From the Home Place

Today’s forecast is for 98 degrees, with wind and 14 percent humidity. Hot, dry and windy- the perfect recipe for quick spreading fires! A fire today is an extremely dangerous prospect.

I awoke long before daylight; read Scripture, prayed and then decided to write. You see friends, these little notes that I write on a daily basis are intended to stretch each of us to be better at serving our Lord. It is my prayer and my hope that each of us will be challenged to grow, go and glow for His glory, and for the good of those around us.

With that said, today our area of Wyoming is under a Red Flag Warning – hot, dry and windy. Part of my reading this morning was from Matthew 16:18, “and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” I have no doubt that Jesus is fulfilling His words even today, He is building His church.

However, it is also possible that many churches in America are under a Red Flag Warning, as they too have grown “hot, dry and windy.” I believe it is our Lord’s desire that His church is to be red hot with passion for the lost and the least of our communities. Yet as I have stated before, whatever God has intended for good, Satan will imitate for evil. As such, many churches are no longer hot with the passion of Christ, they just appear to be what today is called “a hot mess.”

Many churches have lost their purpose. They lack a Christ-centered vision, spend too much on processes instead of meaningful goals, allow division among members, and focus on easy topics in sermons instead of deeper teachings.

Oh for the Holy Spirit to be free to work within and through the local church! Red Flag fires are always out of control, causing much damage. While the fire of the Holy Spirit seems to be well controlled and causes healing and strength!

Could it be that we are in the time spoken of by Paul in 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.” That sounds like a Red Flag Warning to me.

Lest we run amuck, may we once again remind ourselves that Jesus is still building HIs church. Jesus continues to do that which Jesus does best – change lives. Here’s the deal, Jesus wants to change my life and your life to be more like His life. Are we willing to allow Him to complete His work within us so that He can then work through us? Perhaps we should pray as the missionary prayed, “Oh Lord, light my soul on fire so that people will gather to watch me burn!” Now that’s a “good” fire.

Please, do not give up on your church and walk away. Instead, PRAY for your pastor and leadership to be ignited by the Holy Spirit, PAY with your finances and time, and PARTICIPATE in keeping your local church warm and friendly, true to the word, and on fire for the cause of Christ, and then PRAISE Jesus for the work He is doing – changing lives, starting with ours.

Let’s join Smokey the Bear and do our part to in preventing Wildfires, as we join Jesus Christ in spreading the fire of the Holy Spirit across our communities.

Doing my part with you, Neal