If someone connives to get your shirt, give him your jacket as well. If someone forces you to walk with him for a mile, walk with him for two instead. If someone asks you for something, give it to him. If someone wants to borrow something from you, do not turn away. Matthew 5:38-48
Are We The “Feed Me” Generation?
How far away are we from these God given precepts that are supposed to shape our lives? From generation to generation we replicate the same bad personal habits and personality characteristics that keep us on the throne of our lives. The church in this generation has the reputation of being the “feed me” generation, where everything is about feeding self-first, taking care of self-first, being served first and not serving. It has caused much division, isolation and inner loneliness in the Bride of Christ and it is something we need to break, change and restore Gods original design for His Church.
Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first. In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember: Though He was in the form of God, He chose not to cling to equality with God; But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new; a servant in form and a man indeed. The very likeness of humanity, He humbled Himself, obedient to death— a merciless death on the cross! So God raised Him up to the highest place and gave Him the name above all. Philippians 2:3-9 The Voice
Do We Have A Culturally Divided Heart?
The Holy Spirit wants to shine on the heart of the church and let us miraculously see how disjointed our unity is. We have an divided heart, we are serving so many things in our culture, which is what this generation is known for, its busyness, where everything goes and we go, and go and go, trying to feed an insatiable appetite for new experiences and be entertained at all times. We want to experience it all, do it all and of course we don’t want our kids to miss out on anything either. We are very busy people and that keeps our heart strings so tied to this world that we don’t give the Kingdom, which is coming soon, a second glance.
Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11 New International Version – UK
Got A Divided Heart?
We have hearts that are divided, therefore we don’t have time to stop and care for someone else when we have so many things that we need to go, do and see. We don’t even touch people’s lives, heart to heart anymore. We don’t take time to encourage others, to speak value into their lives, because we are so busy, we don’t even have time or emotional energy to do that, to do even the smallest thing or make even a short comment that encourages another person. Our lives are all about ourselves and maintaining our emotional balance, when we are slammed busy with things of this world.
When the light shines, it exposes even the dark and shadowy things and turns them into pure reflections of light. This is why they sing, Awake, you sleeper! Rise from your grave, And the Anointed One will shine on you. Ephesians 5:14-15
Are There Ashes Of Cultural Busyness Around You?
What are we busy with? Does it matter? What are we investing so much time in, will it make an eternal difference? Are we adding value to others or are we stuck in a self-centered way of life, where we don’t really hear or really see the condition of others around us? When someone is talking to you, are you there with them or are you thinking of something else that needs to be done? It is my hope that we step out of the fog and into the light, that we change this and rise up and become the Bride of Christ with healing, caring, encouraging flowing from us. We need to start truly hearing those around us and stopping what we are doing and responding to their need, instead of brushing them off with our busyness. Do you know we are so busy, so very busy that we are essentially exhausted? So pushed, so stressed by doing and going and being so much for this world, that we miss the divine appointments God has for us, because we are such a distracted and exhausted people.
Who is among you who reverently fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in darkness and deep trouble and has no shining splendor in his heart? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God. Behold, all you enemies of your own selves, who attempt to kindle your own fires and work out your own plans of salvation, who surround and gird yourselves with momentary sparks, darts, and firebrands that you set aflame!—walk by the light of your self-made fire and of the sparks that you have kindled for yourself, if you will! But this shall you have from My hand: you shall lie down in grief and in torment. Isaiah 50:10-11 Amplified Bible
Whose Inspiration Do You Walk Out Of?
Does God inspire you anymore? Do you walk in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? This is where the real power of life begins and flows through you. Are you kindling your own fire and walking by the light of a man made fire? It will flame out. Simply-Significantly, we need to begin to detoxify our busy schedules and leave some room for God so we will hear His heart for people and through His inspiration, we will see the needs all around us that He wants us to step into with Kingdom value. If we lay down our exciting entertainment, which is not real and very temporal, and turn and fully face God, we will hear God initiate and we will experience the possibility of Him as His purposes in play begin forming the plan of our day, instead of us chasing after busyness that does not truly make any eternal difference. We feed the need of our flesh for excitement and we become way too busy entertaining ourselves and others. Busyness is an idol in the Bride of Christ that needs to be smashed. We need to change and it needs to begin with us, right now. We need to overcome the busyness of this culture, say no to this world and put our yes on the table with God.
When the Spirit of God comes to us and says, in effect, “Get up and get going,” suddenly we find that the initiative is inspired. God does not give us overcoming life – He gives us life as we overcome. If we will take the initiative to overcome, we will find that we have the inspiration of God, because He immediately gives us the power of life. Author~Oswald Chambers
We must choose what our hands will do.
Where there is pain, let us bring grace
Where there is suffering, bring serenity
For those afraid, let us be brave, and help them be brave
Where there is misery, may we bring expectancy and relief
Surely we can change… Surely we can change… something…
Surely We Can Change Author~David Crowder
Surely We Can Change?
Surely we can change, this is my huge hope in God, that we can change. We can drop our cultural busyness and become wholly-holy God’s. We let go of the need for excitement through temporary entertainment and we cling to our eternal God. We can begin to be selfless, putting others needs first, above ourselves. We can care, converse, love, share, be openhearted, seeing people where they are at and sacrifically responding with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. We can be found in Jesus and by the power of His Holy Spirit, we can change something and someone for good. We can be aware of all those around us and be the encouragement, hope and peace they need. We can break the silence, shatter the cultural busyness and talk up God and His Kingdom truth, hope and life from person to person, home to home, community to community, state to state and nation to nation. We can unify in Christ and be His Spotless Bride, be about His business until He returns. Surely we can change from our chasing after excitement and entertainment, from our cultural busyness that adds absolutely no value to others and be His servant, serving His Kingdom first. Surely we can change…
Pray It Up
Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. Psalm 86:11 New Living Translation
Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk and live in Your truth; direct and unite my heart solely, reverently to fear and honor Your name. Psalm 86:11 Amplified Bible
O Eternal One, guide me along Your path so that I will live in Your truth. Unite my divided heart so that I will fear Your great name. Psalm 86:11 The Voice
Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Do this so that I will depend on you, my faithful God. Give me a heart that doesn’t want anything more than to worship you. Psalm 86:11 New International Readers
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Thoughts come and go, but when the Holy Spirit speaks, they are highlighted by our human senses and they are the beginning of a transformation of our soul, that paints a God characteristic on our spirit that remains forever. Pay attention to the bites of God Thoughts that come in your Miraculous Musings with God, they are simply-significantly purposeful. I hope you are forever changed by this little bite of God revelation that is now more than Just A Thought to your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. Check out more of The Bridegroom’s Cafe and be blessed by AWE-GOD….MUCH! KimberlyMac