Revive me! Weekly Reflections #23 ©www.christian-recovery.com

Col 4:2 Be continuing earnestly in prayer; be staying alert in it with thanksgiving.

Col 4:17b Be seeing to the ministry which you received in [the] Lord, so that you shall be fulfilling it. (ALT)

Two short, easy, and straight to the point sentences on what you should be doing as you await your deliverance. No getting around it that these are not suggestions but rather an authoritative direction delivered for your well being and instruction today.

1) Do you continue in prayer, earnestly, being alert, and delivering it with thanksgiving, or are you a nominal Christian who has fallen by the wayside? 2) Have you recognized that each and every Christian that has received Christ is now a steward of the Gospel, obligated to share the Good News with others? Are you fulfilling that calling and ministry, or are you a nominal Christian that believes "Clerical George" has a ministry--not me--let him do the works?

It is very unappealing to be a regular attendee at a church where you see the same faces, week after week, asking for the same type of prayer, over and over, knowing that they have no prayer life other than leaning on the ability of someone else to say a prayer of favor for them. On the same hand these are the same faces who do not serve or volunteer in that church because they feel church is to receive and not to give. Take away the background image of a church and apply it to your life. How much time do you spend in earnest prayer and in ministry for the Lord each week? Hopefully it accounts for more than just the mandatory one hour spent in a church service.

We reap what we sow. If we sow nothing into our recovery with prayer and doing good works to others, it is highly likely that one year from now we will still be reading messages similar to Revive Me! recovery reflections having never received one iota of relief from our affliction. The particular verse of sowing and reaping is actually preceded with this thought. Gal 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked." Do we dare to mock God who desires to give us His all-in-all? Are we giving Him ours?

Be at peace within yourself as God searches and tries the genuineness of your faith. You are no exception to God desiring His highest will. Allow God to work on what He deems of foremost importance in your life. Be generous in your prayer life and service to Him, and one day you will be amazed that you have your freedom and were so wrapped up in Kingdom work you almost failed to recognize it!

Heavenly Father, thank You that You have set priorities for good in my life. What You deem as important, I also deem as important. Let me be faithful, trusting and active until it pleases You to set me free. Amen

My commitment this week __________________________________________