Reverse Missionaries.

I read this statement the other day, "some Christians have become reverse missionaries: rather than being missionaries from the church to the world; they have instead become missionaries from the world to the church." (Dinesh D'Souza, What's So Great About Christianity?)

How true is that! Somehow some Christians have gotten it backwards! In an effort to be in the world and not of it, they have unknowingly and sometimes quite happily absorbed certain mindsets and patterns of secular society and brought it back to church.

Romans 12
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

In my reflections, there are a lot of things I personally tend to adopt. Apathy to the lost, negativity (attitudes and words), and materialism.

But one thing that has really impressed on me is materialism.

As human beings we seem to have this need to always be wanting more stuff. In fact its not just more, but we always want what seems to be the "best". There's almost like a competition in church. Who has the nicest car? Who has the nicest clothes? Who has the most money? That doesn't seem to be a trend that is appropriate in church.

I believe that is ok to have stuff, but it is not ok for the stuff to have you.

You realise you're in danger for that happening when you constantly think about the stuff that you want. Suddenly you're prayer time is all about that thing. You spend every waking moment meditating on that thing. The challenge is to ask ourselves: do I really need that? If the answer is yes, then keep praying! But if the honest answer is no...

Psalm 37:4 tells us "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Notice how it says AND He will give.. not SO He will give. There are times where we almost read that statement that way. Thats what I love about God, He is not unreasonable. He knows we have desires, everyone does. But He also knows what's best for us, thats why it says to "delight ourselves in Him."

Where is your delight? Is it in God or the desire?