Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
I was asked recently why a lot of Christians seem to be stuck in the same place they have been for the last few years. No growth, maturity, wisdom, or vision. What is happening and why is this dull passivity being chosen as a way to exist? It seems like a level of maturity is reached and then it dwindles from that point to simply coasting along. Rev. 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.
I think one of the answers is that most people who live a nominal Christian life are fearful that God will ask them to do something they do not want to do. They are afraid God will ask them to sacrifice something they do not want to sacrifice in their lives. Some believe wrongly that if they get too close to God, then God will expect impossible feats of grandeur from them. So they stay just outside of the range of God’s voice, so to speak, and allow the volume of the world’s activity to drown out God’s still small voice. Then when someone gets blessed beyond human measure, they whine and complain these blessings never happen to them.
I am not saying all Christians are living in this insipid miasma, but a lot of them are. What we need to realize is that we want God to come along and interrupt our lives and shake it up so we can be a history changer in the short time we have on this side of eternity. Eph. 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
When Gabriel visited Mary with the news that she would give birth to Jesus, her world had been interrupted severely. Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. Change was on the way like she had never experienced. God had interrupted Mary’s life and history was made.
Gideon is threshing wheat and hiding it from the Midianites when God interrupts his ho hum day of just getting by on what could be scrounged. Judges 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. After Gideon got over the shock of being told he had been chosen to deliver Israel from the oppressors of the day, his interrupted life changed forever. Gideon went from hiding behind a wine press clipping coupons to meet his needs, to leading an army to victory with the Lord’s help.
The Samaritan woman who was dealing with relationship breakdown on a regular basis was on her way to draw water from the well when she was interrupted by Jesus who asked her for a drink of water. An everyday event turned into a life-changing blessing beyond her expectation of life and the men in it. John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Come see a real man who interrupted my co-dependent lifestyle and gave me an understanding of my own heart. Come and see this man.
Saints, we want God to come and ask us to do something we do not want to do in our own strength. We want our world changed and interrupted by God so that our lives would be far-reaching into the possibilities of eternal grace.
Be encouraged that when God interrupts, it is for an eternal good and not some inconvenience to our shallow lives. You and God are a majority and a great team. Open your heart’s ear and hear what the Spirit is saying and let Him interrupt your day. Life may never be the same again. Jer. 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Amen Lord, show me your possibilities in me.
Fear Of Normal
Proverbs 10:24 What the wicked fears will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. The amazing transformation that took place in the mind, body, and soul of the madman of Gadara is a powerful demonstration of the love and power of Jesus Christ....
Hi miss Jami. There are no simple or pithy Reader's Digest answers to these hard questions and fights we find ourselves trying to answer while walking in Christ.
I believe the bouts of illness are the attack of the enemy on your life and the interruptions from God are the promptings to pray for it. There is no doubt that you are in a battle of and for your faith. As the Lord says, "We will have troubles in this world." John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
Then on the other hand, we have been admonished to fight the attack of the enemy by faith in the promises we have in God's word . Luke 10:19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you.
As your brother in the Lord I can come into agreement with you by faith for your healing and that is what I do in Jesus name. Father God, I ask you to bring the answers and healing to miss Jami and to manifest your Holy Spirit power in her body, mind, and spirit that she may be whole. Bless her with your goodness and heal her with your never ending love. In Jesus name! Blessings miss Jami.
So am I to see my frequent bouts of illness as "interruptions", because believe me, it's been a challenge to find ways to serve when I can barely leave my house/chair. I've become a prayer warrior who bakes bread for people. Right now that's the most I can do in this condition. Or is it? Sometimes I don't know.
I totally agree Norm…
Thank you Dayle
Yes, let us wake up and allow God to interrupt our day and lives.
O, how wonderful are His ways!
Excellent Blog Norm.
I get so excited when I see/hear the Holy Spirit waking us up, why o why do we ever ever get seduced into complacency. Your words Are like hearing clap amen so loudly that we wake from our slumber and agree.
I’ve been in both places over my life’s journey and when I woke up it’s been the most thrilling ride of my life.
As you spoke to…. in every servants life we read the account of what God did and He never unrolled things as we would expect, in fact not only unexpected but it didn’t even make sense, just love His ways!
When we wake up, let go, surrender everything and agree we want more more more of Him it’s the greatest Joy for Christ and us!
D