I was driving through the city today. My goal was to get some pictures for my walls. I was crying a lot this morning... but never mind that, I cry a lot.
I was driving around the city. I started thinking about how I'd love the city to be like it once was. Alive and vibrant. And God really spoke to my heart. It shouldn't be like it was. It should be like it needs to be.
You know in our lives when things are good (before Jesus). Those times when we were happy. And then there is a mess. And then Jesus comes and then our lives are amazing! (2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!) Detroit was awesome (I might argue that it still is - because even in our mess, God is faithful), and I believe there will be a revival, Detroit will be a new creation! I drove around and took pics, and noticed how many churches there are. Some open, some not. And I wondered 'what happened?' Even in church (I am guilty of this too) sometimes we take our eyes off Jesus and think 'look what we are doing' (I HATE WHEN I DO THIS!). I wonder if that was what happened. Did we take our eyes off Jesus? 
I don't want this city to be like it was. I want it to be like Peter. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says "And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it"
This city will be nothing if we don't ask, even beg for God to be in the thick of it with us. We need to bring Him and His love to this city. Each one of us has something different they can do.
Our city isn't meant to be the same. When we are found by Christ, when our lives are surrendered over to Him, we look different. I want Detroit to look different. I want a city on fire, on fire for Jesus, so that Detroit can be that city that cannot be hidden!
Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
We need to be on our faces for this city. Not the buildings or the streets but for the people. They need hope, like we need hope! They need love, like we need love! They need Jesus, like they need Jesus!
I know that God would leave the 99 to go get the one. And we know that we are Jesus to people in a real way, we need to go to our mission fields, wherever God has called us, and go get the one who is lost so that they can be found!
Ready! Set! Go!
Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”The Parable of the Lost Son
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
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