Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
Three weeks ago I was introduced to and heard Surprise Sithole speak. He is the International Director of Pastors for IRIS Ministries where he helps oversee the rapidly spreading revival in southern African which has witnessed the birth of close to 7,000 new churches since 2000. He is a very humble and child like man and his message was both refreshing and convicting. One of the statements he made was like a wake up call right from the heart of the Lord.
“You Americans have the largest homes the biggest cars and yet you are the most unhappy, critical and medicated people on the planet” Surprise Sithole
In contrast, although Surprise was born and lives in one of the poorest nations on the earth and has very little material goods, he is one of the most joyful individuals that I have met. His joy was as convicting as his message. He is proof that joy is not simply an emotional state based on our circumstances or situation in life, but a result of being in His presence and is an expression of the kingdom of God within us (Psalm 16:11 & Romans 14:17).
“Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; Deuteronomy 28:47
The church in our nation has been blessed with abundance both naturally and spiritually, but serving the Lord with joy and a glad heart does not appear to be one of the noticeable attributes of American Christianity.
I believe Luke chapter 15 may speak to our hearts concerning this. It is interesting to note that rejoice, joy, celebrate and glad are most certainly attributes which the Father greatly values in His house as these words appear ten times in this story (verses 5, 6, 9, 10, 23, 24, 29, 32).
It is really one parable with three parts; a lost sheep, a lost coin and two lost sons. The key to understanding the Father’s heart is that He is concerned about us, not animals or money. He uses the lost sheep and lost coin so the listeners of that time could relate to the real issue – the two lost sons. The lost sheep represents the prodigal son; he started in the house with the Father, but left Him for something else. The lost coin represents the elder brother; he was lost in the house. He never physically left the house, but he lost his relationship with the Father and replaced that relationship with some other “friends”.
The church in our nation is losing people to a prodigal lifestyle for sure, but the truth is the church is losing a lot more people and they are not even leaving the church. We are full of lost coins. Like the elder brother many in the church have lost their relationship with the Father and consequently serve him with some resentment and bitterness.
“But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 “But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; Luke 15:28-30
Too many of us only know how to be “workers in the field”, but do not know what it truly means to be sons and daughters in His house, consequently we are missing the joy of knowing Christ and the fullness of His kingdom.
The Father wants us to know something; “Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours.” (Luke 15:31). We do not have to serve Him to get anything; all that He has is already truly ours. That is the essence of His heart for us.
“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? Luke 15:8
“Light a lamp” literally means to set on fire, this represents the revival coming to the church. God is going to set us on fire and He is going to “sweep through the house” with His manifest presence and we will never be the same again. God is going to restore the joy of salvation to His family.
Many Blessings, BW