Knowing where you are

I’m guessing it’s a pretty safe assumption that everyone finds themselves questioning their faith at some time or another. It’s the human condition, second guessing ourselves, experiencing feelings of insecurity. To say you NEVER question but have constant faith and immovable belief? Even Paul exhorts in I Corinthians 11:28 that we should examine ourselves. He is specifically referring to the state of your heart at receiving Communion or the Lords Supper, but the exhortation holds true of our general walk as a Christian individual as well.

I’m not talking here about questioning faith in the sense of whether God IS, or if Jesus died for your sins. I’m referring to the day by day, focused living in such a manner that you are continually a witness for Jesus in your words and your deeds as well as keeping that guard on your heart as Proverbs 4:23 warns us to do.

I’m talking about taking time to re-assess where you are, to re-focus where you’re going and to re-evaluate how you’re getting there! You wouldn’t set out on a trip you’ve never taken before and never check that your still following the directions to get there, would you? The idea that we set things in motion once and never look at them again is exactly the kind of thing that gets people into trouble. There are so many factors involved in living life that constant re-determinations are always in order!

When we start on our Christian walk, a certain set of circumstances are in place. As we grow and mature as a Christian, new circumstances come into being and so changes must be made if we want to continue to grow! The church you began in may or may not continue to be the best place for you to serve, God may call you to different areas of service, like Missions or into ministry as a Pastor yourself.

Whether every few months or every few years, it makes good sense to take some time out from the everyday demands of life and set aside specific time to:

RE-ASSESS; by “where you are”, I mean the state of your heart. Is Jesus still your first love? Are you being obedient to Him in the manner you are conducting your life?

RE-FOCUS; “where you’re going” refers to what you are doing – your actions and behaviors. Are you on track with the desires God has put in your heart? Is what you are doing accomplishing Gods will in your life? Is it bringing you the joy and peace you desire?

RE-EVALUATE; “how you are getting there” corresponds directly to you’re the actions you are taking, the words you are speaking and the belief system you hold in your heart. To re-evaluate is to “examine” yourself, to check with the Lord about the things in your heart. Often as we grow in understanding and experience, if we take another look at things we’ve believed and why or how we believe it, change may be in order. God never changes, but He intends that we are continually changing from glory to glory to more perfectly reflect His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this journey called LIFE, with God’s Word as our map or GPS along with a humble heart to obey direction and earnest prayer to seek that direction, we’re certain to please our Lord and fulfill the exhortation of the Apostle Paul to “walk worthy of the calling with which we are called.” (Ephesians 4:1)
LET THE JOURNEY BE JOYFUL! MAKE IT COUNT FOR CHRIST!

IF . . . . (the Design of Church- Fifth and Final)

There is one teeny tiny small word, that, coupled with other words becomes exceedingly POWERFUL in and to our lives. That word is "if".
Coupled with other words, like "if we obey" followed by action - we become unstoppable in the hands of the living God!

There are those times our choices leave us with NO CHOICES - like when God told Adam he could eat of the fruit of every tree in the garden, but NOT the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For in the day thou eatest thereof.... Adams choice would then leave NO CHOICE.

Then there are those times when IF we choose thus and so, we are faced with further choices, and each one impacts our lives and the lives of those around us.

What if...... How often have YOU thought that? Dreamed it? Imagined all that could be IF only....

"IF" is a powerful word followed by action, reaction or nonaction to be considered.

What IF Naaman, the Centurion who had a Jewish maidservant, had refused to heed her word to him, had NOT gone to Gods Prophet Elisha for healing? And what IF Naaman had remained in his stubborn attitude and refused to do the INSIGNIFICANT thing he was told to do - wash in the Jordan River 7 times - then he would not have been healed of leprosy.

Consider that Moses, when his eyes were firmly fixed on obeying GOD- it was all burning bushes and miraculous signs and extraordinary wonders and water flowing from rocks and manna falling from Heaven Itself - but when he took his eyes OFF God and looked at the need of the people Israel, trying to counsel them and meet their need himself - it was all frustration and irritation which led to disobedience leading to Moses being denied entry into the Promised Land. What IF he'd obeyed?

We have a lot of churches going today, churches who's eyes are "on the people" trying to please them and draw them and entice them into showing up Sunday after Sunday or attend the church programs or support the church causes and its doctrines and disciplines.

They, these churches, have developed program after program which appear to be designed more for making THEM feel good and get noticed, recognized and applauded by other churches than really doing any honest lasting good that truly Glorifies God!

