FunMrs Mumford continues: "The Pastor of the church in Toronto said, 'I didn't know that God could be so much fun! I had no idea it could be this much fun, hanging around Jesus.' The prodigal went to look for all the parties in the world that he could find, but he discovered that the best party was 'in His Father's house'. That's where we've come. We've come to the house of the Lord to enjoy the presence of the Lord, and to party with Him." What justification is there to say that it was the prodigal's intention to 'party'. The prodigal son demanded his due portion of his inheritance from his father, and went off to spend it any way he wanted to. Only he discovered that instead of satisfaction, he lost everything he treasured. We could just as legitimately apply this to the claims being made today concerning Toronto blessing'. Instead of listening to their Heavenly Father, too many have demanded from Him their portion of the inheritance to do with it as they will! We have Scriptural justification for this, in Psalm 106: "Then they believed His words; They song His praise. They soon forgot His works; they did not wait/or His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." Psalm 106:12-15 (Perhaps it's pertinent to mention that the NIV translates that last phrase as "sent a wasting disease upon them", which is an interpretation, not a translation! It takes away the spiritual application.) They are using their inheritance to their own gratification, and are they therefore not in reality losing the blessing that they seek? Is knowing Jesus "fun"? Jesus put our relationship with Him very plainly: "When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ' Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and/allow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life/or My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.'" Mark 8:34-38 Does that sound fun? It sounds rather more like a serious and solemn matter. Jesus never promised an easy road. Jesus clearly demonstrated that a relationship with God is going to be challenging, and needs serious commitment and application. A relationship with God through faith in Christ is the way of the Cross. Not that Christ doesn't bring joy and peace, and the richest blessings. Of course He does. We are to know the joy of believing in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, the joy of sins forgiven, the joy of being made acceptable with God who is holy, the joy of experiencing His power in guiding and providing for us though the path of life is difficult. The last section of Mrs Mumford's address is a short reading from Ezekiel 37 and her explanation of it in the light of all she has shared. That is another issue in itself and will be dealt with separately.
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Copyright © 2002 Homerton Baptist Church. |
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