*Reading over this post, I sound pretty darn preachy. But it is conviction with love, mostly for myself, but perhaps for you as well. Make no mistake, I am talking to myself more than anyone else.*

“I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly…” If you are complaining that a particular church service or preacher is not feeding you or growing you spiritually… the problem is you. Don’t sit around and become spiritually obese, constantly absorbing message after message, series after series. Is is up to you to grow; don’t expect people to continue to milk you. Be a reproducer of the Word, not just a receiver. If you are listening or reading because you enjoy the jokes of Jon Weece or the good feelings a sermon can give, then you are still worldly. Become kingdom focused. Go, and make disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Go and defend the poor and heal the sick… Go. Christians are like manure: If they all sit around in the same place they stank, but if they spread out across the fields, they create a harvest unheard of.


Be a voice, not an echo:
What, after all, is John Piper? And what is C.S. Lewis? Only servants, through whom you came to understand—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. How can anyone claim to lead someone to Christ? Is it not the Holy Spirit alone? And is it not the culmination of all the work the Spirit has done through us? Therefore, only God is the one who brings people to His son. Look at John the Baptist. Jesus said that John was the greatest of anyone born among men in all of history before him. John was a voice in the desert, he was not an echo. He spoke God’s word, not an echo of the latest teachers. Hear me out, I am not saying you shouldn't quote great authors and speakers—I do it all the time—but let your speech be seasoned with salt: the Word of God. No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Build on the foundation of Jesus and his word.

God’s Temple

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? Do you understand what that means? That means that God has chosen to interact with the world through you, through us. You are greatest force to heal this world. Where you go, God’s Spirit is there. So push back the darkness and give life, peace and joy in everything you do. God's temple is sacred; You are sacred. Make yourself pure and blameless so that the Spirit may dwell powerfully in you. The sin you most want to hide is the sin you most need to confess. Therefore, may your temple be continually strengthened and cleaned, built on the foundation of Jesus.

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this world, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise… A paradox right? But the wisdom of the world is foolishness in God’s sight. God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power. Rely on God’s wisdom alone. So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are ours, whether Francis Chan or John Piper or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Father, may we be delightedly humble in you. May we rely solely on your wisdom. I don’t want to lead anyone unless I am following you. Write your word on our hearts. Season our conversation with your love and joy. Give me words to speak. Tell me when to shut up. Make me like a sailboat, diligently working to keep my sails to your Wind and solely dependent on your strength and direction. Amen.