Where Is the Revival?

Do you find yourself standing around, looking for “something” to happen in your church or your own life? Are you riding out a long drought, hoping that God will send revival? And when nothing happens, do you harbor doubts about yourself, the church or even the Holy Ghost?

From prison, John the Baptist sent messengers to Jesus to ask a startling question, “Art thou he that should come or do we look for another?” If you can imagine it, John had reservations about the Messiah. He had faithfully preached righteousness without compromise, yet, because he had no direct evidence, he expressed doubts about the authenticity of Christ. Despite divine revelations about Jesus, he was ready to look for another.

Question: Has revival dawned with many of us in prison asking if we should look for something else?

Our hearts tell us that something great is on the horizon. Our spirits tell us that revival ought to happen. But prisons of inertia, bars of fear and chains of “we’ve always done it this way” block the real truth. Many events happen so fast that, if we aren’t careful, we could miss the very thing God wants to do in these days. It is scary to think that we might miss the very thing we’ve been looking for so long!

Jesus did not reply that He wasn’t wealthy enough. He didn’t hedge that his political power wasn’t sufficient. He didn’t chastise his followers for lacking the commitment or brains to match their leader.

“Tell John…the blind receive their sight, the lame walk…”

I’m the one, John.

Don’t search for another Messiah.

Pentecostals, don’t run off after something else.

The ingredients for revival are present!

It is time to look around us! I believe that the next great revival will be a grassroots movement, not apart from the church, but from within it. It will happen when “Christian” is more than a label! It will happen when we discover the reason for the Holy Ghost power which dwells within us! It will happen when the church gets out of doubt’s prison! All of our “I can’ts” must drive God crazy! If you’re waiting on something more than the Holy Ghost, forget it!

Pray. It’s yours to do fervently.

Witness. It’s yours to exercise boldly.

Worship. It’s yours to express wholeheartedly.

Ministry. It’s yours to perform faithfully.

Don’t look elsewhere. Revival is here. It’s in our prayer rooms. It’s in our altars. It’s God’s legacy invested into His saints.

Pampered or Prodded?

“Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age.” Hebrews 5:14

Pampers^TM, the twenty-first century word for diapers, recently came roaring back into my life with the birth of MaKinzie Manning Jordan, the world’s number one granddaughter. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t actually had to personally…you know, but I’ve been in the same room and shared the experience, with all its attendant sounds, smells and conversation. From what I can tell, Kinzie loves them. And why wouldn’t she? Soft, cottony, sealed to keep the wetness in. After all, Pampers are for babies. That’s why the name fits so well.

However …(however, as in “forget what you’ve read up to this point”) it will be a cruel, cool day in winter of next year…or the spring of the following year, when the baby who invented the word “beautiful” is going to feel the rumblings of a shift in the game plan. All this coo-coo, goochie-goochie, Moma’s sweet little sugar-girl…all this stuff is going to taper off. In its place, a gruffer tone of voice and new instructions will grow in intensity. We call it “potty training” in our particular culture. It is a nightmare. It’s the one thing, aside from the trauma of childbirth, that probably keeps a lot of people from parenting in the first place, or at least purposefully repeating the performance. Psychologists point to the ordeal of potty training as a major cause of extreme personological disorders and dysfunctional behaviors later in life.

But it has to be done, and at an early age. High school is no place for potty training. (Alright, I hear that snickering in there and I want it to stop!) Pampering continues only for those who have serious problems. At a certain age, you have to give up the tee shirt that says “I DON’T HAVE TO BE GOOD BECAUSE I’M SO CUTE.”  When you get to that stage in life, the pampering has to stop. Like it or not, the rest of the world expects you to start doing stuff on your own. In addition to all the personal hygiene activities, you have to get up early, dress yourself, feed yourself, go to school or work, do your homework, pay your bills and otherwise work yourself into being a fully self-sufficient, responsible adult.

Why? Well, first, nobody wants to be bothered with taking care of an adult who is physically and mentally capable of self care! But second, a pampered person never gets anywhere in life. You will never manage the achievements, the rewards, the trophies or all the good things in life if you need to be pampered before you try anything. Not one championship boxer was pampered into the winners’ ring. Not one baseball team was pampered into the World Series. Not one football team was pampered into the Superbowl. Not one high school valedictorian or salutatorian was pampered into their high success level. Not one college basketball team was pampered into the Final Four.

