Monday's Musings

James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (NKJV)

First, I want to offer praise to God for the wonderful service that we enjoyed at New River on Sunday morning. It was very cold on the outside but the sanctuary was warm with the ministering presence of the Spirit. I am CONVINCED that God is at work in this world and I am CONVINCED that I want to join with Him in this process. We need to remember that God is calling and not drafting people to follow Him. I don't believe that God will force us to participate with Him but I believe that God is calling us to join Him in the process of spiritual liberation of those who are in need. Will I (you) be willing to offer our sincere service to Him and be willing to release my faith when He calls me to take the appropriate action?

I kept hearing the Spirit remind me that I must be willing to position myself to take action when God calls for my response. We can read numerous stories in the Bible where God called for His people to take action. These stories are found in both the Old Covenant as well as the New Covenant. I sense that God is looking for faith and that He recognizes the release of sincere faith. James 2:20  declares this principle; "But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works in dead?" (NKJV) (Emphasis added) 

I believe that we choose to ignore the truth of the matter that there are times that God calls us to combine our faith with our obedience to do what He is requiring at that moment. I may feel led to share a offering with a missionary but I have to be willing to reach into my pocket or purse and produce the offering. Do you realize that we practice this principle on various occasions in our natural lives?

We make an appointment with our Doctor because we are ill. We enter the examination room for the diagnosis. The Doctor provides his best analysis of the illness that is affecting us and he prescribes a medicine that he believes will solve the problem. The nurse takes the prescription and forwards it to the Pharmacy. We leave the office and at some point in the day if not immediately we will drive to the Pharmacy. Why do we go the Pharmacy? The Doctor has told us that there will be medicine waiting for us at the Pharmacy and he has even provided the directions for us to follow. We follow the Doctor's directions and we find ourselves feeling better. Some of us are even on daily medicines possibly for the remainder of our lives to circumvent a disease or affliction that is in our body.

Isn't it amazing how we resist invitations from God that might call for a response or call for our participation? Yet, we realize, understand, know and believe that He has the proper prescription for the ills of life that are facing us. GOD IS CALLING FOR OUR PARTICIPATION AND FOR OUR OBEDIENCE!! We just need to stop waiting and respond to the direction that God is providing for us!!