My thoughts after outreach this morning
(I am constantly amazed by the things that prostitutes say to me about God. After talking to one woman for over an hour, God laid the following thoughts on my heart.)I have come to believe that we who call ourselves Christians are often the biggest obstacle to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have led the world to believe that God is like Santa Claus, only better. Santa Claus only comes once a year, but our generous god, all-loving, non-judgemental god is always here. We leave the world looking for their stockings to be filled up daily with the pleasure of this world. Then when they find that their stockings are filled with coal, they decide God is powerless to please them or that he doesn’t care about them. Human nature keeps them from stopping to think that maybe it is their own sin that has made them deserve coal, rather than a failure of God. Even Santa clause would get more respect.What we should be telling the world is the fact that we are all wretched sinners who deserve nothing more than hell. Once the world understands that fact, then we need to show them that God is waiting to be approached by us sinners. In fact, He sent His only son Jesus to make a blood stained wooden path for us in which we may approach Him.But, when we approach, we must remember He is a King. King of all kings and Lord of all lords. When one goes before a king to beg for mercy, one should throw themselves face first onto the ground and humbly ask for mercy. We should come with the expectation and willingness to give all that we have, every breathe left in us, our very life itself in exchange for such mercy.Instead, men stand before God boldly and declare to Him what He must give them. They go with hands wide open expecting their stockings to be filled right in front of their faces. I doubt any earthly king was ever been shown such disrespect, yet I see daily men walk towards God expecting to sneak their hands into His holy pockets to take all they can from Him.Who would walk before an earthly king without a gift for his majesty? Yet how many times have we walked before the King of kings empty without gift or sacrifice and expect to walk away wealthy. It is no wonder that we are failing to see God do miracles amongst us! God have mercy on us.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;call upon him while he is near;let the wicked forsake his way,and the unrighteous man his thoughts;let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth,so are my ways higher than your waysand my thoughts than your thoughts.
— Isaiah 55:6-9