Fiery Desire For God

One of my favorite quotes is:
Motion is no substitute for direction.

I like this quote so much that I have it hanging on my office door. The truth of this quote can be applied to nearly everything. But I think of it most often in terms of ministry and my spiritual journey on this earth.

In ministry I can always be in motion.. There are thousands of programs I could try to launch, millions of curriculums I could review, hundreds of conferences I could attend, countless hours of meetings I could be involved in, a lifetimes worth of books I could read and in my community alone, thousands of people I could minister to. The question is, even if I did all these things what would it accomplish. Or perhaps I should ask, what would I hope to accomplish.

You see I can be in motion but never accomplish much. But when I have direction and I head that way then I began to add purpose to what is done. I have had to really pray for direction in ministry. Sometimes the directions I have or that I want to travel are not God’s directions for me in ministry. At other times I seem to be at a loss for what will truly be profitable for me.

Now, the quote also applies to life. You can spend your whole life in motion but never have any direction. Many people when they are finally on their death bed, they look back and everything seems so meaningless to them. It was because they never lived for anything that was eternal or lasting. They had lots of motion but little spiritual direction.

What is the direction for your life? Don’t simply spend a life in motion. I highly recommend the Word of God as a direction book. In fact if your goal is eternal life then the Bible is the best map for you to read.

True Christian — you decided on your direction when you embraced Christ. You would not have embraced salvation in Christ if you had not wanted to live for Him. But how many people think they can confess the name of Christ but then go in the same direction they have always been going. I fear too many.

The apostle Paul had direction. In fact He said that he counted everything as nothing compared to His one goal and aim—Jesus Christ. Phil 3:8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Christian is your direction to know God more? Will you like Paul lay aside everything to pursue your Faithful Savior, Jesus Christ? Are you willing to count all things a loss for the sake of knowing Christ?

God is raising up some who have a fiery desire for Him. These are men and women who cultivate God’s gift of a holy desire so that it consumes their whole life. And when they are on their death bed, they will not doubt that drawing close to God was the best direction of all!

The pendulum swings worldly

Some years ago I understand that the church in America had in many ways suffered from legalism. In an effort to see all church members live holy and pious lives, church leaders devised many rules to be followed. Many of the rules were good, however, following rules doesn’t change hearts.

So the next generation was awakened to the great error of legalism, which often is oppressive for those who seek to live under it’s thumb. They then reacted against it and are still doing so. The unfortunate part of this is that the church has gone too far the other way. Like a pendulum that was way to the right, it has now swung way to the left rather than settle in the middle where it ought to be. The church is no longer legalistic for the most part but rather the church is worldly. Both of these are equally dangerous and sinful.

Christ had many strong words to say against the legalistic religious leaders of His day. He considered them to be the tools of Satan, causing many to stumble and leading many others astray. Paul the apostle on the other hand many strong words to say against Christians who thought they could live worldly lives. He challenged such people and even commanded that they be handed over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh so that if possible they would be saved.

Christ and Paul openly denounced both legalism and worldliness. So why is it that so many so called Christians fail to find the balance between these extremes. I have been very troubled as of late over some Christians I know who in some way have dishonored Christ by their worldliness. Such people either do not recognize their sin or are ignoring it, thinking that they are justified in living as the world does.

Now I am not talking about openly blatant sin or sinners. I am talking about people who sit in the pew next to you at church who by all appearances seem to fit the general description of a church going good person. They don’t rob banks, steal from the poor, or carry on conversations with expletives. Rather they do other things which dishonor Christ and His Church. For instance in the world of the internet they list on their personal profiles that they are Christians and then three sentences down they profess that their favorite TV show is Desperate Housewives—now of course to the world this show is edifying and simply entertaining. But the Christian ought to see it for what it is—a display of sensuality and fleshly lust gratifying filth. Most definitely this cannot please Christ.

Oh you who set your affections upon this world and the things of it do not openly confess Christ for in doing so you blaspheme His name. Do you not know that the Lord has said to avoid every kind of evil even the appearance of it (1Thess 5:22). We ought to be like Job who shunned evil but rather we sit at its table and eat (Job 1:1,3, 2:3).

Do you not see that when you call yourself a Christian but you look, smell and taste like the world you hurdle insults at our Savior and His church. You must not with one breath say that you are a Christian and then in the next partake of the world as though it is becoming of you. If you claim Christ then live Christ. If you confess Christ then be consistent with decree of Holiness. Be holy as I am Holy the Lord has said but far too many live as though they can define holiness to suit thier needs.

Christian if you truly be, then cling to Christ and know His way. Do not pretend to be something if you are not for what honor is there in hypocrisy. No one is perfect, Christian or not but this is no excuse for living as a son of wrath. But if you are known by Christ, if you have been born again by the Spirit of God then what have you to do with the world? Indeed detest its pleasures and run to God.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world . If anyone loves the world , the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world . The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Putting the Diagnosis Before the Cure

There is a great truth that I have known for a long time but have only minimally put into practice. I realized this after listening to a sermon that a brother in Christ pointed me to.

Imagine that you have gone to the doctor for a routine checkup and after the examination the doctor hands you a prescription slip and with no other words he says to you— “take this prescription twice a day.”

Now you might think that this a rather silly illustration because what doctor is going to suggest to you a cure before he gives you a diagnosis. In other words, the doctor is going to tell you that you have cancer before he suggests chemo treatments.

As silly as this illustration sounds, it is exactly what many Christians try to do. They try to give the cure before telling anyone what they need cured of. Is it a wonder that so many people think the good news of Jesus Christ is irrelevant. That vast majority of Americans live fairly comfortable lives. So when we tell them they need saved, they look at us like we have three eyes. Why on earth do I need saved they will think. We might even tell them that they need saved from hell but even then they will stare blankly at you because most of them don’t believe they are going to hell.

Thus we need to tell or show people that they are sinners and that sin leads to hell. Then when they understand that—we can give them the good news of Jesus Christ. How else will the Gospel of Jesus Christ be good news to someone unless they see their great need for salvation in Christ.

We must again start preaching about sin and hell. You bet we are going to offend some people, but the gospel was always and will always be offensive. Jesus said that the world hated him and that it will hate us also. Let’s get our outreach right and start showing people from the Bible that they are sinners headed for hell unless they repent and look upon Jesus Christ for salvation.

Here is how we typically evangelize. “Hey Bob, you got a great life but you are missing something. Your life could be even better with Jesus Christ. He will give you peace and joy and fill that hole in your sole.” Now Bob who is rather content at the moment because of all the comforts and wealth in his life, thinks to himself, ‘Yeah I need Jesus like I need a hole in my head.’ However, if first you show Bob that He is a liar, adulterer, murder, hater of God and a wretched man and then tell Him He needs Jesus, Lord willing He will fall on His knees with joy knowing that there is cure.