eRFC

two years of electronic ministry in the razorbacks for christ campus ministry

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Location: Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Thursday, February 08, 2001

The Time Has Come

Howdy y'all,

The time has come...

The time has come for a LONG email...

The time has come for a lot of things, and one of those things is supper at the Union at 5:45. Come if you can.

The time has also come for Tea Room. It's this Friday night at 7 in Fulbright Dining Center. It's never too late to sign up to come and it's never too late to sign up to show off one of your many talents. Dress smartly. :) (whatever that means...ta heh ta heh) It's also never too late to sign up for Campus Encounter next weekend.

Oh! Before I forget. I don't know if y'all have met him, but Lonnie has come to Wednesday night church the past couple of weeks and he gave me a prayer request tonight. He said his dad has colon cancer and Lonnie can't stop worrying about it. He asked that we pray for him and for his dad. I promised that I would have all of y'all pray for him so please do. Thanks.

The time has come for mission preparation. If you’re interested, please come to our meetings. The spring break teams meet at the student center on Tuesdays after devo. The summer teams meet at the student center at about 8:30 after Wednesday night Bible class. Personally, I am pumped about going back to Romania or wherever God wants me to go this summer and I'm pumped about the possibility of forming a more long-term mission team in the next few years.

The time has come...

The time has come for a "mini devo."

The time has come, like Travis said at devo Tuesday night, for us to GROW UP. The time has come, like we talked about tonight in class, to start taking disciplining and holding each other accountable more seriously. Is it not amazing how perfect God's timing is?! This lesson couldn't have come at a better time. Lately I've been hearing about RFCs who are disappointed with the behavior of other RFCs. It hurts me so much to hear those things and to see friendships disintegrate. I don't know how widespread this is. Hopefully it's just in a very small circle of the RFCs. The main concern of the people that have been talking to me is that they wonder what people think when they see us hanging together in Brough, the Union, restaurants, in each other's rooms and wherever else we hang out together. They wonder if the way we behave and the conversations we have are the kind of things representatives of Jesus should be doing?

I must admit that the conversations and behaviors others are concerned about haven't bothered me much. Maybe they should bother me more. I've probably taken part in them myself. If I have, forgive me, and if I have and continue to do so, please point it out. I'll try to remember, and we all need to remember, that we're holding each other accountable because we love each other and not because we think we're better Christians than anyone else.

Are we truly loving each other unconditionally? Agape? Are we treating each other like brothers and sisters?

Brothers, do we treat our sisters like sisters? Do we focus on their outer beauty too much? Do we focus on their inner beauty too little? Sisters, are you treating us like brothers? Brothers, are we treating each other like brothers? Sisters, are y'all treating each other like sisters? The RFCs isn't a social group, it isn't a group of mere friends; it's a family of soldiers with our eternities and the eternities of many others at stake.

What's the line between gossiping and expressing concern? Should I be hearing about disappointments in the way others are behaving or should those who are disappointed go straight to those they're disappointed in? Very tough questions.

Instead of the usual few verses for the week, the time has come for a pamphlet this week:

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Matthew 5:48

"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to then, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to
listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."
Matthew 18:15-17

"But make up your minds not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."
Luke 21:14,15

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep you spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath."
Romans 12:9-19

"But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love."
Romans 14:14b-15

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside."
1 Corinthians 5:12,13

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Ephesians 4:29

“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving."
Ephesians 5:4

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive a the Lord forgave you."
Colossians 3:13

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."
Colossians 4:5

"Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
1 Timothy 5:2

"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."
2 Timothy 2:23-26

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry..."
James 1:19

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!"
James 2:12

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
1 John 4:19-21

"The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him."
2 Corinthians 2:6-8

"Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
2 Cor 7:8-10

I could go on typing verses all night, but...the time has come...for me to study some economics.

Have a great day!

In Him,
Mitch

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