Thursday's Challenge

I continue to sense God calling me to draw closer to Him. The continuing development of my relationship with God will position me to hear His Voice and it will position me to respond to His guidance. Conversations with fellow believers are revealing to me that many of them are sensing the same urgency in their spirit. I do not want my spirit to grow indifferent or rebellious toward the "things" of God. I desire for my heart to remain soft, seeking and sensitive toward the heart of God. He is calling but am I making the correct response? 

An old song that I heard as a child has been in and on my mind for the past several days. the song asks this question; "Where can I go, Oh where can I go, seeking a refuge for my soul? Needing a friend to help me in the end. Where can I go BUT TO THE LORD?" (Emphasis added) 

I am very concerned that the present day church is facing a struggle that we may choose to ignore or either look the other way hoping that it will disappear. There is a battle taking place in each of our lives. It is the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is seeking to awaken our hearts but the "flesh" (carnal thinking) is encouraging us to ignore the influence of the Spirit in our lives. Our carnal attitude will go as far as convincing us that we are "good enough" in our present condition and the call from the Spirit is for the "weaker" brothers and sisters in Christ. Don't we realize that type of attitude can create a spirit of self-righteousness and arrogance in our hearts that can produce an attitude that becomes hardened to the things of God? The hardening of our hearts will ultimately lead us down the path of rebellion and disobedience!! OUCH!!

I am convinced that the anointing of the Spirit in our recent services is calling each of us to seriously examine OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD!! It is easier, simpler, and far less challenging to examine everyone else but ourselves. OUCH AGAIN!! Let me hasten to add that I am speaking to myself as well as to you who are reading this blog. But, lets be honest, do we have the time to be trapped in such foolishness? Don't you think that it is time for the people of God to "rise up" and take authority over the flesh and allow God to finish what He has started in us at our conversion? 

God is calling each of us to realize that we have no other "safe place" to turn other than to God. "Where can I go but to the Lord..." We must rebuke and resist the allure and attractions of the "gods of this world" and turn fully and completely to the Lord God Almighty!! Does God have our heart or only a portion of our heart? I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE CHALLENGES OF THIS DAY AND TIME ARE DEMANDING THAT WE IDENTIFY THE LOCATION OF OUR HEART? Jesus said that we are either with Him (taking up our cross and following Him) or we are against Him!!