I believe wholeheartedly that if a person is truly open to the voice of God, truly desiring the Lord to direct him, He WILL hear from God at some point, in a clear and obvious way. Probably not audibly as a voice from heaven like with Saul on the Damascus road, or Samuel in his bed as a young boy in Eli’s tabernacle. But His "VOICE" is heard through the speaking of His Word, or when it's sung in song, or read in written text. Or it may be heard by being demonstrated through actions of others that somehow take hold of us. I thank God for men and women who write, speak, sing, and work the message that God has laid on their hearts! These people who relay God’s message don’t always know exactly who is receiving it or how the Spirit will use it to fight the evil one. But they give the message anyway, in FAITH believing that it WILL be received, and that the kingdom of Christ will be strengthened because of it.
But how often do I thank the messenger? This question came to my mind last weekend as I realized that so often in my life, I’ve received a crucial message that has gripped me in my spirit, convicted me or compelled me to an action---but I have failed to let the messenger know what an impact he/she had on my heart.
I want to start referring to Christian pastors and leaders more often as “messengers”. Because that’s truly what they are. They are messengers of the Lord. Like the prophets in the Old Testament, called out to speak the Words of God to the people—US!! And I want to THANK THEM more often when I get their messages, lest they begin thinking they are going unheard and unheeded!
So often these “messages” from God grip us when we don’t expect it. Something that comes through in the speaking or the writing or the singing---and it sparks an attitude, a belief, a desire, a goal in us that has a mighty influence for a long time to come. And that influence either grows greater as we let it spread quickly in us OR it is stomped out by other people, by distractions, by temptations laid before us by the devil himself, or by the hardships of life that work to extinguish it.
I’m getting to a point here (trying to!)…
Back in September 2005, I read a Family News letter written by James Dobson that absolutely captivated my heart and mind. I mean, it spoke to me in a profound way. I kept it and have read it many times over. It was a message I received but did nothing with, beyond prayer. I just tucked it in my heart and let it stay an itty-bitty flame with barely enough air to stay lit. Well, a few weeks ago, our pastor, John Bishop, walking in the light and bearing the fruits of the Spirit, brought a message that completely rekindled the “fire” that James Dobson started in that letter. To the point where it would be SINFUL to do nothing in response.
The letter was addressing the sexual immorality of our country, in particular the desensitizing of our children to sexual sin. Especially through the internet, the media, and pornography in any form--no matter how "soft" or "hard" core. I am growing increasingly intolerant to it all around me, to the point where I'm angry about it! I am disgusted by it. I get physically sick to my stomach over it. I understand why Jeremiah lamented and rent his clothing in despair over the sin of his people. We live in a sex-crazed world that thrives on perversion and it's getting worse and worse. It's not a matter of IF my kids will be introduced to pornography---it's a matter of WHEN. They are already so much more "aware" of things than I was at their age--despite what we have tried to keep from them in our home. When we watch TV as a family, we have to select a back-up station for the commercials, and usually we also choose a back-up for the back-up! It's out of control in so many ways. BUT I believe there's SO MUCH MORE we Christians can do to promote a passion for purity in our culture.
I won't go in detail now because this post is long enough, but I'll be writing more on this subject, with Scripture to back it up. I don’t know exactly in what capacity I am going to be more involved in fighting this infection in our culture, but I have made a decision that I will fight it in a more active way. God used these two men (James Dobson 3 years ago and John Bishop 2 weeks ago) to begin something REALLY big in me that I refuse to let shrink this time. I got the message!! Now it’s my turn to pass the message along.
In closing, the two purposes of this post are:
1) To encourage those of you reading to THANK THE MESSENGERS that convey God's Word to you. Those men and women need to know what an impact they are having in your walk with God.
2) To let you know that there will probably be some upcoming posts about this new passion for purity that I am so excited about. I don't think it's a "phase"!! And I don't tell you about it to sound spiritual or preachy. I tell you about it to RALLY you as TROOPS in a war against the devil. It's an ugly war that's only going to get more intense until he is bound and Christ reigns on the earth. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!!
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