Starving for some food.....

Let my mournful cry and supplication come [near] before You, O Lord; give me understanding (discernment and comprehension) according to Your word [of assurance and promise]. Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word! My lips shall pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust] when You teach me Your statutes. My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous. Let Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. I have longed for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise You, and let Your decrees help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek, inquire for, and demand Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments. Psalm 119:169-176 (AMP)

In a country that has so much, we are a starving people. So far gone in the process of starving that we no longer even want the food placed readily at hand. In a society that was once known for its richness and heritage, we have fallen upon very lean times, with the impending drought at the borders and no preparation to substain us through the painful season.

Thomas Guthrie said, "If you find yourself loving any pleasure better than your prayers, any book better than the Bible, any persons better than Christ, or any indulgence better than the hope of heaven----- Take ALARM!"

I would add if your heart doesn't cry out on a daily basis for Christ to return, you are sinking into the secular world and are in danger or you are simply not being fed substaining meat.

I show a sermon last night that both inspired and disturbed me, incited me to action and pull the effectiveness out of any action that was inspired. It was, unfortunately, a sermon I think is abounding in the church today. The borderline sermon.

You know, that sermon that the Pastor/Teacher/Reverend (whatever you call your leadership) is slamming hard on the absolutes of Truth found in the Bible, but he or she starts pulling the punches........"Now, I'm not trying to say you HAVE to...." or "I am not saying absolutely...." Where a biblical truth is pointed out and then rounded out to remove the sharp edge of conviction. Where it seems a point is driven into our hearts and then quickly removed so that the pain of sin isn't felt for long. Where it seems a minefield is being walked......very carefully. Those sermons.

And these sermons are usually backed up by actions reflective of the 'pulling punches' rather than reaction to the truth. This one sermon said, "Don't become part of the culture." Yet, instead of services next week, the church is closed. Because of the holiday, Thanksgiving. As I am certain many of the larger and more 'seeker-friendly' churches will be. Church has become less important than the secular pursuits we are induated with daily. "If you bulid it, it is possible they will not come."

Instead of being at church, learning and extoling, stepping out into the community or even inviting the community to sup with the congregation, this church is closing that night, because??? well, mostly likely the leadership, the staff, and half the congregation will be gone for visits with family and friends.

I would look at the viewpoint of reduced attendance on that day as a sad, but usual thing.....and still open wide the doors to reach that one soul that is wandering. Seeking to feed that one, not knowing if it would possibly be the Lord come a-visiting or not and really not caring. Fulfilling a need so God can fulfill THE need.

But that's me. I'm not the one to pull punches, even at myself. And I think that the church needs to be absolute in its stance. Not the "by any means possible" but "by the grace of God." Instead of being culturally sensitive, we need to be soul redemptive.

To do that, we need the spiritual meat of God's Word placed upon our lips daily and to be held accountable for that personal responsiblity in our churches on a weekly basis.

Just my thoughts,
Jim

Keeping the focus forward.

"Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [to the things behind] is fit for the Kingdom of God.'" Luke 9:62 AMP

How many times in our lives as Christians have we looked to past behaviors, past sins, or past regrets and wished for an opportunity to change those things. Forget the redemption of our sinful past, we would simply like to know what we know now and go back into those times to stop ourselves from making those choices. How often do we look at our current situations and curse ourselves for our failures in the past that caused the opinion, knowledge, or action that put us in the uncomfortable position we find ourselves?

We live in that past hurt; retain that past anger, or even embellish a past service, so we can pull it out when the going gets tough and claim a right to get a free pass through the current crisis. After all, we've paid our dues and done our time.

Or we use our past to prevent ourselves from attaining in the future, or answering God's call for us in the purpose for the kingdom. We point to the lack of 'righteousness' or 'our sinfulness' as due cause to stop our requirement to go where God would have us go, or to explain away the conviction of the Spirit concerning our spouse, our children, or continuing sin. We just show ourselves as unlearned fools.

God doesn't want us to forget our past, but to go into our past with the realization of redemption and the healing of the Spirit into the wounds of our lives, seeking forgiveness and forgiving those moments that have defined us. To allow the presence of God in the circumstances of the past so He can show us how He has used it for the future.

To plow, one has to continue in a forward motion; otherwise the plow will bind up and not perform the job it was designed to do. Even when we go into our past, it is with the intent of forward motion, to redeem what was lost, heal what was broken, and give to God the rest. To realize our past is an effective and helpful story for those who would listen.

What in your past is preventing you from going forward into the purpose God has for you? How can you go into the past and go forward through that situation that's holding you down?