Individuals and teams who break through into the big arenas are not pampered, but prodded. Some manager, some coach, some owner had to thump someone in the chest with an index finger and say, “I don’t care what your name is or what you did last year. You either hit the track or hit the road.” Somebody had to scream in the prospective champion’s ear, “I’m not putting up with your whining and your nonsense. You may be the most talented athlete in the world, but you’re not worth a plug nickel if you don’t give me one hundred and ten percent in practice, not just in the field!” They know that superior talent with inferior work ethics lead to dismal failures. More often than not, inferior talent with superior work ethics lead to strong competition, and many times to victories. And, almost without fail, superior talent coupled with superior work ethics leads to championships. It is one of the most amazing principles you’ll ever discover: Prodding works better than pampering.

In the church, few things are more galling than to see those who are loaded with talent sitting idly by, failing to develop their God-given gifts. God has not only called pastors to challenge people to do their best, but also to prod them if they don’t. Pastors continually assess the potential of those God has called them to serve. When they see a promising talent choked off with laziness, apathy, preoccupation, negativity, dishonesty or some other debilitating problem, they say and do whatever necessary to get that person back on track. And, prodding is not just for those who do nothing; it is even more important for those who are doing good. Jesus said, “Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2).

Are you waiting for someone to pamper you? I had a phys. Ed. teacher in Junior High school who always said, “Get your thumb out of your mouth and get going!” Maybe you need the same kind of prodding. Idleness is pathetic for those who know what God has called them to do. Stop pleading ignorance, lack of motivation, lack of time and uncertainty. Nobody will be pampered into spiritual success, revival, growth or blessing. Shake a leg.

A Jesus Sighting

“Lo, I see four men loose…and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:25

Several years after he died, somebody reportedly saw Elvis Presley in a Kalamazoo, MI. MacDonald’s store. Similarly, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, someone else with a lively imagination said they saw the former president on a private island being pushed in a wheelchair by Jackie. These incidents are called “sightings”, and whole societies have grown up based on human heroes or space aliens who have supposedly appeared and talked to people, kidnapped some of them and did bizarre things to them. UFO groups boast of their own magazines, websites and lawsuits in court to prove their reality.

The odd truth is that many people see things that don’t exist because they want to see them so badly. Cognitive psychologists say that people see objects based on expectations. If a hunter expects to see a deer in the bush, for example, that’s what he sees, even though it may be his buddy.

When it comes to God, many people see things in scripture that aren’t there. Some see a triplet of deities. Others see Jesus as a mere man, and eccentric prophet, a misguided madman or as one-third of God. The April 16, 2001 issue of U. S. News & World Report featured a cover story on “The Triumph of Christianity” in which Jesus is seen through the political calculations of Constantine, the third century Roman Emperor. “… Constantine ’s embrace of Christianity was a political calculation. He took an active role in its governance, calling the church’s first ecumenical council to condemn Arianism. Out of that council would come a definitive doctrinal statement, later refined into the Nicene Creed, which articulated and codified such traditional doctrines as the Virgin Birth, the deity of Jesus and the Holy Trinity. ” Constantine ’s Jesus was a compromise forged by political power, philosophical leanings and pagan religion.

But the Jesus I see in the scriptures stands out in sharp relief to these human illusions. Jesus identifies himself with the Father, claims the status of the Almighty, states that he is both the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, possesses all knowledge, all power and fills all space. “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:9-10.

I see Jesus in the face of Old Testament characters. I see him in Adam. “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” I see him in Abel. “And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” I see him in Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and Joshua. I see him in Melchizedek, Boaz, Samuel, Job, Solomon, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Jonah, Hosea and Zerubbabel. I see him in David as the rightful heir to the throne. “Thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus…and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father, David.” Luke 1:31-32.

I see Jesus in the offices of the Old Testament. He is the Prophet. (Luke 24:19.). He is the Priest. (Hebrews 7:24.). He is the King. (Matthew 2:2.).

I see Jesus in the great stories and instruments of the Old Testament. He is the Ark of Moses, Jacob’s ladder, the blood-sprinkled door, the burning bush, the pillars of cloud and fire, the Red Sea , the manna, the smitten rock, the tablets of stone, Aaron’s rod that budded, the brazen serpent, the city of refuge, the tabernacle of Moses, the offerings, feasts and festivals.

I see Jesus at each step of the plan of salvation. He met me at the initial step of faith, as he met Peter on the water. He met me at the step of repentance, because his blood was sprinkled at the brazen altar. He met me at the waters of baptism. “…for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 .) He met me at the baptism of the Holy Ghost. “…If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he…shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11.)

