Lance's latest is a note of encouragement, offered from a shepherd's heart.
Lance notes that life has many seasons. There are times, among others, "of favor and blessing and times of struggle and doubt."
Lance notes that many people he knows are in a season of "struggle, setback, discouragement and weariness."
He reports that, in the past week, he had an experience that, he says, "reminds me that the Lord doesn't waste anything."
Later on, he quotes Genesis 50:20 and Joseph telling his brothers that they intended to harm him but God intended to save many lives through their evil actions. And, later still, Lance quotes Romans 8:28 and its reminder that God works of the good of those who love him.
Two takes on what Lance has written:
1. I can relate to this on a personal level. We now know that Evie's heart valves are in very bad condition and are deteriorating and that, without surgery...soon..., she will probably, eventually die.
There's no stab-in-the-back issue, as there was with Joseph, but there is, the "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" comfort.
One person Evie talked to about her situation mentioned the possibility that a believer could lose his/her faith at times like this. Clearly, that's not happening with her or me.
But, there are moments of discouragement and the level of our joy in His salvation is not what it's been.
We know that he's not forgotten or forsaken us. And, we trust in His love and care and in His sovereignty. But, the surgery is still going to happen.
Even with strong faith, both of us are anxious.
And, we both plead for your prayers.
2. As much as what Lance wrote touches my heart on a personal level, the truth is that, in the Spirit, I exist as a prophet who, by God's grace, sees these issues from 40,000 feet and who has, so far, an indestructible love for the CGGC.
I can't help but to see Lance's insight on the different seasons of life in terms of the CGGC institution of which Lance is, according to the CGGC Constitution, CEO.
My take on the first generation of the Church of God movement is that Winebrenner and his colleagues did struggle. And that their struggle was to attempt to be true to the Spirit in the face of blessings so amazing that, humanly speaking, they couldn't keep up.
Under the ministry of the Church of God, scores upon scores of people were repenting.
Winebrenner and his colleagues struggled mightily to be faithful stewards of the work the Spirit was doing in and through them.
They were humbled, and clearly fearful, to stand together in the midst of so great an outpouring of God's favor, seeing daily evidence of the Spirit's power and God's grace.
Yet, today,...
As a body, it's all about the "struggle, setback discouragement and weariness" Lance mentions.
Lance is correct to remind us that God works in our lives, even in times of struggle. We need not lose faith. We can, indeed, trust in Him.
It's how Lance describes the way we should respond that, I'm afraid, is lacking.
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Lance, courageously, mentions, if only in passing, that there are times that we struggle because of "sinful choices" we have made.
The CGGC truth in 2018 is that we are experiencing numerical decline and spiritual decay...
...that Lord of all authority and power and blessing...
...Who poured out His power and mercy and grace on us nearly 200 years ago to the point that walking in His blessing was, in itself, a challenge...
...isn't blessing us.
We plan and program and pray for His blessing on the work we offer to Him...
...we truly, and humbly, pray for His blessing...
...and, it's, at best, as if He never hears...
...but, of course, He does hear. He is all-knowing.
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The time has long since passed for us to come to grips with the reality that the Lord isn't blessing us because of sinful choices we have made and are still making.
Our plans are not His will.
Our programs don't please Him.
Our prayers don't bring His blessing.
What Lance didn't say is that when your struggle results from sinful choices...
...the only right thing for you to do is to repent and to turn from you sin and turn to Him.
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So, Lance is right. God doesn't waste anything.
The question for the CGGC for quite some time, has been: Will WE waste the opportunities of this moment?
So far, we have wasted them.
I do not believe that the Lord has forgotten us or forsaken us.
But, I also am convinced that we are wasting the moment.
Don't we know that we are struggling because of past (and present) sinful choices?
We have allowed ourselves to become an institution.
We don't walk by the Spirit.
And, as a result, we aren't walking in the power and blessing of the Spirit.
Will we waste this moment?
We must not waste it.
We must face up to the fact of our past and present sinful choices.
We must repent of them, turn away from them and turn to Him.
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