When the congregation needs to be motivated, we invite a rock star, dope dealer, sports figure, financial wizard, gang member or some previously ungodly winner into our church pulpit. Of course, they must denounce their old life while telling us all the juicy details of their exciting past. The church has been doing this for so many years that many of our children know that if they want attention they must do something terrible with their life.
The church is supposed to be in the image of Heaven. Do you think Heaven is a place where we will spend our days listening to braggarts tell how they lived in this nasty world? Deep down we must know that God has something greater for His people than having us tell each other how bad our lives used to be as a sinner. The church suffers from a lack of Godly lives and we should feel some responsibility to do better. It is a shame that we live any way we want after God sent His Son to rescue us from sin.
The church inappropriately honors these converted people along with anyone in the church that gives a lot of money. Folks always argue and say "it's not so". Be honest now and tell me the rich do not have their way in church business. Without doubt, God considers His business to be something greater than anything we consider important in this world. We should insist that the church seek God and make His work our work. The church is supposed to be the body of Jesus Christ and be entirely involved in God's work.
There is something even worse than honoring these worldly people. It is the way the church treats a Christian that has given over all his life to God. Honor is rare and many times they are not even encouraged. Many times, people call them foolish or stupid because they are not successful in the things of this world.
Jesus Christ came to earth for a purpose greater than dying for our sin. He came to create something that He could present to God as his eternal family. Everything on this earth is going to be burned up someday and this is the reason Jesus is building something new.
Oh, the beauty of a life walked worthy of our Lord. It should be obvious that we need our life to be in Jesus Christ. The Scripture says that Jesus was the image of the Father. We are to be in the image of Jesus and this will certainly require the help of the Spirit. The source of Jesus is the Lord God Almighty therefore our source must also be the Almighty. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being ---so that--- Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (Eph 3:16) Paul says that power from God comes through the Spirit that lives in us and makes possible something greater than the normal. Many believers think that Jesus automatically dwells in your heart. The truth is that your heart must be "expanded" by the Spirit of power to make room for the life of Jesus.
God's will demands us to lay aside our own rights and place ourselves humbly in his control. To come to the Savior originally only takes a crises but to continue with Christ takes concern.
Pray to live in God's will by learning His ways,
that we will bear fruit and please God,
in love that God will give us his strength,
that we never fall away from hope in God.
And pray that we will find the desire to see the greater things that God has for us.
1 comment:
So true, so true that somehow we have given our young people the impression that to come out of some sordid place makes the person of greater use or greater passion. I had a friend who lived for the Lord, never backslid, and helped me when I did. I was talking to the Lord about how thankful I was to have seen Him, rescue me and thinking I was "better off". He told me in no uncertain terms, how wonderful it was to Him that she didn't have to experience the "fall" and He didn't have to come to her and show her the holes in His hands in order for her to trust and believe.
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