Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Leadership, Life Inspiration

P.S. ~ He doesn’t call pew sitters

a-pew-sitterI can’t seem to make it too far in the book of Judges before I’m under conviction and or in a state of frustration. At the end of Chapter two we read the words of God frustration with Israel:

20 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Israel had again and again turned back to following the false gods of the people dwelling in their land. So in frustration God decided that He would “prove” their loyalty to Him by allowing the troubling parties to stay in their country, thus giving Israel the choice to choose the God of all creation or the created gods. God would send leaders in like, Joshua, Caleb,  and Othniel and judges to govern and guide, and yet each time they either ignored or waited until the leader was gone and then went back to following the ways of the world. History would repeat itself again when Israel would cry out, God would deliver, and they’d follow for a while and then fall away. Such has been the case with Israel, America and the church.

I watch in sadness as the American church goes two directions. Those who stand on the ground they’ve been given refusing to look at any other method of worship as even a possibility, and those who take their worship far, far into a worldly perspective and turn godly worship into a worldly celebration without the holiness of God anywhere in the equation. And then there are those of us in the middle, watching and wondering when Jesus will come and take us out of this mess. But all the while there is a need for the gospel to go forth, but those willing to take it are fewer and fewer.

It hit too close home when I read that as soon as Johua, Caleb and and Othniel passed away, Israel went into disarray.  Why wasn’t there a strong enough leader in their stead? I can say the same about the church, collectively and personally5sq. I’ve watched as strong leaders pass away or move onto other ministries and those in the balance are not ready and have no desire to be ready.

Was it the previous administrations fault?

Did Joshua, Caleb and Othniel drop the ball in training others to be in their place?

Possibly but I doubt it, and that excuse only flies so far. At some point people see the need and choose to either step up or step back. If everyone steps back, succeeding that is usually the ruination of a body of believers. They begin getting lethargic in their service to the Lord, their personal walk with God goes by the way side and slowly but surely a community is in captivity of Satan because the saints of God failed to step up in the position of leader.

I wish I had the answer. Following last week’s election there should have been people lining the altar on Sunday and proclaiming that they were to ready to step into the places God had opened. I didn’t see it at my church, did you see it at yours?

What’s it going to take for people to realize that God may call us home soon and there’s a world in need of Jesus that we were supposed to tell. Or… He may not call us home for a while and He’ll tire of us as He did Israel and say… you wanted the world… there ya go. Welcome to captivity.

My prayer is that one by one we’ll declare our loyalty to God and our churches and our country will turn back to God. But it has to start with us singly looking at God’s desire for our life.

P.S. ~ He doesn’t call pew sitters. Get busy!

Posted in Bible Journaling, Christian Service, Church attendance, Evangelism, Leadership, Life Inspiration, Uncategorized

It’s All About Numbers

journey gal

Numbers 9:18

At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

I’ve been in the book of Numbers for a couple of days, and I’m really not a numbers fan. I speak of numerical numbers not the book. Speak math to me and my eyes glaze over and I go semi-comatose until our conversation is over. It’s true. It’s just never been my forte. But the book of Numbers has captivated my attention as well as broken my heart in several verses. Moses, having been instructed by God, is numbering the servants in the service of the Lord. Even as I type those words my eyes well up with tears; for they are few in the modern church. Even in a church with big numbers of bodies there is not necessarily a big number of servants.

I was born with a servant’s heart. But that too gets me into trouble, because I can get pulled into serving others and away from serving God for whom I’ve been called to serve. What about you? Have you been called to serve? Well… if you are a child of God, then the answer is yes and it might shock you to know that God is pretty serious about it, after all, you are a priest.

What? Yep, it caught me a little off guard too, even though I knew it. It wasn’t until I related an Old Testament truth with a New Testament truth that it clicked. As Moses was numbering the Levites and the Priests, doling out their responsibilities to the house of worship, bells went off inside my head and drew my mind’s eye to my very own verse in 1 Peter 2:9 ~ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Every child of God is a member of the priesthood. And while we’re not to don robes and hats, the responsibility is the same. We have a role in taking care of the church. Everyone. Not just the preacher, the deacon, the Sunday school teacher, etc. Even the guy or gal on the 8th row back, who shows up on Sunday to do their due diligence of church. And I meant that totally sarcastic. Showing up on Sunday is not your due diligence… well it is, but it doesn’t end there. Paul told the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

You have a gift that is intended for the service of the Lord, where ever that may be. Which brought me to the verse in Numbers 9 this morning and the little girl packing the suit case. God expects the church to be on the move and ready to roll when service calls. In less than two weeks I’m headed to Minnesota to serve in a Revival. I’m excited, God’s been speaking to my heart about “stuff.” Just as He spoke to Moses, He speaks to us. Perhaps not audibly but every bit as real. Instant in season and out of season the scripture says, be ready! Are you? My heart is broken for the churches across America because Revival is hard to come by. Too many people are sitting and waiting for the Lord to show up, when actually the Lord did show up… they just weren’t willing to move out of their seat to greet Him and so He moved on.

God is in the details. There are many details to a church service and everyone is important. Serve well friend… It’s all about numbers, for which you are one.