Friday, January 1, 2010

The saints are coming

Ah, the first day of a new year, a new decade, my seventh amazingly enough.

I've done a lot of studying this past month that I've spent as a retiree (as such), time in scripture, time in prayer. I've learned a lot, I think, about how the Spirit works. At least I pray I have.

I wound up in Nehemiah recently, as I've planned a month series of sermons on The Church Moving Forward, and I read this:

Nehemiah was leading a team committed to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem despite tremendous odds. At one point he said, "Face it, we're in a bad way here. Jerusalem is a wreck, its gates are burned up. Come -- let us bild the wall of Jerusalem and not live with this disgrace any longer. I told them how God was supporting me and how the king was backing me up."
The ones he was giving the uplifting speech to said, "We're with you. Let's get started." They rolled up their sleeves, reading for the good work.

I see so many instances of churches in my area, and I suspect in all areas, having great difficulty financially these days as the recession lingers. People held out for a while but eventually they began to cut back on giving.

The Bible seems to instruct that's the opposite approach to take. Nehemiah, one of us if you will, sure seemed to indicate that having the odds against a project is no reason to not commit to the project. When some of the officials in Jerusalem actually had the nerve to laugh at the project, Nehemiah said, "The God of Heaven will make sure we succeed. We're his servants and we're going to work, rebuilding. You can keep your nose out of it. You get no say in this -- Jerusalems' none of your business.

God's business is making us feel the joy he feels when he hears us worship.
God's business is making us equipted to handle the load he has put upon us.
God's business is making us see what his will is.
God's business is making us all know that He is God.

That being the case, 2010 is the year where we finally...
Get closer to God
Quit making excuses about not giving all to him.
Start looking for those persons around us that God has pointed to who need Jesus right now.
Spend more time in prayer, as a way of getting closer to God.
Spend more time in scripture as a way of simply seeing Him for who He is and eventually seeing what my purpose, my special purpose, is.

That's where I see this year headed. That's what I pray you will try. The only thing that is keeping all of us from success, the kind of success that God wills for us, is effort.

Surrender and let 2010 be special (hear that Saints and saints?)

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