Oatmeal!

Last night I started a message on the power of God, and this morning woke up hearing that God wanted me to talk about oatmeal! (So much for my thoughts!) I argued in the shower, telling Him my reasons for writing last night, rather than this morning. Yesterday, just sapped my strength. A 1/2 hour nap did not cut it. At dinner time I fell asleep for 3 hours. I didn't feel bad, just tired. That's not a normal thing for me.

"So God. What about oatmeal?" Many of you may not know what oatmeal is. It is oats(duh) that are heated with water to make a barely palatable breakfast with out the addition of sugar, or REAL Vermont Maple Syrup. It looks like baby food.

So let me share what I have received.

Perhaps you and I immediately jumped to the conclusion that I am talking about baby Christians...so I can talk to you. We know Paul's words describing milk to the young, to the babies. What he says is that a new Christian can not digest the meaty truths of the Word of God. And as we bring someone to the Lord through our testimony, our friendship, our love; they will begin to absorb the simple truths (milk) of God and His love for them, but they may not understand Paul's talk about women in the church! (Do any of us?) In our educated minds, our intellectuality (Intellectualism is determined by this sole fact-Can you listen to the William Tell Overture and not think of the Lone Ranger?!!! jes' kiddin'), and certainly a lot of carnality we see all Christians as equal. I realized yesterday, when someone tells us they are a Christian, we accept them at our level! If they look good and talk good, they are in. And they are our equal in Christ. But let me ask you a question, when you worked your first job, were you the "boss"? (I know someone is going to tell me that they were and because I was, I will not be offended!) We have been indoctrinated to take a truth and expound on it, rather than ingesting what God has put down. As one friend says; "the people that often take a text out of context to make a pretext. " Unfortunately it isn't limited to babies. We bypass our brains and listen to every word without doubt. Kind of like the move of the week stuff.

Last week I was rebuked by a 1 year Christian, who reminded me of baby steps, as I had just reproved someone for quenching the Spirit. And as a "leader" I could have pulled my "authority" at that point, but I didn't. And I think that's why I am on oatmeal.

Nutritionally, oatmeal or pablum or whatever you call this gelatinous looking stuff(actually I like it...with VT. Maple syrup!), that is gray and lumpy-it is reasonably ok. Now a steady diet of anything will probably kill you, but this contains a large amount of vitamins and those little things God has determined necessary for life.

There are a lot of "mature" Christians who try to eat meat, but who have not eaten baby food, thinking themselves above that. I notice that these same Christians struggle in the areas of reading their Bibles, praying and meditating. They carry their Bibles real well, all in their $50 leather cases, with the pages all pretty. (Have we ever heard of "dirty Bible-clean Christian, clean Bible-dirty Christian"?) I have nothing against Bible cases and all that and would probably have one except for the cost right now, but the issue is looking good vs. being good.

Because there is so much "Christianity" on the airwaves, in books and on the computer, I think we have missed a lot of what God has been trying to tell us. We have turned a lot of Christianity into big business, applying teflon to its roughness, and encouraging everyone to eat meat. And I think the result is we have a country full, a church full of people who were forced to bypass some basics.

I am 42. I grew up (ok. strike that-haven't grown up yet!) in a dairy community in Connecticut. We had oatmeal. We had prayer in school for a short time. We hardly watched tv. We even knew how to play with other children. These are things parents today aren't prepared for. We became a dysfunctional nation, a dysfunctional people. And I submit to you that the church is going the same way in many areas.

We have missed some "breakfasts" that were important to our growth. We have some holes in our armour, because we have missed some basic truths. Not doctrine-TRUTH! I know many people believe that we are plowing ahead, gaining ground, and I am not in a different camp. I simply believe we are not totally preparing our people, our children for the realities we will encounter.

Christianity is not a cake walk. And if each one of us sought out the basic truths from the Word, if we added one truth this month to our arsenal, across the world, we would have a stronger army. I am concerned for the work ahead, that we not lose people, because of ignorance. I believe in spirtual warfare, I simply believe teaching someone warfare without submission to God is foolishness. And yet, because of that stance, I am a rebel. ("Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee.")

I have been in this town almost 3 years. Not one pastor (there are 11) has invited me to a meeting for prayer. I have invited them to tents and meetings for 3 years. I have had one lay person-who acted as a interim pastor offer his prayers for me. Am I hurt? I once felt rejected, but I feel badly for them and for our Father.

A basic truth is being missed here by this behavior. One of unity and love. A hole that often occurs in our armor, is a foothold for the enemy. I lose the value of their years of wisdom and they lose the value of my gifts.

Oatmeal. Because our Father said. Why would I question Him? Here is a God who succinctly put together 10 commandments, that governments across the world for milleniums have tried to improve on, perhaps in their desire to soften the blow. But the reality of it is, most Christians don't know all ten and can't find them in their Bible. The rely on others to help them.

Even today, I have tried to intersperse enough humour to make this palatable. There are many seasoned veterans of many battles who are recipients of this letter, and yet I humbly submit, that there are some basics we need to return to.

I love you people. You are a great church, and I take pride in the fact that God allows me to prick your minds, to humour you and to exhort and encourage you. And because of my humaness, I realize my ability to bypass the beginnings of what God has called me to do. I pray that each one of us, will take the opportunity to reflect on our Creator today, and recognize our position in Him.