Taste and See

 Photo courtesy of Google

Not too long ago I decided to live dangerously and try some regular syrup with my pancakes.  I had used sugar free syrup for as long as I can remember and I had convinced myself that the sugar free syrup tasted equally as delicious as the regular syrup but with exceptionally less calories.  I thought I was having my cake and eating it too!  I was actually able to keep myself convinced for years until the other day when I decided, not in a moment of weakness or on a binger’s escapade, but I made a decision to have pancakes with real syrup.   It was with one bite of the real thing that I realized I had been duped!  I couldn’t believe the deliciousness on my tongue that now made me loath the tasteless, thin, watered down substance that barely resembled what I now knew was real pancake syrup and might not even qualify to be called pancake syrup.

 

While I was reflecting on the dramatic differences in the pancake syrups and how long I had allowed myself to go without the real deal, the Spirit of God started to reveal to me a supernatural message in my taste test.  In fact, the message came as an interpretation to a tongue given during corporate worship.  How long has church gone without the “real” presence of the Spirit of God so that we don’t even realize what we are missing and deny that there is even a difference in the Holy Spirit described in the Bible versus the “sugar free version” of the Holy Spirit in our church meetings today?  We have substituted the “Real Deal” for an artificial, man-made, low calorie, watered down version of what we call the Spirit of God.   James 1:16-17 says, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Many have done this out of fear or ignorance and many more out of pride, disdain, and/or stubbornness.  In some cases we never knew that there was anything else or we were told that the Spirit of God has changed and His gifts no longer exist.  Other times we have seen the gifts of the Spirit abused and manipulated so we forbid the manifestation described in the Word as if the Spirit is at fault.   We put a ban on any movement of the Spirit that would make us uncomfortable and we tell God how we will allow Him to move.  We side with the group that says the “lighter” version is the only version that exists and deny the fact that the “real” version exists in church bodies all over the world.  You might say it’s like convincing yourself that sugar free pancake syrup tastes just as good or better than syrup made with natural ingredients and there is no need for the “real” version anymore.  1 Cor 14:39-40 “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”

I am certain some will read this blog and criticize me for suggesting that their church is manufacturing a man-made version of the Holy Spirit that no longer resembles the Spirit described in the Word because they have compromised.  You can fight to believe that it doesn’t really matter or that the Spirit has changed so that you don’t have to change.  But like the real pancake syrup, I have tasted and seen that He is good.  Now that I have experienced the “real deal”, I am no longer subject to just the idea that the “substitution” is just as good.   1 Cor 14:26 “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”

ALERT!

Oct 17, 2010

Before I left for church, I checked the weather on my computer and I noticed a red “Alert” box which I had only seen before when there was inclement weather. The sky was blue and the sun was shining so I really could not figure out why an alert was posted. My curiosity caused me to click on the alert warning. A child abduction, “AMBER alert”, had been issued that morning and after describing the young child, it stated the child was considered to be in immediate danger. When I read this, my heart went out for the child and his family and I started to lift them up in prayer. I prayed specifically that the child would be returned to his parents safely and that no harm would come to him. 

As I prayed for the abducted child, the Lord started to speak to me. I thought about how scared the child must be, all that could happen to the child, and what his parents must be feeling. I felt the Lord speaking to me that although it was good to pray for this child, where was my compassion and urgency to pray for those who are spiritually lost in my life? I could picture the enemy in a black van roaming around the earth like a lion looking for someone to devour. The thief, who comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10) was filling his van with the lost who have been enticed and carried away by the enemy.

The word abduction stirs in us a fury toward the one who illegally carries a child away from his parents. Yet are we unperturbed when we see those who were created by him and for him being abducted by the enemy. The very mission of Christ was to seek and save what was lost. (Luke 19:10) Why then are we, the church, ignoring the alert signs for those who are lost?

The Lord has shown me that my pockets are full of good seed to sow, but I have focused only on filling my pockets and have forgotten the importance of scattering the seed. Seeds were meant to be planted and they are useless if they stay in my pockets. In fact, they can never have a chance to grow if they are not scattered. It is time to stop focusing only on MY relationship with Jesus and MY understanding of the Word and MY prayer requests only and to go after the lost to take back what the enemy has stolen!

In 1 Samuel 30, when the Lord’s enemies took what belonged to the people of God, the Lord spoke in verse 8 and said, “"Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue." In verse 18-19 we see, “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.” 

This should not be some startling revelation if you have been found in Him and are already in relationship with Jesus the Christ. However, this should be a reminder that every day there is an “alert” that has gone out issued from the King of Kings. It is time to take back what the enemy has stolen and return everything back to the Father.  

P.S. In case you were wondering, I later found out that the abducted child was found safe. Will we be so fortunate to hear the same for those that the Lord has entrusted to us?