I see Jesus at all the major turns in my life. I see him at my times of decision, moments of crisis, periods of uncertainty, happy days and needy hours. I see him as my guide, my constant companion, the one who overshadows, protects, comforts blesses and anoints me. He gives me grace to stand, reasons to rejoice, power to overcome and faith to believe.

The true Jesus is larger than life. Open your eyes and see him in all his glorious reality!

The Wastebasket

Wastebasket.  Trash receptacle.   Trash bin.  Garbage can.  The Can.  Dumpster.  File Thirteen.  Whatever you call it, when you stop and think about it, it’s one of the most important items in any home or office. Just walk into room somewhere clutching a McDonald’s bag stuffed with sandwich wrappers, empty french fry holders and a couple of drained paper soft drink containers. With one hand you cling to your briefcase, purse or book bag, and with the other you try to hold your keys, open a door and hang onto this bag of trash. “Where is the wastebasket?” you cry. Alas, it is usually out of sight, behind a door, or beneath the sink. In the meantime, your books spill out on the floor, you drop your keys and manage to kick them under the table so far that you have to get a flashlight and crawl on your stomach to retrieve them.

With all the commotion, guess what you still have safely gripped in your hand? The trash, of course. Instinctively, you don’t allow this bag of garbage to slip onto the floor. You’ve got to find a wastebasket before you can let it go. In fact, you may end up carrying it around for hours if you can’t find a proper place to dispose of it. That is better than risking the guilt feelings that would overwhelm you for tossing it into the corner. Only a slob would do something like that. What’s worse, you may carry the trash around so long that it seems to belong to you.

What’s in a wastebasket? Crumpled pieces of paper, banana peels, coffee grounds, broken glass, junk mail and used tissues (plus a wadded McDonald’s bag and cold fries.) You might also find disposable pens out of ink, Styrofoam packing material and old batteries.

The point is that none of this stuff is good for anything. That’s why it’s in the wastebasket. A house with no wastebasket sooner or later brings the health department calling.

A wastebasket means as much in our lives as it does in our houses. Too many of us walk around tightly clutching pieces of garbage instead of holding items of real virtue. I am blown away at the thoughts, feelings and attitudes that people never throw out, especially when such things sabotage their right relationship with God, or even cancels out their basic enjoyment of life. If this sounds too much like your predicament, go to the wastebasket now!

Always feel like you’re slumming around with embarrassing, crummy thoughts taking over your mind?  Are you having a tough time knowing what to throw out? Try these: bits of gossip, critical thoughts, bitter feelings, past offenses, hurtful words, sneering looks, haunting failures, sins you’ve repented of, disappointments in people, and lost opportunities. How about situations you can do nothing about, bad experiences, old fears or false accusations? None of these things have positive value. They simply make you depressed and feeling trashy.

Can’t get traction in life?  Can’t make your days count?  You are either carting trash around or are forever digging around in the wastebasket. Once you throw something away, leave it there. Walk away from it and focus in on positive values, God thoughts. The Apostle Paul said, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8.  God doesn’t traffic in trash.  Why should you?

Another Story about Nothing

“Is it nothing to you?” Lamentations 1:12

“Where Did You Go? Out. What Did You Do? Nothing.”

The long title of the little book is as valid today as it was nearly fifty years ago when it swept the country. “Nothing? Oh, really?” W-e-l-l…only if the definition of nothing included breaking a neighbor’s window with a baseball, blacking the eye of a kid on the next block or throwing mud on the sheets hanging out to dry in the back yard! In other words, “nothing” is not nothing. It’s always in the best interest of the kid, however,  to interpret something ominous as nothing, especially if it might trigger World War III .

People tend to dismiss warnings about little things. In personal health, a splinter is nothing; a little discomfort through the chest cavity is nothing; a little lump in the body is nothing; a little dizziness is nothing. But underestimating a problem leads to disastrous consequences. “Nothing” ripped the underbelly of the Titanic and sent hundreds to their deaths; “nothing” blew up the space shuttle Challenger in view of the entire world, tragically wiping out the lives of seven astronauts; “nothing” doomed the presidency of Richard Nixon; “nothing” sent the presidency of Bill Clinton into impeachment.

It seems well documented, then, that “nothing” is a big problem. It concerns more than the well-chronicled tipping point or miscalculation of a significant detail. Things happen that loom large in peoples lives, yet they downplay them as nothing. Anyone who has been in the people business for any length of time knows that when somebody says “it’s nothing”—count on it—something’s up. If you then mindlessly proceed to actually take “nothing” at face value, you will find that “nothing” grows into a big something overnight!

