Ever get the feeling somethings missing?
I don't know about you, but sometimes i read the Word and wonder if something hasn't gone terribly wrong with Christianity in our culture. Ever feel that way? This account in Acts 5:12-16 is one such passage for me. "Many signs and wonders being done among the people...the church in one accord...believers increasingly added to the church...the world esteeming the church highly...all the sick people healed and all those tormented by unclean spirits healed..." Is this the tag line that could be written under the ministry that you are a part of? No? Then, what's the problem?
Now, i'm not of the opinion that God moved in these kinds of miraculous/powerful ways back then, but for some reason, He stopped "signs/wonders, healing, salvation and a highly esteemed church" back when the last apostle died! The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever, and i believe that He desires to continue the ministry of Jesus all throughout the church age...including our own! Plus, we have reports all throughout the world (India, Africa, China, The Middle East, and South America) of Him moving in these kinds of "supernatural" ways today! No, i don't think that something is missing because God has "retired these jerseys", so to speak.
Could it be that truly "Spirit-filled" followers of Jesus Christ are lacking in our culture? (Spirit-filled in the sense that we are so connected to Jesus that our lives truly look like His and that He is continuing His ministry through us today)
Could it be that the Gospel is not going forth as it was in the early church? (as Jesus said "these signs would follow the preaching of the gospel")
Could it be that the Spirit of Christ is restricted by the lack of faith that exists among us? (Remember that Jesus couldn't do miracles in certain regions because the people didn't believe Him).
I don't know...you tell me what you think. Maybe none or maybe a bit of all of these. But, i just can't get around the fact that my life and my church and my city and my nation can't be described this way! So, rather than settle for low expectations on the one hand, or sit in the seat of judgment on the other, i want to be part of the solution. I want to commit to seek God, to abide in Christ, to pray more, to preach the gospel more, to bring His Kingdom here in Chattanooga, Tn. I want to see Acts 5:12-16 written over my generation. But, it will cost me (us). It will cost us comfort, ease, time, friends, everything! But, when has being a disciple of Jesus ever NOT cost everything? We need to rise up, strip off weights and hindrances, and run hard after Jesus! Only then will we see a move of God in our culture that could match that of the early church! Think of it (pray for it)..."Signs and wonders being done among the people, the Body in one accord, the world highly esteeming the church, multitudes of people coming to Christ, the sick healed and those tormented by unclean spirits healed!" May it be...yes, pray it be!
Now, i'm not of the opinion that God moved in these kinds of miraculous/powerful ways back then, but for some reason, He stopped "signs/wonders, healing, salvation and a highly esteemed church" back when the last apostle died! The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever, and i believe that He desires to continue the ministry of Jesus all throughout the church age...including our own! Plus, we have reports all throughout the world (India, Africa, China, The Middle East, and South America) of Him moving in these kinds of "supernatural" ways today! No, i don't think that something is missing because God has "retired these jerseys", so to speak.
Could it be that truly "Spirit-filled" followers of Jesus Christ are lacking in our culture? (Spirit-filled in the sense that we are so connected to Jesus that our lives truly look like His and that He is continuing His ministry through us today)
Could it be that the Gospel is not going forth as it was in the early church? (as Jesus said "these signs would follow the preaching of the gospel")
Could it be that the Spirit of Christ is restricted by the lack of faith that exists among us? (Remember that Jesus couldn't do miracles in certain regions because the people didn't believe Him).
I don't know...you tell me what you think. Maybe none or maybe a bit of all of these. But, i just can't get around the fact that my life and my church and my city and my nation can't be described this way! So, rather than settle for low expectations on the one hand, or sit in the seat of judgment on the other, i want to be part of the solution. I want to commit to seek God, to abide in Christ, to pray more, to preach the gospel more, to bring His Kingdom here in Chattanooga, Tn. I want to see Acts 5:12-16 written over my generation. But, it will cost me (us). It will cost us comfort, ease, time, friends, everything! But, when has being a disciple of Jesus ever NOT cost everything? We need to rise up, strip off weights and hindrances, and run hard after Jesus! Only then will we see a move of God in our culture that could match that of the early church! Think of it (pray for it)..."Signs and wonders being done among the people, the Body in one accord, the world highly esteeming the church, multitudes of people coming to Christ, the sick healed and those tormented by unclean spirits healed!" May it be...yes, pray it be!
