Alive or dead

Back in the days of all of the westerns on television, you would frequently find the sheriff of a town saying, "go get the bad guy, "dead or alive".

That's was good maybe for catching the ones stealing cows or robbing banks in the old west, but not really good theology for those who are followers of Christ.

God's desire is that you be alive in the faith - and not dead. 

His desire is to "catch you alive" - especially on Sunday mornings as you worship.

Are you alive or dead on Sunday mornings?

Years ago, a minster made an unfortunate mistake as he conducted a funeral.  Before him in a open casket lay the remains of the departed brother.  Motioning toward the deceased and speaking in somber tones the preacher said, "This corpse has been a member of my church for ten years."

Are you alive or dead on Sunday mornings?

What if God walked away from our worship experience, totally grading us on how you personally worshipped Him?

Would He be pleased?  Or would He be saddened by the lack of spiritual vitality?

Sadly, the Church appears to be filled with spiritual corpses, or those how lack divine vitality. 

They may attend church, even occasionally read their Bibles and pray, but they lack a real quality of spiritual life.

They are not too unlike those Christians pictured by a young girl who was trying to describe her pastor's sermon that morning to her parents, who had been unable to attend church that day.

"I really can't remember much that he preached," said the child, "but I think his text was, 'Many were cold and a few were frozen.'"

At Stone Church, we desire a season of renewal and revival!

We desire God to move in our midst!

And praise God, a thaw is coming for those who learn to pray with spiritual energy and vitality in the name of Jesus.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:45 that Jesus is a "life-giving spirit".  Great verse.

In other words, all of the divine energy that flows from God is available in Jesus' name, and God never, ever "slumbers or sleeps" (Psalms 1`21:4). 

Jesus is a quickening spirit - a revitalizing, breath-of-life giving "resuscitator" of weary people. 

When your spiritual breath rate seems too heavy and the pace impossible, it is probably a sign that you are only functioning on your own strength.

You need to once again be filled with the "breath" of God.

My prayer is that the spirit of God breathe upon you today - and that you come Sunday morning pumped and ready to receive from God.

Just a thought for a Thursday.