Come On In!

Ever since I have been in ministry, every service I have done, every prolonged meeting that I have over seen, God has given me a name for that service.

It wasn't something I set out to do.

I didn't sit around thinking of names. It just happened.

When I took over the A.M. service at Gadsden Vineyard, God told me to name it NEW COMPASSION'S because of the verse in Lamentations 3 where it speaks of the compassion's of God being made new every morning.

When I started the recovery meeting on Saturday night, He had me call it HOUSE OF BLUE. Why? Because blue is the color of an open heaven and also symbolizes revelation or illumination from God to His children. God showed me that what we were doing on Saturday night was going to increase or make people aware of the need to pray and communicate with God. Not only communicate, but listen to what God was saying.

Next was our Wednesday night meeting. It became known as Vineyard After Dark, or Vineyard A.D. Kind of a play on words that revealed the fact that we were on "this" side of the cross and the work wasn't done that God was calling each of us to lay our hands to.

Now here at Rapha and celebrating our 4 th anniversary, God has given me a name for the Saturday night service. THE BACK DOOR. Why that name? It has to do with the nature and lifestyle of the men who come through this program. Story after story from them reveals times that they went to church and because of their sin or pain or whatever it might have been, they felt out of place. I know now that the main reason they felt out of place or uncomfortable, was that the Holy Spirit was pulling them under conviction. But God gave the name BACK DOOR to show us that we can enter into relationship with Him. It didn't matter whether it was the front or the back.....as long as Jesus was the door we entered through. Jesus did say that He was the door......He never said which one. He never claimed to be the front. He never claimed to be the back. He simply stated that He was the door.

The front door can become a show place for people to enter in and try and get other's attention by trying to put on airs or show. Not every one, but some act in this manner. I am reminded of the publican and the Pharisee. The publican stood at a distance, head bowed and cried out to God..."Have mercy on me a sinner." Such a man as this would have come through the back door. The Pharisee, on the other hand, adjusted his robes and prayed loudly for others to hear proclaiming his pride in the fact that he wasn't like the publican.

I think I more comfortable with the folk that find their way to God through the back door.

So from now on, the Saturday night service will forever known as "THE BACK DOOR".

Pray for us as we continue to seek God's will.

God on you today!
mb