RSS Feed (xml)
1. Walking is stupid - I mean I am grateful for the ability and all, but as for walking for exercise - it is dumb. It takes almost 2x longer to walk a shorter distance than I run! What a waste, but I have not been feeling all that well, and don't want to overdue it.
2. My mind has been gravitating to Love a lot lately, and I spent some time meditating on love and how it relates to the Bride this morning and God really spoke some awesome things into my soul.
a. Our God is madly in love with the Bride, as imperfect as she is (Read Ezekiel 16 for a glimpse). He is desperate for her, like a groom on his wedding night, he is impassioned for her. He knows her true colors, her imperfections, and her short comings, but that does not ever diminish His love for her.
i. Shouldn't I feel the same compulsion for her?
b. Have we turned her into a place where people are able to come and be given knowledge and an experience, and in so doing, taken away the need for people to wrestle with God? Have we made the Church a place for people to consume God, rather than be consumed by God?
i. As I was praying and allowing this thought to consume me, God revealed to me that if we understood the Power of His Love, we would never allow people to be in need. We would hear of a need in the local community, or the local body, and we would rise up to meet it. We would see someone hungry on the street, or hear of a need in our community - and we would be the first to meet that need. (Think Acts 2).
ii. The problem in our churches today is not that no one is leading, it is not even that we need to abandon the way things have always been - it is time for those who are leading to LEAD in LOVE. We need examples of LOVE shining bright in our community. I love the local church, I love the universal Church - and I believe Jesus desires to use Her to infect change in the community - but that begins with LOVE!
c. We have grown complacent and comfortable with the love of our Savior. Jesus' death no longer awes the Church. We have watered down the Gospel, so much so, that it has lost some of its effectiveness.
i. Does your heart break when you think of what Jesus did for you?
ii. Does your heart yearn to share the living water that you have experienced?
iii. Are you desperate to see people come to know Jesus, experience His healing power, and grow in knowledge of His Love?
iv. When was the last time someone was able to see the working out of your salvation?
a. These are questions that should be asked of a believer, I think, all the time, and answered readily with passion and fervor!
d. In Exodus, as God is giving instruction to build the tabernacle, the ark, the altars and giving the people instructions on how to give and worship - the people's response to God's command to give is astounding! They are so quick to be obedient that God tells Moses to have the people stop giving, because there is no more need! All that can been given has, and more... Fast forward to the New Testament and what does Jesus command - that we go forth, be salt and light, make His name known and that they will know Him by our love. That we make disciples, that we love our neighbor.
i. Why has God not had to ask us to stop being obedient in this area yet?
a. Simple answer, we have not been as obedient as the Israelites (a pretty rebellious people). We have not embraced the calling on our lives with the passion that is required.
Many people are quick to bash and complain about "the church" - I would argue that the problem is not with the church, the problem is with the people. My mind thinks back to the illustration where you fold your hands together and show the steeple, and inside are the people... the Church is people - and until we rise up and begin to love like Jesus did; nothing will change. The world will continue to head in the direction of the darkness because right now it is all that is campaigning for their love.
But, what if...
I loved?
And, what if...
it became contagious?
No comments:
Post a Comment