As a church we have been looking at the book of John, last Sunday I preached the last message of chapter 6 verse 60-71. In this passage, Jesus had lost many of His followers He was left with the twelve He had chosen and one of those He had chosen was a devil; they had walked away because He spoke the truth as regards Himself 6 v 53-58. They started grumbling and complaining about this teaching they said it was a 'difficult statement', the result of telling it like it is, led to these followers turning back and walk with him no more.
Many turn back, remember the passage these were described as 'disciples' it often starts when life gets busy, church and time set aside for God gets squeezed out of peoples lives or life has not turned out as they had hoped, it is often gradual but it becomes nearly impossible to maintain a growing on fire relationship with God, they might maintain something but not a growing dynamic fire within.
John Wesley spoke to a man who thought he could be a christian all by himself. Wesley picked up a pair of tongs and took a hot coal out of the fire, almost immediately it started to go out, he did not need to say any more, many people fall away today because they fail to see the importance of the warmth of Christian fellowship. Perhaps more importantly they stop seeking the Lord's presence regularly in their lives.
In John 6 verse 63 it says It is the Spirit who gives life;the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
The Holy Spirit is the Catalyst! (Oxford Dictionary 'catalyst' a person or thing that precipitates change, increases the rate of a reaction) keep in step with the Spirit he gives us life.
Blessings
Ray
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