Do you enjoy road trips like I do? It doesn't even matter if I start out with a destination, I just enjoy the journey, colors, scenery or just the drive. Many Christians are looking forward to heaven but do we look forward to each & every day on life's journey? Hopefully you did not receive rose colored glasses on the day of your conversion nor some pie in the sky doctrine. What you should have received was encouragement to learn to read your road map of life, which is called the Bible.
The church of today needs a prophetic voice, it needs vision, it has to change to accommodate a world headed to hell in a hand basket. I did not say we were to compromise the gospel, not become a seeker sensitive church (see my last blog.) I question today if some of our churches truly want to grow. We've become so entrenched in our belief of what the church should be. We've become so entrenched in our style of worship. We've become so entrenched in our denominational theology. That we are shutting out the people we are called to reach.
Many of our churches have to re-focus, we have got to be willing to make the necessary changes that will reach today's generation. It takes a lot of faith & boldness from the seniors of our churches to allow the new breed of zealous Christians to make their own mistakes, just as they did with the operation of our Lords church.
General Booth the founder of the Salvation Army had a vision that I will try to explain. It was as though he saw a three layer cake. On top were a bunch of people oblivious to anything else around them but themselves. On the next layer were a handful of people reaching down to the third level trying to save the people from the level below them. That third level was a storm filled sea with people trying desperately to escape & not be drowned. He interpreted it as the church being oblivious to the people of the world the Lord has instructed us to reach out too. The handful reaching out would be today called the para church, the soul winners of today. The violent sea being the world that holds its people in a death grip of greed, perversion, pride & fear, to name but a few of its vises.
Psalm 104:4 tells us His ministers are to be a flame of fire. The word minister actually means servants which is the position of every Christian in regards to their Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. So looking at that scripture we are to be on fire for the Lord sharing Him with every person & every opportunity that comes our way. Without new converts our churches can become as a dying fire in the woodstove, the fire is going out, the zeal for God long since departed.
If a christian is content in their walk with the Lord in all likelihood they have cut themselves off from the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The churches job is to impact their communities not isolate themselves from them. It's along life's journey that your life touches other lives. At school, in your workplace, community activities, sporting events, in the grocery store or at the gas station.
Life is but a journey so let us look at the track of life from a Christian perspective.
The blocks--accepted Christ into your life
The starter pistol--go ye into all the world & preach the gospel ( not just for pastor & missionary.) Charles Price "We are all in full time ministry unto the Lord, no matter what our occupation."
The track shoes--feet shod in the preparation of the Gospel of peace (preparation before presentation.) Did you know you have beautiful feet that is what the good book says, beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news.
We are not to be sprinters but marathoners 2nd Timothy 4:6-8
The hurdles--tests, trials & tribulations of life. The problems we face on a daily basis whether sickness, finances, relationships & the big one, people in our lives. By the way the only way over life's hurdles are to get on your knees & ask the Lord to help you become the over-comer He has called you to be.
This is not a competition--individual yet a team player with your coach being the Lord of Glory.
Your eyes focused on the terrain around you--we have to be trained up to discern between good & evil, both spiritually & in the natural (the pitfalls of life.)
Put into practice what you have learned
Pacing yourself--ENDURANCE
Focused on the goal--your goal is to be your encouragement to keep on going.
Hindrances--poorly trained, lack of conditioning, stretching exercises, breathing, proper diet, liquids, physical & mental toughness. While running the race of life you have numerous opportunities to give up from sheer exhaustion & discouragement.
poorly trained--the teaching you received in your church may not have been what you needed to run the race.
lack of conditioning--not having put into practice what you were taught to do
stretching exercises-- when you face tests, trials or tribulations you are both strengthening your walk but also helping you to help others through those same challenges of life.
breathing--it is the Holy Spirit who put the breath of life into you follow His direction
proper diet--man does not live buy bread alone, but by every word the proceeds from the word or mouth of God
liquids--drink of the living waters the Lord has provided for His followers
physical & mental toughness--we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
You've been trained up. When we put in the time & effort, make the sacrifices all you can see is the goal. Then you are ready to run the race. Hebrews 12:1, Romans 9:12-21 Again I remind you it's along life's journey that your life touches other lives, food for thought!
This was a message I had the privilege of preaching at Vennachar Free Methodist Church on October 23/11. It blessed the congregation so I thought I would put it in my blog.
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