In recent weeks, as I sat amongst brothers and sisters who minister in places that are openly hostile to the gospel message (e.g. Indonesia, Afghanistan, Somalia…), I listened intently to amazing testimonies of God’s faithfulness and power. And while it was wonderful to hear of the manifestation of the Lord’s glory, it was hard not to be struck by the dramatic contrast with what we see happening in western cultures. In the midst of praying about all this, I felt as though the Lord said that the church in America is a lot like the rich young ruler, described in the gospels (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18). Like him, she is endowed with material goods (e.g. buildings, sound systems, video equipment, church vans…) and some vague sense of authority, but she is poor in spirit; unwilling to trade the illusion of earthly prosperity for the abundant life of the Kingdom. Just as it was then, He is calling us to let go of our temporal trappings, and to genuinely follow Him.
Archive for the ‘Thought for the Day / Quotes’ Category
Thought for the Day – Prosperity and Abundance
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged abundance, prosperity, rich young ruler on September 9, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Thought for the Day – Sacred Cows
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged redeemed, revelation, sacred, unclean on September 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »
What often hinders us from receiving revelation are the things we’re convinced that we already know (Acts 10:9-16). There are things that we’ve held sacred which are not sacred to Him; and things we’ve considered unclean which He calls redeemed.
Thought for the Day – Wet Basements
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged compromised, faulty foundation, foundation on September 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »
It doesn’t matter how beautiful or ornate the structure, if it is built on a faulty foundation, it is compromised.
Thought for the Day – Changing the Landscape
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged altars, change, change of heart, funeral, idols on September 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The change that needs to happen is not just to the setting, format or process, it must be a change of heart. The altars that need to be torn down & the idols that need to be smashed are not theirs, they are ours. We shouldn’t think that we are planning a graduation, we should be preparing for a funeral. (Jn 12:24)
Thought for the Day – Unchain My Heart
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged autonomy, free will, freedom, self rule, self sufficiency, slave on August 19, 2020| Leave a Comment »
When we speak of freedom we are most often referring to the exercise of our free will. Essentially, it is the ability to make our own choices, to speak our mind, and to act in whatever way seems right to us. In American culture it is a term synonymous with independence, self-sufficiency and self-rule. But these attributes do not describe the freedom that Christ died to give us (Gal. 5:1). Instead, He offers a love that never fails, a joy that can be our strength, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a hope that cannot be shaken. One is largely rooted in our external condition, while the other is established in our internal state of being. And while we can rightfully boast of living in a nation that affords us a high level of personal autonomy, we are a people plagued by hurt, fear, offense, anxiety, and addiction. Indeed, “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them” (2Pet. 2:19) and in this regard, we have largely been taken captive through hollow and deceptive philosophies, which depend on human tradition, and the elemental spiritual forces of this world, rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8).. Sadly, it is our passion for the former that often keeps us from partaking of the latter.
Thought for the Day – Cuts Both Ways
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged double edged sword, truth on August 19, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The truth is a double edged sword. You can’t wield it’s blade toward someone else without turning one on yourself.
Thought for the Day – Follow the Leader
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged enemy, provocation on August 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »
When you react to the provocation of your enemy, you elevate them to a position of leadership & take on the role of a follower.
Thought for the Day – Higher Perspective
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged Gideon, power structure, valor, victim on August 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Gideon was at the bottom of a family, that was at the bottom of their tribe, which was at the bottom of a nation, that was at the bottom of the world’s power structure. He had a family history, a personal history, and a very real oppressor. Yet, when God looked upon him, He didn’t see a victim, He saw “Valor”. We must learn to view ourselves and our circumstances through God’s eyes.
Thought for the Day – Dismembered
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged Body of Christ, body parts, dismembered, family on July 22, 2020| Leave a Comment »
We are called to be “The Body of Christ”. But the difference between a body & body parts is unity. We will either grow into a family or eventually become dismembered.
Thought for the Day – Idle Words
Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged idle words, voice of God on July 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The only time my voice is powerful is when I am saying what You are saying (Matt. 4:4). Everything else I say, regardless of my good intentions (Prov. 14:12), has the potential to be a distraction from what You are saying (Matt. 12:36).