More on the Harp and Bowl issues

[DeanZF]

Part 3



One thing I've learned about fishing nets and sailboat rigging is that they are ALWAYS undergoing maintenance. When they are brand spanking new, they are indeed perfect, but they are unproven. Gifts unused benefit no one. Prayer unused and worship unused benefit no one! And if they are underused, the resulting benefit is less than Father intends for us to reap. This takes us back to the spiritual toddler human.



How can I grow in these two power-filled areas upon which God has placed such strong emphasis? Paul exhorted Timothy to "stir up" or "kindle afresh" the gift that was in him (2 Tim 1:6). This is important. The very next verse is the one where Paul tells him that we have been given a spirit of POWER. Stir gift, release power. How do we stir the gifts that God has placed in us? We USE them to bring glory to Him, and as a side benefit, to benefit the Body of Christ, the Church Militant. The focus is on the Throne, all the while! It's about HIM! Worship and prayer, focused on Him, and we fill with power that overflows into our surroundings.



Moses understood this very well. He is another fine example of proper focus. It was about what became the Mercy Seat, the Throne of God expressed on earth as it is in heaven. Moses went in and out of God's presence both on the mountain and in the Tabernacle. When he came away from being with God, Moses had to cover his face because he was visibly affected. EVERYone knew when Moses had been in God's presence one way or the other. The glow or the veil gave it away. When Moses spoke God's heart, the people were affected powerfully. The words changed lives, pure and simple. When Moses confronted rebels with challenges from God, it was power-filled. When he spoke healing with a bronze snake on a stick, it was power-filled. Even when he did stupid stuff in anger that was based on God's instruction but poorly obeyed, God was still faithful to accomplish, even though it ended up costing Moses a life in the Land of Promise.



When he was a shepherd, David's music was powerful. He sang songs to the Lord that were powerful enough to abate an evil spirit in Saul and to bring Saul back to a state of shalom or God's kind of peace. And David the young shepherd was a zealot for God's nation and God's army. He heard a pagan disabuse his God and cower God's army and it roiled up in him. I think it was God's wrath that was bubbling, and could bubble because David watched the sheep but worshiped God and sang worship and praise to Him frequently throughout each day. Like Moses, he practiced being in God's presence and as a result, walked in power. Never before had a single, palm sized stone brought down an army. And it was only the beginning of the blessing of God and the travail caused by Saul's envy and paranoia.



Neither of these two men got to the displayed levels of maturity in their relationship with God by divine edict. They practiced until they grew. And they kept on practicing in order to continue growing in wisdom and maturity. What were the words about Jesus? The same words used to describe a young Samuel, that He continued to grow in stature and in favor both with the LORD and with men (Luke 2:52 and I Samuel 2:26). Continued to grow. That's really important. That's my desire for my own life, that I would continue to grow and never rely on yesterday's strength or manna. More Lord!



Translating this to the local congregation, we need to find ways to encourage the people in the pews to rethink their walks with Christ, to become more intentional about prayer, worship, ministry, and congregational life. Like Moses' glow, that will translate into simply walking down the street in our daily activities. When we glow from His presence, with His glory lighting us up for others to see, we become the light on the hill, unveiled, no basket over it to hide that light, that others will see and know that something is special here. They will be drawn to His glory and they will be changed. That is power evangelism at its finest.