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Monday, October 31, 2011

What Am I Afraid Of?



We all have things that we are afraid of. Some are small fears, some are bigger fears. For instance; some people are afraid of heights or spiders or clowns.  To my knowledge I don't have any fears that cripple me like that.  But I do have some smaller fears.

It could be said that I'm afraid of ketchup. It's not really so much a fear as it is just being really grossed out.  More specifically, when a glob of spilled ketchup on the table that has reached a state of being half dried out, but is still gooey and sticky so that it hitches a ride on your sleeve and you find it later on the front of your shirt from when you crossed your arms or on the inside of your jacket sleeve.  Has this ever happened to you? - (me either.)  I'd swear that the evil, half dried, sticky, ketchup glob inspired the comic villain known as venom.

Well that's an example of small fear - minor, insignificant, not really life shaping.  Other fears can shape our lives.  Worry can cripple us from truly living.  We fear something bad will happen to our families or to us.  We fear not being able to succeed at our jobs or not having enough money to pay the bills.  These are reasonable fears and it is very understandable that we would have them from time to time, but we cannot live there. We have a hope in Christ and he has promised to meet all our needs.  We must pray for wisdom to recognize the difference in ourselves between needs and wants. ex. I want to drive a newer car, but I don't NEED one.

Personally, I have a fear greater than these.  And I know that God is bigger than our fears and that He is sovereign, but I can't help but fearing that the church is falling/has fallen away from her first love. Some churches have traded the gospel in for a gospel of works, adding to "by grace through faith alone." Other churches have exchanged the gospel for a health and wealth gospel, that if you really love Jesus, he will make you healthy and wealthy.  Jesus is their Prince of prosperity rather than the Prince of Peace.  This false gospel is a contradiction to the very teachings of Jesus.  If you are praying for God to bring you wealth, then you love a another god. (Matt. 6:24)  If you are keeping your wealth for yourself, while reading the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-24), then you have stored up your treasures where moth and rust destroy. Yet, this is not my greatest fear.

My greatest fear is that the church in America won't be able to get their focus back on Jesus.  I'm afraid that Christians who fill our churches everywhere will remain silent about their faith.  I'm afraid of seeing people love the ways they worship more than they love the person of Jesus Christ.  I'm afraid that if it came to a choice between Jesus and the church, most Christians would choose the church.  I'm afraid of believers being more interested receiving the blessing than in giving sacrifice.

Father, call us back to You and open our ears to hear You.  More than knowing about Jesus, help us to know the person of Jesus.  You are a relational God.  As you have blessed us, help us to bless others, and to recognize that You have indeed blessed us so that we can give as You gave.  Let us not cheapen the work of Christ on the cross by proclaiming works as an added requirement of salvation.  Jesus death was payment in full.  "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling." May we worship You as You truly are and lay aside the way we think you should be. You created us in your image, forgive us when we try to redefine You in ours.

"An idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol of the hand." - A.W. Tozer

5 comments:

Bryan said...

Excellent post. And don't forget, "If my people who are called by My Name, will humbles themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."

Good job!

Alden Schoeneberg said...

Thanks, Bryan. I appreciate the kudos.

Quint said...

That is one of my favorite A.W. Tozer Quotes.

Mel said...

Your phrase "living in [fear]" was well-put. When we begin "living" in it, we lose perspective and become bewildered in our walk - and then paralyzed to live out our faith.

Barb Kankowske said...

Good post. What struck me the most was the fear that, given the choice, believers would choose church over Jesus Christ. That is happening regularly in so many ways.

A friend was just reading some Tozer quotes to me today. It was clear that everything we have and need is found in intimacy with Christ. And equally clear how many things present themselves as more important!