to meet that person where they are to lead them to Christ. There seems to be a disconnect between all those church services and ministry activities and spending consistent, personal, devotional time with God. I know that there are many who know what I’m talking about.<br />
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I can spend seven days a week in church and be involved in every ministry activity there is but, if I’m not consistently spending quality time in His Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to teach me, direct me, correct me and use me; if I’m not consistently communing with God, allowing Him to put His thoughts on my mind and on my heart, what have I really done? Whose interest am I really serving? “No one can serve two masters.” (Mat 6:24) If I am not allowing His Spirit to lead me, by default, I’m being led by my flesh. It’s my flesh that would cause me to speak negatively about or judge someone else. It’s my flesh that rules when I submit to its desires instead of the things of God. When I put off spending the necessary time in His Word and in His presence, it’s only natural that I would not have the same passions that He has; it’s only natural that I would not think the same thoughts that He thinks. It’s only natural that I won’t have a sincere desire to walk the walk, although I may talk the talk. Does He not tell us to be the ‘salt of the earth and the light of the world?’ (Mat. 5:13-16) Is there a disconnect between the Body of Christ and the Word of God?<br />
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We can’t allow ourselves to be distracted by the things and people around us. God forbid that we should take for granted that He desires to use us to reach this dying world for Himself? The body of Christ has to go above and beyond in its search for intimacy with God. As David said, ‘As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?’ (Psalms 42:1-2 NIV) Without a deep, sincere thirst for God that we are constantly seeking to quench, can we be any different than the people in whom we have been called to reach? When Christ becomes the true passion of our lives it will show by our fruit. That is what the world needs to see. As a result, more souls will be saved, more lives will be changed; the more of ‘me’ will decrease, and the more of Him will increase. It is Christ that the world needs to know. It is us who have been commissioned to go and tell them.<br />
But it all starts with intimacy with Christ. Without that, we can’t help but go the way of the rest of the world.THE TIME IS NOW! CALLING ALL SAINTS!tag:abcpreachers.ning.com,2009-02-07:916966:BlogPost:4293732009-02-07T21:35:41.000ZMary R. Johnsonhttps://abcpreachers.ning.com/profile/maryrenejohnson
I was speaking with a gentleman at one of the shelters in Newark that I ministered some time ago and he shared with me that he had just gotten out of the hospital from attempting to kill himself for the 8th time. I submitted to him that he had so many reasons to live. He responded with ‘I have even more reasons not to live.’ Another young lady that I recently spoke with approached me with tears in her eyes as she explained that she felt there was no hope for her. She has been struggling with…
I was speaking with a gentleman at one of the shelters in Newark that I ministered some time ago and he shared with me that he had just gotten out of the hospital from attempting to kill himself for the 8th time. I submitted to him that he had so many reasons to live. He responded with ‘I have even more reasons not to live.’ Another young lady that I recently spoke with approached me with tears in her eyes as she explained that she felt there was no hope for her. She has been struggling with drug addiction for years and although she is tired of living with this disease, she recognizes the grip that it has on her and she is in despair and afraid for her life. While ministering in the prisons I have met missionaries and others who have, for one reason or another, walked away from their relationship with Christ and are now dealing with the consequences of their actions. But Christ loves each and every one of them. He died just as much for one of these as He did for me. We've all done enough wrong in life to send us straight to hell. But God doesn't judge us based on our right or wrong. He judges us based on what Jesus did right. We just need to believe it (John 3:16).<br />
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I hear painful stories like this almost every day as I am out in the community. And my heart is burdened when I ride through the streets and see people going through trash cans or standing on the side of the road with a plastic cup in their hands begging for money. Or even when I see drug addicts bent over after just taking another hit of a bag of dope. People are walking around the streets as if in a daze and the churches are closed and those that can tell them that there is hope in Christ are no where to be found.<br />
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We as children of God know the affect that the Word of God has on our minds and on our hearts. We know the transforming power that it has to change the way we think and feel about things. When we take into consideration the difference that it has made in our own lives, how in the world can we sit back and comfortably watch while Satan destroys so many people? How do we sit back and witness the misery knowing that if that person leaves this earth without Jesus they’re going straight to hell? We can’t afford to say ‘I’ll do it ‘TOMORROW’! Tomorrow may never come! How do we do that as a people who have been given orders to GO and preach the good news to everyone (Mark 16:15-16)?<br />
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Of course, this does not apply to anyone that is currently involved in ministry. I applaud you if you are one of His frontline soldiers that are on the outside of the four walls. You know the pain, hunger, and desperation of those that are not coming into the church. So, if they won’t come to us, we must go to them! If for no other reason, we must GO because we have been commissioned.<br />
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Our ministry, Preparing The Way Outreach Ministries (www.preparingthewayministries.com), works with the homeless and substance abuse communities in Newark. We feed, refer many to drug programs, shelters, mental health services, etc., and we proclaim the Good News to all that we come in contact with.<br />
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We are recruiting for 'Outreach Ministry' workers in Newark and the surrounding areas for homeless outreach, prison ministry, street ministry, shelter ministry, etc. There is a desperate need for the saints to stand up & say 'Yes Lord. Send me!' People are lost and dying and on their way to hell right outside our front doors. There is no more time to wait! If this is something that you know God has been dealing with you about, the time is now! Go into our website (www.preparingthewayministries.com) and complete our ministry application and send it back to us as quickly as possible. It doesn’t matter if you have never been involved in outreach ministry. We will train you. All you need is a willing heart to go and sincerely commit to the task. Don’t put it off for another day. Contact us now, in Jesus’ name!