For Best Results, Keep Free from Interference

We have a DSL connection here at the church, and normally it works pretty well. The ability to go through large amounts of information in a hurry really helps me in researching sermons, and the speed it gives us in downloading means Bible studies and other resources are a snap to receive.

Except when it isn't working well. Like this week. I'd be hard at work trying to find more information on a passage of scripture's context, or illustrative material to help shed light on what that scripture means for today, when suddenly the internet just would stop working.

When that occurred, I'd have to go to the church office where all the electronics reside, and reset all the devices. After a few times, I decided it was time to get help. So I emailed our provider to ask what I could do to fix it. I gave them all the situational details, info about our system and waited to hear their response.

When it came, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Please ensure that your modem is not near any of the following devices: your PC, printers, scanners, fluorescent lights, copiers, telephones, cell phones, hubs and switches, or any other electrical device that might cause interference."

Hmm... It was two feet from a printer, sitting on a hub, three feet from a copier, four from a telephone, three from a PC, a foot from a router, and I had my cell phone in my pocket. Oh and the lights? Fluorescent.

Guess we'll have to build a room on the roof just to house the modem.

Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it.

There's no way a perfect place for that can be found, and still do what we need to do with it. No way to be completely free of interference, and still be in a working office. That's unrealistic.

Yet when you think about it, there are people even within our churches who want exactly that complete freedom from interference before they will serve, before they will commit their lives to following Christ in helping their churches live out His purposes. Talking to several pastors over the last few weeks produced a chorus of examples of interference.

- One pastor said, "The music has to please them. Could be hymns, could be choruses. Could be solos, could be choir. But know this, if it isn't what they like, you'll get interference, and they won't "worship"."

- Another pointed out, "The preaching has to please them. Wrong version of Scripture. Too long. Too short. Too many illustrations. Not enough. Whatever the reason, if it isn't delivered the way they like it, don't expect them to listen."

- And another said, "The people have to please them. Too many old people. Not enough. Too many young people. Not enough. Too formal. Too casual. Too friendly. Not enough. If the atmosphere that surrounds them isn't just right, how can you expect them to "worship"?"

Not with all that -- Interference.

Sounds to me as though a lot of that interference could be cleared up with a simple movement of the receiver to their knees.

Pride and self-preference, or getting our way. That's the real interference, and we've got to ruthlessly eliminate it from our lives. Anytime the spirit of this age tempts us to seek our way, our preferences instead of just desperately seeking God and the fulfillment of His purpose - reaching people, we've got to fall to our knees and seek to see, hear, and feel nothing except the presence of God.

It's past time.

John 4:23 (Msg)
But the time is coming it has, in fact, come—when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.

"Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth."

For best results in that pursuit, keep yourself free from interference. Stay humble and flexible and willing to meet God wherever He is moving.

Remember. It's not about you.

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Swords, Shovels, and Bridal Gowns

Watching TV last night, I saw an account of the D-Day invasion. During those fateful days, American paratroopers dropped into French towns and hoped to liberate them from the Nazi invaders. In some cases they were immediately successful, but in others, they were not. One French town cared for many of the Americans. When the Germans counterattacked, the GI's were forced to leave almost everything behind and flee for safety.

After the war, times were hard for the French people. Food was scarce, but they wanted to return to a normal life. One couple wanted to get married, but couldn't afford a wedding dress. Then they remembered the parachute one GI had stuffed into a corner of their home.

Voila!.

That reminded me...

Isaiah 2:4 (Msg)
He'll settle things fairly between nations.
He'll make things right between many peoples.
They'll turn their swords into shovels,
their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
they won't play war anymore.

What a great scrap of Scripture that is! Don't you long for that day, when God will finally bring peace to our world? When that happens, the instruments of war will be changed into tools for peace.

Maybe even wedding gowns.

Pray for that day's soon coming.

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.

Tremors

At first I wasn't sure what it was. It felt like a big truck going by, but then I realized I was no where near the highway, in fact I was in our company's corporate HQ. Then the books started falling off the shelf above my head, and I had to get up. When I did, for a moment it felt like I was surfing. All the people who made the SF Bay area their home looked at me kind of funny. None of them had even moved.

"Did you feel that?", I asked.

"Yeah, but you get used to it," one replied.

Right then and there, I thanked Almighty God for placing me in Middle Georgia, and asked Him to please, please, please see me safely back home. He did.

I was thinking about that event today when I read this verse..

Jeremiah 5:3 (Msg)
But you, God,
you have an eye for truth, don't you?
You hit them hard, but it didn't faze them.
You disciplined them, but they refused correction.
Hardheaded, harder than rock,
they wouldn't change.

Have you felt a tremor lately?

Has something within you seemed not quite right? The things that used to bring you joy, do them still have that effect? Or are they lifeless?

It could just be that you need to examine your faith and practice. Maybe there is a disconnect between what you say you believe and how you really live. Oh, it probably wasn't something you decided to do one day, just the result of a series of little compromises. And now, you haven't felt God move in your heart in a long, long, time.

Friend, draw near to God and He'll draw near to you. Go to Him in prayer, and ask Him to soften your heart, and wash it clean, giving you a new desire to follow Him. It's never too late.

Grace!

David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.