Stay Awake: Community Killers

A community of uniquely called, gifted, and placed needy men and women living their lives where they are…

Blessing God, loving the lost world and each other and frustrating the hell out of the devil…Advances the kingdom of God!

I don't think that we think about this very much. I consistently pray for God's blessing over me and my bride and sons and those to whom I have been given. At the same time we want and can ask for God's blessing over us, I am too rarely aware of the stirring reality that my life blesses God. Your life blesses God. This isn't something that we whip up ourselves in our own strength outside of the pleasure, movement and sovereign power of God and offer to Him like a surprise birthday party. But even though He knows all about you and me, it doesn't change the fact that those He created and died for willingly and lovingly would be able to be a blessing to Him reciprocally. We ARE in a relationship with Him.

I love these words by Bill Johnson that talks about David from the bible before anyone really knew who he was besides his family and His God. “David’s passion for God was first seen on the backside of a mountain while tending his father’s sheep. In the quiet part of our day, when no one is looking, the true desires of our hearts can be seen. So it was with David. David was a skilled musician who wrote songs of worship to God. He did this long before this was normal expression of worship. Up to this point in history, Israel had been instructed to offer the blood sacrifice to God as their basic worship expression. But there had been very little instruction about the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise that could be given from the heart. David discovered that this was important to God as he pursued God. He learned that what really pleased God was the offering of a broken and contrite heart. And David was eager to give it. His zeal for God became evident as he gave himself to the privilege of worship and ministered directly to the Lord.”

David "ministered directly to the Lord"! Hold on. That's too focussed on David and not the Lord. No, that's David being focussed on the Lord while noone is looking. His worship and blessing of God is not for show. It's for nothing other than blatantly blessing His God with passion, zeal, quiet and time. I want us to believe that. I don't think our public and private living often depict this reality. We are invited to this, not by me. Not by Bill Johnson. Not by David. We're invited by God. He invites us to bless Him by pouring out our worshipping hearts all over Him. By ourselves and with each other. Private and public worship.

And both are opposed. The "vs" sign is still at the top of these words. In our battle to stay awake and alert in advancing God's kingdom, the enemy battles over Community vs. Isolation. He hates our community with God and each other. When they exist and are practiced, the death star begins to crumble and the final episode is hastened. To hell with the devil, as Stryper sang. But prior to his final, fiery implosion, he's nervously crafty in his assault on living community and one of his tactics is isolation.

If I am submerged more into the life of celebrities than Christ.... If my dollars are purely for my numbing pleasure.... If I demand completeness NOW and spurn waiting on the Lord.... The death star pulses. But if I am journeying on the road to the cross with Jesus, weak as I am, and my dollars are an ongoing place of discipleship with my Lord and there is even a hint of allure in waiting for my Savior lover to have His way with me....ahhhhh. Possibilities. Kingdom advancing in me. In you.

Even on the backside of the mountain where no one sees.

There's more.