 Our house has been a mess these last few days and weeks.
As we plan to move out of state, we have boxed up several of our belongings (you know, those temporary, earthly belongings that we all have...ones we will not hold on to forever) and the rest we plan to tackle very soon. It's bittersweet. We'll miss it here in Michigan but at the same time we're looking forward to this next stage in our life (and the warmer weather, year-round, will be nice too but, hey, I digress). The main lesson we've been teaching Levy & Seth during this transition is that we do not have a forever home on this earth. No matter how nice the city we live in, the house we have, the things we've gotten used to, even our family and friends, nothing is forever. Our eternal home is with God. This should not motivate us to live with fear or to be lazy. It should urge us to live holy and godly lives (see 2 Peter 3:11) and to make the most of every opportunity since the days are evil (see Ephesians 5:16). It might sound like a bit much to be telling our children that nothing is forever and to not get attached to things. It's not. Having lost my father at the end of last year, I can tell you with Biblical certainty, there's nothing more important than preparing for and desiring to be with Jesus. It should be so normal for the normal Christian to think this way. But we are so earthly minded. We don't think about death and eternity enough, and as a result, we are engulfed in activities that make us dumber and we love/like things that can't love or like us back. Jesus had no place to lay his head. He knew very well that He was here for a short time and had a mission (i.e., God's will) to fulfill. Do you and I? "Oh, that's Jesus", someone might be quick to say. Yes, that's Jesus. He is the only One we should be following! The patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith knew very well they were passerbys and sojourners on this earth. We're concerned with what style chandelier we will replace the dining room lighting with. In about 3 months time, Seth, our youngest, went from "No, I don't want to move. Never!", to "How many more days tati (daddy)? I'm so excited." If only we would have that same attitude of heart and say, "Jesus, how many more days? I'm so excited to be with you." Keep the fire burning, Danny  You know when it's time to stop praying for revival?
1) When your actions are not matching up with your words and 2) When you're relying on an event, person, group, church, world event, or anything else to put you in a certain mood so you can turn to God, pray to Him and worship Him. In other words, when you're relying on a "revival" and not God. At this point, you're just being hypocritical or have been stirred into wishful thinking. Addressing believers, the question then becomes: When and where does revival happen? Anytime and anyplace. If you turn to God in repentance, right now, you will be refreshed! The Bible says so (see the short list of Bible verses at the end of this post). You may say, But I'm saved, I'm good with God...I don't need to repent. Ok, let's assume that's true. But do you want to get closer to God? To know Him more intimately? Do you want your life to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit in such a way that it overflows into the lives of others around you? That too can happen, right now. So...what are you waiting for? Growing up, I can recall how waves (for lack of a better term) of fervent prayer and devotion to God would come over the youth of our church and the surrounding churches. Sometimes they were, more or less, planned and announced ahead of time (carried out in the form of prayer nights/vigils), other times, they were more spontaneous. It was wonderful to see young men and women seeking the face of God, being filled and baptized with the Holy Spirit. Some even went on to get baptized in water. This is the promise of God for us and for future generations and we are to make the most of these opportunities. However... You know what was not wonderful? Seeing some of those same people go back to their old ways, shortly after. They might have been able to pray out loud for a few nights, surrounded by friends and family but what happened when they were alone, just them and God? Sadly, not all of them were born again and they never developed the spiritual discipline of building a personal altar on which God's fire can be experienced. I say this with a heavy heart and much responsibility. Had it not been for God's grace, none of us would even be here. I am what I am by the grace of God. To the point... Are waves of refreshing beneficial and needed? Absolutely. But they should serve as a spark to your personal, daily altar. In the end, everyone, individually will give an account to God (Rom.14:12). Not en masse. We need a paradigm shift...  I realize the title may be a bit dramatic. But, really, it may not be dramatic enough.
Boredom and spiritual apathy can lead to big problems. There is an entire website dedicated to boredom therapy. It's called Boredom Therapy (how clever). According to them, they were "founded with the goal of fighting boredom worldwide by engaging our readers with incredibly shareable content." In reality, it's basically a website filled with pointless information you really don't need to know. Many people fall into anxiety and depression because they are not comfortable with silence or a less-than-full schedule. This leads them to all sorts of problems. Silence & solitude is exactly what we need if we are to hear from God. We need to make time everyday for putting aside distractions and focusing on what matters most, our relationship with our Creator. When you are not okay with having nothing to do, with being alone, with experiencing silence, you will try to fill that time up with anything but God. Man has been doing this for thousands of years and look where it has gotten us. You will fill your life up with meaningless activities, your mind and conscious will grow numb and you will have no desire for spiritual food. Spiritual apathy will kick in. Overall, the lockdowns of COVID-19 have done more harm than good but one thing they have revealed is that people are not very comfortable with slowing down. We have gotten so used to running from place to place and with filling our schedules that, all of a sudden, when we are 'forced' to stay home, we get anxious and upset. Some even go as far as to say they are 'stuck' at home. (I know, I know, we need to look at the other side of the coin. I understand and that's valid. But my focus is not on the validity or credibility of the pandemic.) Reports of escalation in divorces, domestic violence, increase in alcohol consumption, suicides, and more, only confirm that many people are not okay with solitude, silence and (to coin a phrase) intentional inactivity. On the positive side, and to be balanced, many families got closer to each other and some people had more time to focus on their physical and spiritual health.  Do you have a morning routine? If not, you should. Whether you wake up before sunrise or after sunrise, the mornings are a special time to connect with God and give a kickstart to the day. (Note: There are mothers with little children who may be reading this and think that a morning routine is impossible. It's not. Keep it simple. You may need to include your children in your routine, like my wife does, and that's a good thing. You're setting an example for them to follow!) Here's just a quick list of benefits:
I don't know anyone 'successful' who does not have a morning routine. It is a vital self-discipline. By successful, I'm not referring to wealthy or popular. I'm referring to someone who gives their all, is fully alive, responsible in everything entrusted to them, and leans on God's grace and strength for all they do. When it comes to a morning routine, one of the best examples of discipline and consistency I've seen growing up is in my mother. She has had an impact on the way I embrace the mornings. She was a master of setting a rhythm to her day, was awake before anyone and managed to help others (my siblings and I) with their morning routine (and we sure needed the help sometimes!). A morning routine disciplines your heart, mind and body for the rest of the day. |
ALTARPRENEURwith Danny & Daniela Kovacs
WHYNo family is an island. Join us as we share candid discussions, Biblical advice & resources to help keep God at the center of your faith, family and career. MICROBLOGS
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