As I write this very article, I find myself stranded on the back porch of my own home. I know it sounds a bit strange that I would just so happen to be relaxing on the back porch and think to write an article, but there is a bit more to the story than that. As I was preparing to leave for the office on Wednesday, I had gathered all my things and headed out of the house. When the door shut I knew, I had left my keys inside. At this point, I was powerless. I did the only thing I knew to do and started calling out to people around me. I first called my father who has the only other key in existence to see if he was off work, and because he wasn’t I had to call my brother to come pick me up to go to the base. I then called Aunti Joan (who is probably chuckling the whole time she reads this) at the office to let her know that I’d be in late. If I wouldn’t have had the ability to call others then I never would have been as successful in getting back into the house, as I needed to be.
We all find ourselves outside of the House of God at some point. The cares and worries of the world can pull us out or tempt us to leave without the keys to get back in. So what are our keys to get back into House of God?
Confession of Jesus as the Savior- Peter struggled with his own confession, and Jesus said the Church would be built on it (Matthew 16:18). However, Peter faltered in that confession not long after and denied his discipleship (John 18: 25-27). Confession shows an acceptance and acceptance leads to a willingness to follow.
If we are locked out, and want back in then we much reach out to those who are in the family of God. If we have someone reach out to us, then we must help him or her. Apollos erred from the truth and was gently guided back to the truth by Paul (Acts18: 24-19:1). Paul goes on to say that we are to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). This requires that we are active in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and they want to re-establish that relationship with God.
It is easy to get locked out of the house sometimes. We get wrapped up in what we do and before we know it we can’t get back in. We need to be looking for those who have locked themselves out and help them get back in. For me, I’m off to pick up a spare set of keys.
Kyle
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
First Love
When we think back to our teenage years, most of us can recall our “first love.” There was that person that we thought we were going to be with forever. We could not get enough of our time with him or her and they consumed our every thought and action. We would have done anything thing to make them happy, and by doing that we found ourselves to be happy. It was the greatest feeling we may have experienced.
However, we also remember when that first love crumbled. It fell apart because of dissatisfaction or unhappiness with the other person. We began to bicker and fight over frivolous things that really did not matter that much until we found a big issue that we knew could create a rift. Some of us were cheated on while others were just tired of the fighting. Before we knew it, it was all over, and we were utterly shattered.
Have we found ourselves in a breakdown of relationship with God? Have we taken little things and created arguments over them until we find the big thing to argue about? Are we still doing that? Have we become disgusted with God and are looking elsewhere? Are we trapped in a break-up with our first love with God?
In John’s vision we know as Revelation, Jesus speaks to the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:4-5). He asks them why they have left their first love. Why had they fallen away from God? I find it interesting that Jesus says that they have left their first love. This indicates how we should be feeling about God. We should be joyful we are going to be with God forever. We should never become tired of spending our time with Him. God should consume our every thought and action. We should be willing to do anything thing to make Him happy. By doing this, we find ourselves to be happy. It should be the greatest feeling we experience. We must get back to our first love with God.
However, we also remember when that first love crumbled. It fell apart because of dissatisfaction or unhappiness with the other person. We began to bicker and fight over frivolous things that really did not matter that much until we found a big issue that we knew could create a rift. Some of us were cheated on while others were just tired of the fighting. Before we knew it, it was all over, and we were utterly shattered.
Have we found ourselves in a breakdown of relationship with God? Have we taken little things and created arguments over them until we find the big thing to argue about? Are we still doing that? Have we become disgusted with God and are looking elsewhere? Are we trapped in a break-up with our first love with God?
In John’s vision we know as Revelation, Jesus speaks to the church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:4-5). He asks them why they have left their first love. Why had they fallen away from God? I find it interesting that Jesus says that they have left their first love. This indicates how we should be feeling about God. We should be joyful we are going to be with God forever. We should never become tired of spending our time with Him. God should consume our every thought and action. We should be willing to do anything thing to make Him happy. By doing this, we find ourselves to be happy. It should be the greatest feeling we experience. We must get back to our first love with God.
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