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Friday, January 28, 2011
Today: More than my instincts!
Passage: Jude1, Jer 23
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.(Jude 17-19, NIV 84- emphasis added)
We all do what we feel right
Almost everybody follow their natural instincts
As God’s children, we often take it for granted that what we feel is what is right, and is God’s will
So, we act. We declare our opinion and stand up for it
But we need to check with God; our instincts need not always be right
Only God knows the end from the beginning; we don’t
Sometimes, the Spirit of God has something else to say
Why there are so many problems in churches today?
Because each one follows their natural instincts, instead of listening to God
One person feels “this” is right; the other person feels, “that” is right
Then, “this” and “that” get into a fight
In the O.T, we read that satan put the wrong visions and words in the mouth of prophets and others. Read Jeremiah 23. It is very informative
28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the LORD. 29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? 30 “Therefore,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The LORD declares.’ 32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the LORD. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the LORD.(Jer 23; NIV)
God may keep quiet even as many people are running around with their own “business” in the church. But one day, He will come with His “reward” for such
So, we have to be very careful when we say, “I got it from the Lord”
When we think that there is a certain way things have to be done in the church or so, better spent much time praying, before we start speaking
I write this because I see so many churches going through problems within, and so many have already split apart
In the book of Acts, we see how much the Apostles were keen to the direction of the Holy Spirit, and were willing to change the direction they were planning to go (Acts 16:6-8)
If we are willing to leave the matter to God and pray, He will take us in the right direction. It’s not me, but Him. My name or position or power must be secondary. My priority is: “what am I doing for God, every day?”
That is what God is going to ask us, at the end of our “day”
The Bible is our road map, but Holy Spirit is like our GPS
He will give us the time-to-time directions
17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ he said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ (Acts 22:17-18, NIV 84)
Paul as well as other Apostles with him were keen to the Holy Spirit
Much work had been accomplished because of that
Today, many in the churches are talking too much among themselves
How many people are we sharing the gospel with, every day?
How many people you brought into the Lord/Church so far?
We need to fall in line with the Spirit of God
God bless your week end
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I need a big change within me. I am sure, you will continue your work in me, If I let you do that. Go ahead Lord;finish your work in me. Amen