"The Throneroom..................."

The finality of what was shared with the men at the rescue mission last night pointed to a television commercial that I detest, one where some actor promotes security by investing in gold and silver and asks the question “What’s in YOUR safe?” My own use of the interrogative suggested that it might be better utilized to query what occupies our individual inner sanctuary, that secret place we all know within ourselves, that space that no one knows but me and God; and the only real item to explore is whether we have invited Christ inside to help clean up our mess. This, to me, is the heart of the Gospel, the kingdom He came to birth. Sadly, though, in looking around at the Church, at large, it puzzles me as to how well we have realized such truth. We establish our faith by how well we submit ourselves to the authority of the ecclesiastical institution, itself; and, in such manner, have split our identity into multiple fractions. We have deified the Book while, at the same time, framing from it enough theologies to rival Mars Hill. We have settled for good works as a means of expressing our conversion unto others, admittedly, admirable, but without a manifestation of His resurrected reality, just the right thing to do. People remain people, of course, and I are one; but that’s the very sermon I preach. That which convinces another of the Bible’s proclamation is not our humanity, not in in any form, that is, other than the vessel it can be for the Holy Ghost to come forth and reveal Himself! It’s not how glorious our worship service, how well we are able to recite chapter and verse, not even how much money and time we invest into outreach. The most powerful witness of this is Christ, Himself! If that seems to suggest Pentecostal voodoo” (for we have indeed injected enough of our vanity into speaking in tongues and assuming the Spirit to be ours to command), let me make it clear that our humanity in no way negates the fact that there is a true Indwelling desiring to so make Himself known unto the world. Be it through a still small voice or via some more awesome presentation, it begins with us investigating what really motivates our walk and then finds possibility in our surrendered willingness to experience it as we go…..