Way to go Metaphor!

Metaphor, the young adult ministry at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, deserves a really big "WAY TO GO METAPHOR!" The group just finished working through the book Crazy Love, by Francis Chan, and the challenge was put before them to step outside of themselves and give generously...and the giving would go toward blessing families in need during this Christmas holiday. What did they do? They gave!...And they gave!...And they gave! I am ashamed to say that with a group of 25 I expected that we might get $200.00. After all, they are either college students or very early in their careers. To my great surprise and joy, they dug deep into their pockets, gave up on the half off appetizers, and raised well over $900.00! I am blessed to be a part of your ministry, Metaphor. I pray that God's blessing would shower upon you this Christmas! "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."

Cut Me To The Heart

Acts 2:36-38. ...Know this for certain that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you..."

Three thousand people were "cut to the heart" that day and experienced the spiritual death that comes as a result of accepting the Gospel Message...that Jesus is the Christ and He died because of you and for you.

Take a moment and put yourself back at Pentecost. What would your response have been if Peter would have pointed his finger at you and told you that you were responsible for the death of Jesus? Would you have been cut to the heart? Or would you have been like those in Acts 5:33 and 7:54 who responded with rage and grinding teeth?

Pause for a moment before you answer and consider the reality of the death that comes from being "cut to the heart" by the Truth of the Cross:

1. You have been looking for the Messiah, someone to save you, but not one riding on a colt to His death on a cross.
2. You are confronted with the reality that you must give up the life you are accustomed to in order to enter one that does not make sense.
3. All that you have learned from very gifted teachers is being shot full of holes.
4. You are surrounded by family/friends/mentors who will disown you...and worse.

Hey...those who responded with rage and grinding teeth were not willing to give up the life they were living. It meant too much to them.

So...look at your life today. Yes, you may have experienced the initial "cut to the heart" that led to your belief and acceptance of Jesus, but does the message of the Cross still have the same impact today? Does it still "cut you to the heart?"

One final thought. What is Jesus asking of you that makes you grind your teeth at Him...that thing or those things from your former life that serve as a steel plate of selfishness, keeping the Cross from cutting?