Coffee With The Lord

Hate to bring it up, but there are people who claim to be “born again, Spirit-filled, Christians” who have a bad reputation… They are known as gripers, complainers, and individuals who find fault with everything – they’re hard to get along with, difficult to please, and the entire tone of their life is negative. These “Christians” never saw an argument they didn’t like – they enjoy a “good fight” (especially a “church fight” or an argument over politics or the fine points of Church doctrine).

Hope that isn’t you! It ruins your testimony! People who don’t know the Lord dismiss and reject their witness… They have enough problems! They’re looking for hope!

This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Christians who lived in Philippi – a pagan city, filled with people who needed the Lord…

“Do EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” (Philippians 2:14-16)

I don’t want to be like that! Instead I want to be a peacemaker, a hope bringer, an encourager, a “joy of the Lord” exhibitor… Don’t you?!

From my Bible reading today during my time of “coffee with the Lord”…

Ever get tired of waiting for someone to arrive? They said they would come, they even indicated a time and place, but they were late and you had to wait on them… You paced the floor, you checked your mobile phone and texts, you fiddled around, grabbed a snack… and waited! You were even tempted to take a nap…

Tired of waiting? You can’t afford it if you’re the “front person” for a VIP [a “very important person]. You get tired of waiting on them… goof off, go grab a snack, or take a nap, and they arrive? You’re fired! I’ve watched the “front persons” for the President of the United States just before a press conference… scurrying around, checking microphones, taking care of last minute details… and he’s delayed… no “let up” – stay alert, stay ready, watch the doorway, he’s coming!

The Bible addresses the importance of staying alert and ready for the coming of another VIP… the “coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Here’s what it has to say on that important subject…

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him! It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes… It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak… It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns… But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers!” (From Luke 12:35–46 NIV)

In another similar passage this warning is given, “Watch! For you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming!” (Matthew 25:13) Believe me, as one of His “front men,” I want to be ready!

Some of you will recall I led a Bible study a couple of years ago entitled “Route 66: Exploring the Books of the Bible” (Trinity Church, Cedar Hill, TX) In the study – in addition to a brief overview of each book, its structure, characteristics, and key themes – I identified some of the well-known, key passages of each book of the Bible.

The denomination I am a part of, the Assemblies of God, is emphasizing “Biblical Literacy” – stressing the fact that every Christian needs to have a “working knowledge” of the Bible. This comes, in part at least, by getting Christians to read the Bible regularly.

This post is just an early announcement for those who are interested… In addition to “Necessary Food” (the Bible reading plan I developed several years ago in which you read the Bible through) I intend to develop Bible reading plan based upon the key passages I identified as a result of doing the “Route 66” study. This plan will identify 365 of the key, best known, passages in the Bible. I hope to have it finished, edited, and proof-read and ready for distribution at some level for 2019. Stay tuned. I think you’ll like it!