It's no secret that Satan will do whatever he can to move people AWAY from God and closer to an eternal destiny in hell. That's his job and he will stop at nothing to make it happen. Absolutely NOTHING!
That includes tearing couple apart, families apart, relationships apart - and even churches. In fact, he loves to destroy churches for a number of reasons:
1. So that the church will be ineffective in all that it does.
2. So that the community that watches to see what a church looks like will be discouraged. This way people can say, "Why would I want to be a part of that?".
3. So that the name of Christ will be nothing more than words that mean virtually nothing.
Well...guess what's happening to church all across the country right now. And it's happening here in Pocatello as well. When we, the church folk, get all up in arms about how church should be or how it should 'look', then Satan wins. We start fighting with each other, blaming each other, not talking to each other, avoiding the conflicts, and so much more. And all the while Satan sits on his butt laughing and cheering as we give him exactly what he wants - a divided, broken and selfish church.
The worst part? We've not led anyone to meet Jesus personally. Not one. That includes me. And there have been numerous people who have needed to hear about Jesus but didn't because we were too busy with OUR church and not HIS church. We've just added to the population of hell.
ENOUGH! Put on your big boy and big girl pants and deal with the junk you need to FACE TO FACE with the person you have an issue with. Forgive each other. Seek God's forgiveness. And then get on with the ministry that you and this church have been called to - to seek and save the lost, feed the poor, care for the widow and orphans! That's the Bible's directive - not mans!
I am choosing to move forward with what I know God is calling ME to do. What about you? Can you deal with your junk and move forward? Are you willing to let go?
Here's the deal - we're going to asked what we did with His Son when we face God in the end. If that were today, how would you like the answer you know you'd have to give?
