Fighting SLOTHFULNESS

As I sit here this morning, once again watching the squirrels out of my window, my mind drifts to our 21-day Daniel Fast. It probably drifted there because of a sharp hunger pain. I have made it my goal that each time I feel a hunger pain or have a craving for something, to use that as a nudge to pray. As I try to keep that goal, I am breathing prayers throughout the day. We begin DAY THREE on our fast…how are you doing? Have you slipped up some? If so, that's ok, just do better today. Remember that we are in this thing together, fighting together as a huge family, and at the same time, an army. There are things that we desperately want to hear from God on, and I know in my heart that God will honor our commitment to this fast. Please remember, to keep your focus on God and not on the food that you can or can't eat. Also, try your best not to allow a COMPLAINING SPIRIT to overtake you. Strive to begin and end the day with THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. Push on my friends…we can accomplish this goal. It is WELL WORTH THE FIGHT.

I would like to share something with you today that I read from Rick Renner's "Sparkling Gems from the Greek" book concerning slothfulness. I have always thought that laziness and slothfulness were the same thing, but they are not. When I read warnings in the Bible about slothfulness, I have always moved right along because I have always been a hard worker and not lazy. However, this morning as I was reading Rick's study about slothfulness, I quickly turned my meditation to what I am writing on this morning. Since DAY THREE of a fast is kind of like DAY THREE after a surgery…the most painful, I want to issue a challenge about not allowing ourselves to become SLOTHFUL during this fast commitment. Let's look at it together.

Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Slothful comes from the Greek word nothros and describes something that is dull, monotonous, or unexciting; something that is slow and sluggish; or something that has lost its speed or momentum. This "something" is still moving, but it isn't moving with the same velocity and aggressiveness it once had. It has lost the drive, thrust, impetus, pace, and speed it once possessed. This word therefore presents the idea of someone who was once zealous about something but whose zeal has now dissipated, replaced instead by neutrality.

The Greek word nothros could be typified by a candle that no longer burns brightly as it once did; now it's flame has dwindled to a mere flicker of its original intensity. The candle still gives light, but not the way it once did. Thus, the word nothros doesn't present the picture of laziness; rather, it speaks of someone who has lost his zeal or his intense conviction about a matter that once was of great importance to him. It denotes a person who has become disinterested and whose zeal has been replaced with a middle-of-the-road, take-it-or-leave it mentality.

Because of this word nothros, Hebrews 6:12 could be interpreted this way:

"Quit being slothful — quit acting like someone who has lost his enthusiasm and excitement and has now sunk into a state of being slow, boring, monotonous, sluggish, dull, and uninterested."

Listen to what Rick confesses in his own life: When I grasped what the word "slothful" really meant, I began wishing the Lord had accused me of laziness! I saw that "slothfulness" has nothing to do with the amount of energy you or I put out to do a job. Instead, it speaks of an inward condition. Even though it may look like we're going somewhere on the outside, inwardly we're stuck in "neutral" and going nowhere. In my case, I was doing a lot for the Lord at that time; however, right in the midst of all that activity, I was becoming hardened to the things of the Spirit. I was losing the edge I once possessed. When the Lord told me to remove slothfulness from my life, He was calling me to eradicate any hint of spiritual neutrality and to reclaim the red-hot position I'd previously held in my walk with Him.

If you are serious about serving and pleasing God, you must view the loss of your passion, momentum, and desire as totally unacceptable. If slothfulness has slowly wormed its way into your life, this spiritual problem can be corrected. You can
get back on track again! By repenting and deciding to turn from slothfulness and neutrality, you can remove this hindrance from your life. So if you've lost your momentum in running your spiritual race, don't stay in neutral! If you continue in this sad state, it will only be a matter of time before you look back and realize how much ground you've lost.

Don't let another day go by without repenting of your slothfulness and stirring up your inner desire to fulfill all God has called you to do. Shift back into high gear, and go after God's best for all you're worth!

Again, make up your mind TODAY to push on…you CAN make it through DAY THREE! I love you guys, and pray that you have a victory-filled day. Blessings!

Pastor Rusty

Today's "THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR" reading: March 4, 2008 (Tuesday) 2 Samuel 1:1 – 2 Samuel 4:12

This week's Memory verse to "hide in our heart": Psalm 115:14-16

Psalm 115:14-16 May the Lord give you increase more and more, you and your children. (15) May you be blessed of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth! (16) The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth has He given to the children of men.