e-news for week of 1/15/12

As we continue to move from fans to followers, along the path there are some hard introspective truths that stare us in the face.

One of the primary barriers, in my opinion, to global advancement within the kingdom is the fact that as a nation, we have grown soft.

As a people we moan about:

The state of our economy (it’s the worst economy since the great depression)
The divisiveness of politics
The condition of our roads
The status of educational systems

And how are we moaning about these things?

We do it from our plush lazy boy recliners, in our climate controlled rooms, surfing our 250 cable stations on our high definition televisions. We do it via our mobile devices that are bouncing signals off of satellites, while we eat sushi and sip on our $4 fair trade lattes.

We compare this to the Great Depression?

Give me a break.

Some of these levels of comfort and convenience spill over into the lives of believers. And then we come across the words of Christ, “Unless you deny yourself and take up your cross daily…”

When was the last true hurting, self-denying sacrifice you made for the Lord? When was the last time you risked for the Lord?

When was the last time you moaned to the Lord in your prayer life or your daily words that your accessorized life in this land of great physical comfort is just too hard?

We have it so very good…and at times so very soft.

Probably not what you wanted to read today, but let the Holy Spirit of God push you today and every day toward the imitation of Christ.

Looking forward to a great encounter with the Lord and you this weekend. – Scott