New job, new car, new clothes, new house, new this and new that You just rollin' all new today baby. I feel the spirit of the most reverend Sam Emory gettin' a hold of me this morning! In a day when millions are starving, more millions are homeless and even more millions are malnourished and in need we have been blessed. Even in this financial "crisis" we are more prosperous than any generation preceding. Any way you cut it God has shown the Church favor.
With enemies surrounding us we are still blessed. Like the song of David God has set us a table of rejoicing in the midst of our enemies. But what is all this blessing for? Is it just to make us fat and happy. Is it to satisfy the insatiable desire of our flesh by spoiling us?
Imagine if you will your in your local grocery store. Picture row upon row of food and goodies and treats all there for you and those with you to take and enjoy how you wish. Around the corner comes a well dressed young lady and toddling beside her is her little boy. This little boy is dressed very fine like his mother his little curls meticulously shaped and presented. He bulges at the seams of his clothes and chocolate is smeared around his mouth. He stomps up and down the aisles demanding whatever he wants. But he never requests the healthy food or the good blessings he just demands the junk food that makes him feel good.
Would any of you applaud this mother as a good mother? She provides for her son, keeps him well dressed and presumably they live in a nice and safe neighborhood. He attends the finest elementary in the area and will never know want in his life besides that which he creates through his lusts. By all accounts she is doing what a provider should do. But we all know intrinsically there is something more to being a good parent. We force our children to eat their veggies and don't give them every treat they demand like this woman does. Because we know that a growing child needs more than just the gratification of his desires They need moulding and shaping to create a productive member of society.
The same concept applies int the Spirit and the kingdom. God says to Abraham "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee," That's the first point here; God made us and God has given the blessing (Job, car, home, finances) "and make thy name great and THOU SHALT BE A BLESSING." Why are you going to make us God, Why are you going to bless us? So we can be a blessing. "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curse thee: and in thee SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED."
God didn't call us out to make a little "clique". To be just "us four and no more" (B. NJ Wilson) He called us to reach out,. Have you ever noticed that the Spirit is poured out. Poured out of heaven, poured out of the upper room, poured out upon all flesh. We can't live like hermits building up blessing and storing it up on this earth where rust and moth corrupts. We must invest in the Kingdom that has NO corruption.
God never intended for us to horde up all the blessings to appease our fat little souls but to be a blessing to and an example of the fatherhood of God. It is to our fault if we build up the walls of the church to be inclusive only to those we pick and choose fit our desires. God does the picking sometimes we may not see the necessity like little children to have those "types" in the church but God loves them just as much as you or I.
This is why so often the bible and Jesus speaks of being a good steward. A steward doesn't own the things he has. He is a manager that controls the things he is given to benefit the owner. We should live our life and use our blessings, monetary and talent, to support and build up the kingdom. I am not going to codemn anyone but I will simply ask. Is it ok that we drive around in ten thousand dollar cars and live in multi hundred thousand homes and work wonderful jobs but the church goes uncared for? The equipment to save the lost is lacking, the outreach tools can't be bought and the buses sit idly by because we can't afford gas or tune ups?
We have an apostolic mandate to realize that everything we have is not ours but the Lord's. He has given so that we might build on the kingdom not on our luxuries. God feed the Israelites in the desert he watered them from a rock so our provision is not the case here. God will provide for our families and us because He loves us but if we withhold HIS blessings from blessing the world with His message because we have the "American" mentality that "this is mine. I worked for it. I got to the top by my own hard work. I... I.... I...." God will take the blessings He gives and give to the next group to see what they will do with it.
"The best sacrifice hurts." -Mark Morgan So next service give that offering give that tithing with the mentality that "This is already yours God, Thank you for letting me mange it for you today" and if more is asked of you give that too and watch Him open the windows of heaven and bless you!
For more teaching on this read "In Bonds of Love" by Nathaniel J Wilson and get the CD from Alabama Revival Conference Cody Marks.
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