October 21, 2014
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Inspired or Changed?
I’ve been going to church for most of my life, and I have seen a lot of things, I have been in all kinds of services. I have witnessed some services that were so incredibly boring and powerless I have considered chewing off my arm just for some excitement.
I have been in services where the anointing of the Holy Spirit was so strong it felt like time stood still; like you never, ever wanted to leave that place. AND... I have been to everything in between those two examples. When you are in a good service, it is easy to be inspired. When you hear wonderful, Spirit-filled music, it is great to feel lifted up and encouraged. I do hope the church you attend provides you with these things.
A problem, I find, is that many in the western world are very accepting and even EXPECTING to be inspired, but they are not so good at being changed.
(Eze 33:30-32 NLT) "Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, 'Come on, let's go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!'
31 So My people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money.
32 You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don't act on it!I think these verses are so sad. Do you? These people came and heard the word of the Lord. They enjoyed it very much, but they never let it change them. The last verse says they heard, but they didn’t act on it. Trust me. God judged them for this.
See, it isn’t enough to just enjoy something. It isn’t enough just to be inspired, if you never DO ANYTHING. We can’t keep taking stuff in without giving anything out.
You can go to a Weight Watcher meeting and hear all the testimonies of what the program has done for others, but if you never decide to DO SOMETHING about what you heard, you will not change. You have to act. You have to choose to change. You have to let what you hear produce a result in your life.
We love to be entertained. We love to watch movies, listen to music, see funny stuff on YouTube, or go to amusement parks. We have lots and lots of great experiences. We enjoy many, many things. But, honestly, what have you seen/heard lately that actually CHANGED you?
Comments (7)
Wow, you hit the nail on the head. My wife and I need to change. We have changed since salvation, but we still have things that are not right. We need to change.
You are right about us wanting to be entertained in church. I really never thought of it specifically, but you are right.
Very excellent post.
frank
Sometimes the changes happen so gradually many people hardly even notice them. But we make them consciously, and that is a big step towards fulfilling the Lord's will.
Aloysius son and HUMOR ME Now have given thoughtful and feedback sort of answers. Feedback often is less than truthful and sometimes good to encourage a speaker/writer to continue their thoughtful quests.
Bottom line is that change for the better (to allow us into heaven?) is a good quest. Small changes is a good start (baby steps) but leaps of faith sort of change is even better!
Is time short? maybe a great leap of faith is necessary (Paul's conversion is one good example) Other people have a good start in being like a "Saint" and others are so pathetic....but still people need to know change is an ongoing process and they need to concentrate on their own....
Crises in my childrens' lives make me examine my own life, and try to change. My husband is reading his Bible more since his heart surgery. It's too bad that it often takes troubles to make us want to change.
Change is hard but often necessary. It is difficult to gauge change which is why good works enter the picture. They will know us by our love and that love demands action...
I was looking for a 'like' button for this post. Wish we still had the recommend feature.
Excellent post , we tend to stay quiet in our cocoon and in the routine . However step to step we change and tend to be best But Who knows the future and how we will be ?
Love
Michel