Hopping From One Leg To The Other 2/8/2015

Good Morning,

It sure would be nice to be sharing a cup of my Door County Jingle Bell Java with you this morning. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Clint Walker once said in the Television Western Cheyenne "You people have been hopping from one leg to the other so much you forgot how to walk straight."

He was describing a town's people who out of fear, laziness and unwillingness to get involved, forgot what was really important to them.

Revelation 2:4-6New King James Version (NKJV)
⁴ Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵ Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Now you just learned a little bit more about me. I like to watch old Western television shows and movies. Hang on there Pilgrim, don't judge. I also watch educational shows like the Three Stooges and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Now you know Who's on First!

Anyway this applies to many of us. We claim to be Christians when it is convenient. I have watched this over and over. Now pull up your big boy or big girl britches cause this cowboy boot might just land on the saddle side of your anatomy.

Every year we host Christmas caroling to some nursing homes. A lot of people will come to our home for the caroling and then some fellowship. Every year I listen to someone say "we need to go there more often, I want to get involved." I always politely say call me when you are ready we will set you up. I am still waiting for that phone to ring.

Or there are those who need help in a crisis and our pastoral staff along with the elders drop what they are doing because of their holy calling and  rush to aid, counsel, console, deliver food, for whatever need has come about. Then within a few weeks or months you don't hear from the party that called until the next crisis.

Or there are those that I call the "drippy faucets". They desire to get closer to God. At first they drip with enthusiasm and then pour forth holiness like a faucet that can't be shut off. The church doors open and they rush in like ants at a picnic. Then out of nowhere the world's plumber comes in and fixes that gusher with other attractions in life, booze, adultery, anger, laziness, greed and many more to interrupt their walk. Have a person hop on one leg and go by you. See how little effort it takes to knock them over with a tiny push. Down they go. Now really don't try this at home. This takes highly trained professionals like the Three Stooges.

Once again I hear the drippy faucets call of "where is God, I don't feel it anymore, this walk doesn't work." I turn them around and ask them to quit hopping around on their one leg of commitment and Christianity and take them to the verses above. You just can't keep a walk moving forward hopping around from idea to idea, from fad to fad from temptation to temptation.

Ephesians 3:17 (AMP)

¹⁷ May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

 

Well stranger pass this on to someone who needs it, if you don't. If this hit you hard, well pull my boot out of your saddle pad and get going. Make a commitment and vow to make it stick.

 

1 Kings 19:11-13King James Version (KJV)

¹¹ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

¹² And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

¹³ And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

 

 

Ecclesiastes 5:4-6        

When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?

 Well in closing. The last two verses are two that I title. God speaks softly but carries a big stick!

Have a great day!
Marty