Why do we call our somethings nothings? I suppose some have such low self-esteem that they don’t think they’re worth anyone’s trouble. Others get too embarrassed about creating a scene to talk about it. Some run from anything that looks like a confrontation. Still others think the problem will never get corrected anyway, so why bother? Or, maybe a few of us can’t put into words how deeply we feel about a problem, so we suffer in silence. This stumbling and bumbling around to call something nothing is almost believable, except I’ve seen too many Katrinas or 9/11’s rip through lives, families and communities because of it. My father never complained about chest pains until the evening before he died of a massive heart attack. I’m sure that symptoms showed up long before, but they were dismissed as “nothing.” I personally noticed individuals whom I’m positive were experiencing telltale signs of heart problems. I said nothing, however, and they were gone within a few short days. Beyond health problems, people leave churches, ruin relationships, destroy ministries and otherwise create mind-boggling turmoil—all over “nothing.” Many choke on bitterness and die miserable deaths by internalizing anger over “nothing.” Why do such tragedies happen?

“I don’t have time.” This is such an obvious one that I shouldn’t have to mention it, but guess what? It’s the number one excuse for most people to procrastinate. My answer? When the marriage problem that is “nothing” today lands you in the middle of divorce proceedings, will you have time for financial settlements, custody battles, pickup and drop-off arrangements and bouts with depression? You don’t have time? Will several hours for a nuisance exam cost you more than a year in recovery from major surgery? And, by the way, what do you have planned after your funeral?

“It’s not worth the trouble to get to the bottom of this.” Hmmm. Let’s see. High blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and blood fats , adult-onset diabetes or high blood sugar, obesity, poor fitness, inflammatory illness, low resistance, serious illness …do any of these qualify as being worth the trouble? The longer you treat your “somethings” as “nothings,” the more stress you inflict on yourself. Stress is one of the major contributors to all of these disorders or diseases. (Dr. James Scala, www.joyfullivingservices.com.)

“I would just embarrass myself and everyone else.” And…?

“I hate fights.” You don’t have to love fights. Normal people don’t. You just have to love doing right things. The one credit you can take with you when you go—which is really what you will leave behind—is a legacy of doing the right thing, even when it was costly, inconvenient or politically incorrect.

“I’ll stir up a lot of trouble and nothing will get done about—why bother?” Never base your decision on the forecast of someone else’s failure. What if they were ready to do the right thing? It would then be your failure that prevented justice.

Quit making your nothings somethings and your somethings nothings. Turn it around. You will do yourself and everyone else a huge favor on both counts.

Nothing is Not Happening

Right. It’s a double negative, which means it’s positive. It’s a little catchier than saying “something is happening,” don’t you think? I’m trying to emphasize the fact that we often lose our sense of motion or activity around us. We think little or nothing is happening. Not true. While you are sitting here reading this article, the meter is running, the clock is ticking. You are breathing. Your bodily metabolism moves forward in full operation, you are burning calories and keeping your temperature at 98.6 degrees. Your house is not just sitting there doing nothing. Your hot water tank is on. Your refrigerator is running. Your sump pump may be pumping water out of your basement. (If not, water may be pouring into your basement!) Your financial accounts may either be gaining or losing. Your house is appreciating; your car is depreciating. Your kids (or grandkids) are getting bigger. You may be getting bigger too, but you definitely are getting closer to your next birthday, which means the aging process is coming along nicely. In other words, whether you are thinking about it or not, life goes on.

Inside our bodies, while we stumble on oblivious to the steady drum beat, we process food, fight bacteria, secrete hormones, extract oxygen from the air, pump blood through our circulatory system and carry on the myriad iterations of life. Outside, the weather changes, the grass grows, subterranean creatures burrow their way around your yard and nature’s orchestra plays on. On the home front, tiny granules fall off the shingles of your roof, although it may take fifteen years for you to notice. Spiders spin webs in out-of-the-way places. Metal rusts, paint fades, concrete cracks and your house settles. No, nothing is definitely not happening.

