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Thursday, 17 May 2007

God, What Do You Want?

Have you ever asked that question? Surely I'm not the only one who's asked that question of God. That thought has raced through my mind more than once. Those words have rolled off the end of my tongue. I've asked that question when things were going really good from a sincere heart and I have asked that question resulting from situations and circumstances that I personally didn't like, let alone understand.

More often than we would want to admit we ask God that question when things don't go according to our plans. That thought, "God, what do you want" races through our mind in frustration, anxiousness, and possibly anger. When we think that, ask that and even pray that, do we really want to know the answer or are we just throwing our own little spiritual temper tantrum hoping to manipulate God into giving us what we think we need or what we want?

Are we really interested in hearing heaven's answer? What if God told us what He wanted, would it matter? Would we listen? Would it change anything or would we just get angry and go on our way as though we didn't hear him. Would we give Him an opportunity to speak or would we just argue with Him?

What if He already told us? What if God told us I have already told what I want and it's never mattered to you what I wanted? Would it matter? Would you stop long enough to sort though your memory to ask yourself, "what did God tell me that he wanted?"

I would suppose that the majority of energy and effort spent in prayer is trying to convince God to do what we want, change the things we don't like, and to get us out of the messes we get ourselves into.

What would happen in your life personally, under your roof, in the ministry of our church at Flack Memorial if we all heard or remembered what God told us He wanted? One night this week Jody sent me to the grocery store with a list of things she wanted me to pick up.

Just before I left the house she told me something that she wanted.

It wasn't on my list. I heard her say it and I told her I would get it.

I went to the store and got everything on the list. When I got home and carried everything in and set it on the counter it occurred to me that I had forgotten the one thing, the only thing she told me she wanted. Without hesitation, I headed back out the door to go get the one thing she told me she wanted. Jody wouldn't have been upset or angry that I forgot the one thing she told me she wanted. I could have said, "its' no big deal!"

But because I love her, I wanted her to know that I did hear her and not only did I hear her I was willing to be inconvenienced to demonstrate my love for her.

As I reflect on that moment and as I write this, I fear that is what we tell God more than we should. "It's no big deal!" "God, I meant to do what you wanted." "I'll get to it tomorrow." "I hope you understand."

"I'm so busy."

Back to our question, "God, what do you want?" Would you believe that it's simple but it will cost you everything? What God wants, He wants when everything is going great and when your world is falling apart. When we get this figured out, we'll hardly notice the difference.

What God wants is this.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:5 NIRV

That's what God wants more than anything!

That might not be the answer you were looking for but that's it.

If we are really interested in knowing what God wants, then what we want will be less important. The spiritual temper tantrums, the attempts at manipulating God through many religious sounding words will cease, the power of God will be unleashed in the hearts of men, women, boys and girls who want what God wants more than what we want.

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him

II Chronicles 16:9 NLT

POSTED BY: Randy Mitchell AT 07:02 am | Permalink | E-mail this

Wednesday, 02 May 2007

Heart Catheterization

This Sunday was a powerful time of worship and celebration at Flack Memorial. I shared the third message in our current series, "Life on the Narrow Road." This series of messages is based on Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount."Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:14 NIV

This life that Jesus said that only a few find, is the very life that He promised that He came to give to us.

I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way. John 10:10 - The Message

Life - Greek Word - "zoe" - the state of one who is possessed of vitality, the absolute fullness of life, life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, blessed. Since this is the life that everyone is looking for, why is it that only a few find it? Some of life's circumstances make us wonder if God really meant what He said. Some days it seems that this "zoe" is so far from the realm of possibility no matter how badly we might desire it. Even the most devoted follower of Jesus Christ struggles with this being more real than theory.

Each week as we make our way through this series of messages, I have tried to point out possibilities why so few find this "zoe" life that Jesus promised. This past Sunday I reminded our church family of something we are prone to forget.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

I Samuel 16:7 NIV

Even in the physical realm, when our hearts aren't working right it limits and restricts the type of life we experience. When the physical organ "the heart" isn't working right we experience discomfort and pain. When those symptoms are realized we are referred to a cardiologist. The heart is their specialty. Every command in scripture hangs on one command in the Old Testament.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

Often it's hard to love God with all your heart because our hearts aren't operating at full capacity toward God. When the physical organ the heart isn't working at full capacity, a heart catheterization is required. What I found interesting in my preparation for this message came from Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Matthew 5:8 NIV

The Greek Word for pure is "katharos" (clean, purified, like a vine cleansed by pruning and so fitted to bear fruit, free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt) I find it amazing that from the very outset of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount that he wanted us to understand that for a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven to know and personally experience this "zoe" life, they would have to authorize the great physician to perform "katharos".

To personally experience this "zoe" life requires that citizens of the kingdom of heaven submit themselves to a moment by moment heart catheterization by God himself.

There are certain behaviors and habits that damage the physical organ we call the heart. Same is true of certain behaviors and habits that damage the real you. If finding this "zoe" life Jesus promised is what you have been longing for, might I suggest that you turn to God who sees our hearts and nothing is hidden from Him and sign the authorization for Him to do a heart catheterization. His most important tool is the Bible. A steady diet of the bread of life is important to a healthy heart toward God. There are times we need support in changing old habits. That's why we exist at Flack Memorial.

Our mission statement at Flack Memorial is "Changing the World - One Heart at a Time" If reading this has caused you to see your need for new habits and a different lifestyle, we invite you to join us in our weekly worship services or one of our support ministries.

POSTED BY: Randy Mitchell AT 02:17 pm | Permalink | E-mail this