Churches that focus on pleasing people tend to displease the very God they claim to serve!

WHAT IF......

What if instead of our trying to BIND GOD to our limited understanding, what if we allowed God to expand our understanding to receiving His limitlessness?

What if instead of adhering to our ideas of "church", we surrendered to His high calling to BE HIS CHURCH?

What if....?

The Design of "Church" part 4

Anytime we think about changing an existing institution we have to ask ourselves a few questions. What do we expect from it? What was it designed to do? Is it meeting our expectations? Does it need improvement? How can we improve it? Or should we accept it as it is?

At first glance, these may seem simple questions and your first thoughts may include that the answers are simple, too. However, on deeper reflection and considering the subject matter, perhaps we shouldn't be too hasty in our conclusions.

Religion effects every human being in some shape, form or manner. Even those who would contend they are not "religious" or hold no belief that might be considered religious. The existence (or non-existence) of GOD in some way effects everyone. The response in each of us to that truth has profound effect. Whether we admit it, ignore it or deny it, it is there, it does exist. The 9-11 attack on the United States was driven by religion and affected us all in some way. That alone supports my point. So, given the point that religion effects every human, we can move on to the existence of "church" as an institution. Our responses will run the same gamut. Deeply involved to ignoring it as completely as possible. As an institution, that can be done.

What I'm suggesting is the "church" isn't an institution, and that the Author of "church" never intended it to be the institution is has become. Jesus once told His disciples, "the works that I do, these you will do and greater works than these, because I go to the Father." He, Jesus, also taught that the Kingdom of God resides WITHIN the person, not OUTSIDE of people, and that the actions we take are a result of the Spirit inside motivating us. I am certainly not the first to say that "church" is an ORGANISM, not an organization. I'm suggesting that the very way we human beings have designed the modern day "church" actually inhibits true growth and fellowship with the Lord our God.

It is clear from the teachings of Christ that we are to gather treasures in heaven and not here on this earth. I believe the current church design ENCOURAGES hording and selfishness and greed among those who serve in it. AW Tozer once said that in a contest between God and money, money will win in a mans heart almost every time. We'll justify and excuse, but we'll choose the money. We see time and time again this truth occurring in the leadership and congregation members of the institution called church. MONEY entices and eventually enslaves. It's a struggle we lose far more often than we win. Few, very few indeed can overcome this particular temptation and Jesus was well aware of it. He addressed it and spoke plainly about it. "You cannot serve God and mammon.(money) For you will love the one and hate the other." I confess I struggle mightily with this one, for I would like the comfort money appears to bring the same as anyone else.

Without the structured institution of "church", much of this particular temptation and many others would be done away with. Idolizing the church leader, idolizing the buildings, the programs, the fancy decorations, the comfortable chairs, the Worship Leaders, the music and the list goes on and on.

The saints of God, gathering together to encourage one another, help one another, teach, comfort, exhort and bless one another is absolutely a Biblical model. I'm suggesting that this institutional being we have named "church" isn't the most conducive method, or at the least has become a less conducive method to fellowship and intimacy with the Living God. I'm suggesting radical change in the Body of Christ is in order. We've become too "comfortable" in the Sunday "I go to church" mode. (Or Saturday or Wednesday or whatever DAY you have designated).

A Tale of Tide Turning!

Our Heavenly Father, and it is our earnest wish that He is YOURS as well,
is so inherently GOOD to us! Just as the Israelites constantly told
stories of Gods wondrous works to them, so they would not forget, so
we, too, must constantly proclaim the awesome things God does so
we won't take for granted or forget just how awesome He is!

Several weeks ago, we began praying for the salvation of a woman here
in Florida. She had revealed that though she wasn't a "believer", she had
a sister in Colorado who was "born again".

We began to share truth with her as the circumstances allowed, and simply
prayed. (LOVE IT! 'simply prayed'. prayer is SO POWERFUL!) Next thing
we know, God worked the entire situation around so that she and her family
are moving to Colorado, where they will stay with the sister and family for
a time while they get settled.

What are the chances her sister WON'T share Christ with her? I'm guessing
slim to none. I'm putting my HOPE in Christ, that she and her whole family
will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!

Every insignificant act, freely offered as a sacifice of thanksgiving to the Creator
becomes an opportunity of HIS GLORY in His hands! ALLELUJAH!! and again
we proclaim PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!!

In constant prayer,
Clay and Marie Krebs
Turn the Tide Ministries