You Just Cannot be Silent Anymore!

With Such Love the Father Reached out For You.

With the Father doing this for each and everyone of us, why are we so silent? Why are we asleep when we need so much to be awake to all that is going on around us? So many desire with everything in them to strip us of this that we hold so precious, our faith, prayer, His Word, His Commands, and we are silent to it, we dont speak up, why is this?

There are those who say that we offend with the ways of the Lord. What if for a moment we spoke up and say that the world and its ways offend us? But still, why are we so silent? Why don't we proclaim from the rooftops, from the mountains, that Jesus Christ is Lord of lords, and King of kings? Its past time that the Church wake up! Its past time that we stop allowing our "freedom" in Christ to be stolen! Its time more than ever before, to be loud about this Love that is beyond all loves!

The picture you see, is a pencil drawing that came to our office from an inmate in prison. I believe it is a loud statement of love. It was something that was deep in the heart of this person who may have been inspired by a message of love from a ministry who came to the unit where he was at. When this came to us, I found myself taken by the detail in the drawing. From the scar in His hand, to the tree of life in our hand. With this picture, I will say that I can preach a message about what it is that God has done for us! You see, I am NOT ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, rather I am thankful! Are you thankful? Can you speak up loudly about the Love that was demonstrated on that Cross at Calvary?

When there are many who in other countries who have been threatened, killed because of their faith, told to shut down their churches or be destroyed, we can not sit back and say nothing! We have to speak up! If we dont, then that very thing will be on our doorstep! Trust me, its presence is here! Just remember what took place not too long ago, 9/11.. We were silent when other freedoms were stripped! We cannot be silent any more! No prayer here, can't preach there, the commandments removed, and the Church did not stand up. Where are you people of God?

I Refuse to be Silent!

As a minister of the Gospel of Christ, I refuse to be silent! But let me ask, what about you? When God the Father spoke so loudly from that Cross, does it not move you? That drawing is not just a picture, it is a statement! Let me ask, is your life a statement? If so, what about? And if so, how loud? Stand up for the truth! Share the REAL truth! Jesus loves and He saves!!

Recently a question was asked of many students in college, a simple yes or no question. The results were horrible, some 80% answered "NO" to the question, "Are you born-again?" This is scary, in the fact that so many lay down each night without the reality of what life is all about. This is sad too, because too many who do know are being too quiet. Church, you just cannot be silent anymore! Lives of many need to know this one truth, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish" (John 3:16). Yes, granted each individual has a right to say no to this truth, but many need to hear it, and the Church needs to speak it!

Others Need to Hear!

For the lives of others, and for the freedom of others, we, the Body of Christ need to spread this truth loudly! The truth that there is a hand that reaches out to everyone of us with love and life, that He can only bring. Be bold, be strong, be loud about His love!! Somewhere there is a life that simply needs to know this Love, may even be next door of where you live. May even be where you work everyday. May be where you go and associate daily. May even be sitting across from you at the table every night! As the one songwriter best put it, "Jesus is standing at the door knocking, and we can't even get out of bed!" This is a shame!!! May I quote another song, "Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your right!" DONT GIVE UP THE FIGHT!! It is the fight for freedom! It is the fight for life! It is a fight for love! Many need it, WILL YOU GO?

"Our God is a Consuming Fire"

Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are recieving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Since we are recieving a kingdom that cannot be shaken...

This is something that should ring in your heart, stir your spirit, rattle your inner being. We are looking in the face of God, we are worshiping the One Who is the Almighty, and through Him, "We are RECIEVING a kingdom that cannot be shaken! It is all His! His is the kingdom, it belongs to Him! Its the Kingdom of God! Its "HEAVEN" where one day we will live for all enternity! Are you ready?

The inheritance that belongs to Christians and the awesomness of God make worship and grateful prayer our logical actions. Listen, it says since we are recieving this kingdom, "LET US BE THANKFUL..." One translation states, "Let us have grace.." We are to be thankful and in grace, whereby we may serve God "ACCEPTABLY." By that, we are to be, well-pleasing in serving Him. This is to be with "reverence and awe" or "with reverence and godly fear." One other way to put it would be, with "reverent caution," lest we should offend God. Our worship is in reverent caution, it is with grace and very thankful.

In these blogs, we have been dealing with "Aggressive Worship." We have looked at several short lessons concerning this topic. But within this lesson comes a deeper thought. In our worship, is this where we are? Are we thankful? Are we in grace serving God acceptably? Are we well-pleasing in serving Him? This cuts deep, for many do not comprehend the depth of this one fact. Many do not wish to comprehend. But we have great need in so doing. This should be the greatest desire of our hearts in our worship of God. The reason is found in verse 29.

"For our God is a consuming fire."

A reference to this verse is found in (Deut. 4:24) "For the Lord God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." This sounds scary, as well as it should. But there is a beautiful thought within this. His fire may bring judgment to the wicked, but it builds humility, faith and purity in those who seek an even deeper relationship with Him. He will often use our circumstances, our problems, failures, maybe people in our lives... as fuel for this "REFINING FIRE," but His flames never burn out of control. It burns and it builds. As gold being set ablaze to bring out the pureness of the gold, God wants to burn away the dross of our lives, and bring forth purity within, faith within, and humility within.

When Scriptures speak of God as a jealous God. it means that He desires us in the purest and most relentless way. His is a jealousy that humankind can never know, for God is the only one who has a right to be jealous, because He is the only one who is perfect in love. His jealousy is not controlling, it is releasing. It is His Holy commitment to us. It is because of His deep love for us, and His deep desire for us. But we also need to know, His jealousy is an absolute intolerance of anything that would divide our affection and thereby forfeit His best for us. Therefore,nothing in any way should come between our relationship with Him. Nothing should, in any way, be allowed that can offend this jealous love.

He wants "ALL" of us, not just a little.

I am reminded of an old poem, penned by St. John of the Cross, "Living Flame of Love." Its a fire that burns, yet molds. Even as we said, it never burns out of control, but even its temperature is kept where His best is the result. Its a fire that as we allow it to shape us, He is the result that comes forth.

You are deeply loved! Allow that fire to burn deep into your soul. You will never be the same!
Allow Him to set your life on fire!!!!