6/24/97 Spiritually Fat
(If it is welcome and a blessing, send it on to others,Lee)
Over the last few days, I have not had very nuch time to digest the amount of teaching I have encountered. I was challenged by a man from South Africa for 4 days, who even as I drove him to his next connection, I realized that there was a even greater information I could draw on if I had the time.
And yet as I had another speaker at my church last night, I saw something. I watched children last night much of the time, (yes, pastors can do that!) and as I came in the room each time and picked up bits and pieces there was a new thought that entered my head.
Many of the people, myself included are very hungry for the things of the Lord. That most definitely is a good thing. But there is something that appears that doesn't seem so good. That is, we are a spiritually fat people. We eat and eat of the things of the Lord, and yet the real problem is not how much we eat, but how we exercise, and the tone of our spiritually being. We have had a lot of teaching in this area over the last 4 days. And the interesting thing is both speakers hit on getting the house in order.
Why do I see this as a problem? Because as we become spiritually fat, we are not using what God has given to us already. I see it very similar to the gift of manna. It is a daily thing, (with the exception of Sabbath), designed to allow you to eat what it takes to get through the day.
I have seen many people chasing the anointing. I have no problem with people who make pilgrimages to see speakers or attend meetings. What I see as the problem is that if the spiritual body becomes fat, rendered ineefective by going to meetings and not bringing what has been gleaned to the church and community, there is a problem.
We have a daily walk. A daily exercise of Bible, prayer, devotion and meditation. The daily walk of doing spiritual battle comes as our "fighting machine" is exercised. When we get "spirtually fat", laziness and apathy creeps in. The enemy does not consider you much of a threat if all your time is spent in church and meetings. It is when you bring His Word forth and captives begin to get free. It is when you begin to apply the principles and srciptures on marriage and child rearing to your life, your family. When the response to three days at a spiritual warfare conference is you use it, taking down spiritual walls.
Today let's begin a program of "balanced" lifestyle. A lifestyle of exercising that which we have been give.Go to meetings, eat, feast even, and then return and bless your church, your friends, and those in bondage. Let's put into practice that which we have taken. There is a process and a miracle that occurs. As you give, others are blessed, but you receive more. The manna never runs out until you stop giving, stop saving it up. As the manna of old, the stored manna becomes diseased. Let us eat afresh each day.
Dear Friends:
Selah.
Shalom.
We pray for you, each and every day. If this is an encouragement to you. Please tell us, and please email it to someone else. If you have a prayer request, please mail it to us. We want to stand with you, battling spiritual wickedness, seeing people made free. We want to serve our brother and sister.
In the Service of Christ for His Glory,
Lee Johndrow
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Thank you,
Lee & Tina Johndrow
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