My mom used to say that when she died, she planned to grab as many souls on her way outta here and when they got halfway there, she would turn and ask, "Do you want me to drop you now?" She was intentional on getting people to heaven.
Sometimes I start feeling that way. But, it isn't about souls getting to heaven, but people having peace and feeling the love of Jesus in their lives. Alright, sometimes it's getting souls to heaven, but more often than not, I'm really concerned about the body of Christ and the extreme lack of peace, joy and comfort that seems to permeate their lives.
When I start reading an amazing book, I want EVERYONE to read it. I want everyone to understand the life-changing words that I'm consuming. Words have the power to uplift me. They can drag me out of the pit and give me hope, they challenge me to be more than I am, they give me a cause to believe in. When an author writes to my heart, I get stirred up!
And I turn around to share that information, but no one wants to listen. Oh, I'm not whining about this. I'm way beyond whining. I hate it! The people I care about are so stuck in their lives that they aren't ready to make any changes - they love wallowing in self pity. (If you think this applies to you, that's fine, but I can pretty much guarantee that those I'm speaking of aren't reading my blog).
I've started reading "downpour" by James MacDonald. Oh my goodness! (oh, I'm reading so many books right now - my brain might explode). So ... I'm going to expose you to the beginning of this book. It's actually the introduction to the book. Do you want to enjoy a 'happening' relationship with God or are you happy where you are at? I hope that you are never happy where you are at ... the status quo is a bad place to be. But, MacDonald tells me that if I'm going to enter into this commitment, I need to make some promises:
1. Dissatisfaction (read Matthew 15:8) I promise to be dissatisfied with anything less than a genuine personal experience with God. More heartfelt worship and more progress in personal righteousness. I want to FEEL that I'm in God's family and experience true joy and peace. I want a real, growing, dynamic relationship with God and I'm not settling for anything less.
2. Verification (read Acts 17:11) I promise to set God's Word high above human teaching and to handle it with the respect it deserves. Learn from the Lord. I won't just skim the Bible, but I will read it.
3. Compartmentalization (read I Corinthians 10:26) I promise to give God access to every area of my life. I won't separate what I will and will not trust God with. Nothing will be off-limits to God.
4. Personalization (read Matthew 7:5) I promise to make this about me and God alone. I will focus on my need for personal revival and will not drift off to what others need to learn.
5. Application (read I Corinthians 8:1) I promise to put into practice what I am learning. I will work at applying everything I am learning on a daily basis.
Now, if you approached learning about God by making these promises, what would happen? If I sign the book under each of these promises - what could happen? If I really chose to make a commitment to coming close to God, what might happen?
I've been praying for a revival to happen in churches across this country. But, maybe I need to be praying for a personal revival. I'm not satisfied with my spiritual life. I'm not satisfied with staying the same when it comes to my prayer life or my relationship with God. I want more and more and more! I want to be fully soaked as God pours Himself out. What am I so afraid of?
I want to grab all of you and drag you to the throne with me, but before I get there, I will ask "Would you like me to drop you now?" You don't have to answer. Your answer will be in your response to what God is calling you to do and to be. If you fade away and allow your spiritual life to become blase and bland, that's an answer. If you leap in and ask what else you can do to learn and to help lead others to God, that's an answer.
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