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- Apr 25, 2006
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Is There 'Junk' in Your Life?
'Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares.' Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
Picture a big ship being worked on in dry dock. Beneath the waterline is all the ‘junk’ it has picked up during its voyages. Nobody can see it, but an experienced captain can feel it because his ship lacks the ‘oomph’ it once had. As a result, companies complain that it takes too long to get goods for their customers, and the ship’s owners are unhappy because it hurts profit margin in a competitive market.
The effort required to remove the ‘junk’ is back–breaking and time–consuming, but there’s no other way to do it. Finally, after months of hard work the dry dock is flooded with water, the gates open, and the big vessel heads out to sea and back into the profit column.
Writing to the believers at Corinth, Paul says, ‘Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.’ (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV) Let’s be honest; it’s easier to examine your neighbour than to examine yourself, or to talk about what you once accomplished rather than what you’re accomplishing now.
Are you slowing down? Are you losing spiritual momentum? Are you in the profit or loss column? You’ll find the answer under the waterline where only God and you can see. Carelessness, a critical spirit, compromise, conformity to the world, and coldness of heart: that’s the ‘junk’ that builds up and slows you down. These are the subtle sins you must deal with in order to be everything God called you to be and enjoy the blessings He has in store for you.
written by Bob Gass
'Lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares.' Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
Picture a big ship being worked on in dry dock. Beneath the waterline is all the ‘junk’ it has picked up during its voyages. Nobody can see it, but an experienced captain can feel it because his ship lacks the ‘oomph’ it once had. As a result, companies complain that it takes too long to get goods for their customers, and the ship’s owners are unhappy because it hurts profit margin in a competitive market.
The effort required to remove the ‘junk’ is back–breaking and time–consuming, but there’s no other way to do it. Finally, after months of hard work the dry dock is flooded with water, the gates open, and the big vessel heads out to sea and back into the profit column.
Writing to the believers at Corinth, Paul says, ‘Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.’ (2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV) Let’s be honest; it’s easier to examine your neighbour than to examine yourself, or to talk about what you once accomplished rather than what you’re accomplishing now.
Are you slowing down? Are you losing spiritual momentum? Are you in the profit or loss column? You’ll find the answer under the waterline where only God and you can see. Carelessness, a critical spirit, compromise, conformity to the world, and coldness of heart: that’s the ‘junk’ that builds up and slows you down. These are the subtle sins you must deal with in order to be everything God called you to be and enjoy the blessings He has in store for you.
written by Bob Gass
