We Need God

We don’t need more of ourselves.

We need God.

We don’t need more books about God.

We need God.

We don’t need more self-help books.

We need God.

We don't need more daily devotional books.

We need God.

We don’t need more bookstores.

We need God.

We don’t need to buy more study Bibles.

We need God.

We don’t need more bluegrass, rock, rap, disco, punk, high church, low church, mid-church, western, do-wop, be-bop, hip-hop, contemporary, blended, traditional, gospel, classical, polka music in the church.

We need God.

We don’t need more of man’s opinions.

We need God.

We don't need more critics in the church.

We need God.

We don’t need more web sites and internet resources.

We need God.

We don’t need more PowerPoint presentations.

We need God.

We don’t need more money.

We need God.

We don’t need more Sunday School/discipleship curriculum.

We need God.

We don’t need more magazines.

We need God.

We don’t need more technology.

We need God.

We don’t need more super computers.

We need God.

We don’t need more dvd’s, cd’s, or videos.

We need God.

We don’t need more super-duper/extreme/we are going to blow your socks off/radical/power conferences with the biggest names in show business. (oops, sorry: in church growth/evangelism).

We need God.

We don’t need more academic degrees.

We need God.

We don’t need more programs.

We need God.

We don’t need more experts.

We need God.

We don’t need more buildings.

We need God.

We don’t need more entertainment.

We need God.

We don’t need more family life centers with weight rooms, exercise rooms, walking tracks, basketball courts, saunas, and whirlpools so that we can isolate ourselves from the world.

We need God.

We don’t need more financial seminars on raising money.

We need God.

We don’t need more people.

We need God.

We don’t need more property.

We need God.

We don’t need to know more about what other churches are doing so that we can copy what they do.

We need God.

We don’t need to do more long-range planning.

We need God.

We don’t need more meetings.

We need God.

We don’t need more showmanship.

We need God.

We don’t need more instructions about how to do church.

We need God.

We don’t need to be in competition with each other’s churches.

We need God.

We don’t need to make a name for ourselves.

We need God.

We don’t need to publicize and promote ourselves or our churches.

We need God.

We don’t need to pastor a larger church or better church.

We need God.

We don’t need a better financial package.

We need God.

We don’t need more self-sufficiency.

We need God.

We don’t need more selfishness.

We need God.

We don’t need more self-righteousness.

We need God.

Or

Maybe we just don’t need God.

Fire From Heaven

The following was written by Byron Paulus, director of Life Action Ministries www.lifeaction.org.

“I am captivated by Mount Carmel. On open display before the nation, a solitary Elijah faces down 450 false prophets of Baal. The prophets of Ball spend hours in dance and display. Elijah speaks only 23 words. The Baalites put on quite a show but Elijah’s altar is empty.

Like all perversions of religion, Baalism is focused on the experience and satisfaction of the worshipper. Elijah’s words center the people on God and their response to Him. Our choice is no different today. Will we cultivate an approach to God that makes sense to us or an approach that makes sense to God? In this, Mount Carmel is instructive. When the noise and dancing had ended in sheer exhaustion and futility, Elijah quietly prayed to the true God, and the fire fell.

The crying need of our times is fire from heaven. We don’t need more “worship experiences”; we need to encounter God. It is God who will motivate us to serve, love, and obey. We need to decide who is God.”

Taken from: Heartcry Journal