Let's Get This Party Started!!

Luke chapter 15 is incredible. It's all about something that was lost being found, the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. We see in here how important every human being is to God no matter what they have done, how lost they have been. What I like about all three parables is the similarity of the ending. Please read:

Luke 15:7 "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Luke 15:10 "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Luke 15:32 "But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."

In other words and in my loose translation God is telling us Let's Get This Party Started, let's go find something lost and bring it back to God where it belongs then let's celebrate!

In my 13 months here in Daphne I have surely missed our ATB family, wanting to stay more involved but at the same time wanting others to step up and take the lead because my presence would be only part time at best. Prior to coming here full time, there was much prayer asking God if this was the right move as it would take me away from ministry for the first time in over twenty years. Then recently I started to feel a tug to get more involved thinking He wanted me back in ATL.

Then one of our employees here got very sick and depressed. Then my roommate got prostate cancer and in both of these cases they were lost spiritually. One asked if we could start a Bible Study and day after day he and I spoke about the Lord, now he wants to be baptized. Then his girl friend got involved so there were three of us. Then last week the first mentioned person joined us and now there is a fifth that wants to come. And after last week's study, the awesome presence of God's Holy Spirit just overwhelmed my heart with joy.

And I thought, well this was the tug, Lord, I have a new assignment, and I could feel the angels cheering that some lost souls were coming back and I knew that the decision we had made to come here was the right one, and there was a great sense of peace in my heart. Having been a part of several spiritual growth movements, I can feel it coming and my soul is rejoicing about the possibilities.

Maybe the originators of that phrase and song had something else in mind, but God as always, has other plans. So I say with a loud voice that I hope you can hear in ATL as well as in heaven, Let's Get This Party Started!!!!!