Fundamentals…and beyond.

“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (Hebrews 6:1,2)

A dancer spends many long hours learning the fundamentals of dance, including the basic moves and combinations of steps.  The goal is to have these fundamentals so ingrained in their minds and bodies that they begin to be intuitive — so that when they hear music, it is no longer dance steps they are thinking of, but the music and how it moves them — moving beyond craft and into the realm of art.  And I believe that is what God wants for us as well.

But it seems to me that there are two different and opposite problems highlighted by the above verse: (1) Many in the Church are continually going over and over the fundamentals, and never go any further. (2) And others try to move into the more intuitive realm without really understanding the fundamentals — and their improvisations can take them into dangerous places, theologically, making sometimes harmful assumptions that are not of God.

The Truth in this matter is not either/or — it must be both. We must truly learn the fundamentals — and we then must have the faith and courage to go further.

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Now’s a pretty good time…

We all have this desire in us (put there by the Holy Spirit) to adventure with God.  To lay down our lives and run to the battle and spend our time and energy making a real, eternal difference in the lives of our fellow humans, for the glory of God — to “go into all the world and make disciples.”

So here’s the deal:  It will never be easier for you to take risks for God and his Kingdom than RIGHT NOW.  This is ESPECIALLY true for single 20-somethings.  You may think that later, somehow, things in your life will be more conducive to serving and adventuring with God.  But the longer you live, the more likely it is that you will invest your heart in the things of this world.  And as you do this, you will feel like you have more and more to lose by running after Jesus.  It will seem like you have fewer and fewer options.

You will NEVER have fewer hindrances (in the natural) to adventuring with the Holy Spirit than RIGHT NOW!!!

So go for it.  When you look back from Eternity, you will be INFINITELY more happy with this choice!

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22-23)

Use it or lose it.

There is our own voice — and then there is the Voice of the Spirit.  If we take regular time to listen, we will begin to hear the Voice of the Spirit — and this Voice desires to speak through His Church to the World.  A Voice of Love — a Voice of Hope — and also a Voice of bold declaration of the Holiness and Glory of God.

And if we go too long and ignore this Voice — and if we refuse to allow this Voice to express Himself through us — then we are in danger of losing this Voice — the one true Voice that the World so desperately needs to hear.