Dead Sea Thinking

I am becoming such a fan of the thoughts on faith that Dr. Chris Stephens churns out daily. Dr. Chris has a pretty amazing story. He's the lead pastor of Faith Promise Church. And while I've never heard him preach in person, that's something I definitley want to work into my to-do list.

I've come to appreciate his thoughts and his heart through a daily email he sends out. It comes like clock work (around 10ish) and always seems to give me some good spiritual manna to chew on. Check out his blog or sign up to receive his email, if you're interested.

Below is his post from today, which was just too good not to share. Love his thoughts about that God can’t bless selfishness and that we are all blessed to be a blessing. Good stuff!

Dead Sea Thinking

Posted: 15 Feb 2010 09:01 PM PST

Hey Friends,

The Dead Sea is beautiful. I have driven around it and have gone for a swim in it. It is below sea level and NOTHING can live in it because everything flows in and nothing flows out. It is dead! It is dead because this is not how the Lord designed the world to operate.

We are all supposed to take things in and we are all supposed to give things out. This is true in the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm. Far too many people, and even some in the church today, are dead seas in their lives and in their thinking.

Life is all about them! Everything flows to them, but never away. They are like the Dead Sea and nothing can really live in them or around them. The Dead Sea is selfish and God can’t bless selfishness. I hope you caught that last sentence because it is so true.

I wonder if some of the churches today are “Dead Sea” in their thinking. If the life of God is flowing in, then the life of God should be flowing out and giving others life.

Does life flow out of you? Are you a giver of yourself? Of your money? Of your time?

Look around you – do you see life? Are the people around you flourishing, thriving, growing, and giving life to others? That is the plan of God. We are blessed to be a blessing. People are like plants; they need water to grow and we are called to water them.

Who are you blessing?

Just some thoughts…

Love you,

Pastor Chris