Came to seek

Baby it's hot outside! I think every day this week the temperatures have been at 100 degrees or hotter!  Hopefully in your part of the world it has not  been as bad. How did God bless you this week?!

Being out of town this past Saturday, have not heard what went on. We are gearing up for the start of school and the fall basketball season. Always lots of activities going in and around the center, come by one Saturday and check it out.

With summer camp coming to an end, it is time to give our center a much needed face lift. Kathyrn, our cleaning expert, has done a great job in getting the floors looking brand new again. Still lots to be done, we could use your help.

Tuesday evening, Rickie led our men's community Bible fellowship reading from Luke 19: 1-10. Reading about Zacchaeus the tax collector, wanting to see this man called Jesus so he climbs up a tree to do so. What do we do to see Jesus?

With school starting next week, we will begin preparing for our afternoon reading activities. Allison will be taking over the leadership role for us this year. We had a great year last year. Looking forward to meeting our new group of children. As dates and times become available, we will let you know how to get involved.

Joey will be hosting prayer time in the chapel every day this week starting at 9am. No better way to get through the day, than spending time with Jesus.

As the temperatures hovered around 100, we got our Thursday activities started by listening to Ms Abbie and Joey in chapel. We had a large crowd, being the first of the month. All our ministries were busy, clothing room, market and the dining hall. It was great to see old friends and meet new ones.

Prayers for a police officer's family in Shreveport who was killed in the line of duty Wednesday night. We need to develop a better relationship between our police staff and the community. Prayers for our friends living outside. This oppressive heat wave is making for short tempers. Prayers for our community children as they return to school.

Verse 10 as stuck with me this week, For the Son of Man came to seek, and to save the lost. Jesus walks to the streets, meeting folks and going into their homes. Jesus is doing what the church needs to be doing.

Zacchaeus, the tax collector, one of the most hated men of his time, stops what he is doing and climbs a tree to see Jesus. Jesus, who is always watching out for us, spots this man, recognizes him and says, I must stay at your house today. Jesus is wanting a relationship with us, we don't have to climb a tree, just open our hearts up to Him.

When the people on the streets hear Jesus saying, I must go to the tax collector house, they start to grumble. How can a man like Jesus go to a sinner's house?! The church opens the doors and hopes people will come. We welcome those who come who look like us, but do we do the same for someone who does not?

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. We need to constantly be going out. It is very easy for us to drive to the center, walk inside, get comfortable in our surroundings and leave. We need to get out of our comfort zones and go out and seek. We need to build relationships with our community in their homes. We need to go to their schools. We need to go to their churches. Jesus walked the streets most of His time on earth, spending very little time in the synagogues.  We need to do the same. As Joey, said in chapel, we are stronger together than we are separate. We have found Jesus, we need to go out and do the same for others. Amen.

Hope your coming week will be a good one. Let us, say a prayer, put one foot in front of another, and go out and seek. Amazing things will happen when we follow Jesus!