Today, the church on earth is flooded with hundreds of millions of bibles, billions of books, cds, videos, gimmicks, gadgets, how to primers, and ministries to grow the church. Yet we are failing miserably! Why?
Before I answer, let us look at the first century early church. they had no personal bibles (the NT was in process of being written as it was lived) they had no Christian radio, tv, no mailing lists, no bookstores, no gadgets and gizmos. they suffered terrible persecution and ostracizing from society. they flourished and grew tremendously! what did they have that we seem to sorely lack?
I believe the answer is a reliance on God through His Holy Spirit and have swapped trusting in Him and are trusting in all the books, ministries, how tos, gizmos, gadgets, and yes even Bibles we have in over abundance.
don't get me wrong! There is nothing inherently wrong in all this stuff, but if we replace trusting in God with all this stuff- then they become an idol in the place of God. May we humbly inspect oar lives and if we have replaced
God with the good (this stuff), then let us place God first again in our lives and this stuff where it belongs--as potential tools for us to serve Him with.
This morning in praying over our pastor for the services, God gave me a prayer that really hit me with its wisdom.
Loving and knowing God is the highest, best and first calling we have if we dare name the name of Jesus as Savior. If we are focused on doing this- everything, let me repeat, EVERYTHING else will fall into place and happen!
Before I answer, let us look at the first century early church. they had no personal bibles (the NT was in process of being written as it was lived) they had no Christian radio, tv, no mailing lists, no bookstores, no gadgets and gizmos. they suffered terrible persecution and ostracizing from society. they flourished and grew tremendously! what did they have that we seem to sorely lack?
I believe the answer is a reliance on God through His Holy Spirit and have swapped trusting in Him and are trusting in all the books, ministries, how tos, gizmos, gadgets, and yes even Bibles we have in over abundance.
don't get me wrong! There is nothing inherently wrong in all this stuff, but if we replace trusting in God with all this stuff- then they become an idol in the place of God. May we humbly inspect oar lives and if we have replaced
God with the good (this stuff), then let us place God first again in our lives and this stuff where it belongs--as potential tools for us to serve Him with.
This morning in praying over our pastor for the services, God gave me a prayer that really hit me with its wisdom.
Loving and knowing God is the highest, best and first calling we have if we dare name the name of Jesus as Savior. If we are focused on doing this- everything, let me repeat, EVERYTHING else will fall into place and happen!
