The Holy Spirit Can Reveal Our Spiritual Leaks

Recently we had a technician from a leak detection company come to check out the water lines on our church property. We hadn’t noticed any visible signs of such a problem – no wet spots in the building and no geysers spewing into the air out in the yard. However, based on the unusual increase in usage reflected on our water bill, we felt confident that there was a problem somewhere. The meter showed that water was still being used even when no one was in the building. There was definitely a leak somewhere. It was simply a matter of finding it.

Sometimes we may experience indications that things aren’t quite right in our relationship with the Lord. It’s not obvious. It may not be noticeable to anyone else. However, we sense that for some reason our connection with the Lord just isn’t as strong as it should be. It’s not that we’re aware of having committed some blatant sin that cut off our fellowship with God. We just know that our spiritual fervor seems to have decreased and the Lord seems to be more distant than in the past. We seem to have sprung a leak in our endeavor to be a Spirit-filled follower of Jesus.

We do well to examine our own hearts and lives at such times to try to diagnose the problem. Sometimes we know the source of the leak, we’ve just been trying to ignore it. However, other times we might have no idea where the issue lies. We often need to pray as David did: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).  We’re not capable of discovering some problems on our own. Our eyes are blind or we just don’t want to see what’s there. That’s why we need to call in an expert. The technician we engaged to find our water leak came with equipment and expertise we didn’t possess. And the Spirit of the Lord searches our hearts in ways beyond our own abilities. He knows us better than we know ourselves. If we’ll listen to His expert guidance, He can reveal truths to us, even about ourselves, that we wouldn’t have recognized otherwise.

There can be numerous causes of such spiritual leaks. It may be a little area of disobedience to God that we’ve failed to confess and repent of. We’ve allowed it to continue over time until it’s grown into more of a problem. Or it may be that we’ve allowed ourselves to get too entangled with some of the affairs of this world until, like tree roots wrapping around a water line, they’ve interrupted our connection with the Lord. Or maybe we’ve just grown complacent in our pursuit of a closer walk with God. Think about one of those helium-filled balloons we often purchase to celebrate birthdays or other special occasions. Over time wrinkles start to appear in the once smooth surface of the balloon. It doesn’t fly quite as high as it did to begin with. The gas inside may be slowly leaking or is growing stagnant and less effective as time goes by. Similarly, we’ve got to keep a fresh flow of the Spirit in us to keep us from stagnating. We also have that tendency to leak, so we have to keep a supply of spiritual life flowing into us through constantly pursuing a closer walk with the Lord.

If you sense any leaks in your relationship with the Lord today, don’t ignore it. Ask the divine expert to search your heart. And let’s be open to whatever He shows us.  

 

Watch Out for Deceptive Imitations of the Real Thing

Do any of you remember an old TV show called “The Real McCoys”? I vaguely recall watching some of the reruns of that program when I was a youngster. I couldn’t have told you much about it other than the main character was a crotchety grandpa played by the wonderful actor Walter Brennan. While searching out classic TV shows recently I came upon this series and decided to watch the very first episode. Parts of it are definitely dated, but it also seemed to promote some of the good values which are missing in much of today’s TV programming. I may have to check out more episodes in the future.

The title of this series is apparently derived from an old saying. The phrase “the real McCoy” was sometimes used to describe something genuine or authentic. There seems to be some dispute as to its origin. There are differing claims that it began as a variation from an old Scottish name, as a description of the true creations of a certain inventor, or even from the name of a boxer. However it got started, it came to be a way to designate something as the real thing.

It's important that we make sure we’re following “the real McCoy” when it comes to the gospel. Even in the early days of the church, there were already other gospels being proclaimed. Paul warned the Galatians about “a different gospel, which is not another” and about those who wanted “to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7). He went on to declare that anyone who preached any other gospel should be accursed.

There are still imitations, perversions, and alternate gospels around today. They may claim to be good news, but they’re not the good news of the Bible. Any “gospel” that doesn’t proclaim Jesus to be the Son of God who came to earth in the flesh in order to die on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins is not the genuine article. Any “gospel” that doesn’t hold true to the biblical declaration that Jesus is the only way to God is a perversion. Any good news that suggests those of other faiths are in as right a relationship with God as those who follow Christ is not the true gospel. The good news isn’t that God loves everybody so much that our sins don’t matter and we’re all going to heaven. The authentic good news is that God loves us so much that He’s made a way through Jesus and the cross for us to be forgiven and to be delivered from our sinful ways, if we’ll repent and receive His grace. We also need to beware of any “gospel” that doesn’t submit to the authoritative teachings of what God has revealed in His written Word. And if Paul’s words hold true, I’d stay clear of those accursed folks who dare to promote such false gospels.

Likewise, we need to be certain that our faith is genuine. The real thing is more than adherence to a religion – it’s a relationship with Christ. The real Christian faith is not about trying to be good enough, but recognizing that our only goodness is found in Jesus. However, true faith does result in a changed heart and life. Too many people claim to have faith in Jesus but aren’t seeking to do His will, obey His Word, and live a holy life. Real faith doesn’t just believe in Jesus, but subsequently allows His Spirit to work in us and change us to make us more like Him.

