When I Grow Up I Want To Be

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Two posts in one day!!! No one was as surprised as me. Here is a sermon I preached this past Sunday evening I hope you all enjoy-Paul

When I Grow Up I Want To Be from Paul Cartwright on Vimeo.

Have You Told Someone Today?

Good Morning Everyone,

It would have been difficult in the last week to turn on your television, radio or computer and not hear about the death of the singer Amy Winehouse. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that most of the people reading this article were not fans of this singer, in fact, I will go even further and say that a good number of you had probably never even heard of this singer until her passing. While I could never be considered a fan of Amy Winehouse I can say with no reservation that she was extremely talented and gifted with a soulful voice, a voice that will never sing again. The talent of Amy Winehouse was always overshadowed by her antics on and off the stage. She was a known substance abuser and her personal life choices were shameful to say the least, these personal life decisions in many ways defined her much more than her talent did. I look at the life of Amy Winehouse and it seems that she leaves behind more questions than answers. Here is my question regarding the life of Amy Winehouse. Did anyone ever share the gospel with her?

I have researched this singer’s life and the only reference I can find to religion is the fact that she born into a Jewish family. Amy Winehouse is just the latest example of someone who lived a very high profile life and died at a young age without the benefit of knowing the saving grace of Jesus Christ. What’s even more alarming is that Amy Winehouse is far from unique in this regard. We come into contact every day with people who have not had the Gospel shared with them, and because of that fact, these people have no chance at salvation.

We all have our “reasons” for not sharing our faith with people we meet. We are afraid we might offend someone with the Gospel, we claim that we don’t have enough time to do a good job of sharing the Gospel or maybe we even think that these people are living such sinful lives that they are beyond reaching. All of these “reasons” would be more accurately referred to as excuses. The Gospels help us understand what it means to make someone’s needs. Matthew 25:34-40 is a prime example of this.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’- Matthew 25:34-40

I’m not going give Amy Winehouse any space on my Ipod or watch her funeral on Television, but, her untimely death will serve as a reminder to me to not pass up an opportunity to share my faith when it presents itself. How about you? What are you going to do when the next opportunity presents itself to share your faith? I hope this high profile death will serve as a reminder of our responsibility as Christians.

Be Strong and Courageous,
Paul