Applause for a Sermon?!?!

Sunday was an amazing day. I got to speak at the Worship on the Water event and then go to my church and speak again. The message was entitled: God Loves You: As You Are, Where You Are!
And because of the differing crowds I had alternate endings and a bit different slant that I used. As I finished the message at the Worship On The Water they applauded! I was concerned that they were GLAD I had finished! But the comments from people afterwards were warm and very encouraging. I heard some say they were looking forward to hearing me speak again on August 10th! I don't do this for the money (because there is none!) or applause but to communicate the truth of God to people who need to hear it!

We finished, we, as in I and my boys, and headed off to services. After the music and announcements I had the children's moment. God had given me a thought to consider while in Iowa about how receptive we are to others in the form of a hug. I got plenty of hugs from my boys as they pledged to help me, and then I asked my son Caleb to wrap his arms around himself and I did the same. Then I said, "OK, hug me!" Of course we really couldn't! It seemed silly and absurd, but the truth is that to embrace others we have to have our arm open.

Moving into the message my emphasis wasn't to convert the converted, but to convince the converted that our church will only get as large as we are willing to allow it. In other words, friendliness has to look and feel friendly, not fake or forced. People need to have a genuine feeling that they belong here too. God loves them as they are, where they are and wants to change their lives for the good. So that's basically how I ended the message. As I closed the service I was prompted to talk about myself and my testimony of living a clean cut life, but still needing Christ. After the service I was approached and told that our 98 year old member would be so blessed to hear this message. Then another person said, "That was great!" Another said, "I don't remember such a natural invitation to follow Christ. It flowed so perfectly." All I know is that it was God working through me. I sat down and hammered out 3/4 of the message the Monday night before. It just flowed onto the page. I am humbled that God would use me. I'll post the message with the alternate endings in another blog for those who want to read it. All Glory to God!
Lonnie