It's Broke, What do I do with it Now???

With National Conventions, State Conventions, Vacation Bible Schools, Stop the Violence Campaigns and just the nature of work for Pastors in general, I have been away for a spell from my blog. Thank you to everyone who sent messages of love telling me how much they missed my blogs and inquiring of my return.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! To all the new people who are reading and watching, great having you on board!!!!!!!!!

If anyone out there can help me, I need some advice, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH BROKE THINGS? Do you fix it????????? Do you store it away with the mindset to have it fixed later only for it to sit and collect dust until you ultimately throw it away on Big Trash Day???????? Do you do a cost assessment and analyze and determine if its worth spending the money on fixing the broke item or is it more cost effective to purchase something brand new?????????????

The political answer for handling broke things is to REDIRECT THE ISSUE!!!!

Yes it is broke, Whose fault is it for being broke. politicians rarely offer ideas on how to fix problems but they are masters at assigning blame for the current problems we face. Our economy is in a ditch, who was driving? Do you really want to trust the next four years of your life with this person behind the wheel? Assigning blame doesn't fix the problem, it just redirects it.

Man's answer to handling broke things is simple, REPLACE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's broke, get a newer model, Picture tube broke, time for a new Plasma, transmission broke, upgrade to a newer model, Quick, fast, efficient, problem solved, Replace it. I am not criticizing this method, after all, I believe in warranties, trade ins etc but many times we have replaced what could have been fixed.

Some marriages could have been saved but we decided to replace instead of rehab it
A newer model isn't always the answer
New bells and whistles look good but may not run as good as what you used to have.

Replacing is the fast, quick and efficient way to handling a problem but is it the right way???????????

The church can't replace broken people. People broken by sin, lies, divorce, debt, depression, we can't just throw them out on the curb and hope society will take it off our hands. The boy broken by his parent's divorce and starts acting out in school, we can't throw him out, the daughter starving for attention because her daddy is too busy with his job to handle his real job and be the priest of his home, we can't throw her out.

We can't wait or expect government programs to handle the problems of our times,

The church is the place where broken people with broken lives and broken agendas come in order to get fixed so.......

God's answer to handling broken things is REPAIR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want you to know that no matter what is broken in your life right now, God can fix it, no matter what switch doesn't work or light that no longer comes on, God can fix it. It doesn't matter how much it costs because Jesus paid it all and all to Him we owe. It's ok if you can't afford it, the bill was covered at Calvary.

God specializes in repairing broken things:

Ask Adam and Eve after the apple
Ask Moses after the day at the beach
Ask David after Bathsheba
Ask Peter after the Cock crowed three times
Ask John Mark after he ran away

That problem that I had that I just couldn't seem to solve, I tried and I tried but I kept getting deeper involved but I turned it over to Jesus, I stopped worrying about it, HE CAN HE CAN WORK IT OUT

The Church's response to God's Command to Repair it is the Ministry of Restoration, WE RESTORE IT!

We are fixers, not because we are so smart or so gifted but because we have the manual, the church has the instruction booklet on how to fix things. The Bible teaches us how to fix people that are broken"

Galatians 6:1 ESV Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

The word here for restore is a Greek word that was used to mend a bone, like a doctor would put a bone back in place to set that bone that has been broken. And, that is the ministry of reconciliation that God has given to us. Do you know someone like that? I mean, think, right now. Don't you know someone who used to be a member of this church and perhaps doesn't attend anymore? Or, don't you have someone in your family? Or, don't you have someone in your office? Or, don't you know someone in your neighborhood—someone who has been ambushed by sin?

Let me tell you what the message, today, is: If you are that person who has fallen, there's hope for you. If you're that person that has not fallen, there is a warning for you. And, whether you have fallen, or whether you have not, there is a call to action for all of us. And, the Bible says, if we're spiritual, we're to restore such a one (Galatians 6:1). Now, I've got wonderful news for you: If you have fallen, if you once walked with God, and you have fallen into sin, God is the God of a another chance.

Your failure is not Final, we don't have to put you on the curb on Big Trash Day waiting for someone to take you, God can fix you because the mandate of the church is to restore you.

Too long, I know, will get back in the swing of things and shorten.

Please Pray for me,

Owens