JANUARY 11 "VENTURE OUT FOR GOD"

  "When he heard this he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord"  Venturing out for God is what keeps us worshiping the Lord. As scary and uncertain as this venture was for this servant, it reinvigorated his relationship with God. Who knows if back at home he was sliding into spiritual lethargy and just becoming more religious than anything.  The less we venture out for God, the more distant we grow from Him and the closer we get to becoming religious. When we venture out for God and leave the comfort zone is when we see the hand of God at work and that is so vital and healthy in our relationship with the Lord. This servant was amazed to see the providential hand of God directing him right to this woman, a complete impossibility in the natural realm, but a complete possibility with God. I want you, quickly, off the top of your head to name 5 Christians you personally know, that are venturing out for God right now! Hard isn't it? Now I want you to do the same exercise, naming 5 Christian that you are are struggling in their faith. Which exercise did you find easier to come up with 5 names. Most will find that it was easier to come up with 5 that were struggling in their walk with God; than 5 that were venturing out for God. If we fail to see how the two are related, than we are completely blind. The strategy to stay in the "safe zone" as a Christian, backfires every time! As we keep ourselves in the safe zone, we will find our faith deteriorating over the years and as we watch people constantly venturing out for God, we will see their faith increasing and notice a vibrancy in their walk with God. They will, as the servant was; be bowing down to the ground to worship the Lord, as you sit on the sidelines, in the same Church, under the same sermons, same songs and wonder....."what's all the hype about, let's get through this service before it's too late and the ball game is over when I get home or it's too late to watch my favorite episode of..........This stuff may have moved me in my earlier years but I'm pass that now".  Well, the truth is you should never get pass worshiping, with enthusiasm, your Lord and Savior. The only thing I would say you are "pass" is venturing out for God and just like a slow leak in a tire, you are not noticing your faith slowly leaking out, until one day you get up and the tire is flat and think you have some major blowout only to find out that it was just a very small leak and the air was probably leaking out for quite some time. One morning you will will wake up and decide to skip church that Sunday, take it easy and not have missed it at all, but rather enjoyed your day way from church, worship and that whole scene. Your faith will not be what it once was and you will not be able to trace where it all begun, but simply know nothing more than you don't feel the same". When was the last time God was able to move upon your heart, to venture out for Him? Trace back to that time and you may be able to trace back to when your faith was first punctured and that slow leak began.