Keith Chandler, Journey Christian Church
The Bible is filled with these amazing principles God wants to do in our life, but he’s basically saying, “Your move. When you do X, then I will do Y.”
God loves you and has a great plan for your life, but you’re going to have to participate. A lot of us are wondering: whose responsibility is it for your life to change?
You ever thought about what your answer to that question (because we all have an answer)?
It’s God’s: I prayed a prayer, I got baptized, now fix it, God. Make my marriage great. Make my children like me again. Make my bank account full. Make sure the car never breaks down, and the moment it does we say, “God, you’re not there! How come you didn’t fix everything?”
Another Idea we have is It’s Mine: I really need to read the Bible more, and pray more and go to church more often. It’s all up to me.
Some would say It’s the Church’s: If they’d just offer programs, or do what I heard another church do, then my life would be better.
God’s inviting us to participate in his plan for your life. It’s not a solo act. It’s not just on Him, or you, or on the church. It’s a partnership. Salvation requires faith, but blessing requires obedience. God offers unconditional love, but his blessing is conditional.
Throughout the Bible, God says, “We’re going to do it together. You’re going to have to participate.” God says, “If you will pray, then I will heal your land. If you will honor me with your finances, then I will get generous with you. If you will cast all your worries upon me, then I will give you peace.”
It’s like renting a car. You keep tuning the radio (but nothing happens). So when you bring the car back to the rental place and the attendant says, “How did you like the satellite radio? What?”
He says, “That car has Sirius XM, didn’t you turn it on?”
You say, “I had no idea.”
He says, “You could have had 200 channels. That would have been fantastic!”
That would have been fantastic!
You were driving around with this incredible opportunity you didn’t access. A lot of us are going to get to heaven and God’s gonna say; “Before you go in, can I show you a few things I wanted to do in your life, but you were never willing to participate. I was waiting for you to partner with me.”
Until next month,
Keith
www.tampajourney.com