The Ministry Machine

I'm sure you have heard of the phrase "The day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night." But did you know that isn't for everyone?

Listen

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8

People are potentially finding the remains of Noah's Ark. However, the credibility of the company working on it, as well as other factors are making this situation become controversial.

My question, should it even matter to us as believers.

Things to consider

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
— Matthew 12:38-41

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
— John 20:24-29

While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”
These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
— John 12:36

God has called for us to be children of Light. What does this mean. Let's begin to unpack the Sound System of Scripture in regards to being of His Light.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light
— Ephesians 5:1-8

Most people have a hard time with the "knowing someone by their fruits." And truthfully it's a part of a much bigger issue. Knowing what fruit is. Knowing how to bear fruit.

For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.
“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
— Luke 6:43-49

Have you encountered someone implying that because something done in the physical has a spiritual revelation, the physical action didn't matter?
Is that true?
Or is there a beautiful knitting of them both to be made full in Him

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
— Colossians 2:8-13

You know that feeling when you can just listen to your favorite genre of music? Maybe a favorite album on repeat? Top 5 singers? However you do it? Have you ever been questioned out of it? To listen to something else?

Has that ever happened when you listened to Christian music?

Let's unpack this because it is deeper than just the music.

Reading Colossians 2.

that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
— Colossians 2:2-3

Verses 2-3 spoke volumes.
What wealth are you looking for? Is it material? Or is it Christ?
Did you know that in Him, mysteries are revealed?

I pray this gives you a fresh breath as we walk in Him.

One of the biggest dividers in today's day and age is politics. And while we look at it like it's exposing enemies, it's really just creating them?
What happened to conversation?
What happened to difference of opinion?

The only thing it has exposed is that we are still finding ways to let the world divide us instead of letting the Word of God unify us.

Let's talk about it

Maybe you've heard this before. Maybe this is news to you.

In the Spirit of yesterday's conversation I wanted to address some of the things people are stressing themselves out about.

And while I go on some interesting rabbit holes here, we are to instead be looking towards God through Christ.