The other day while getting a paper towel to dry my hands, The Lord spoke to me about the way the roll was hanging on the dispenser. Of all things He could use, I had to laugh about this one. Wives you know as much as we beg and we plead; our husbands will inevitably hang the paper towel roll up the wrong way. We like to think that hanging the roll with the paper facing the front is the best way; they like to think it hangs best from the back. I know this is a silly thing but I think that we can really parallel it in our own lives.

Let me explain…

When the paper towel hangs in the front and you go to get one, what happens? The entire roll often comes unrolled. This frustrates me to no end. I grumble and complain while I have to roll it, carefully as I can back on the roll. Has this ever happened to you?

 

While I was getting a paper towel the other day (I’m at work) the paper towel roll was hung up with the sheets hanging in the back. My first thought was; “Why on earth can’t they put the paper towel roll on the right way?” Mutiny in my heart, I reached to get a paper towel, and God spoke to me. “What is wrong with the way the paper towel roll is hung?” I thought; “Are you kidding me Lord? I begin to list all “my” reasons why it was not the right way, and He said; “What happened when you got the paper towel? “I’m like, what?” “What do you mean what happened?” I thought, “I got a paper towel and dried my hands. “He said; “Did the roll unroll itself?” I knew then that I had been busted. I was so concerned with the way the roll was hanging, I missed an important thing; the roll indeed had not come unraveled.

Let’s think about it for a moment. Let’s see if there are any parallels in our lives with how we read the Word of God and/or function in church. Let’s see if it parallels any of our lives in how we respond to people and/or events that surround us?

The church is in such a state right now that we don’t know who is right and who is wrong. Like the paper towel roll we get upset and murmur when people don’t “do” things the way we think it should be done. We get sideways with our presumptions; this is the truth and you are wrong. We question motivation and method as easily as we consume air. We never stop to think that maybe, just maybe “we” are wrong.

The New Testament writings of Paul clearly show that while Christ was preached, people were judging others because of the “way” it was being carried out.

Have you ever done this? I know I have. Before you say Shawn is saying there are many ways to God; let me clarify my position on it. There is only ONE way. Jesus is the Way, He is the Truth and He is the Life, and no man comes to the Father except through Him.

Are you sure that you, man of God or woman of God are doing the will of God His way? Are you serving as Jesus did, not counting yourself in the equation? I think that if you can’t say yes with complete sincerity, then you need to examine your own walk. We have this ideology that somehow because the Spirit of God resides in us that we have the truth at our disposal to beat up and abuse those not walking in the way “we” think is right.

Should we call out wolves parading in sheep clothing? Absolutely!

Should we call out sin? Absolutely!

The problem I think is that we have the idea that we are God’s Spirit on the earth to do His job for Him. We are not the Holy Spirit and we are not God, so why do we act like we are?

What is the will of the Father? 

Do we really even know?

We argue truths and theologies, well this word means this and that word means that, never coming to an agreement about anything. Do we actually think this is winning a crown of Glory that we lay at His feet?

The disciples didn’t get it when Jesus walked the earth, so why are we so arrogant to think that we have?

Let me ask you this;

How many people have you brought to Christ today?

How many people have you served today?

How many people have you loved today?

How many people have you cried with today?

How many hungry people have you fed today?

How many prisoners have you set free today?

How many homeless people have you given shelter to today?

My point is not in the “number” of people, so don’t misunderstand me. My point is in the going, the doing, the willingness. This is not a competition at all, but rather a love walk, living a servant walk for Christ Jesus.

We want all the “good” gifts such as; prophecy, healing, tongues etc… But we are not willing to say “God, I just want to serve You. I don’t need a title, I don’t need a badge; I just want to do what Jesus did while He walked the earth” That is the “Will” of the Father.

Can we say we want that? Honestly?

We serve God most often out of our own pride and arrogance. “Well this is what the bible says… blah, blah… all the while the people we think we are helping are becoming more and more confused. It’s the spirit that gives life to the Word of God in us. We don’t give it life He does.

The “new” thing is to get back to the New Testament churches way of doing things. This is the latest fad going around the church world. Is this a good thing? Yes, but only if your heart is like Christ heart. If your motivation is so that God will bless you, then you are walking the wrong way.

In love for a people who hated Him and despised Him, Christ poured out His heart so that He might redeem us. His commandment was to love GOD with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

Honestly do we think we are fulfilling this simple commandment?

If you think you are, then tell me where are those who lives have been redeemed and restored because you were Jesus in the flesh to them? Where are the people who you had compassion on like Jesus did, who are serving God with fervent zeal? I will venture to say that neither you nor I either one can name five people who came to Christ because of us and are on fire for God and loving His people. I would venture to say that those we brought to Christ are just as much confused now as we are. I would venture to say that most of the people we brought in are following man just as we are and if the man of God was taken out of his place we would scatter to the winds. I would venture to say that we have anchored our very lives on the doctrines of men and not God. We have anchored on everything else but Jesus.

You say, well you are being too harsh. Am I? Do you not realize that while we argue about doctrines and which way is the best to worship, people are dying and going to eternal hell? Does this not move you at all? Do we not realize that while we contemplate the latest blog we want to write that all around us in the real world we live in, people are dying and going to hell for eternity and we have the answer? Does this not move you at all? Does it not cause your heart to burn with compassion for them? If you were following after the The Way, The Truth and The Life it would.

The truth is that we are broken and we are displaced, because we don’t know which way the roll goes. Every new doctrine coming out moves us either left or right. We run here or they’re chasing the latest prophet or evangelist who seems to have the most anointing. Never realizing that Christ sits next to God weeping. He shed His blood for a dying world and today 2000 + years later we still do not get it!

We still want to “play” church. We still want to serve God part time! Sadly enough we still think it’s all about us?

We need a wakeup call!

I want to quote a scripture to you that is very popular…

We quote this and quote this missing the very thing that we need to see. We need to repent, we need to turn from wickedness, we need to humble ourselves, and we need to seek His face. Then and only then will God hear from heaven. Then and only then will God heal our land.

You want a revival, start it in your own heart.

You want to see people come to Jesus; you come to Jesus and humble your own self first.

You want to see our nation healed, then you repent first.

I don’t know, but I do know this much, whatever way is the proper way to do it will result in a roll that works exactly as it should. The key is to know the truth and the only way you can know the Truth, is to know Jesus. The only way to know Jesus is to search for Him with all of your heart. Not position, not notoriety, not fame or fortune, not visibility, not anything else. I will venture to say, not even to get a “word from God” If you seek for Jesus with all your heart and HE overtakes you, you have the express written word of God in action in your life. It will manifest in every aspect of your life. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you love. Does this make sense? You won’t need those nuggets of the truth, you are walking with Truth.

The Truth is that when you walk with the Lord you get smaller and smaller and HE gets bigger and bigger and mighty things are done through you, by Him and for Him.

I leave you with this scripture to meditate on!

Jeff Deyo sings a song that says; nothing less than all of me…

Is this your heart today? Is this your cry when you’re on your knees? Is this what aches in your soul and what you long for in your spirit?

Make yourself and your ideals invisible and let Jesus do the will of the Father in you. This is the Way, this The Truth and this is the Life!

This is the way the paper towel roll is supposed to go.

May you be blessed!

I’m hid with Christ!

Shawn