One Thing Thou Lackest!

I have been pondering still the devotional, "Righteous Lot" and continue to be stirred about what Bro. Ron calls the essense of all compromise: "JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EGYPT." I recall an entry that "More Of Him" shared with us several months ago at a time when God was really dealing. I used this excerpt in a sermon I preached in which the young man leading praise and worship and his sister and two children were brutally murdered just weeks later. Someday we will all receive our last call from God.It went like this:May 17 2002 “I desire for My people a humble heart. Are you seeking My kingdom first? Or are you seeking for your own kingdom first? What do you want? Ask yourself what do you want? Yes, list them right now….. Are these things of My kingdom? Most of My people still want for themselves. They want what they want. They take what they will with no thought to Me. So many are running their own lives and “stopping in for church service” or a bible study here and there. Why am I not King of your hearts and lives? I am grieved at My people for they forsake Me. They forsake that I am SOVEREIGN, they forsake that I am ALL MIGHTY, they forsake the very love and protection I wish to provide- because of their own wants and wishes. Take Me with you into that secret place. Ask Me what you will. I am available to guide and direct you in every area of your life. No one wants to know My will for every area of their life because THEY still want to control it. They think to themselves, “What if He says “No” or “Yes”- not in accordance with what they want. I ask you again and again to lay these things down. I bring things to the surface for you to get rid of – and you PUSH THEM BACK DOWN and KEEP THEM INSTEAD. The time is coming and the time is here for many- that I am giving people over to their own sin. They do not recognize it any more- they are blinded and are dying in their own filth. Wake up! Shake the dust off. Rise up and heed My Word. The devil is playing games with you. Do not be blinded anymore by his lies and deceit. Is it a lie that if you give up this or that – that you will be unhappy? YES! He has you so stuck in the grasp of materialism, delusion, lewdness, drugs, gluttony and all manner of addictive things. Things to make you feel better temporarily. He has you on a treadmill of these things and you find it hard to get off that treadmill. And he is laughing all the while because most of it is your own flesh. Get out of “this world”. Make your home with Me. Dwell where I dwell, walk where I walk. One day many of these “things” that you cannot live without, may not be completely available and then where will you be? You will call on Me to comfort you and I will not because you waited until there was none to be had. I am jealous for My people and for their love and adoration.” *****************Key in on this statement I ask you again and again to lay these things down. I bring things to the surface for you to get rid of – and you PUSH THEM BACK DOWN and KEEP THEM INSTEAD. I believe that this is and will continue to be why we do not see personal and widespread revival in our lands. If this speaks to you won't you lay them down? Won't you walk in the refreshing of a clear conscience before God? What wonderful sleep and rest you would find. What utterance and growth in your relationship with God. You can lay it down today. It is my prayer that if that is you that you will today.God Bless,-Robert

Robert,It seems like such a long time ago that i wrote that down. I can hardly believe this was me. I guess because it wasn't me. I remember the feelings and the anguish inside while writing these kinds of words down a couple of years ago. I miss that. Yet, I seem to be in a different season. Is this the case or is it me? is it that i have grown to like being "liked". Grown to like being somewhat comfortable.I pray this is not so. I pray that this is only a learning season for me to grow in grace as well as in repentance and fear of the Lord.I hope I have not missed out on the Lord and His words and will for me. May I not want comfort over purity. May I not want to be liked more than to be holy and set apart for Him.Please pray that I will be what He wants me to be.In His love, chanin

I ministered a message this weekend that follows up on this topic. The sadness I feel when people, as Lot, simply prefer Zoar (a little compromise) to the 'mountain' with God. What was it that caused Israel to vail the face of Moses? Why were they afraid of the glory? What will it take to get us to head to the mountain? Lot saw Sodom burning and then His wife turned to a pillar of salt. He lost two son in law's and a wife; that was exactly half of his family. It was in Zoar that he 'came to himself' after seeing all the mass destruction. What a sobering lesson.God Bless,-Robert

Here is a follow up that i wrote down in Jan. 2003. i just want it to be clear that when i wrote these things down, I was considering the "church"- not the "unsaved".---------------Again, I must say, When will My people listen?My people who claim they love Me and serve Me, when will they open their ears, their eyes to truth? For days go by, they close their ears and close their eyes.They cannot shut Me out, for I am still God of all things. My truth still stands whether they believe or not. Do you not know that judgement begins in the house of the Lord?You who claim to be worthy, look again. The sinners in the streets will have an easier time of coming home to Me than many of you.Your self-righteousness betrays you.Your hypocrisy betrays you and you lay waste at My feet.Do not claim Me as your God, if you cannot follow the narrow path I have for you. Do not claim things with your lips but betray Me with your heart. Your actions are that of someone lost. Your pride, your unfaithfulness to Me (by serving other things rather than Me alone.)There is no more time for playing games. There is much weeping for your stubborness, much weeping comes from those who have chosen to pick up their cross and follow Me. For those who have picked up their cross know the truth. It breaks their heart, as it does Mine, to see people continue to live as they see fit and not as I would have them. Yes, even those who think they are "religious", I do not ask that you be "religious", but just that you give Me your all, every part of you.Can you not see how I love you My people, that I am sending message upon message to you - to open your eyes, to open your ears.Do not think this is for your neighbor - look in the mirror!Many eyes and ears and hearts are already dull. Make haste to run into My arms, to let Me shine My bright light into your heart and expose everything. Let us search your heart and then you will know Me. Jan 2,2003