I’m still making my way through Tozer’s book, “Reclaiming Christianity” (don’t do the math to see how long it’s taken me to finish it–I’m a slow reader). I re-recommend it; it’s been such a breathe of fresh air and a reminder of scriptural truth.

Tozer made a great point today, asking this:

“If God were to strip the churches from all that man is doing and leave only what He has done or is doing, we would trim the average church back down to a nubbin*. There would not be enough left to have a decent service. But all these churches are running on their own steam; they have learned how.”

*Nubbin- Had to look this one up. It’s something underdeveloped, similar to a nub.

This question cuts deep and prompts some honest soul-searching. Tozer died in 1963, so he must have written this at least 50 years ago, yet very little has changed.

Personally, I suggest that the question we should be asking, in order to avoid finger-pointing is this: If God were to strip us as individuals down, removing all our efforts to reveal His work, what would be left? If our week’s schedules were stripped down to events that God has prompted and led, would our “Kingdom calendar” be pretty bare? In short, where is God apart from ourselves?

This is a question I’m sitting with. I don’t think it’s easily answered. Search your heart, your strivings and your schedules. What in your life is a direct result of God’s leading? Are we getting along just fine? I argue that if we feel we are, we are in grave, eternal danger.

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

-Acts 2:36

Our “Dark & Early” man-group read this today.  The entire passage surrounding this is fascinating and inspiring; I encourage you to read it.  The piece that stuck out to me was this question: what does the fact that Christ is Lord and Messiah mean for us today?  And might it even be exactly what we need in order to experience the signs, wonders, baptisms and powerful speaking that surrounded the early church when these words were first spoken?

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

-Romans 10:9-10

So today I’m asking myself if I believe in my heart that God has raised Christ from the dead… enough to die for it? And I’m going to declare to someone I meet that Jesus is Lord.

Because, if He died and was raised, and I believe it, then I am justified. And if he is Lord, meaning I must surrender to Him in obedience will ALL aspects of my life, then speaking that truth is a proclamation of my salvation and his Lordship of my life. It often seems that if I was asked, “are you willing to die for your faith?” the answer is affirmative; but if asked, “When was the last time you told someone the Christ is Lord?” the occasions are sparse, if existent at all. Shouldn’t someone who claims to believe, also proclaim their belief?

I think so. I think that I personify more the “lukewarm believer” than a martyr. My prayer today is that I would be cut to the core, like our brothers from Acts were, that Christ would be proclaimed and many would be saved.