What is your desire?

The book of Proverbs is just loaded with great spiritual guidance in the forms of simple sentences. One of which is:

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life”.

Everything we are and where we go in life is heavily influenced by what comes out of our heart. We can acknowledge what come out of it through self examination, which a Christian is supposed to do continually or what many people do is try to mask what is in it by using socially acceptable terms and agreements. These can include things we say we are and how we feel but what is inside us is much different than those words. Often times we will say things that just get us to look good to others and to the world but our heart is far from those words. That is why the Bible shows us that God looks at the inward man, not the outward man. He did this when even selecting a King for Israel in 1 Samuel 16:7.

Some time ago a pastor was addressing the issue in his country of England. A national survey showed that 11 percent of the people called themselves Christian but out of those 11 percent only about 6 percent actually attended church.

In seeing e statistics he showed several reasons that were contributors to the low numbers of those attending church. One of which was a lack of desire to be with other Christians. He emphasized the fact that those who do not wish to be around other Christians should question whether they are Christians at all.

When the Church began in the Book of Acts Christians were drawn to each other, met with each other and in many cases saw each other daily, not just once a week. Several factors contributed to this. Including realizing that they were now different from those in the world and they found Joy in being part of the body of Christ and finding other believers. One of the problems that arose was not getting people to come together but getting them back home!

It is that joy of being together that led many new people to come to Christ and attend with other believers. Even under persecution believers found themselves more united and stronger. All based on the desire to worship Jesus Christ and be with others who feel the same way. There was an excitement when the plan of Salvation was talked about and his coming kingdom was realized in the hearts of all those who followed him. That excitement built the church.

Sadly those figures for England were given in 1965. Since then church attendance there has slipped further, as with the rest of the world.

We ourselves may have issue that prevent us from being with other believers. This also can be health issues from time to time. None the less we should always find that we have a desire to be with each other regardless. We should also put an effort into being with others as part of being Christian and our belief that this is something He wants us to do. It’s part of our obedience to him and flowing Him rather than ourselves and our own desires and fears.

When our lives are over in this world we have to account for all things that we did while here. That will also be something we will account for in Jesus Christ presence. It is the very real outcome for anything that comes from our heart.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig