Not Noting Our Needs

Need. It's always around. No matter the time in life, regardless of the situation, there is always need hanging around. Both before and after the battle there is need. Whether victory comes or defeat, need is near.

Brethren all have needs. In fact, the needs among our brethren are almost as numerous as is the number of brethren. Our needs are personal and are mostly directed to our weaknesses. We want to fix personality quirks, speed up our individual maturity, diminish our sordid background, build a ladder of experience. We have lots of needs. Let me be somewhat more specific.

Churches have needs–again, mainly because the church is the people (Acts 2:47). Let me illustrate, please. Churches need:

Sensitive hearts. A sensitive heart is a responsive heart. It's a heart that is susceptible to sense impressions. Oh, how we need hearts that are not only ready, but anxious to hear the word of God–that word that is “quick and powerful” and which is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Please note that the word's ability to penetrate the heart is wholly up to the hearer of that word (Luke 8:18). You decide to listen. You have to want to hear before the word will work on your heart. But it's not enough just to hear, there must be a determination to allow that word free course to operate on your heart before it can be made to work in you life. Seed-truth, sown in a sensitive heart will bring forth abundantly.

A zeal for involvement. That may seen to be a redundancy in view of what we have just noted, for zeal and involvement are so connected that it not likely one will be found without the other. Zeal is fuel. It is being fervidly involved– really caring for a project or goal–while involvement has to do with the actual performance or participation in the intended undertaking. I never saw a congregation of the Lord's people which could not use more zeal for a greater involvement, whether the project has to do with evangelism, edification, or personal growth. “Go into all the word and preach the gospel,” (Mark 16:15) calls for motivation, energy. To “grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”(II Peter 3:18) calls for both enthusiasm and direct participation. We need more Christians–everywhere– who are not merely on-lookers but are actively engaged in the work of their local congregation. If we're not careful–every one of us–we will tend to give first rate dedication to second rate causes, giving our enthusiastic participation to things of the world instead of things that bring eternal rewards (I John 2:15).

Time management. The Scriptures speak of our “buying up the opportunities” or “redeeming the time” ( Colossians 4:5; Ephesians 5:16). Such an admonition is necessary because of our seeming propensity to waste time and our proclivity for procrastination. I don't think I know any person who has deliberately plotted for himself a course for hell, but it doesn't have to be deliberate for it to happen. The Latin saying facile desensus Averne,” “(the) decent to hell is easy” is so! Let us not forget it. No effort is required when a thing is put off till tomorrow. The only problem is,we have no assurance of tomorrow (James 4:13-17). We must be about doing what we can while we have today. “Put-offism” is terribly dangerous. We must manage our time as if today is all there is to be.

Love. The greatest commandment of all is love (Matthew 22:37-38). The grandest of all our needs is love (John 3:16). Love works–but not until it is activated; then it brings good to any situation, project, or relationship. It promotes happy marriages (Ephesians 5). It makes lasting relationships (I John 4:7-11). It encourages good will even with those who are thought of as being our enemies (Romans 12:14-18). Love is respectful and kind, no matter the relationship. Truly, true love is the highest of all motives (Matthew 22: 37.) We need more love. And more.

And consider this. True love makes sensitive hearts. Real love is what causes us to prioritize our time and manage our days. Love for the project is what will always make the project overcome whatever seeks to prohibit its success. It binds it all together, folks. What is the greatest commandment of all? Let's put it to work and add to our faith (II Peter 1:5).

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