Forming the Body of Christ
Writer Author Jerry Lee Kay Sr.
Christian Article
:
Christian Living
- Fiction No
My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you... (Galatians 4:19).
Poppa pastored a church in days gone by and dearly loved it. Most all of my folks were hard working middle class people that truly loved the Lord. As most of you that read me regularly know, the letters I write are sometimes quite lengthy and that pretty much sums up the way I preached. Which reminds me of the story of Paul preaching such a long sermon that Eutychus went to sleep, fell out of a window and killed himself. Well, I certainly didn't want anyone to do such as that, so on occasion I would have a guest speaker come and give the Lord's sheep a much needed break. Not only that, the man of God needs to be ministered to at times. Pray for your pastors and teachers. Amen!
Jesus told Peter, "If you love me, feed my sheep.". He did not say, beat my sheep or mistreat them. He said feed them.
I learned early on if you will shell out the feed they will come up. Amen! Preacher man, if you are not drawing a crowd you better check the type of feed you are dishing out. If your sheep are malnourished and looking poorly you probably need to change the type of feed you have them on. The same goes to those that are trying to witness to lost loved ones and friends. There are some folks you just can't scare the hell out of.
Someone called me and told me about an evangelist that was the talk of the town and suggested I invite him to speak in my church. After a few phone calls to check it out I decided I would make the invite. He came on the scheduled day. As we were going through the preliminary parts of the service he whispered into my ear, "Pastor don't worry, when you let me into the pulpit I will get them all worked up and we will have a runaway service. 'Cause I am really good at it."
Beloved, Poppa never let him in the pulpit! If you are wondering why, I will tell you. The Holy Spirit doesn't have to be worked up. We can create an atmosphere for Him to do His work with praise, but never do we have to work Him up!
No one likes to sing and shout more than Poppa, but it will be not because someone works me up. Amen?
The secular disrespect of the Lord's Name, and the taking away of His glory, is the established habit and course of the old creation nature. If you see any of the old creation getting into the realm of the things of God, the result will always sooner or later be that man takes the glory and dishonors God.
Is not that the tragic, dark story of "the Church-man"; in his old creation powers and life pressing into the things of God, and making a name for himself?
The Church has been the happy hunting ground of men for reputation, position, influence and all such things. The flesh always does that. It takes God's glory away. It profanes God's Name.
One Sunday morning an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were very worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn out old hat and an equally worn out bible.
The Church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and accessories.
As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to or welcomed him. They were all appalled at his appearance and did not attempt to hide it. The preacher gave a long sermon about hellfire and brimstone and a stern lecture on how much money the church needed to do God's work.
As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the Cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what He thinks would be appropriate attire for worship." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.
The next Sunday, he showed up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again, he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the man and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church." "I did," replied the old cowboy."If you spoke to God, what did he tell you the proper attire should be for worshiping in here?", asked the preacher. "Well, sir, God told me that He didn't have a clue what I should wear."
'He says He's never been in this church'
In order for that not to be, there must be a new creation, where all things are of God... I see the appalling state of things today amongst the Lord's people everywhere; death, weakness, limitation, defeat, failure, inability to stand Up, to go on; And, without being critical, censorious or judging, you must come to the conclusion as you speak with so many, that the measure of Christ is pathetically small.
Sometimes when you speak about the Lord to people, who have borne the name of Christian for many years, they gape at you as though you were talking a strange language.
Let us seek the Lord that there may be an increase of Christ in every way. That what is not Christ should disappear.
That it should be Christ, and only Christ. He will fill all things, and that will be a great day!
May He be fully formed in us.
Poppa
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About the Writer Author
State:
Texas
Country:
United States
Email:
jerryleekay@suddenlink.net
Website:
www.jerryleekay.net
Profile:
Click here!
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