The Pastor's Desk
"Pulling Down Strong Holds and Building Up Relationships" (2 Co. 10:3-8)

July 18, 1999

"The Challenge To Keep The Praise Going"

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a window is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is none to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. After affliction and harsh labor, Judah has gone into exile. She dwells among the nations; she finds no resting place. All who pursue her have overtaken her in the midst of her distress. The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gateways are desolated, her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she is in bitter anguish. Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The LORD has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile, captive before the foe. All the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; in weakness they have fled before the pursuer.

Lam 1:1-6 (NIV)

"The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to her appointed feasts." Can this be likened to the church? Every time I come into the house of God there is rejoicing in my heart. This can be true of us individually, but collectively what is true. The church can become so programmatic that it ceases to have any real rejoicing or praise.

When the life of the church becomes so programmatic, we many times are like a pot that should be on the stove but it is sitting in the cabinet. When we continue to stimulate our youth instead of moving them to elevate, it is a symptom of contentment. Take a look around you! How many young people do you see? Some of you will immediately start the blame game. Well start to blame yourself. You are the parent. You are the grandparent. Look round you. How many husbands and wives are worshiping together? You determine whether you have something to praise God for. Have we lost the power or praise?

In the Wednesday night prayer there were several praise reports. In listening to the individuals a striking thing came to mind. "Through many dangerous toils and snares I have already come, 'Twas grace that brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me on." Don't let the road to Antioch be filled with mourners. This kind of emptiness sends a message that there is no comfort for the weary. The witness must be that we have the answer we have learned to pray. Simply put, God is on the side of the redeemed and the redeemed ought to say so.

The challenge at hand is to help believers live out their faith!

From the desk of Rev. Michael E. Coleman

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