FROM THE PASTOR
August 20, 2017
I have a little rhythmic ‘surge’ in my Jeep that I have noticed of late. It started out being more pronounced when I was pulling the boat trailer but recently, I’ve noticed it occurring under normal driving conditions. In fact, I can see it in the tachometer as the needle has a slight ‘bounce’ to it that’s simultaneous with the ‘surge’ when I reach cruising speed. It’s has been so slight until now that anyone who isn’t used to riding in my vehicle probably wouldn’t notice it… but I can.
As I considered my approach to finding and correcting the issue it occurred to me that this can also be common among Christians. No, not that our tachometers bounce! That we are normally the first to notice if our spiritual lives are out of sync with God. In fact, we often go a long time ignoring the fact that we need a spiritual tune-up… and no one else notices… but we can.
Our vehicles, have warning lights that come on to tell us something is happening that shouldn’t be happening. I’ve found that ignoring them can become very easy and very costly. If we’re honest, most of the time we ignore them because, deep down in, we ‘just hope they will fix themselves and go away’. Unfortunately, ignoring warning signs eventually leads to unexpected break-downs at the most inopportune times. It’s at those times, stranded, we can no longer ‘hope they will go away’ and finally determine that we must seek help to get the vehicle fixed for it to function once again as it is designed to do.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. God has provided us with warning signs so we know when we’re out of step with Him. Paul wrote to the Church at Roman that God has revealed Himself so clearly through nature and our consciences that the unsaved are without excuse. I believe that God also clearly reveals to Christians when we are out of step with Him that we too are without excuse. Especially when we ignore the warning signs. He does this…
1: Through His Word and the work of the Holy Spirit
2: Through our time in prayer
3: Through others
4: Through our circumstances
To that end Paul quoted Isaiah when in Roman as follows…
Acts 28:27 (NASB)
27 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."'
If this is you today, please, do not ignore the signs and listen to the warnings God provides. Only then can we truly say, “I am in step with the prefect will and righteousness of our Lord”.
Thank You for your faithfulness! Pastor Larry
