It is that time a year when many will take short time and shallow thought to develop a list of resolutions for the coming year. Most if not all of the resolutions made are made to benefit the person making the resolution. I have been seeking God's face for this next year and have come to the realization that as a Christian I need to make a list of things that will lead to Revolution and not resolution. A list of things that I can do to change and impact society around me.

When you look at Jesus' life He did not do one selfish act. Everything He did was to change the lives of those He served. He didn't live just to make things better but to change things all together. He has called us to the same. To think of the other person before we speak our mind. To think of those in need before we spend every dime. To think of what He has called us to do before we have wasted all of our time. I want my life to embody the two greatest commands. To love God and love people. I must also know that I cannot prove my love to God without proving my love for and to those around me.

I want to be a revolutionary. So when you sit down to write down the list of resolutions examine them to see how many will impact those around you. Do you want a revolution in your life, in your church and in our city? It could start with you today. It could start right now.

God has really been dealing with me on the subject of love.  It seems that every verse I am drawn to is about love.  It is a very appropriate topic for the Christmas Season.  

 

I have trouble separating the holidays that are centered on the life of Christ.  Like Christmas and Easter.  Though the original days were 33 years apart they were for the same purpose.  Jesus was born to die for us.

 

John 3:16 says that God so LOVED us so He gave us is only Son.  Jesus later says that the two most important things in life center on LOVE.  Love God and love each other.  There is obviously some significance to this LOVE thing.

 

This Christmas as you are thinking about what to give, or where to go, or what to eat don't forget to show God's love for and to those around you.

I have had a pretty rough week.  I’ll start from the beginning.

Last Friday we went to Amelia, VA to visit with some good friends of ours.  We had a great time just sitting around and talking with them on Friday night.  The women and children went to bed a little early and my buddy and I stayed up till midnight playing video games.  It’s been a long time since I have had the chance to waist that much time playing.  I loved it.  

Saturday morning I woke up around 6am to use the bathroom but could not get out of bed.  When I sat up the room I was in began to spin as though I was standing and turning around and around as fast I could.  I stayed in bed for another hour before I finally had to get up and go to the bathroom.  I did what I needed to do and then fell to the floor.  I had to lay flat on my stomach with my head turned to the left.  Any other position would cause the room to spin.   

The friends we were with called a paramedic that they knew to see if he could stop by and see me.  By the time he made it there I had crawled from the bathroom floor to the bedroom floor and managed to get a pair of jeans on.  When the paramedic arrived he asked me a few questions and said he thought I had Vertigo and needed to go to the hospital.  They loaded me on the stretcher, face down, and off we went.  It was a horrible 30 minute ride.  By the way the smell of ammonia helps to relieve nausea dew to sensory problems.

I don’t remember a whole lot about my visit to the ER but the doctor agreed with the fact that was suffering with Vertigo.  I don’t remember all of what the doctor said but in a nut shell your brain cannot tell up from down or left from right.  They could not treat the cause but put me on prescriptions that would help with the symptoms.  It has been almost a week and I can finally stand and walk without falling over.  

All that to say this.  I am at a point in my life where when I face challenges of any kind I ask God to teach me through the process.  This time as been no different.

I realized how easy it is to suffer from spiritual Vertigo.  The difference is with spiritual Vertigo you treat the cause and the symptoms will cease.  I have been raised in the church and have served God my whole life.  Many times I experience things that shake me up and cause me to grow.  It is way too easy to suffer from spiritual Vertigo.  You can easily sink into times when you just cannot tell up from down.  Worse than that you fail to realize that you even suffer from it.

Jeremiah 28

³⁵ You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’ or ‘What is the Lord saying?’ ³⁶ But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the Lord.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the Lord Almighty.      

Look at this phrase “turning upside down the words of our God”.  Although this passage is dealing directly with the children of Israel it is so easily applied to the culture of Christianity and Church culture today.  We get way to comfortable in our relationship with the Almighty God.  Remaining comfortable is what leads to spiritual Vertigo.  After time you can’t tell up from down.  Our Church services can also instigate this problem.  If we are not leading to a deeper relationship with God we are slowly causing the symptoms of spiritual Vertigo. 

If you look at the history of the children of Israel you will quickly see this problem occur again and again.  One minute they are worshiping God the next minute they are worshiping Idols.  They suffered from spiritual Vertigo.  

What do I think the remedy is?  Serving God.  Not loving God because that’s easy.  Not avoiding evil because as you love God this can also be easy.  Serving God is the remedy.  Working to build His kingdom.  Getting involved in some type of ministry is required.  This to me is not a recommendation but a requirement. 

Back to my health for a moment.  In my recovery I have come to place where if I keep my eyes focused on something the world around me stops spinning.  It is easy to see how to apply this to our spiritual walk.  If we keep our eyes focused on God the world around us will stop spinning.  Guess what though?  If your eyes are truly focused on God you will not miss the promptings to serve.  Faith with out works is what?  You know, DEAD.  

I can honestly say that suffering with Vertigo is the worst illness I have ever faced.  The thing is I would much rather suffer from physical Vertigo than spiritual Vertigo.  When suffering from spiritual Vertigo all one does is try to stop spinning.  Mean while they are standing in one place far to long and missing out on the many blessings that God has for them. 

The most important thing is to never fall into this spiritual condition.  The second most important thing is that if you do quickly realize it and serve, serve, serve your way to recovery..  

Final thought.  For all of you that just go to church beware you are setting yourself up to suffer from spiritual Vertigo.  Begin to treat the cause now so you will not have to experience the symptoms later.

SERVE, SERVE, SERVE. 

One of my many job titles is “grave coverer.”  That’s right, I cover graves.  It’s not near as cool as being a “grave digger” but it helps to pay the bills.  I had to cover one today in fact and the atmosphere made me think a little.

Galatians 1:15 "But then something happened! For it pleased God in his kindness to choose me and call me, even before I was born! What undeserved mercy!"