Over the past 52 years of my life, Christian churches have gone through some major transitions. The catalyst for change was my generation; the Baby Boomer generation. Unlike previous generations that followed traditions; the Baby Boomers shop for the right church that meets their lifestyle. Those who made the Christian Church strong are now very elderly.
The working generation of women has taken it s toll on women’s prayer circles and church women’s organizations who organized fellowship pot lucks and funeral luncheons. Liberalism is replacing tradition. Ties and loyalty to a particular church or denomination have been severed by the Baby Boomers and younger generations attend even less.
Liberalism has fostered apathy and has lowered faith and belief in the Bible and its teachings. Christendom of the twenty first century is not following Christ as the original disciples did. Materialism and the quest for the latest technology has captured our societies attention and electronics consumes the time once spent as a family and spent in church.
Luke 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Today we live with an affluence that makes it hard to give up anything. In the American work place; people strive to earn more money for less time on the job. Leisure time is coveted more than money. Churches today, find it easier to raise cash funds than to recruit volunteers. With the climbing cost of living and skyrocketing gasoline prices; people have neither the time; or money to give. Jesus is only getting the leftovers if anything at all. The young rich man in Luke 18 could not bear to part with his abundance; many others don’t believe that they can afford to give. Yet the first 10% of our wages belongs to God as well as the best part of our day; our time. When ever you feel most wide awake and alert; that is when you need to pray, study the Bible and meditate. Make that the beginning of your day. It might be lunch time or right after work. Declare that your fresh start every day; live day to day by that starting time. Too many try to pray first thing upon waking up and are to sleepy to pray effectively. Like wise late at night may not be a good time. Jesus should get the first fruits of our time; the best that we have to give. Giving what it owed to God of both our time and our money will bless us beyond what we can contain. God says prove Him!
Malachi 3:8-12 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings (offerings includes gifts of many forms, including our volunteer service). (9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. (10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. (12) And all nations (all people, our coworker and neighbors) shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
We need to put Jesus Christ first in all things. He comes before our jobs, our spouses and our families. Jesus commands to be No. 1 in our lives!
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
We are here for God. If we live for ourselves and neglect God, then we will never see the Kingdom of God. Everything belongs to God and He is not going to take second place to anyone or any thing. He became like us so that we could become like Him; Jesus Christ; Emanuel; God with us. He suffered so that we could be healed by His stripes. He died so that we could be reconciled to Him in order to be fit for His Kingdom; saved by His abundant grace. If we have accepted Jesus; then we are bought with a price.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
To follow Christ means to put Him first and take responsibility for our calling. We do this by inviting Him into our lives and allowing His Holy Spirit to transform us and bring us into a deep and abiding relationship with Him. It also means to be about His business of the Gospel which requires both our time and our money. Now is the time to invest in eternity. Put Jesus Christ first! Start following Him today!
Anointings is a sponsored ministry of
Crystal Lake United Pentecostal Church
Lake in the Hills Illinois 60156
Bro. Thomas C. Blake
CareMinister.Org
Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014
Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014
Copyright © 2011
This page is produced and maintained by
No comments:
Post a Comment