I remember going to Rome back in the early 80’s on the train with some friends.

We ended up at The Vatican and toured through there, and it is so old and so much to see, and it is hard to take it all in.

There was something that I noticed . I don’t believe in worshipping saints or praying to them. But while in line there was a statue of a patron saint, the exact one I don’t recall but it escapes me, but what I did recall was that all the people who walked by that statue rubbed its feet, some kissed and others used a rosary, and many did the cross movement thing they do on their chest.

What noticed oddly, that the metal statues’ feet were rubbed away, because so many people had rubbed the statues’ feet.

They had rubbed for so many centuries that it distorted what were the feet. I thought, how many people had touched that statue and had enough faith to rub the feet of a patron saint in hopes that saint might hear them?

It came to my mind tonight how often we have such great and precious promises, and we have the option to minister to one another’s feet, not after some dead saint, but a person who is alive that represents Christ to this world.

How beautiful are the feet of them that bring great news and great tidings!

I have washed the feet of the saints and it was a beautiful and humble act, because I made myself familiar with those feet who bring good news and good tidings to where their feet take them.

It was those feet I identified with — and the good news of the Salvation in Christ they carry.

All alone in Christ I place my trust and hope. Not in rubbing a statue in history, but the Christ who created history and is alive and well in His people the Church!

I identify my life with REAL people who go into their world and make a REAL difference.

You don’t hear of washing feet much anymore, but that humble act can transform us and make us realize again, we are but servants of the Most High God and to each other.

Nowadays instead of humility, you see those who vie for that attention to rub shoulders with those who have a reputation and put their confidence in what are human vessels of popularity, which can be the sin of idolatry.

Anyone or anything we put before The LORD is an idol. We can put husband or wife before God, or children and we can put certain people who are popular before God.

No man deserves worship except THE SON OF MAN, JESUS CHRIST. Christ will always lead us in humility to wash and serve the saints’ feet; or those we identify with.

Not a statue, and idol, organization, a Church or person but washing and serving the saints of God whom CHRIST is living in forever more.

Jesus told Thomas to look at the nail scars, to prove that He was the Christ the Son of the living God, and Jesus acknowledged Thomas unbelief.

Thank God, when we struggle with unbelief, that He shows us in His Mercy and Grace, His Kindness is toward us and those who love Him from a pure heart even when we are weak.

In all humility and honesty, I have learned over the years of service to Christ and His body, that the more I learn, the less I know.

God always wants us to go deeper no matter how old we are, there is much more to learn. (Matthew 21:16)

Discipleship is supposed to be an ongoing process in our life and in a body of believers. If the body has become stagnant and you do not see the need for discipleship or to seek out new believers, there is a danger with such people and such Churches.

In any body of water there must be an entrance and exit and constant flow of water for a healthy ongoing body.

Never was the early Church to remain the same. There are many reasons for going to Church — or an assembly.

In The Book of Acts, the Church was always changing and growing, and that is the way it is to be now, not stagnant, with only a few dedicated people who are going through the motions.

Has your life and Church become stagnant?

Is there fresh life flow coming from there — or a stagnant stench of the flesh with no fresh life flow?

God wants to awaken and revive The Church. And guess what? Judgment must first come to The House of God.

Once we received Jesus as LORD, that was not the end beloved. We must understand that we met and found our Savior and LORD! Now He wants us to know Him intimately.

The LORD wants us to desire Him in a healthy relationship and fellowship — and not just words and acts to pretend before the other people, by going through the motions.

If we have a relationship , so that we continually learn about our precious Lord and Savior, we have only just begun our journey with Him.

If we received His free gift of Salvation that isn’t the end of growth, it is only the beginning!

Never in this life and experience do we ever attain that we have no more need for growth.

One of the main agendas of the enemy is to keep us too busy in competition with our idols! The enemy is sure to send all sorts of distractions and hindrances to keep us from our life source and then we are headed for becoming stagnant instead of finding Him daily in the secret place of His presence of refreshing.

For truly times of refreshing come from The Presence of The LORD.

As the days become more wicked, TAKE TIME — not Make Time — for prayer and intimacy with God. If you have to shave off all your obligations for a while to find him again, then do it.

Dear reader, each of us are so diverse in many ways. We start off thinking we really know ourselves, our purpose, our plans, our zeal, and what “we” will do in and for the church! We especially act out the play in the presence of others.

God is not looking for what you do in front of those you’re impressed with or those impressed with you.

Being gifted has nothing to do with the outward appearance, mannerism, or attitude.

Do we remember how the disciples were arguing over who would be the greatest in The Kingdom?

They were vying for attention as to who would be the greatest in The Kingdom — and it is still happening today beloved. And everyone is flip flopping in the stench of stagnation with no true growth that comes from a stream in and a stream out.

Service and servanthood are always Christ’s way of acting out His teaching to us His disciples. And He was the one who showed us how it was done.

Then as disciples, our ongoing learning is the lessons of discipline in the continual walk of Service and Faith.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey

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Sherry Edwards Mackey
Please Note: Publications and or prophecy taken from this may be used to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. The articles taken must be used according to it’s entirety with credits. Thank you kindly!

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