STOP BLOWING THINGS UP

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“After the second house blew up and I was on fire”…

Not something you hear at many church services. But at our little FREEDOM gathering last night you did. And for us it really isn’t that crazy.

“Smilin” Mike as I call him shared his story.  But more importantly he shared his heart. 

His was a heart that for years was littered and “bittered” with selfishness, self-seeking and self-destruction.  His was a childhood polluted by addicted surroundings.  His was a journey of self-medication, self-promotion and eventually self-loathing.

He used drugs, sold drugs, made drugs, and almost died from drugs.  He was incarcerated, burned, ill, and broken for 38 years.

But in his corner through all of it was a “believing mom”; a mom who introduced him to Jesus; a praying partner.  And in spite of her personal hell, she maintained hope in her lost boy.  And her prayers and introduction of Christ to her son eventually “took hold" and much like that familiar story we label the “prodigal”, this prodigal Mike found his way home.

And even though the enemy threw the kitchen sink at him there he was last night still standing, praising, and honoring GOD.

What changed?

Instead of continuing to his self-seeking and pleasuring ways, Mike chose to begin to seek and see GOD in ALL things.  And as his mind cleared he began to see GOD’s hand on his life even when he was at his worst. 

But that should come as no surprise.

Romans 5:8 (MSG)

Christ…didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

Mike shared the countless times that GOD’s hand and providence was on his life even as he ignored and rebelled against him.  GOD never left him. GOD never viewed his sins so horrid that he couldn’t be redeemed.  Instead GOD put His love on the line with Christ as Mike was mixing meth and shooting dope.

And GOD continued to chase Mike and when Mike finally stopped running away he found GOD waiting for him.  

He found GOD wanting him.  

He found GOD ready to change him.  

He found GOD accepting him.

I can’t do Mike’s 45 minute story justice in the few paragraphs of the DISPATCH this morning, but I hope you catch this point if nothing else.

GOD pursues us.  GOD has purpose for all of us. GOD always loves us as His own.

Ephesians 1:4-5

Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ.

All we need to do is metaphorically “stop blowing things up” and instead seek Him and His way for us.

So seek Him today.  Acknowledge Him as Mike does in all things.

1 John 4:15 (NIV)

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

And then you too will be “smilin”…

 

I love you all

Be blessed!

Freedom Church