Too often, we miss the torrid pace of activity around us and the big picture never develops. If anticipated events do not materialize before our eyes, we lose our composure and we panic. The real crisis here is not mere unprocessed information, but the tragic misunderstanding of the nature of the beast. Strategic battles have been lost because military commanders were clueless about the bigger theatre of the war. They saw their little window of opportunity, but failed to account for other critical factors that didn’t show up on their small radar screen. Millions of stockholders have lost fortunes over the years because they did not perceive all the forces that impinged on the market. Financial myopia led them to jump rather than wait it out. Mindless impatience has probably led to more wasted time, more successes forfeited and more souls to perish than any other factor. Patience is not just waiting; it is informed waiting.

In our fleshly nature, we are creatures of senses. We want to see it, hear it, feel it, smell it or taste it before we will validate it. If we cannot personally account for the details, we tend to discount the reality of a situation. This shortcoming in our spiritual character causes us to doubt the hand of God. We often continue to agonize in prayer when we ought to rejoice in victory. We mire down in depression when we ought to mount up in celebration. Our spiritual tunnel vision convinces us that “nothing is happening,” but the panorama shows God engaged in a flurry of activity. We need to stop insisting that God process everything through our pitifully slow and limited computers before we accept it as true. We can improve our performance, but it calls for several things to be kept in mind:

Perspective : Only a narrow slice of life reveals itself to us at a time. Understand that we cannot possibly see what, when and how everyone else sees the same thing we may be viewing at the present time. Joseph’s view from the slave caravan, from Potiphar’s house, from his prison cell and from his palace office differed greatly from anything his brothers saw. You may have to wait until the debriefing to know what really happened in the lives of others.

Perception : The things you do see may not make sense to you. Don’t panic. Many things happen at microbial, intellectual and spiritual levels, imperceptible to the eye. Had Simon Peter demanded to know see all the evidence before he went to Cornelius’ house, the Gentile door may never have been opened.

Patience : For many events, a long build-up is necessary before a breakthrough. In the space shuttle program, from the drawing boards to the launch site takes years; from lift-off to orbit takes minutes.

Purpose : God times events to coincide with his will. The timing of his incarnation fit his specific plan. “When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son…” The outpouring of the Holy Ghost was timed. “When the day of Pentecost was fully come…” If we have eyes only for our will, the will of God may baffle, or even anger us. Frustration in God’s work usually means we are out of step with God’s will.

Don’t misinterpret stuff that happens to be bad instead of good. If God is in charge, it will all work together for good. “All things work together for good to them who love God…” Something is happening, and if you’re living for God, it is something good.

Accident Prone

“Some…have made shipwreck.” 1 Timothy 1:19

Had a fender-bender lately? Fallen down the stairs? Cut a wicked slice in your hand while using a knife? Most home, job and traffic accidents occur when people become preoccupied with a conflicting activity, not when they just make bad decisions. Falling asleep, looking away, trying to do two things at once or simply failing to pay proper attention lie at the root of most common mishaps. One website says, “Perhaps the main cause of accidents in traffic is a simple matter of not paying attention. In traffic, it is easy to become distracted, frustrated, and annoyed. Any of these can cause you to pay less attention than you should, often resulting in rear-end collisions when the vehicle in front of you stops. Running stop lights and stop signs is also a possibility if you are not paying attention.”

There were an estimated 6,356,000 car accidents in the US in 2000. There were about 3.2 million injuries and 41,821 people were killed in auto accidents in 2000 based on data collected by the Federal Highway Administration. These statistics show that the problem is serious. Driver education analysts have coined the phrase “defensive driving.” They stress the idea that entering the roadways must be considered dangerous business. Every driver must exercise due caution each time he or she gets behind the wheel.

Our spiritual life may be described as a journey or, in the modern vernacular, a drive. Many of these same problems can and do happen. Believers often set their spiritual lives on automatic pilot and momentarily turn their attention to alternative interests. Before they know it, an unexpected crash, boom, rip, crunch or thud takes place. The following notions usually lurk somewhere in the setup for a letdown. It is amazing how many spiritual applications run parallel to today’s road traffic.

Failure to stop within the assured clear distance ahead. This sticks in my mind because it’s why I got my first ticket. It was night, the roads were wet and I was about seventeen with zero respect for the slippery conditions. Slam! The message is: don’t follow others too closely. If they stop, you’ll get hurt.

Failure to yield the right-of-way. Submit yourself to God, obey them that have the rule over you and prefer your brother. When you ram your way ahead, prepare for the inevitable crash.

Driving under the influence. The Apostle Paul said that he would not be brought under the power of any foreign substance. (1 Corinthians 6:12) The intoxicating influence of this world blurs your vision and slows your reactions. You can’t stay on the straight and narrow while imbibing on the devil’s brew.

