Christians the other day I was getting ready to go out the door, but I didn’t have my sunglasses. I went to where they normally are..they weren’t there. I checked all the usual places that I’ve kept them in the past…nope. Then I took a moment and retraced my steps in my mind. When did I last see them? Where did I last have them? In my mind I finally saw where I had put them and went to that spot: there they were!
God gave me the revelation through this experience, that as Christians when we lose something we need to retrace our steps and see where we lost it. Then go get it back. I’m not talking about sunglasses – have you ever lost your peace? I know I have and if I take the time I can almost always trace back my steps to where I lost it. If I need to apologize or forgive someone then I can get it back. If I didn’t do something the Holy Spirit nudged me to do, then I can repent, ask for forgiveness for disobedience, and get my peace back.
This also works for all the rest of the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. If you lose any one of these, you need to trace back to the conversation, the decision, the action, or the thought where you lost it. Then you need to do the necessary action to get them back. We often do not notice that we have lost something, until we need to use it (like my sunglasses). We get ready to enter a situation and we realize we don’t have peace or joy or patience, but we need it. It does not have to be difficult to get it back, but it is important to note WHERE we lost it, so we can avoid those situations in the future.
On a far more serious note, I want to talk to you about a group of Christians that may be reading this. If you have lost your way and you are living a life you know is not pleasing to God. If you are making poor decisions, sinning, and you don’t know how to get back on the right path. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the areas where you have lost your way. Ask Him to highlight in your mind the people or situations, mindsets or actions that led you off the path. God so desperately wants you back in a right standing with Him but sin and an unrepentant heart separates your relationship with Him. He will gladly lead you to where you need to be. You must be prepared to deal with what you did, and you must be ready to take action to get back on the path and start living pure for God again.
If you know someone who was off the path, God says you may gently restore them back to the path (Galatians 6:1-2). We almost first exam our own lives, trace steps back, make sure we are right with God, then we can help others get back on track. Remember the specks and planks (Matthew 7:1-5). We have the best helper, the Holy Spirit, who knows all the areas that we struggle with in life and He also knows the best and fastest actions to get us right back on track. I pray for a spirit of wisdom and revelation to saturate your lives as you seek God, I pray that they eyes of your heart may be open, that any hindrance of the enemy be destroyed, and that with a clear heart and a clear mind you can see the best God has for you, if you are Adamantly Pursuing Him, in Jesus name Amen.
Luke 15 has the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin. These reference lost people coming to salvation, but they show the intensity WE should pursue after something or someone who is lost.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:3-10 (NIV)
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2016
roadcrew 40|3 