Suddenly

I listened to Neal Cuvuto give some details of a talk he had with a friend who was celebrating His 50th birthday recently. They were enjoying the fact that the market was looking pretty good after hitting the 10,000 mark. They got down to the real important stuff; what it's been like turning 50 in this uncertain world, how several of this man's family had died early deaths, (in their 40's and 50's). What made this conversation so striking to me is people are thinking about something outside of pouring their lives out every day at work and neglecting the most important issue...life itself, and what makes it so important.

The friend talking to Neal had experience with the suddenness of life. Unexpected deaths from disease passed down through genes, the market is very fickle and could suddenly change with a major drop, their ability to make a good living in our competitive society is shaking. The unasked questions in both of them was, exactly how did everything begin to change, when did it all start to slip through my control and why?

The truth is, "it" never was in our control, none of it. God has placed powers and authorities in position, He has the king's hearts in His hands. He blesses whomever He wants to bless and He can withhold from whomever He wants. God said, "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated [rejected]." Rom. 9:13. Job had it all crash away in one day. Nothing as easy as slipping out of his control, a little at a time. "Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides..." Job 1:19. Just part of the verse tells the complete story. The Lord will suddenly bless too. "Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them." Acts2: 2-3.

These two men in their fifities having a man to man about life are thinking of how suddenly it could all be taken away. Imagine the ministry the Church is having in times like these? This is what He has equipped us for...influence in this world. We have everything we need in Christ. A powerful word on influence came from P. Jeff this week at the All-Team meeting on Tuesday. I'm going to write another blog soon on the important words we heard at this meeting. Not just words in a notepad, but words that turn into demonstration of the Gospel of the kingdom in our world. Yes, for those fifty something guys who look like they have it all together too. Whosoever will may come!