If you think about it, we are on borrowed time and borrowed energy. It is borrowed from the Lord. It is really HIS time and HIS energy that we access. Being borrowed, it isn’t permanent. Its end is eminent. Your accounting for your time on earth is explicit.

I just read from a book called The Christian in Complete Armour, Volume 1, about the idea of walking wisely in this regard. William Gurnall first wrote in 1655 “Walk humbly, therefore, before God and manage well the strength you have, remembering that it is borrowed strength. What kind of man will waste what he begs? Or who will give to a pauper who squanders what he has already been given? How can you look God in the face and ask for more if you mis-spend what you have already so graciously received?”

How am I spending the 24 hours I have been blessed with today? Am I using it wisely? The Scriptures tell us to “redeem the time…” In other words, use your time wisely. And, by the way, it is comforting to me to know that time that has been wasted by me in the past can be “redeemed.” What a blessing!

God, Teach us to number our days that we might apply our hearts to wisdom… that we might honor and glorify You… that by Your power and Your wisdom and Your might we would live lives which are not lived by us at all but rather lived out by Your Spirit in us. So today, Father, bless us and direct us by Your Spirit. Grant us the wherewithal to live submitted to You and to one another that You might be our all in all and that Your will might be accomplished on earth just like it is in Heaven.

As most of you know who attend our College ministry at KCBT, phase 4 of our leadership training involves stretching our young men physically and, in so doing, paints wonderful pictures of the spiritual man. It is so interesting seeing our men come into the training at different levels of proficiency. Let’s face it, some are in better shape than others. As a result, some are better able to handle it than others. Every week so far we have had people vomiting as a result of this shock to their bodies. Over time their bodies will change and the resultant shock will lesson. The most important thing for them to do is simply show up and allow the workout to have its way in their body. Over time, they will find themselves exactly where they need to be.

It reminds me of the spiritual condition of our Body, the Church. When I look across the room as I preach on Sundays I see so many faces in so many places (Sound like a country music song?) spiritually, all looking to move forward in this workout called LIFE. Some puke, spiritually speaking, b/c they are ill-equipped to handle the hazards of life. Others have “been there, done that” and are able to deal with the trials of life more efficiently. The bottom line is that we all need to be moving forward. We all need to be growing. For most people this means finding a “Paul,” starting Directions, and engaging in ministering to others. For others who have “been there, done that” it might involve further equipping in the Scriptures. Whatever it means for you, move ahead and keep allowing the Lord to stretch you. The most important thing is for you to continue to “show up” and not disengage in God’s mission for your life in equipping you and sending you into battle. Over time you will find yourself exactly where the Lord would have for you to be.

I was reading in Ezra 3 - 4 this morning and saw God move in a mighty way in compelling the people to move forward in the rebuilding of the temple.  I saw God move in a wonderful way in leading His people to lay the foundation of the temple.  I saw God encourage His people to the work!  But then I saw the enemy at hand…  His first tactic to stop the work of God from going forward was to try and build WITH the people of God.  God’s people were wise to that and didn’t allow it.  But then, IMMEDIATELY it seems, the enemy changes tactics and convinces Artaxerxes to step in and stop the work.  So he does and everything stops!!!  And just think…  Everything was going so well and then everything stopped…  for 14 years!!!!!!!!!!  Funny isn’t it?  God shows up later and rebukes His people for quitting and it becomes obvious that the enemy’s main tactic is simple…  He just wants to make you lose heart and quit.  The only way you can lose is if you disengage in God’s mission.  If you continue moving forward YOU CANNOT LOSE.  So what does your enemy do? - He doesn’t have the power to defeat Christ in you so he comes up with a series of difficulties which are there to convince you that it can’t be done.  Difficulties do slow us down.  But difficulties shouldn’t stop the work.  Keep moving forward.  Slow as your progress may be, steadily proceeding is the key.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Don’t lose heart.  Choose to believe God.  I want to leave you with a couple of different passages of Scripture this morning that I hope encourages you.

2 Timothy 4:2  “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

2 Timothy 4:5  “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

Keep going.  Keep advancing.  Believe.

I spent all of this last week at Windermere Camp at the Lake of the Ozarks for our high school camp. There was no internet access so I obviously didn’t post. Anyway, we had a great week this last week. We really saw God do some great things. Sam Miles spoke on prophecy in the mornings and laid out some very compelling facts from recent news reports. In the evenings he spoke on Elijah and challenged each one of us to be an Elijah. He pointed out that the only options we have are to be an Elijah or an Ahab. It’s one or the other b/c God doesn’t have “middle ground.” His desire as stated in Revelation 3 is that we be hot or cold. The lukewarm individual is really cold with God. He says He wants to spew them out of His mouth because THERE IS NO MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH GOD. Decide who you will be. Not deciding is a decision to the contrary.

What was cool about the evening services relating to Elijah was the fact that Elijah was headed toward a rapture when God would call him to Heaven. The same is true for us. The rapture of the church of Jesus Christ could take place before you finish reading this blog and then it will be time to give an account of your life and ministry. We saw how eminent the rapture of the church was in the mornings which really helped bring some urgency to the messages in the evenings.

For those of you who were unable to go and mentor high school students at camp, YOU MISSED OUT! Make it a matter of prayer to see how God would have you engage in the next generation. You know, we are living at the end of the end times in Bible prophecy. What will you have to show for your life? Will you be an Elijah who stood for the things of God in an age when few others would? Will you give your life away to see Christ exalted and the Body of Christ, the Church, built up?