DEAR CHURCH
Today's reading: Acts 9-10
"The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:31 NLT
Dear Church,
When I think of how far we should have come from Acts till now, I'm a little disappointed in us.
Technology has allowed us to reach the masses, the other side of the world and across any language barrier there is--and yet, most of our neighbors we've never mentioned Christ to.
Conveniences have let us focus less on survival and more on thriving in our communities and tribes--and yet, we see people daily who are drained, defeated and depressed.
History, more importantly the Bible, has provided us with a track record of God's goodness, His faithfulness and His abilities--and yet those same Bibles, of which we probably have many in our homes, become more dust-covered artifacts than daily manuals for living.
Shame on us!
I don't believe we're walking in the fear of the Lord. Fear of our neighbor's assessment, fear of each others' opinions or fear of the unknown perhaps, but not fear of the Lord.
I don't think we are finding our comfort in the Holy Spirit. In the amounts massed in our checking accounts, 401K's and retirement funds, maybe. In the possessions we collect, and store, and grumble about having to maintain, maybe. In the homes we have been blessed with, yet don't open up to share God with others, maybe.
Shame on us!
The church in Acts had no more of God available to them than we do.
The church in Acts had no more skill, ability or knowledge than we have.
The church in Acts had no more reason to be chosen as working vessels in the Lord hands than we do, but they chose to allow it to happen.
What about us?
Do we want to see growth in number and in strength?
Do we want to see God's Word going out like a wildfire across a dry, grassy prairie?
Do we want to see souls, not just people, but souls, come to the Lord in the hundreds, in the thousands, en masse?
It's our choice.
