We are really getting excited about a couple of tremendous projects dedicated to the Lord that are unfolding right on schedule. First is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, (FCA), event that will be held at Honey Lake Plantation on February 23rd, (just one week from this coming Thursday). Legendary football coach Mark Richt will be our keynote speaker and I look forward to hearing his testimony and meeting him, (along with you), one-on-one during our pre-event reception.
In addition to our lineup of speaker’s there will be good food, a beautiful wholesome setting, fellowship with hundreds of other believers, a chance to buy great memorabilia including footballs, baseballs, bats, and other items signed by some of the greatest professional athletes and coaches of all time, and even a premiere Honey Lake Plantation quail hunting trip with coaching legend Vince Dooley in the auction.
Without question the greatest benefit from attending this event will be spending time with Jesus Christ. The Bible states in Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Now just stop and rest and think about that benefit for a moment will you? Selah. What more incentive does anyone need to attend than that?
Events like this do not just happen on their own. Volunteers have been working on this for quite some time, (months). Some of us were assigned to sell tables; others lined up speakers and transportation to get them to HLP; still others were involved with planning the event and the evening’s menu; some were assigned to design marketing materials; solicit donated items for the auction; purchase and place advertising and more.
Why?
I mean we’re all busy and struggling in this rapid paced society and down economy. Why should we bother?
Because good people in this community are willing to sacrifice their personal time and money in order to be obedient to their Lord and Savior and be a part of bringing the Gospel to our local Christian athletes in this community which will without question help to mold their character and teach them that sports and everything in this life are secondary to their walk with the Lord.
I spoke with the organizer yesterday and he was discouraged and frustrated by some comments made by someone who’d not only refused to help with the event, but made several derogatory remarks about the effort.
Hmmm…Doing the Lord’s work is not for everyone. Not everyone is going to tithe, help the poor, sick, spread the Gospel, or assist the downtrodden. Some folks are either too engaged in making their personal fortunes, or tending to their personal lives, or both.
But in fairness we should be aware that everything isn’t always as it might seem. One thing that EVERYONE who is involved in organizing any charitable project should consider is that those they encounter just might already be doing more than anyone can imagine.
I told my good friend not to be discouraged or frustrated; the matter should be left entirely between this man and His Lord. My friend presented him a wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord and whether or not he takes advantage of it and receives his blessing, or not is simply out of our hands.
If he refuses we should not condemn him. We cannot know someone’s heart as to why they refuse to participate in God’s work, for all we know this man might be giving millions of dollars and hundreds and hundreds of hours of his personal time in order to perform volunteer work for a variety of other causes. He might not want to share them with you because His Lord has told him “not to tell the right hand what the left is doing”.
I refuse to set myself up as a judge. Indeed hardly a week goes by that I’m not solicited for a myriad of opportunities myself and it is impossible to participate in even a small amount of them. There is only one of me and there is just so much I can do.
Albeit your cause may be the most important to you, but perhaps God has laid another cause on the other person’s heart. I suggest you just click the “Next” button in your brain and move on to the next person.
Personally I detest having to ask people to donate money or their time, (even for a very worthy cause). I admire those who can do it without the angst that it causes me. If we are to succeed in doing a mighty work for the Lord it is often unavoidable though, and in obedience to God I do it, (but I don’t like it).
Recently I mentioned a need for help with getting my book, Miracle on Luckie Street, into all of the state and federal prison libraries all over the United States. Many of you graciously donated money to the Williamson Family Foundation and 100% of that money is being used at this very moment to get the book distribution effort underway. You might not ever meet the men, women, and teenagers who will read that book and subsequently ask Christ into their lives, repent, turn their lives over to the Lord, return to their families, get a job and become useful members of society.
No one but you and God might ever know about your contribution.. even in this entire lifetime…. but oh in the next…
The true indicator of our expression of love for our God can be measured in our giving. When you think about it, He owns everything. He doesn’t need our wealth or us. All things belong to God and everything we have received has come from God. God has merely loaned them to us for a while and we are His stewards or managers. God says in Psalms 50:10, “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” John 3:27 says, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from above.”
We can never out-give God and we are to give so the Lord’s church, (the “body of Christ”) can better carry out its mission here on earth. The world must be evangelized, the Lord must be glorified, and the needy must be helped.
God loves each of us and knows that we excel when we adopt His Spirit of giving and loving. Sure there will be those who refuse to do anything for anyone other than themselves.
Pray for them in their misery.
They cannot know the joy of giving and they cannot ever receive those blessings designated only to those who unselfishly give of their time, money, and other resources in obedience to their Father who gave the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ as a loving example to us.
If you fall into this category, it’s really easy to change. Just look around and find the cause or causes that you feel the Lord wants you to be involved in, (including our FCA event). It’s still not too late to purchase a table and there are individual seats available as well. I’m told the FCA needs to receive your checks and completed forms no later than this coming Thursday, so all procrastinators get those checks on in and don’t miss this event. You can send them directly to the FCA or if you prefer make them out to the FCA and get them to me and I’ll deliver them for you. If you want to print out the form, here it is again: http://honeylakeplantation.com/fca
2 Corinthians 9:6
“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”