Reflex

Acts 11:28-29 ESV

And One of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, everyone according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.

The Christ-Centered nature of the church is a constant and consistent rebuke on my own self-centered nature. As the church hears many of our day and age talking about the coming fall of the American economic system or government, counseling men and women to prep for the impending doom. Guns, Ammo, food, heirloom plants, you name and you should be storing it and hording it. Then we come face to face with the scripture.

A much surer witness of impending disaster was given to the church. They were given a message by God warning of the coming food shortage and the economic repercussion associated with this event. Yet, note how different the church in Antioch responds to this warning than the knee jerk response of the American Church. The Church in Antioch chooses to start gathering their food and economic resources together, not so they can survive but so they can give. The immediate thought that went through their minds when God chose to warn them was not that he had done so, that they might be spared from trial and tribulation but that they had been told so they might share what little they had with those who would need it more.

When God gives us insight into something the end goal is not our own edification and ease. The end goal of every gift given by God is the edification of the Body as a whole. Not only locally but also globally. God has given the gift of free speech not so you can say what you want but that you might edify those who are not given such a rich gift. God gives the American church money not so it can build larger more beautiful buildings but to share with those building and saving the bi-pedal temples of God. God gave not for our benefit or even the benefit of others but rather for the Glory of his name and his kingdom.

I often knee-jerk news to how does this affect me, how does this apply to me, do I need to move. Join me in asking the spirit to casting out the sinful-man’s reflex of self-centeredness and pray for the creation of a gospel centered Christ-centered nature, one that focuses on others first, and maybe never even bothers worrying about me and mine. Letting our master take care of us while we take care of his servants.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO