What is your Barometer telling you?

 First of all, what does a Barometer do?

A Barometer detects atmospheric pressure changes around you. High pressure detects clear weather and low pressure detects rainy or stormy weather. The Barometer is simple a tool, used in detecting the changes in weather conditions.
What if we took more a little more effort in examining the condition of our spirituality, the same way you would look at a Barometer and take notice which way the needle was moving.

Recently, I attended a men's group, where the objective is to walk together with each other and share our struggles as men, fathers, husbands and how we fit in the community.
One of the guys was asked, how he was doing. He shared about his spiritual credentials, how he was raised to believe the way he did and how he was struggling now with faith and hope. The group responded on how deep his thoughts were and wanted to expound on the spiritualness of it all, missing the point of how he was doing. What if everyone around you thinks you have it all together and you look in the mirror and know that it's not true?

First of all, one of the most dangerous spiritual things to do is to want to make people feel like they have it, when they don't. I'm not saying that we judge people, I'm saying to listen and not try and just make people feel good.

If you went to the Oncologist and he told you that you looked great today and yet your body was riddled with cancer and he didn't mention your test results, it would almost be like he was committing murder. It's his job to tell you the truth. As true friends, it is our job to tell our friends the truth. When you become a true friend to someone, I believe that you must put your concern for them higher then your concern for what they think of you. I'm talking true friend. Someone that you have earned the right to speak into their life.

But where does that leave you and your spiritual Barometer?

Are you lonely in a crowd or even sitting next to your spouse on the couch?
Are the worries of this world, overwhelming you. Do you toss and turn in bed and not really ever fall asleep?
On your drive home, do you think about when you get home, walking in and mixing a drink before you sit down?
Is life complete? Are you at peace with God and yourself?
When was the last time someone tapped on the glass of your spiritual Barometer to see which way the needle is moving? When was the last time you tapped on the glass?

Here is what the your spiritual Barometer was made to detect....

Where are you God?

Where are you God, in my life?

               Where are you God, in my circumstances?

                              Where are You God...

Have you ever had an experience where you called out on God to get you through something extremely difficult. Like your child being diagnosed with Leukemia, or your house about to be forclosed on, and through God's grace, you made it?
Afterwards, when all the dust had settled and you could breathe again, you went back to living.

The question is, did you go back to living the same way you lived before?

Was there any question that, maybe, if God did rescue you from your situation, that you should turn around and thank God or even more, examine your life and turn around and see if God is more then your personal lifeguard.

In the book of Luke, in chapter 17, there's a story about ten lepers who called out to Jesus to heal them. Jesus said, "go show yourselves to the the priests", and as they went on down the road and were healed. Only one returned to Jesus, a Samaritan, and Jesus asked, "where are the other nine"? After receiving healing from Jesus, the other nine were rescued and went on with their lives, going on down the road. If God rescues you, shouldn't you have a hunger to find out who He is? Or, is your desire to get on with your life now that your all fixed. Does God require anything from us for His rescuing us? NO. He doesn't require anything. But just as any parent who does anything good for their children, waits for some type of acknowledgement from their child. In my humanness, I think, hmm, maybe next time I won't go out of my way to help the ungrateful. At what point will God come to that point with you, if you remain ungrateful?


Who is God to you? Your personal lifeguard or someone that you are in relationship with? God does want a personal relationship with you. Check out this article. If you were hanging on the cross next to Jesus, Which one are you? "If you are God, get me out of this", or "remember me when you come into your kingdom"?



"TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE"
(Luke 23:43)

April 17, 1981 (Good Friday)
Bethlehem Baptist Church
John Piper, Pastor




Or what if you haven't figured out how to get right with God, yet?
You may already be someone who calls out to God, but do you really know if He really hears your prayers?


How do I find God?


Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me."
(John 14:6)






Who do you listen to for spiritual guidance? People who alway tell you that you are right? Do you want God to follow you in your lifestyle or do you want to know what God thinks about how we are following Him?


Jeremiah 23:9-24 (New International Version)

9 Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words.

10 The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered. The prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.

11 "Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness," declares the LORD.

12 "Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished," declares the LORD.

13 "Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

14 And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."

15 Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty says concerning the prophets: "I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land."

16 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

17 They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.'

18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?

19 See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.

20 The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand it clearly.

21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.

23 "Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD, "and not a God far away?

24 Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.

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