You can read the other two parts HERE and HERE if you like. I’ve been reading in Acts for my devotions and just saw a couple church related things that I thought I’d share.
#1 If you don’t want problems…don’t grow
#2 If you don’t want opposition…don’t preach the Gospel
#3 if you don’t like change…don’t pray for God to move
I’m amazed at how many Christians and churches say they are praying for revival, and dying for God to move in their churches and communities but are totally unwilling to embrace change. How many people say they’d do ANYTHING to see their children or grandchildren know Jesus, but won’t let their pastors change the style of music or their methods of ministry to preach the Gospel and worship Christ in a way that connects with a new generation? “Because, well, that’s the way we’ve always done it. I met Christ through those methods and that music.”
Folks, when God moves THINGS CHANGE. And sometimes IN ORDER for God to move He has to CHANGE THINGS. If you don’t like change, don’t pray for God to move.
In Acts 1, it had been about 40 days since the resurrection and Jesus had appeared to the disciples on a number of occasions. This was the last time He would see them, before literally, their world stinkin’ flipped upside down. In Acts 1:4-5 Jesus tells them to “not leave Jerusalem” until the Holy Spirit comes upon them. He was preparing them for EVERYTHING to change. So they obeyed. We find them, with bout 120 other believers, together in once place. What were they doing? Praying. On the day of Pentecost the Spirit fell on the disciples and filled them with power. EVERYTHING CHANGED! They had 120 believers at that point. That is larger than the average church in America today. But they weren’t praying for God to keep everything the same. They were pryaing for GOD TO MOVE and when God moves EVERYTHING CHANGES!
They couldn’t just hoard this new gift that was given, so Peter goes out and starts preaching. 3,000 were added as believers in one day. WHAT? 120 to 3,000. That meant that not all the believers knew each other anymore. Peter was the preacher but he couldn’t minister to all 3,120 believers like maybe he/they could at 120. The upper room wasn’t big enough now, they needed more space. It worked before, but now there was no way. When God moves EVERYTHING CHANGES!
Now people were meeting in homes all throughout the city. People were sharing their own possessions. They ate meals together. Prayed togther. Worshipped together. They would meet in the synagogue or temple all together and then go back to their homes and minister to each other (can we say small group ministry?). In Acts 6 we see a MAJOR shift in the leadership of the disciples. They went from doing ALL the ministry needs to focusing on just preaching and teaching. (Wonder how many comments they got on that decision) EVERYTHING CHANGED!
Read through Acts and see how many times when God moved things changed. The Jewish Christians had to welcome the Gentile Christians. Churches began popping up all throughout the region so Paul and others traveled to minister to them. The old law was being done away with for the age of grace. The old Jewish system had to be adapted to meet the needs of the new Gentile believers. EVERYTHING CHANGED!
If you don’t like change…don’t pray for God to move. BUT…but if the salvation of men and women and the transformation of their lives and the permiation of God into our communities is at the top of your priority list, then PRAY FOR THE MOVE OF GOD! DESPERATELY pray for the move of God. When God moves things change, but if we’re honest, they ALWAYS change for the BETTER. At least in the eyes of the Kingdom.
Praying for God to move,
Jeff
