Pastor’s Blog 10.9.10
Last week, I was writing about the necessity of faith in our walk with God and I am going to continue on this subject. It seems that there is a demand by our culture to require less and less from the individual in a walk with God. In a recent Barna Poll the question was asked: What is the most important thing you look for in selecting a new home church? The number one answer was “that they don’t need me to do anything”. Wow, this really shines a light on the faith, or lack of faith of this generation! Everything we do in Christ is “motivated by faith and manifested by service.”
Hebrews 11:6-7
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. NKJV
As we read Hebrews 11, we find people were motivated by faith “to do” things. Today, there is a lack of urgency to live for God. To live for God means our lives take on His meaning and His priorities become ours. We awake each day with a call to service and purpose, knowing it could be our last! We shake off the apathetic attitude of those who are perishing and take up our cross and follow Him!
We have a record of warning about becoming apathetic in our walk:
2 Peter 3:1-7
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder),
2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. NKJV
The Lord has called us to a diligent walk and given us much responsibility in it. Just as socialism is a failed experiment in every culture, faith without works is dead. Why is socialism a tempting offer? I get to do less, be responsible for less and someone else will take care of me. It is a failed solution in politics and it doesn’t work with your faith either. The Lord has commanded us to go and use all the talent and ability we have to subdue the earth and share in it’s prosperity. In the same way we have to engage our faith in our walk with Him for the harvest by service.
Each week the administrators of local churches struggle with all the “call offs” of their volunteer army. While we try to schedule a harvest because the fields are white and ready, we are countered with excuses of why, “I can’t serve this week”. Reminds me of a story in the Bible:
Luke 14:16-27 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen , and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'” 25 Leaving All to Follow Christ (Matt 10:34-39) Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. NKJV
Roll up your sleeves and work for the Lord of the harvest!
Be blessed!
- Date - October 9, 2019
- Author - David Chisholm
