EARLY MORNING MANNA

The fresh manna I’m hearing this morning for our nutrition to run this race is from I Thess. chapter 5.

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (I Thess. 5:21-22 NASB)

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul is exhorting the Church concerning the DAY OF THE LORD and His return will be like a thief in the night. He is talking here about the sudden and unescapable return of our Messiah. The problem Paul encounters in this church though is that many of them are asleep and living like sons of the darkness and not sons of the day (5:4-11).

This theme (or should I say epidemic) of spiritual slumber that is spreading throughout the modern Western Church should be a great concern for all of us this morning. This slumber was used by the serpent in the garden of Eden and it is the premier wake up call that Jesus and the Apostles continually warned against. So what is hypnotic slumber that so many believers find themselves glazed over by and unknowingly under it’s spell? I believe it is very simple and I will call it this morning the intake of evil.

Just take a look at this pattern-
1) Paul says these believers do not need to be taught about the Second Coming…they already knew these things. (5:1-5)
2) However, they are spiritually sleeping and not sober and must put on the war armour of light. (5:6-8)
3) They were not esteeming the plurality of leadership among them and strife and divisions were evident with them. (5:12-15)
4) Thus, Paul had to encourage them to rejoice always, get back into pray and stop quenching the Spirit. (5:16-19)

Have you ever been around or have been one of those believers who knows a lot about the Lord but does not worship and give thanks in everything!? You can know a lot about the coming DAY OF THE LORD but still not be a child in worship and prayer!!!! And thus you are quenching the Spirit

Wait! But there is more symptoms to this spiritual slumber of quenching The Spirit…. In verses 20-21, we see that the Apostle Paul warns them about the intake of evil!!!! “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (I Thess. 5:21-22 NASB)

That’s it! I see it this morning so clear and let me share it with you….

When you have a good working knowledge of God and His Word and do not put on the armour of light and go to war, but instead live a lifestyle of busy-ness (i.e. business)…a spell of spiritual slumber begins to glaze you over. The first fruits of this spiritual stupor is complaining attitude and not highly esteeming the leaders God has set among you with honor (i.e. tithes/offerings). Then comes in the strife and division…which will breed an attitude of ungratefulness and lack of prayer. Which in turn will cause you to despise the true prophetic (i.e. not personal ear-tickling prophecy but surgical prophetic truth) and quench the life of the Holy Spirit and His waters of refreshment! Then comes in the carnal need for entertainment because you are tired, semi-depressed and need a fictional movie, sporting event, or TV show to give you like a drug…some stimulus or as we should actually be saying “to feed the need”! Thus the intake of evil through our entertainment laden culture is the background to this huge epidemic of spiritual slumber the Western Church is in!

So how do we counter this? It is real simple….

DO NOT QUENCH THE SPRIT!
DO NOT GO TO A CHURCH THAT REPEATEDLY QUENCHES THE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
DO NOT HANG WITH PEOPLE WHO QUENCH THE SPIRIT!
DO NOT ALLOW THE INTAKE OF EVIL VIA ENTERTAINMENT TO CONTROL YOU! ABSTAIN FROM EVERY APPEARANCE OF EVIL!
DO NOT JUST LEARN INFORMATION FROM THE BIBLE BUT GET FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT DAILY! (See Ephesians 5:14-18)

As you see dear brothers and sisters, there is a gulf in this hour among believers and the way churches hold their Sunday “worship” services. It is Presence based or program based….Spirit sensitive or seeker sensitive! Isaac or Ishmael! Sarah or Hagar! Presence driven life or a purpose driven life?

What are you going to do? Please Man or God?????

Your decision to this question will determine your destiny….

In His service for your faith,

Scott