The Tragedy of the empty seat

Hey blog world. It's been a while hu? yea I know, if you have been praying for me, God bless you, if you have not please do so and I will pray for you as well. Today was a kind of mixed emotion day. At the beginning of the worship service my heart was grieving over the sheep. This feeling caused me to want to change the message God had given me. I went and shut myself up in my study and prayed for guidance. I yielded to the Spirit of God instead of my flesh. Lesson learned: NEVER preach out of your frustration or let the circumstances around you move you away from what God had placed in your spirit.

The word for today came from John 20:24-29: I called it, "The tragedy of the empty seat." God showed me three things that Thomas missed out on by not being present:
1) The Peace of God: Jesus came and blessed the disciples, "Peace be unto you." We too miss out on the peace of God when we fail to fellowship with His people. God has peace for every situation in our lives, but we miss out on it if we are not there.

2) The Power of God: After Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples the bible says He breathed on them, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." The disciples needed Jesus peace for their fears. They needed His power for their problems. We too need the power of God if we are to be witnesses to His word, will and way. We need His power to love right, to walk right, to pray for those that curse us. I don't know about you, but I can't make it without His power. As a matter of fact it is in His power that I now move, live and have my being.

3) The Presence of God: Verse 26, says Thomas didn't show up until eight days later. That let's me know that he went a whole week, discouraged, defeated and depressed. The tragedy is He could have had God's Peace, Power & been in His presence if it was not for His doubting way. I wish I had time to tell you, that we really can't blame Thomas for wanted to base his faith on as many facts as he could acquire. We really can't blame him for his doubt. I mean He had seen Jesus after the beating He had taken, he had seen them nail his hands, & his feet. He had seen the solders thrust a sword into His side. He had seen Him die!

But how many of you know that if you are a child of God, after every tragedy there is triumph!? Thomas eventually presented Himself at one of the meeting and Jesus showed up again. Jesus extended and invitation to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, reach hither thy had. Stop being faithless and believe." Thomas confessed.

Now as tragic as this story is there is an even bigger tragedy in our Churches today. There are still a lot of empty seats. Not because the attendance is low but because the level of commitment by those that do attend is love.. Y'all gone make me get dirty I see. Watch this...... If you are a deacon but you are not doing what a deacon should do....the seat is still empty... tragedy... If you are a mother, but you not doing what a mother should do...the seat is still empty.... tragedy... If you are a trustee, but you can't be trusted, guess what... the seat is still empty... tragedy! If you are a preacher, pastor, teacher, but you refused to say what, "Thus sayeth the Lord, guess what, the pulpit is still empty... tragedy..

Have you ever gone to a dinner party or a entertainment event and instead of sitting your seat you simply place your coat or some other belonging there to signify that the seat is yours? We have too many people in the church today, putting their stuff there, but their heart is not there. Tragedy.

One day I got to leave this old world behind, I know I will leave an empty seat in my home. but I got another building not made with hand, there is a seat for you and there is a seat for me, the tragedy is when your name is called with your seat be taken...

Let's pray: Father in heaven we too have been Thomas, we have doubted your word, We have asked you for signs, we have left our first love and our seat has been empty. Forgive us this day. Create in us a desire to seek and serve you from the depth of our soul. In Jesus name, AMEN!