Fits and Misfits

I might not be completely crazy after all! I was beginning to wonder because what I’ve been considering doing is a little unusual. Besides being in the metal band I also believe the Lord is leading me to start a ministry in a pub. But music, preaching and fellowship in a bar, could this really be God? So I told Him like a teenager, “whatever!” and stepped out to “test the waters.” All the while thinking, who in the hell would want someone to come and start a ministry in their bar? This is messin with my mind so maybe I’m going mad, or have lost my ability to hear from heaven. But again, “whatever God” I’ll do what you lead me to do and we’ll just see if there’s an open door.

Now I’m thinking that I’m probably going to have to search far and wide but I had one particular Pub on my heart and mind. I’d never even been there but recently had started connecting people that are connected with them. So I decided to stop in on Saturday morning to talk to the owners. I didn’t have an appointment but they were both there and we seem to hit it off right away. And guess what; apparently the owners Eric and Connie already had something like this on their hearts also! Because they love people they desire to help and know that the need something. And they’re both believers, just not your average Sunday morning go to church type.

Now let me say that I love the church which is the people and don’t mind going to the church building on Sunday morning but that’s not the case for all. For many even the is scarier than Hell and less desirable than death. Right or wrong, the preconceived perception is lack of affection and expectation of rejection because of imperfection. And let’s face it, some people just do not fit in the traditional “religious” scene nor have any desire to do so. Should we be surprised that the misfit’s don’t fit? But in the Kingdom of everybody fits, so the question becomes, who ministers to the misfit’s and where do they fellowship?

“It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We're something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We're the Messiah's misfits.” 1 Cor 4:9-10MES

So who, why not me? Even though I “clean up well” I don’t really like to, and have always been kind of a misfit. Now it seems that God is calling me out as a minister to the misfits, and it makes sense because misfits fit with misfits. And believe it or not I actually feel more at home in this environment then in the traditional Sunday morning service clean and bright.

1 Sam 22:1-2
22 So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. 2 Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around — losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. David became their leader. There were about four hundred in all.
MES

So I’m headed out to the highways and byways…

Matt 22:9-10
9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.
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I’m looking for people who need life, love and miracles. Because everybody wants to be somebody and have a place to belong, even the throng who “appear” be wrong. For there’s a great hungry horde, who love Lord, lookin for a place - to be restored.
And amazingly to me Eric and Connie have a desire to help with the cause and also want to have Sunday morning fellowship in the Rocky Mountain Pub. I believe in miracles and this is a miracle to me. So thank you, for opening your door and having a heart to help people.

People are awesome! And what I love - is helping people understand - the love from above.

I’m excited to announce that I will be starting Frontier Fellowship at the Rocky Mountain Pub on January 8th at 10:30AM.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
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1 Cor 4:9-13
9 It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We're something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. 10 We're the Messiah's misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we're mostly kicked around. 11 Much of the time we don't have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces, 12 and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living. When they call us names, we say, "God bless you." 13 When they spread rumors about us, we put in a good word for them. We're treated like garbage, potato peelings from the culture's kitchen. And it's not getting any better.
MES

Luke 14:1-23
1 One time when Jesus went for a Sabbath meal with one of the top leaders of the Pharisees, all the guests had their eyes on him, watching his every move. 2 Right before him there was a man hugely swollen in his joints. 3 So Jesus asked the religion scholars and Pharisees present, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath? Yes or no?"

4 They were silent. So he took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way. 5 Then he said, "Is there anyone here who, if a child or animal fell down a well, wouldn't rush to pull him out immediately, not asking whether or not it was the Sabbath?" 6 They were stumped. There was nothing they could say to that.

Invite the Misfits

7 He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, 8 "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. 9 Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.

10 "When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! 11 What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

12 Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 13 Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 14 You'll be — and experience — a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned — oh, how it will be returned! — at the resurrection of God's people."

The Story of the Dinner Party

15 That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!"

16 Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. 17 When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.'

18 "Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.'

19 "Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.'

20 "And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.'

21 "The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.'

22 "The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded — and there's still room.'

23 "The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!
MES

Jer 31:3
3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
NKJV