Posted on

Do it

www.journeytoworship.orgRecently I rediscovered a simple truth.  Do it.

I recently posted someone’s critique of a well known pop singer.  They pointed out on several levels that she wasn’t promoting Christian values.  They didn’t say she couldn’t sing well…or dance well…or that she wasn’t smart….or pretty….or powerful…..or nice to people when she meets them.  They didn’t say that she wasn’t a great humanitarian or mother or actress or daughter or wife…..they just pointed out that she wasn’t promoting the values that we find in the bible, specifically the things that Jesus taught and did while He was here.

I like listening to many of the songs of this singer.  So I came to an important crossroads: If I know that her music promotes values that are against my values than why don’t I stop listening to her music?  I mean, if her song comes on the radio or pops up on Facebook or YouTube why don’t I just turn away from it and ignore it? I have a problem.  I don’t live what I believe!

I use to think that I would finally get to the place where I knew enough that I’d be able to figure out all the important spiritual questions of my universe.  But I no longer wait for that day 🙂  What I feel is a more pragmatic approach is this–I’ll choose to live up to what I currently believe.  That’s a huge deal!  After being stuck in the mode of thinking if I just heard the right sermon or attended the correct workshop or read the latest “deep” book I’d get to the point where I now would be the authority on all things spiritual and be able to discern all truth from error and know that I was right and others were wrong.  But over time I see that while my broad principals remain there were things I didn’t know that I became aware of that have changed how I view the world.

And rather than list all my current revelations I’d rather share the truth I’ve gleaned through this journey to worship.  If God has said “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”(John 13:35) and we aren’t loving in our homes than what’s the point of ANYTHING ELSE?  If we can’t get along in church because we fight and gossip and put down others, than why invite someone else to come join in the mess? We need a revival!  But we need a revival of love!!!

I’d like to suggest this:  Revisit the basics of the bible and do it!  I love the study of bible prophecy and last day events.  But I have marveled how preachers and teachers and saints of great prophetic understanding have become such hateful people.  Instead of flocking to the new and improved Revelation Seminar, why not show love to our neighbor.  Do it!

Yes, I believe that we are living in the last days…I think one clear characteristic of the last day saints is their lukewarm nature.  In Revelation 3 the description of the church of Laodecia sounds a lot like where I’m living today:

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

When you or I come to the place where we think we know it all and therefore are better than everyone else we become horrible to be with.  No one likes a know it all–especially a spiritual no it all.  But here’s the antidote.  Become a do it all!  Just do it!  Do the works of rightness and love that God desires and requires.  Do it right now!  Don’t wait for a revival or special invitation.  Help the needy now.  Do it!  Call the lonely now.  Feed the hungry now.  Do it!

I love you and that’s why I wrote this.  Today I will not spend endless hours reading and learning more stuff that I’ll have forgotten most of tomorrow.  Instead I’ll take what I know and DO IT!

Remember:

www.journeytoworship.org
Do it!
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

Today

Hug MeOn a blog where I spend lots of time considering the meaningful experience of deep spirituality I am halted by one word: TODAY!

While Jesus spoke about love and it’s centrality to his message and that it would be a characteristic of his true followers (By this shall all men know ye are my disciples….), he in action demonstrated as focal and powerful a truth as love’s preeminence.  He gave immediate invitations. He asked fisherman to come join Him and He promised to make them fishers of men.  He told the weak and weary, “Come unto me…and I will give you rest.”  He even asked his would be followers to take up their cross and follow Him. He gave his invitation on TODAY!

What’s so important about invitations?  Well, I recently concluded and shared in our Prayer And Song meeting this week at our home in Silver Spring, Maryland, that I may never get it all figured out.  I may never be spiritually or theologically fully right.  I may never have the most accurate understanding of the bible.  I may never have the correct exegesis of the text.  I may never overcome the bad habit I’ve been praying for victory over for 30 years.  But TODAY I can hug you and tell you I love.  Today I can text to check up on you.  Today I can call you and encourage you.  And today I can share with you what’s working for me and the reason for my faith.

Roman’s 13:12 tells us, 1″The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”  Tomorrow is not promised!  Let’s take action on TODAY! 

Recently a world famous musician died unexpectedly.  Thousands of fans have been morning and playing and singing his songs.  They have worn his favorite color to work.  They’ve made him their profile picture.  Some have even taken his songs and changed the lyrics and made them into praise and worship songs.  His death caught everyone by surprise.  But you don’t have to be surprised again.  Choose to live each day knowing that “The night is far spent.”  Tomorrow isn’t promised.  Do what’s in your heart Today!  You won’t regret it.

The two people in the picture with this post are my son and my mother.  TODAY I will tell them again that I love them.  What will you do TODAY?

 

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail
Posted on

Don’t Miss Your Moment

www.journeytoworship.com
Don’t Miss Your Moment

I’m honest enough to publicly admit a major shortcoming in my character.  I’ve been waiting.  But I think I’ve been waiting a bit too long.

I like to be very thorough when I study a subject. And if I’m attempting a project,  I like to plan in detail so I am able to succeed.  But I don’t like to start until I feel confident that I’m prepared.  Spiritually I’ve been waiting for God to prepare me to do great things for Him.  But it seems as I’ve grown older that God has been waiting for me to take action.

There has always been the idea in my head that if you pray long and hard enough God will reveal His will to you.  Then, once you have your marching orders you are set.  Now you can go out into battle.  But what if you’ve been waiting 20 years and no marching orders have come?  Does that mean God isn’t ready yet?  Or does it mean God is waiting for us to take action?

Let’s consider this series of questions.  What if she hadn’t touched the hem of his garment?  What if his friends hadn’t lowered him down through a roof to see Jesus?  What if she hadn’t had the boldness to enter the throne room of the king uninvited waiting for the approval of his extended scepter?  Would her people have been saved?  Would he have been healed?  Would her bleeding have stopped?

It seems that God has some things that he will only give to us if we take an action first.  The action is our demonstration of faith.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, ” But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Asking, seeking, knocking or even reaching can be our sign of faith that pleases God.  He in turn blesses our faith action with a favorable result.  But what if we never took that leap of faith?

I believe that the stories of the bible reveal consequences both of taking action and of refraining.  The 5 foolish virgins don’t get to go to the wedding.  The servant who hid his one talent gets it taken away from him.  There were two thieves at the cross with Jesus.  One reached for life and got it.  The other simply missed his moment.  Please don’t miss your moment!

 

 

Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail