If It's To Be - It's Up To Me

Issue 13 [April 18, 2010]

     If you want something to happen, you can’t just sit by and expect God to make it happen. “God, I want to see Revival, make it happen!” or “God, I want the Holy Ghost, give it to me now”. Well, you have a desire to see something, but what are you doing about it. Faith without works is dead. I can have faith that God will make a way for the light bill to be paid but if I don’t show up for work, then not only will I lose my job but also my electricity. God will not, I repeat, NOT allow you to sit back, get fat and lazy and just hand you things for your life. Blessings don’t come thru a feeding tube. You will be required to do something for it.

      We have become laid back and its time for God to “kick-start” our spirit. What was it Jesus said, “this only comes by prayer and fasting”. He didn’t say it came in the mail, ordered from the Sear-Roebuck catalog. He didn’t say a rich uncle left it in his will. He didn’t say it was bought for a dollar at the Caring and Sharing, and no, it was not in the lost and found section at your local country club.

     I know many people in today’s society are not willing to place their life on the table for open scrutiny, but I will confess and repent before you all and say I have been lazy and selfish. I have allowed my flesh to get the best of me and yes I have even been found looking for the carpet.

     Eating is a hobby of mine and I could go professional if one would allow me to fill out an application. Fasting is not something that you should do “in-between meals”. Nor should it be said that you fast 8 hours a day every day, between 10 pm and 6 am (sleeping). The more the sacrifice, the more rewarding, and the more it gives you a healthy spirit. I make it a point to fast one day a week to help keep this flesh under subjection. Exercise should be a part of our daily routine. Prayer, fasting, and reading our Bible is all an essential part of our walk with God. Spiritual obesity will cause health problems and may lead to many other spiritual diseases. Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, and so on is just as real as in your carnal life.

     Prayer is a necessary part of our communication with God. We may miss out if we our frequency is off a little bit. Prayer needs to be like drugs; addictive. We need to develop a consistent prayer life. The problem with that is we become distracted by everything that clutters up our life. Job, home, bills, this, that, and so on. The proper way to handle these clusters is to do a daily cleaning of our house. Make the bed every day, sweep and mop the floor, Make a mess; you need to clean it up, wash the dishes and so on. Prayer is just such the answer. We ALL know this, but we become slack in our walk as we get older in the Lord. Remember if its to be - Its up to me. No one can pray or fast for me, and since God died on the cross for me, it’s the least I can do for him.

     Read our Bible. For some, it is not a problem but for others, it can develop into a Dentist Appointment (one that is put off). I love to read my Bible, but if I allow myself to get caught up in my everyday carnal activities, then I will go all day without reading my Bible. I will have to repent and tell the Lord I will do better the next day if he allows me to have a next day. I have found that if I “begin” my day with prayer and reading my Bible that it will be a better day entirely.

     Lost loved ones are dear to us and we want to see them saved but are we working in the wrong direction? Only we know our family like we know our family. With some, preaching might get them to a place of repentance, and with others we have to be delicate and just simply live it in front of them. Some of us have unbelieving companions and we can show them the right way and they automatically lock up, but if we pray consistently and fast for their soul, then with them we have a better chance.

    I am not sure of the quote but I believe it was Coach Bear Bryant that was asked, Do you treat all your players the same? He replied, NO, but I treat them all fair. I say that to say this, Not everyone responds the same. Some may need a little coaxing, while others just need a large boot to their backside, and a few of them simply wait to be invited. Pray and ask God to show you the proper manner of reaching your lost loved ones. Most importantly live it in front of them day and night. Never compromise your integrity to appease them.

     Is there something gnawing at you all the time? Maybe God is wanting to use you. Do you feel God nudging you in a particular direction during the service? To go over and pray for someone, or to step out of your pew and worship God with your WHOLE heart?

     Oh, but I can’t step out of my pew and go up front and begin to praise the Lord, I will be the only one. Everyone will see me and I will be embarrassed. I want to grab the tambourine and just shake loose the flesh but I am scared of what everyone will think. I am not a glory hog. I can’t begin a victory march around the church, everyone will think ,. . . Well, I don’t know; something?!

     You’re right, they will think something, they will think; wow, look at bro/sis so and so worshipping God, I sure wish I could get out there and do that. Maybe God is waiting on us and maybe Revival is being held up because we all can’t get out of our pew and truly worship God like he wants, we desire and should do! If its to be - it’s up to me. Maybe what your church needs is a worship leader. Not one who has a “position” in the church, but one who is always dedicated to giving his/her all for the one who gave all for us. Someone who can put their pride to the side and worship God in the fashion he is TRULY deserving. When I leave the church I need to ask myself the question: Did I give my all in the service tonight?

     The children provide great mirrors of the adults. If we were to do an experiment and have the children to “play” the adults in church during worship and preaching, what do you think “WE” would look like when they played us? Would we appear as real Christians and one that loves the Lord, or would we be portrayed as one of an intimidated and starchy person?

     I know I can but answer for myself and as I sit and ponder if the children were to “play” me, I know that I am lacking. I may worship and sing but I realize now that I am NOT giving my all.

     I’m going to break all this down and close in saying this quotation of a preacher. “If you always give what you’ve always gave, then you’ll always get what you’ve always got!” Remember if it’s to BE - its up to ME! Don’t let Satan rob you any longer.

     We want results within the church but the question before you today is this; are you willing to pay the price to get the results you desire? ? ?

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Scripture For Your Basket:
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God
1 Samuel 30:8 And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all
2 Samuel 23:11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines
Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
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      A wise man once stated: “ The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Chinese Proverb
    I have to be the one to make the first step. My (future) wife and children, church, pastor, and lost loved-ones are counting on me.
   
I pray (as always) that this will stir you up and motivate you to reach for more of the Lord and “grab another rung on the ladder.” You know what I always say, “BUST that Devil in the mouth and keep on trucking for Jesus!”

    { For those who eat at Italian restaurants; be on the lookout for barking table-dogs. . . . ha ha . . .you know who you are}
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