Failure to maintain control of your vehicle. Just as a three-thousand pound vehicle is lethal when out of control, you will not survive without staying under the power of the Holy Ghost. “Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.”

Failure to come to a complete stop at a clearly marked stop sign or red light. We navigate in a dangerous world. Scoffing at scriptural warnings and prohibitions will lead to certain disaster. When God says no, he intends to spare us from disastrous consequences.

Operating a motor vehicle that is not road-worthy. Driving a jalopy is unsafe and risky. Bald tires, defective lighting, bad alignment and rusted bodies spell trouble sooner or later. Don’t be a spiritual clunker. A consistent spiritual maintenance program, although tedious at times, keeps you on the road day after day. Pray daily, read the Word daily, attend church regularly. It’s letting the easily-neglected routines get away from you that wind up costing you.

Driving in unlawful areas. Laws forbid vehicles from entering private drives, constructions zones and lanes for authorized vehicles. In other words, don’t go there. In our journey with God, we have no business trafficking in the enemy’s territory. Stay out of depression zones, lanes of doubt and areas of forbidden activities. “Neither give place to the devil.”

Leaving the scene of an accident. Despite our best efforts to the contrary, accidents do happen. When you find yourself in the throes of defeat, the worst thing you can do is run away. You will feel humiliated, scared or angry, but stay there until you can drive away in dignity. There is guilt to be admitted, penalties assessed and fines levied. Go through the ordeal and get back on the road.

Few people make it through their entire spiritual life without mishaps. The longer you live for God, however, the more you will learn how to stay safe and arrive at your destination intact. Don’t follow others too closely, submit to God, stay sober, practice self-control, pay attention to warnings, drive in legal areas only and when you fail,you must face up to your problems and defeat them. God created you to succeed. Drive his way and you will.

What We Want and What We Need

Have you ever daydreamed about designing your own life? If we could create a life for ourselves, creature comforts would undoubtedly top the list. Perfect weather, breath-taking scenery, pain-free and forever youthful bodies, good looks, superior intelligence, boundless wealth and secure, rewarding relationships would all be prized commodities. The most delicious food, from steak and potatoes to chicken and dumplings, from banana pudding to turtle pie or honey-soaked baklava would be cholesterol, calorie and fat free.

If we could, we would surround ourselves with delightful, sensitive people who would constantly entertain us with a bevy of really funny jokes, would never bore us and would always hold us in highest esteem. We would plan excitement-packed vacations, fly to exotic and romantic tropical islands. We would indulge ourselves in endless golf, tennis or whatever sport we liked. We would leave the house in the morning without turning a hand, and return home to a spick-and-span dwelling, smelling of potpourri and lemon-freshness.

We would win every race, pass every test, hit a home run every time we stepped up to the plate and clear every high hurdle. Trophies would line our shelves and our names would be on the lips of news reporters and media personalities. Gold-leafed invitations would overflow our mailboxes to attend gala events and hobnob with celebrities.

Think I ought to stop? Oh come on, I haven’t even got to the mansions, clothes, cars and boats yet. And what about the kids? Just think of the kind of kids we would have if we—-okay, I’ll stop.

All pleasure, no pain. All rights, no responsibilities. All getting, no giving. Given the choice, most people would go with what feels good and wouldn’t cause any problems. I find it absolutely amazing that, even though this entire idea is ludicrous, many people still assume they have the right to these things. When they can’t get them, they pine, moan, throw tantrums, get mad at God or plunge into depression.

Most wants grow out of imagining how something will make us feel. Needs, on the other hand, come from the conviction of what something will make us become. The things we want are seldom needed, and their acquisition often paves the way to spiritual poverty. John wrote, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world— the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does— comes not from the Father but from the world.” I John 2:15-16. (NIV)

The world would be a lop-sided place had we the power to design our own lives. Who would choose fiery trials, lion’s dens, prison houses or beds of affliction? Thus there would be no perfecting, no tempering, no seasoning nor proving. True spirituality would vanish.

The other amazing fact is that God has a way of meeting our wants when we ask for our needs. Afflicted saints discover sufficient grace. Financially challenged Christians live like spiritual millionaires. Stressed out believers enjoy a peace which passes all understanding. Lonely pilgrims find themselves accompanied by a precious Friend.

Next time your wants get out of hand, lay them down, go to Jesus and ask Him for your daily bread. His bread and His water will become a banquet feast for you.