Let Your Church Arise!

Have you heard that song by Casting Crowns called “If We’ve Ever Needed You.”  The chorus goes like this:

If we’ve ever needed You… Lord, it’s now, Lord, it’s now
We are desperate for Your hand… We’re reaching out, we’re reaching out

All our hearts, all our strength… With all our minds, we’re at Your feet
May Your kingdom come in our hearts and lives… Let Your church arise, let Your church arise

Don’t these words speak directly into your Spirit?  Yea… me, too.  Sometimes I just sit and cry when this song comes on because it is so real and so right on target.

If we ever did need Him… it IS now.  Hardships just seems to be everywhere lately.  I’ve seen my friends and family dealing with tough issues…

• A dear friend lost her father this past weekend
• My family continues to deal with a mammoth betrayal from within
• Someone is dealing with a brother wrestling with suicidal thoughts
• A job was lost by someone I deeply care for
• My co-worker’s sister died young and unexpectedly
• A family is watching their infant child die because no one can determine what disease is claiming her life

And since we are Christ-followers, it’s only going to get tougher because we are dealing with a real enemy who hates us and is out to destroy us.

Ephesians 6:12 explains who.  It reads, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

We are dealing with evil… plain and simple.

Look back at those lyrics in orange and notice the last line.  “Let Your church arise.  Let Your church arise.”  Oh how I love those words.  Friends… WE are the church.   WE need to arise!

The definition of “arise” means “to awaken and get up.”

Might I humbly suggest that the church, for the most part, has been asleep as these lyrics suggest.  Would anyone disagree that we need to corporately wake up… get up… and stand up against the evil of this world.  For too long, we’ve lived in comfort.  For the most part, we’ve served in areas that we are comfortable in.  When we’ve seen evil, we tend to be passive in response because we’ve developed a certain level of tolerance to it.

Ouch.  I’m guilty.  You, too?

Friends… for Heaven’s sakes… wake up!  We need to raise the bar.  Send the clear message that certain things are not acceptable.  If not us… then who?  Here’s what I mean:

• Stop watching that television show that pushes the moral limit
• Monitor the music you and your kids listen to (whatever goes in… eventually comes out)
• Watch your words (harsh ones, curse ones, guilt-producing ones, gossip ones, and the like)
• Quit being so concerned with what the world finds impressive and valuable
• Fight for your family and friends when you see them heading down the wrong path
• Serve where it’s hard to serve
• Take advantage of every opportunity to help a friend whenever possible
• Get out of the rat race… you won’t win
• Stop judging others
• Answer that call on your life
• Study the Word of God… it is YOUR sword
• Pray, pray, pray

You’ve been too quiet.  I know you’ve got something to share.  Why not reply to this post and tell me how you are going to “arise.”

We… are… the… church.  Let’s prove it.

©2010 careyscotttalks.com