God is Dangerous
Most of what we hear about God these days, if we hear anything at all, is about His love, mercy, patience, etc. But those who only present one side of God do Him a disservice. Yes, absolutely God is all those things. But if we’re not told of His holiness, His wrath and intolerance of sin, and His coming judgment, we don’t have the full picture and are deprived of a key motivator for preparing to meet Him. This year, our country is burning up. Record fires are burning in California and Colorado with lost lives and much destruction to property. Only a fool does not fear an out of control fire. Part of the picture we need to see contains words associated with God’s judgment: He is a consuming fire, a flaming fire, the “anger of the Lord,” destruction, destroyer. I think you get the picture.
We’ve become so accustomed to a slippery-slope standard, that we don’t realize just how far we’ve fallen. Jesus had to warn the church at Ephesus with these words, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent.” Then He continued with this warning, “or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand…unless you repent.” (Rev. 2:4,5)
I am concerned
that today’s church—you, me, and other pew sitters—has “lost its [our] first love.” Pastor Al Pittman (CWCCS.org), in a recent sermon, said this, “Show me a believer who is not growing in the Word, I’ll show you someone who has no respect for God.” Tough words? Yes. Needed words? Yes. Psalm 119:38 says it this way, “Establish Your Word to Your servant as that which produces reverence for You.” How can we respect and revere God if we’re not spending time in the one thing (His Word) that shows us His heart?
What’s the difference between someone asking you to do something and someone demanding it? Authority. Plug that into your view of God. God doesn’t ask for worship and obedience from us, He demands it. The Liar (Satan) whispers, “tomorrow.” If he can get us to postpone our worship and obedience even one day, he has succeeded. And tomorrow, he’ll be back with the same whisper. Before you know it, days, or weeks have gone by and we’ve scarcely given God much thought. “It’s OK,” we tell ourselves. There’s always tomorrow. We bought the lie, and we don’t even realize where it came from. See blog “No God No Heaven No Hurry” on this site.
It’s time for the church
to wake up. In Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus, He also said to the church at Sardis, “…you are dead. Wake up…remember…repent.” (Rev. 3:1-3) That same message can be applied to us today. Time is running out. Planet earth has an expiration date. We do too.
Mere words can’t say it strongly enough: WAKE UP CHURCH. As long as you have breath, God has work for you to do. There’s no place in Scripture that advocates retirement. I recently heard a message where the speaker likened us (retirement age folk) to “the best wine” which, at the wedding at Cana, had been saved for last. Is that true of you and me? Do we still have a passion for the gospel of Christ? Do we recognize a lost and dying world that needs Jesus? Has our best been saved for last? If you can’t physically be involved, you can pray. That’s where the power is anyway. So don’t discount it and say all I can do is pray. It’s a key activity to move God’s heart. Do it.
Thanks for visiting. Check back often for more truth from God’s Word.