What to do when your heart is cold

There will be times in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ that he will be spiritually dry. God is sovereign and could fill every moment of our lives with his presence, but for purposes unknown to us He does not. Could it be that God wants us to walk by faith and not feelings? Could it be that God wants His children to trust alone His promises He’s given to us in His revealed will?

What has God given us when He seems so far away and our hearts are cold and lonely? God has given us the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us, see Hebrews 13:5. God has given to the church the marvelous promise that nothing can separate us from His love, see Romans 8: 31. We hide these truths in our hearts and dig down and rest in them when we don’t feel close to God or when He seems so far from us.

God has also given His people the fellowship of the church. God’s people are to be practicing the one another’s of the Bible. Here are just a few:

• Love one another (John 13:34 - This command occurs at least 16 times)

• Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)

• Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)

• Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

• Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

How many times have you lifted up another brother or sister in Christ? How many times has another brother or sister in the body of Christ lifted you up? I don’t believe that God’s workings in the church or in the lives of Christians is something nebulous. I believe that God has ordained means and His means are His word, the fellowship of the saints, worship, and the two observances He’s given to the church. 

Christians must avail themselves to the means that God has ordained. If we are looking for or depending on feelings we will never grow beyond baby Christians who are ever wandering and always looking for an experience, which will leave you out in the cold without any real spiritual footing.  

What is your authority?

What is your authority as a Christian? This question asks on what basis does the church make any spiritual decisions. Many churches and Christians have left the authority of God’s word and have allowed the culture to become their authority.  I feel deeply that unless we allow God’s word to speak we will become just like any secular organization. The church has to be distinguished by the way she worships and by how she stands against the shifting winds of whatever the culture is asking the masses to conform to.

The Bible is not a story book for our amusement, no, the Bible is our daily food and drink. The Bible is God’s revelation to the church. When the church moves away from the authority of God’s word she moves away from God’s revealed will of Himself. The consequences of this departure from God’s word have taken an enormous spiritual impact on the church and in the lives of God’s people.

One reason for this departure from God’s authoritative word is the pride of man. Man wants to do things his way...so the church thinks that they can do church “better” than what God has said. Another reason for this departure from the authority of God’s word is the church wants to be “liked” by the world, so she courts the world and bows to whatever cultural moray is most popular at the present time. In the end what the departing church has become is a spiritual whore, she has left her husband and head to be married to another. The church and the world holding hands dirties the church and makes her unfaithful to her head.

Let the true church rise up and call out this spiritual adultery. Let the true church call out  false  teachers who by their fair speeches and dynamic personalities lead many to that place of destruction.