August 1, 2021 – CountUp

As a Pastor – looks don’t matter to me. I don’t care what you look like. I don’t care what you’re wearing. I don’t care where you came from. I don’t care what you’ve done. Everyone is welcome into our church family.

That guy in the middle – rough around the edges – is closest to God. He knows God. He’s getting closer to God by reading more of His Word. I can work with him. I can use him as a teacher. I can use him to lead others – like those two guys to the left of him – who aren’t as close to God as they think. Putting on nice clothes and looking prim and proper on Sunday mornings won’t get you to Heaven. Persecuting others for the way they look won’t lead to eternity with God. She thinks she is Christian.

The four of them should get together after church service for Lunch and get to know each other and learn from each other, and then learn more about God together as brothers and sisters of the church family.

I’ve been a part of 2 church families over the past 14½ years, and neither church family would’ve rejected that guy in the middle. He would’ve been welcomed with open arms. He would’ve been used as a church leader to teach others how to have a heart for Christ – how to have a heart filled with The Holy Spirit. I know that many churches would frown upon or even outright reject that guy in the middle. I myself would reject the church that rejects anyone.

I want that guy in the middle to bring his friends with him for Sunday morning service. I want that guy in the middle to preach God’s Good News to anyone who will listen to him.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.