Don’t fall prey to imitation gospels or settle for something less than genuine faith. Make sure you’re experiencing “the real McCoy”.

 

Trying to Outrun a Hurricane

Last week I referred to a recent trip I had taken. I was actually in Arkansas as Hurricane Ida hit the gulf coast. I had planned to head home on Monday morning, but decided to move up my departure time by several hours in order to try to stay ahead of the rains and winds from that storm as it progressed further inland. Thankfully I only encountered a few sprinkles in northern Mississippi. After I arrived home, I checked the weather radar to find that part of my travel route was then inundated with rain.

In another sense today it sometimes feels like we’re trying to outrun a hurricane. We’re living in a time when ungodliness is abounding and God’s Word is being ignored or rejected. The consequences of our poor choices, if not God’s judgment, seem to be bearing down on our world. We’re facing various “storms” as we follow our own course in life rather than God’s way.

It reminds me of Jonah and his situation. First of all, this prophet refused to obey God and thought he could run away from His presence. Some people today seem to think they can choose to disobey God and not face the consequences. They try to avoid Him, run away from Him, and think they can somehow outrun His judgment. However, sooner or later, in this life or afterwards, they’re going to find themselves having to give an account of their actions before God.

 Other people are similar to Jonah while he was on the boat. He was sleeping in the lower quarters of that vessel while a violent divinely-sent storm was blowing. In the midst of all the upheavals our world is experiencing these days, a surprising number of people are sleeping right through it. They may be aware that our world is being rocked by some of what is going on, but they’re blind as to the cause and complacent about doing what needs to be done about it. They’re unwilling to face the reality of their own disobedience to God or of our world’s ungodliness. Too many are snoozing spiritually when they should be taking urgent action.

Others are like the crew on Jonah’s boat. They were crying out to their various gods, throwing cargo overboard, and busily doing whatever they could to try to save their vessel from sinking. Many today are trying to tackle our storms strictly by means of their own efforts. Some are relying on their gods of science or politics to solve the problems. Others are willing to look to virtually any source for answers, except to the God of the Bible.

We can’t outrun the consequences of our sin. An ungodly society can’t avoid the condemnation of a holy God. We’ve got to get to the place where Jonah ended up – not necessarily in the belly of a fish, but wherever we need to get to that finally causes us to humble ourselves in submission to God. It was only after Jonah found himself in the fish’s belly that he “remembered the Lord” and lifted up a prayer of surrender to His will (see Jonah 2).

Likewise, we need to let the storms in our lives today bring us to the place where we’re willing to turn to God, acknowledge His Word, and do what He says. We can’t outrun the storms. They’re only going to get worse unless we turn away from our disobedience and start following the Lord.

I may have avoided a hurricane, but we can’t escape the consequences of disobeying God. While others may be facing these storms by running away, sleeping, or fighting in their own strength, let’s humble ourselves before God and commit to doing His will.

 

Let’s Get Ready for that Inevitable Final Trip

I took a trip last weekend to visit and preach at one of our sister churches in another state. However, I didn’t just hop in the car and go. Beforehand I had made numerous preparations for my excursion. I had made a reservation at a hotel so that I was sure of having a place to stay while I was there. I made arrangements to get a rental car to use for the long drive. I had packed my suitcase, trying to make sure I had everything I would need while I was away. And I had prayerfully prepared the message that I would be sharing with the church on Sunday morning. Such preparations are reasonable when you know you’re going to be taking a trip.

Yet why is it that many people refuse to make adequate preparation for another kind of trip they know they’re going to have to make at some point? I’m referring to the journey we’ll take when we leave this life and pass into the next. No, I’m not talking about the kind of preparations you might hear about on a TV commercial – purchasing life insurance, procuring a burial plot, or making the other arrangements in relation to your funeral. I’m talking about making sure we’re ready for what comes after death, as far as our soul’s destination and what we will face in eternity.

Some people simply refuse to think about it altogether. They know it’s coming, but they don’t want to face the reality of the end of their physical lives here on earth. Others come to terms with the fact that their time is coming – they don’t avoid the subject – but they don’t make reasonable preparation for that event. Some people just consider it an inevitable but mysterious trip which they can’t know anything about nor can get ready for. Others make a few faint efforts to prepare, but then simply hope for the best without any real assurances about their destination or their future condition.

   The Bible declares that we can have greater confidence than that regarding what awaits us when this life is over. “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” I John 5:11-13). If we are trusting Jesus as our Savior, we have life. And we don’t have to guess about what awaits us after death or simply hope for the best. We can know that our hearts are right with God and that we will enjoy the blessedness of His presence for eternity.

Furthermore, Jesus suggested that we can be making preparations for our eternal destinies by what we focus on here in this life. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

Unless Jesus returns first, we’re all going to take this trip. Have you made your reservation through faith in Jesus and what He did for you on the cross as the sacrifice for your sins? Are you packing your bags by seeking to do God’s will and focusing on matters which have eternal value? It only makes good sense to get ready for what’s coming. Don’t leave it up to chance or merely wishful thinking. Know where you’re going and be storing up your treasures there.