God has been doing a work in me that I simply CANNOT and know that I SHOULD NOT keep to myself. I don’t believe God EVER does a work in us that He intends for us to horde, to keep to ourselves. I don’t want to have a house that is full of old newspapers, dirty dishes, clothes, and dead cats…I want a house that is clean because I’ve kept NOTHING.
On the way to my office this morning, walking down the hall, lost in thought as I usually am, I noticed a dead fly on the windowsill. Well, it was NEARLY dead. It was DYING. I stopped. I watched it lying there on its back. Helpless. Hopeless. And God grabbed a hold of me, and it wasn’t audible, but God simply said, “Nick, that’s you.”
“WHAT?!?” was my response. Let’s get this straight; if you feel like you can’t question God or even get mad at Him you’re wrong. He WANTS to hear from you. He WANTS to know you’re ALIVE. So, with this in mind, I yelled, “WHAT?!?”
Here’s what He told me…
You’re just like that fly. You have a big vision. You can see GREAT and WONDERFUL things right in front of you. You can see what lies ahead. Everything seems within reach. You can see out that window, but you can’t figure out how to get THROUGH it. You’re going to die lying on your back in front of that window, along with the vision I’VE given you, because you won’t ask me to break it down…to knock it out…to make a way.
Needless to say I spent the next 15 minutes crushed. Weeping. Sobbing.
I’m tired of trying to break through the window. I’ve grown weary of SEEING what’s in store, but not being able to REACH it. I can’t do it alone. Think of it this way, living FOR Jesus means allowing him to live THROUGH you.
Paul had Timothy remain in Ephesus due to a growing concern that people trusted more in themselves than in God. More flies.
When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions.
1 Timothy 1:3-6 NLT
Paul identifies 3 keys to living as a healthy Christian:
On the way to my office this morning, walking down the hall, lost in thought as I usually am, I noticed a dead fly on the windowsill. Well, it was NEARLY dead. It was DYING. I stopped. I watched it lying there on its back. Helpless. Hopeless. And God grabbed a hold of me, and it wasn’t audible, but God simply said, “Nick, that’s you.”
“WHAT?!?” was my response. Let’s get this straight; if you feel like you can’t question God or even get mad at Him you’re wrong. He WANTS to hear from you. He WANTS to know you’re ALIVE. So, with this in mind, I yelled, “WHAT?!?”
Here’s what He told me…
You’re just like that fly. You have a big vision. You can see GREAT and WONDERFUL things right in front of you. You can see what lies ahead. Everything seems within reach. You can see out that window, but you can’t figure out how to get THROUGH it. You’re going to die lying on your back in front of that window, along with the vision I’VE given you, because you won’t ask me to break it down…to knock it out…to make a way.
Needless to say I spent the next 15 minutes crushed. Weeping. Sobbing.
I’m tired of trying to break through the window. I’ve grown weary of SEEING what’s in store, but not being able to REACH it. I can’t do it alone. Think of it this way, living FOR Jesus means allowing him to live THROUGH you.
Paul had Timothy remain in Ephesus due to a growing concern that people trusted more in themselves than in God. More flies.
When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions.
1 Timothy 1:3-6 NLT
Paul identifies 3 keys to living as a healthy Christian:
- PURE heart
- CLEAR conscious
- GENUINE faith
Here’s where Scripture can seem to smack you in the face. It’s so clear. It’s so convicting. Paul says that if you’re not, if I’M not making these things a priority then I am just wasting my time in meaningless discussions…that I’ve MISSED THE WHOLE POINT. Get out of here! He actually says that the OTHER stuff we get focused on doesn’t help. It’s a distraction.
God says, focus on me and you’ll actually SEE the window. You’ll SEE the obstacle. You’ll SEE you need Me.
Are you going to keep banging your head against the window or are you going to DECLARE that today, I will TRUST GOD!
God says, focus on me and you’ll actually SEE the window. You’ll SEE the obstacle. You’ll SEE you need Me.
Are you going to keep banging your head against the window or are you going to DECLARE that today, I will TRUST GOD!
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