Would You Rather?

Have you ever gone to a church and experienced the flashing lights and the loud drums? Have you ever had the privilege of watching a children’s skit or the churches drama team? Maybe you were even able to wave flags and banners. Well, What if all of that was stripped away from us? Would you rather stay home, or would you rather go where they may still have the opportunity to display those things? If your Pastor removed all of those things for a season, would you still stand under his teachings? Would you still be excited to serve your congregation and listen to the word of God with a grateful heart?

Yesterday, Our Pastor spoke on John chapter 20.. He told the story of doubting Thomas. You see, when the news that Jesus had risen was brought to Thomas, he did not believe. He said in John 20: 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." So then our Pastor pointed out why Thomas was in disbelief. He forgot the Word of God. In Matt 16, 17 & 20 Jesus sat with them and shared with them what had to happen. In Matt 16:21 He said: From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

You see, Jesus Himself sat with Thomas and told him what had to happen, but once those events took place and Jesus rose from the grave, Thomas forgot the very words of God and stood in unbelief. How many times have you or I stood in unbelief forgetting the very words of God that we have read? For me, I tend to cling to the sovereignty of God. His matchless power and undeserving grace. Because I have been graced by God to serve where I serve and under whom I serve, I have been taught the importance of being accountable to God, myself, my family and the church. I have been taught how God’s word teaches us to love on, pray for and build up one another.

How hearing God is experienced in many forms, but He primarily always speaks through His word. Showing hospitality is something we have all been called to do, and that my friends begins at home. Along with what we call Living Missionally. What good what it prove to me or anyone else if I go on a  mission trip, yet I don’t live missionally with my own family. If I don’t serve my own church or neighbors? Being taught how to walk out our salvation and shining the love of Christ will always come through the very word of God.

It’s no secret that I love the prophetic. I have operated in it myself on several occasions, but I don’t change my schedule to run to other churches who are giving out prophetic words. I open God’s word and I ask Him to speak to me personally. I want to hear from Him and I prefer it to come from His word. Not saying that I wouldn’t receive a word from someone else because I have and will again, I’m sure. I recently read a statement that said: If you want to hear God’s voice audibly, then read your bible out loud! I Love That!

Not long ago, I read a statement from John Piper that said that as Christians we have three choices " go, send, or disobey. And it’s my hope and prayer that the very best of this generation will go! Now, my greatest desire as a Woman of God is to learn to train up. To help train up women who are willing to go. Women/young girls who have a desire to serve and a willingness to grow. To raise up a new generation of grace filled women of God who desire to see God’s word abound throughout all the world.

I can only pray that you hear my heart in what I’m saying. In no way am I implying that the Prophetic, or the flags, or the drums etc. are wrong. I enjoy all of those things. What I am saying is that I urge you to examine your hearts. Do all or any of those things get you more excited then the Word of God?

Would you rather go to a Prophetic conference then to your own church’s prayer service?

Would you rather go on a missions trip then to serve your own family or church?

Would you rather go to a concert with flashing lights and loud drums then to sit with your own congregation singing a beautiful hymnal to the Lord?

Would you rather go elsewhere to be spiritually entertained and to have your ears tickled, then to sit under the truth of God’s word and hear sound doctrine?

We live in a very scary world and now even some churches will lead you astray. We are seeing first hand how some churches, pastors and congregations are bowing to the demands of this world instead of standing on the truth of Gods word. There is a healthy balance my friends, but I urge you to challenge yourself to check your hearts and your motives. Are our hearts desires to be entertained, or are we so hungry for His truth that we will forfeit everything the world has to offer to be a true Christ follower?

I promise that there will be a day when all of these things will be stripped away from us and all we will have to stand on is the word of God! There will be no flags, no drums and no flashing lights. Just the word of God that will never pass away. The bible say’s: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word will not pass away.. Mark 13:31

So why wait until all of those things are stripped away? Why wait until we have no choice but to cry out to God? Cry out now! Allow your heart to say… Jesus! I Would Rather Choose You!