More Blessed to Give!

Upon arriving in the USA in 1995, we noticed how the stores were always gearing up for the next holiday, season or event. If it’s not Easter, it’s Mother’s Day. If not Mother’s Day, it’s Valentine’s Day, if not Valentine’s Day, then Halloween and so on. Why am I saying this? We, as bible believing Christians need to take our cue from the Word of God, not from culture. In other words, don’t be event centered, but rather Christ centered.

In Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:23)

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. (Psalm 16:6)

It’s Christ in us, the hope of glory. (Col 1:17)

Why is it so important to not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine or by what season it is, or whether a holiday is coming? Because we need to be grounded in the season of God and in His Word, learning to receive from God without all the stuff potentially getting in the way and learning to be content when the bank account is low or the circumstances are challenging.

A.W. Tozer said it best many years ago when he spoke about how culture would play into our inability to be able to receive from God; that we would need props, gimmicks, shorter services, shorter worship, drive through services and entertainment to keep our attention, etc…

He said this…

The tragic results of this sport are about us: 

Shallow lives, hallow religious philosophies, the preponderance of the element of fun in the gospel meetings, the glorification of men, trust in religious externalities, quasi-religious fellowships, salesmanship methods, the mistaking of dynamic personality for the power of the Spirit. These and such as these are the symptoms of an evil disease, a deep and serious malady of the soul.

AW Tozer, The Pursuit of God.

Is that prophetic or what?!

Yes, we need to draw the unbeliever with whatever means necessary but once we have their ears, then they need to experience God and not man. My feeling is that if an unbeliever darkens the door of a church then they are looking for God. They’ve had it with man. Man has let them down. Man has not been there when their loved one has died or when they lost their child.  Man cannot replace God but can point to one who saves us into eternal life.

At this most polarizing time of the year, let us not be tempted to slip into consumer mode. Be the answer to the child’s prayer for a toy. Be the solution to the family’s plea for a hot Christmas lunch. Be the mouthpiece of God to bring comfort to those who mourn and a lifeline to God for the desperate sinner needing a Savior.

Let us all be mindful of the deep cry of the soul for a friend to lean on and an ear to hear. It’s time to stop and smell the yellow roses! Why yellow? Because yellow is significant of friendship. It means a new day, a new year, and a new purpose to walk in the fullness of God.

Merry Christmas