There are some things I don't think I will ever understand this side of heaven. How a planted seed knows when to burst open and grow. How a baby goes from "breathing" in fluid for nine months (especially in the last few weeks as the lungs finish developing) and then emerges from the womb and then immediately breathes and processes oxygen instead of fluid. How fire mesmerizes me and I can't stop playing in it. And then how God works to bring about His purposes, at the request of His children, and yet seemingly He is acting long before the original prayers but yet He wants us to ask and trust Him.
Recently, God worked in my life in a way that I thought strange – I had the sermons planned and I even was ahead of the game a little and felt like I was on top of things and then… then I was reading in His Word and there were a bunch of seemingly unrelated news items, personal stories and movement in my heart. So – a few weeks ago I canned the "planned and finished sermon" that I had prayed over, studied for and organized and spoke from a changing heart that God was still molding. In fact – twice in a row that happened and we adjusted on the fly.
God wanted me to share about the importance of giving and the importance of doing it from a right heart, right motive and right actions. He showed me a variety of Scriptures that seemed to be spread out all over the Bible and yet they were all coming together into this, apparently, single purpose message opportunity. So I shared – from what God was teaching me. The next week, I had a chance to share again from same basic set of verses about how the church is supposed to act in order to BE the church.
It was weird – no notes – just a few Post-Its to keep me on track. No "Main Idea" other than "Give to God First and He will Supply ALL your needs" and "It is Time for the Church to be the Church". But – I guess that is enough. The funny thing – the giving has not gone up. In fact, it is a little worse! J However, I have seen and heard about our people offering to help those in need, handing money to those without jobs, buying Thanksgiving meals for those that are underemployed, taking EVERY LAST heart from the "Have a Heart" Tree in one Sunday. I guess that as I have said before – It is my job to speak the truth. It is my job to sound the warning. It is my job to plant the seed. It is my job to lead through example. It is God's job to change hearts. It is God's job to cause the growth of the seed. It is God's job to meet ALL the needs from His boundless resources.
We just act when the Spirit says "Act". Move when the Spirit says "Move". Speak when the Spirit says "Speak". And respond when the Spirit changes our heart. Listen to the Spirit – God will provide all the rest.
1 comment:
It's a testimony to the Holy Spirit's power that the 2 sermons that were not "planned and finished sermons" were very powerful and moving sermons and are bearing fruit!
Keep up the good work!!!
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