HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU? 4/27/09

This week we are going to be looking at our possibilities. The possibility of becoming a real member of the body of Christ or a member of the worldly congregation. We all have a beginning when we are born, but what do we do with it and how far do we let God take us.
HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU?
In the summer of 2000, Jim purchased a new chain saw. His old one, which was purchased 30 some years ago after we moved to Oregon, finally bit the dust!. He was pretty excited! He opened the box and took the case out and as he opened the case you could see the anticipation of something new on his face. He put everything together, took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas then proceeded to pull the starter rope. Nothing happened! He thought he had done something wrong in the assembly so he retraced the steps that were on the directions. Everything was as it should be so he pulled the starter rope again. Nothing happened!. Jim is a patient man but was frustrated because he felt he did something wrong. So he set it aside and thought perhaps he should let the gas & oil mix a little bit more before trying again. A few days later he pulled the starter rope. Nothing happened! He re_boxed it and took it back to Wal_Mart. Their return policy is very easy. They told him to get another one and bring it to the Customer Return Counter. This time he picked out a box that had not been opened before. We took it home and he again went through all the same procedures. Took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas and then pulled the starter rope. After the second try it took off just as the instructions said it would. What a relief.. It worked!. The interesting thing about this story is that Jim never returned anything. Many times, we have purchased something that didn't work or didn't fit, didn't look right, wrong color, to big, to small, didn't like it etc. etc. and never returned it to the store. We either gave it away, put it in a yard sale, threw it away but never returned it.....We have many times settled for what something could do instead of what it was suppose to do. In returning the Power Saw we came to the conclusion, it had a faulty base.

Life is like that! God created us to be launched from a spiritual base connected to Him. Early in life many people know nothing about the need for a spiritual base, but in time begin searching to fill some void in their lives. An itch they can't scratch. They try many avenues such as money, men, women, successful careers, friends, drugs, alcohol and material possession. Nothing seems to work. It is as if an invisible vacuum was sucking out everything they tried to pour into it. Nothing works when you are disconnected from God! Happiness does not just happen. True happiness comes from God. There is no electrical power surg unless you plug it in or turn the switch on! Sometimes we are like that. Too often we settle for what appears to be productive, spinning around in the same place when in fact we were created by God to fly as noted in Isaiah 40:31. One of the ways we can fly is through reading God’s word and prayer.

We have a frame on the license plate at the rear of our car. It reads; "Real Men Read The Instructions". In other words, real followers of God "Read the Bible". The Bible has our answers to every question or thought. It is full of action, blood & guts, lots of gore and yes, sex. If you are in it long enough you will find your answers and revelations beyond your imagination. In fact, The Bible gives us the keys to a Godly life and instructions for a productive prayer life.

When Jim was putting the chain saw together, the instructions were correct _ but it had a faulty base. My question to you is How is your base? As you follow God's instructions, how is your heart? Remember, even if we follow God's instructions nothing works unless our heart is right....We must be CONNECTED TO GOD on a personal basis for all things to work . "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose"; Romans 8:28. If you have followed God’s instructions and nothing seems to work, could it be that you are still not connected to God. Is your phone line dead? Trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul! Jesus is the Son of God! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/08