8.22.2008

Don't dam your gifts

Just wanted to drop the blog on ya... God has really been stirring in me the difference between a lake and a river. There are so many scriptures on rivers. We hear spiritual people say they have a river flowing out of them. Jesus said that he would give us water that we'd thirst no more. The Old Testament seer Ezekiel say a river flow from the temple and every where these waters went brought life. Vibrant real life not just words but action, causing areas of dead water to become alive, alive and teaming with fish every kind of fish. On the banks of this river trees grew tall and fruit filled. Then toward the end of his vision he makes an unusual statement, he says but the marshes and the swamps remained salty or tainted or and even better word would be contaminated. We all know and understand since the death burial and resurrection of Jesus that we are now the temple it even says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are walking talking temples with gifts and life just bursting out of us... Ah really... Um... Well have you been to most churches lately... There are many self proclaimed temples of the Holy Spirit but I don't see the life... I've seen mean people, with mean faces and harsh words... I was recently at a huge christian prayer event when I saw across the street a man with a mega phone. From his mouth fell words to everyone with in hearing, " you are all going to hell, your nothing but sinners waiting to tear down the door and enter hell." I could go on and on and you would stand in amazement at what this guy was saying but I think you get the idea. There was no life, there was no love, no peace, no grace just hell. this was a christian event and he was speaking to mostly "saved people". Needless to say I became very critical very fast. After all who does this guy think he is? I had thoughts of running over and cutting the cord from his mic to his megaphone then running away as fast as I could My better judgement git the best of me and my thoughts remained just that only thoughts. To be honest it is not until this very moment that I see just how often we as christian do the same thing. Oh maybe we don't have a megaphone, but our actions speak louder than than our words. Our words are often not carriers of life either. God has placed inside us all His good gifts, all, All, ALL. Prosperity, grace, love, peace, joy all poured into us. What happened? How could all the good stuff come out so bad, mean, ugly? Not just a man on a street corner with a megaphone but you and I. We are the temple but the waters often come out so dirty. I have a thought maybe we've dammed or gifts. Built big, huge structures to hold the gifts in... So when the little bet we let out gets out its... ah... contaminated.
Stay tuned for part 2!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amen to that, Pastor J!

Rashi said...

Pastor J,
I saw your blog. I am a Jew, and don't plan on being anything else. That said, what do you think of the World Evangelic Alliance specifically targeting European Jews for conversion? I personally think that it is hideous. I have written a blog about it at www.newsschmoozeviews.blogspot.com on the blog Multiple Choice, the one with the title of "Christians Proselytizing to Jews." I would hope that you would contact the WEA and tell them to leave us (all Jews) alone.