RENOVATION, Part 2 of 3
BLESSED
America was blessed with unprecedented opportunity when God entrusted boundless resources to us in the context of American freedom and an economic system that fostered their development. They were given to enable us to fulfill the Great Commission but we are consuming them upon ourselves.
We measure success in life as the world does, and join them in seeking to satisfy the craving of our souls through earthly things. We are as overweight as the lost, and Starbucks depends on our habit of fancy coffees and delicacies. We indulge in comfort and pleasure, and in accumulating wealth as the heathen do – – even daring to justify ourselves by labeling it “God’s blessing.”
I venture that in my county and a neighboring one alone, there is enough Mt. 6:19-22 forbidden, laid-up treasure, to take the Gospel to tens and tens of millions who are now destined for hell. If we don’t release it soon it will evaporate into the putrid air of the lawlessness that is even now recognized in the spiritual nostrils of any who have a sense of smell.
Only a pitiful portion of our church budgets is applied to taking the Good News to the Unreached. They are out-of-sight and out-of-mind as we busy ourselves with our religious duties and performances as we indulge in the spirit of the world.
Finally, the Holy Spirit has distributed both natural and supernatural gifts among us, for the Father’s purposes, but we often refuse them or use them for selfish gain. We promote our book-learning, belief systems, intellectual prowess and evangelistic formulas, who then mock our expectation that they bring others to Christ. Our failure drives us to try even harder to get different results from doing the same thing again.
LIVING WATER
In the Day to come, John 7:37-39 rivers of Living Water will flow out of those who join the saints of Hebrews 11 by “finding themselves” in God and His Kingdom as they are purified in the Refiner’s Fire. Some present church-goers will be among them but many won’t. NOW, before the heat is on, is the time to begin to turn our eyes toward Him.
Tomorrow, RENOVATION – 3
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, OH
March 9, 2021
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