Another Monday.....

What a wonderful weekend.
Visitation at Rapha. Beautiful weather and families every where. Kids chasing ducks...geese chasing kids....parents simply trying to keep up. Lot's of laughter and, at the end, lots of tears.
Saturday nights meeting was special for me. It was the 5th anniversary of the meeting at Rapha. Five years! Can you believe it. I remember on that particular Sunday, I gave my first message at the first meeting of what we then referred to as the church@Rapha, and my last message as associate pastor of Gadsden Vineyard Church.

In some ways, it seems like a life time and in others, only a few weeks. But here we stand 5 years down the road. Been a lot of men come through the meeting on their way to a new way of living. Some didn't make it....they died. But through it all, God has been faithful. Part of the message we teach is that there is a lot more to life than simply being free of drugs and alcohol. We fully understand that someone who comes into a rehab is primarily focused on their addiction. But as they began this journey they see that freedom to live encompasses more than the absence of a drug or alcohol.

I went back and listened to the very first message I every gave after being ordained. It wasn't very good and those who sat through it, I commend them for the stamina. The one thing that caught my attention was the prayer I prayed at the end of the teaching. I asked God to give me those who no one wanted. To send me those that the world has rejected. The outcasts....those who were down and out. Little did I know when I prayed that prayer, God would take me up on it. You know...I wouldn't have it any other way. I can't see myself doing anything else but being at Rapha. I know that there might come a day when God does have other plans for me, and I will try to be faithful in whatever they are. Right now though, I'm grateful to be at Rapha.

We have been experiencing some difficulty with our recordings and haven't posted anything in a few weeks. Hopefully, this will change and we can once again put the teaching up for you to listen to here on this blog page.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading the Greene Street Letters.
I just want you to know how much God love you and how much His heart is for you.
Let Him be your portion and provision today.
I know it's hard when the world is screaming in your ear, but begin by trusting in Jesus.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us.
I'm always kind of taken in the way people interpret this verse. Sometimes they use it to defend their actions against others. They have an idea that God has rubber stamped their lives and they are beyond reproach of others and the devil. The heart of this verse is the relationship that comes when we are surrendered to God. God does not ordain or support sinful live styles. God does not give his approval to hearts that are not focused on him. God is for us when we are for God.

I have heard politicians make reference to this verse to support what our country has done. Don't think it works that way. The only government God is concerned with is the government of heaven. The kingdom of God! contrary to popular belief......God is neither Republican nor Democrat.
Today, I want to place my whole being into the care of God. I want to allow him full access to my heart, my thoughts and desires and to use me as he sees fit. Then and only then, will I know true peace.

Until tomorrow....
God on you.....
mb