Skip to main content

Something Amazing Can Happen

                 Over the years, I have heard lots of lessons on things like baptism, elders and church organization.  If you are just starting in faith, those are great topics.  However, mature Christians ought to “move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ” (Hebrews 6:1).   Milk is for babies, but solid food is for the mature! (Hebrews 5:13-14)  In that light, here is something solid for you to chew on.
                Is there anything amazing happening in your church?  Is it really any different from any other group to which you belong?   Ephesians 3:10 states that the “manifold wisdom of God” is to be on display in the church!  People should be able to see something Godly and different among us.  If that is not happening, we need to ask some tough questions.  Here are two to get you started.
                First, where is your trust?  Psalm 146 reminds us not to trust in our strength or in what we have or do because the Lord looks after us and he rules everything.    
                And you say, “Right!  I trust in God!”  Do you?  
                Here is a simple but clarifying question:  What if I told you that your church building could be full to overflowing with believers every Sunday, but in order to do so, you would have to give up your entire retirement savings?   Which would you choose?
                Where is your trust and security – really?
                Second question… are you willing to give up being comfortable?  Jennie Allen says, “The only exercise that draws one close to the real God and works 100% of the time is risk!  To risk is to willingly place your life in the hands of an unseen God and an unknown future”.  If we play it safe, we will have no need of God and our faith will not grow. 
                Comfort was not the goal of the first century church.  Had it been, Paul would never have gone on the missionary journeys, Stephen would not have preached himself to death (Act 7) and Timothy would have just told people what they wanted to hear (2 Timothy 4:1-5).  Our job is to be faithful, not safe!
                The church must grow up, trust God and step out in faith.  Take a chance.  Make a friend.  Reach out in love.  Let go of the earthly things that everyone else is hoarding and start storing up some spiritual treasures (Matthew 6:19-24).
                God can do amazing things (Ephesians 3:20).  Let’s join him and see what happens. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    

New Article: A Path Worth Following

  Jehoram was a terrible king.  He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people.  His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority.  He was brutal and selfish.   Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20).  Did you catch that?  “To no one’s regret!”  What a terrible phrase for your tombstone. On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha.  She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).  She became sick and died.  This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them.  When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that ...

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

   When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for.  Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task.  In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut.  It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why.  Ben became stuck on the glacier.  He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below.   That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice.  He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety.  Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....