I beseech you therefore … – Azusa StreetRiders International

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

As a member of the Azusa StreetRiders ministry I hold myself to a higher standard, not due to the position I hold as President, but like all of our members because of what I am a part of. Being part of the Azusa StreetRiders has driven me to that end. I know I am preaching to the choir, but I just wanted to share how blessed I am to be a part of the Azusa StreetRiders ministry along with the rest of y’all.

However I am not content, I need that deeper commitment to the things of God in order to climb to the next level. I want to be able to do the works of God just like the first century church. Some might smirk at this statement, but it’s happening on the mission field all over the world: blind eyes opened, the lame walk, and the dumb speak. So, why not here, and why not through the Azusa StreetRiders ministry? Jesus Christ is faithful to His Word, and His word proclaims that we need to believe and exercise our measure of faith.

Our ministry is made up of ambassadors of Jesus Christ sent to people that might not otherwise ever hear the true Gospel. We need to be aware that our conversations and relationships might be the only Jesus they know. We might be the only word they get. Therefore, in order to be the most effective we must be ready. The Bible puts it this way:

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (II Timothy 4:2).

In order to do, so we must also have the following:

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4).

In other words, to be beyond reproach when we witness to the lost.

In II Timothy, Paul goes on to write:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (II Timothy 4:3-5).

That tells me we might have only one shot at it, and I for one want my heart right. That is my “reasonable service.” We could be the only shot that poor lost soul might have to make it to heaven, so we need to always be ready. Our readiness comes by preparation of the heart through prayer and fasting, of which I know this ministry does both. One other attribute that goes hand in hand with a broken and contrite heart is to have a servant’s spirit.