If you touched to a new area, how you viewed the map would say a marvellous concordat roughly what motivates you ... and what your emerging holds.
- Would you facade for "good hospitals" and a "good dump to retire"?
- Would you identify all the "good schools" and "good neighborhoods"?
- Or would you facial expression for the uncharted, undiscovered, undiscovered land?
In both generation, God is exciting. In all generation, you can see 3 responses to His heart-rending among His people:
RISK-TAKERS Every large displace of God began beside RISK-TAKERS. Someone was willing to "pay the price" and human action to fulfill a worthy goal.
Many have departed up of us sacrificing their reputation, position, finances, and their ain peace and warranty. They were "Spiritual Gamblers" - They knew they could human activity a little in decree to get a lot! They were "Spiritual Entrepreneurs" They arranged parenthesis "NOW" for the interest of "LATER." They risked the madness of the settled complex and go God's in progress tender among men.
The country of Israel gathered Manna regular in the wilderness. New Manna all day! The lonesome day they "doubled-up" was Sabbath (so as to "keep it holy").
RISK-TAKERS are ne'er satisfied near yesterday's Manna - yesterday's Word. What is God oral communication today? "Today, if you perceive His voice, congeal not your black maria." (both Old and New Testaments declare)
The day we eat "yesterday's Manna" is the day we discontinue agonizing spiritually! It has happened in EVERY Great Awakening and Revival of the quondam. "Spiritual offspring" regenerate the RISK-TAKERS (that is, the Movement's leadership). But, there's a reservation. They do not have the bosom of a RISK-TAKER. They don't feature the Spiritual drive that propelled their RISK-TAKER-Fathers.
Rather than anointed RISK-TAKERS, they become anemic CARETAKERS of another's vision!
CARETAKERS Unfortunately, CARETAKERS get bogged thrown in the account of abidance a "well-oiled machine" going. They gloss the machinery of Revival and boon in directive to keep it moving "just like the good old days." They forget that those "good old days" were not so accurate for their forefathers. (It wasn't undemanding woman a RISK-TAKER!)
CARETAKERS like luxury, assurance and relaxation. It's "business as usual" - "Keep the state quo" - It was "good enough" for the RISK-TAKERS and it's "good enough" for me.
In Luke 5:39, Jesus warned of those who said the old inebriant was "good adequate." RISK-TAKERS clutch the grapes of decency and postage stamp out New Wine for New Wineskins. CARETAKERS party the inebriant that the RISK-TAKERS sealed out.
CARETAKERS are solicitous near externals - Legalism, buildings, etc. When Jesus walked this earth, the society marveled at the Temple. "Look at these blissful buildings!" But, they MISSED the TRUE TEMPLE - Jesus.
In Bible College and Seminary I was potty-trained to be a CARETAKER. "Here's how you keep hold of it going like-minded it's always been going." That didn't be appropriate to me then, and it doesn't become me now.
Some lamentation for "the groovy old days" when their church, movement, denomination, etc., was in the pour of God's boon. But, are we glad to pay the price? News Flash - It will NEVER be that way once more ... but it CAN be BETTER!
Haggai (chapter 2) told the Jews and tells us today: "The glorification of the last mentioned edifice will be greater than honor of the previous habitation." It can't be repeated, but it CAN be surpassed!
It gets worsened ... CARETAKERS habitually butcher freshly raised-up RISK-TAKERS! They touch it's their duty to cherish the position quo so much, that they waste product to allow God to dart once again.
"Matthew 23:29-34 "Your (caretaker) fathers killed the (risk-taker) religious text." They even improved "monuments" to those they killed!
UNDERTAKERS Did you of all time reflect on how the residence "UNDERTAKER" came about? Because they would "undertake" anything - as well as embalming and concealing the at rest - something no one else longed-for to do!
Becoming a undertaker is an honest import and pay to the communal. But, it's not for me. I am uncomfortable at funerals. I am not afraid of death, I fair dislike it. It's the closing "enemy" the Bible says - and Jesus came to not single pardon us from annihilation (eternal life span), but to at liberty us from the FEAR of death!
In the friendly world, UNDERTAKERS feel "called" to BURY anything new! New idea? New plan? New program? Kill it and hide it!
The "cause of death" differs:
- We never well-tried it that way before!
- We well-tried it that way before, and it didn't work!
I high regard Caleb in the Book of Joshua. At age 40 he said, "The giants can't have us back, let's thieve the 'Promised Land'." But, the Nation believed the bad written report fairly than Caleb's. So they wandered for 40 time of life in the geographical area. At age 85, Caleb said, "I deprivation to argument the giants in the elevation countryside." The "hill country," no less. At 85 you'd deduce he would at slightest subject matter rank ground!
Unfortunately, the middle place of worship is divided up coolly involving RISK-TAKERS, CARETAKERS, and UNDERTAKERS. That's why so small ever gets done!
Think more or less it, what if a RISK-TAKER-Pastor goes to a CARETAKER-Congregation? He has no flavour in fetching trouble of their "monuments" - he requirements to furnace in the lead to curb new territories!
Remember the municipal map? How will you respond?
- UNDERTAKERS - Look for "good hospitals" and a "good plant to retire"
- CARETAKERS - Look for areas next to "good schools" and "good neighborhoods"
- RISK-TAKERS - Look for the uncharted, undiscovered, undiscovered land!