Strong Signals

A pastor friend of mine, posted on social media yesterday that he was working on a sermon regarding the idea of Simplicity. He shared a quote that shared that these are exciting times in which we live, yet have consequences. Technology is amazing, yet how does one keep up. The quote closes with the thought that we fear that we will "attempt too much and accomplish too little"

The comments that people posted in response where insightful, as this is surely a problem. It's easy to get sucked in and discover significant chunks of time are missing... time that had originally been marked for other tasks and activities. In response to one comment in particular, my friend asks "how do we figure out what stays in the circle and what doesn't" as to how we spend time and not feel overwhelmed by the abundance of sensory overload.

I replied with end result of an analogy shared by my pastor. "It starts by keeping Christ at the center of the circle. Anything that doesn't fit with that or competes with that, will give you a good indication of where it should go in the circle, if it belongs there at all."

Then I got to thinking about what Christ has in store for us and the things we settle for... even things that take us further away from Him. People who know God, were at one time Christians; maybe still believe they are... yet there remains areas of active living that are contrary to God's word. I thought about the woman with her accusers and Jesus' statement about throwing the first stone.

Just because there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, doesn't meant that He will not take the opportunity to loving remind us that we are to go and sin no more.

Sin is reception interference from communication with God.

The closer we draw to Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to become more like Him, the clearer the channel we experience with God.. Sin, essentially disobedience (from the first command of 'don't eat from that tree, Adam & Eve' being separation from God results in channel to God difficult to understand at best and nothing but static at worst. Perhaps this is why it feels God's attempts to get people's attention back to Him is so dramatic.

A weak signal won't hear His whisper.

Pray, this #associatePastorTuesday, as pastors meet with people of the congregation and community, that they would have the courage and the wisdom to effectively communicate the truth of God's Word that would draw people closer to God. Pray for sins to be removed; condemnation will depart and a clearer channel of communion with God will be experienced. Pray that Christ will be found at the center of the lives of the believer, in order that everything else may take its proper place, in alignment with Jesus on the throne of our hearts. Pray for those lives, even among Christians, whose lives and lifestyles are out of balance. May they hear the voice of God... even if it is no longer a whisper, for what He desires to accomplish in and through their lives.

Clear lines of communication, between God and man... just like when God walked with man in the Garden of Eden.
May we accomplish much, for the cause of Jesus Christ. For the glory of God, the Father. By the power of the Holy Spirit.

- PNC

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