Living the Gospel

Today I had a good conversation with a friend of mine here. He is teaching me the bağlama. It is a Turkish instrument used to play traditional Turkish music. He is a materialist. He asked me some good questions. He asked, "Why am I so joyful?" He also asked why I didn't take a pastorate in the states. It was a great opportunity to explain to him what God has done for me and the honor I have to live overseas and tell people about the Gospel. I must say I was convicted to really stop and ask God to help me live the Gospel. We discussed in depth what made him believe in materialism. There were a lot of things. One of the major things was all the injustice in the world. He doesn't understand if there is a God, why does he allow all these injustices? I thought about many times how I don't think about the poor in my city. I don't pray like I should for those starving to death in Somalia. So many areas that if I stop and think, I notice I'm missing some of the things in my life that Jesus regularly touched on. The early N.T. church was instructed to make provision for the poor and take care of the widows. It is so important that we shine as the lights we are supposed to be. Everywhere I go and everyone I meet has their own view of the Bible and Christianity. Only when they meet us and talk with us, do they realize most of what they know is wrong.