Sunday, November 07, 2004

Overweight church

A few years ago as I was out for coffee with God he put some things on my heart regarding his church. I want to share it with you as I believe that he is working on this very issue in his church right now.

Parktown Hotel Jan.4, 2002, 4:00p.m

Overweight Church

The time has come for the church to get off their butts and
start going out to the places that God has called them to. God’s
Church is overweight and it is time to start fitness training,
otherwise when he call his church to battle they will not be
physically prepared and will literally get wiped out. Believe
me, the enemy will not attack loosely. He will come against
the church with all that he has.

For decades now the church has taken the fruit that
God has given to them for the benefit of those outside of the
circle. His fruit was never intended to be consumed by the
church. Looking at this in a simpler way. Let me give you an
example.

God is a king that opens up his dining hall to anyone that
wants to come. They can come at any time day or night. In
order for him to have the food ready for his guests, he get his
children to prepare the tables and dining hall. They will also
be used to serve the food as it comes out. However when God gives them the food that was intended for his guests, they realize that they are hungry so they say to themselves “ Lets eat first so that we will be ready and strong for when the guests come in”. So they sit down to eat. What they don’t realize is that first; God has reserved seating (which they are sitting in). Also he has set up his kingdom so that everyone on the outside can see inside. The people walking past the kingdom know that he has invited them, but when they get to his palace they see the people that were supposed to be serving them, sitting in their seats so they don’t come in.

The church as a whole is inward focused on what things
that they can do for each other. They don’t realize that what God
gives to them is not for them but for others.

Gods hearts desire is that his church would stop eating and start
moving. They are to simply give away what he gives. (A gift is only
a gift if it is given. If it stops with a person it becomes a
possession). He desires hungry children. If his people will give his
gifts away then what they are hungry for or when they need
something they will depend on him for whatever they need.

If you look at the physical ailments that are associated with
obesity you will see very similar ‘health problems’ within the
church today. I give you this challenge and promise. If you will
go to God for a personal fitness assessment he will not only show
you how to get fit but you will also experience the entire positive
rewards that also come from a physically fit body. This will not be
an easy road. Just like it took time to put on all the
weight, it will also take time to take it off. Remember though
that it will be God who will help you remove the extra weight.

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