You have heard the expression “inactivity is the devil’s workshop.” In many churches it is most difficult to stir the congregation into activity. They will come to church on Sunday morning, listen to the deacon pray, the choir sing, the preacher preach, and they go home feeling like they have performed their duty. In a real sense they never got out of their beds. They were in a state of inactivity. That describes many modern-day churches. Some churches put Bibles in the pews because the people don’t have one or they just won’t bring them to church. We can’t lay all the blame on the people, though, because in most cases they are not given the opportunity to function. Oh, the churches of today have gone so far afield from New Testament church order.
In I Corinthians 12:8-10 Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit – wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Then in verse 7 he says, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit all.” Everyone in the church should receive the Holy Spirit and learn how to function so that the entire church will be edified. In verses 14-27 Paul tells us it is necessary for every member of the church to function, even the most insignificant member has a very necessary function. In order for a church to be healthy spiritually, each member must function according to the ability God gives. Does prophecy scare you? Many churches shy away from that. Listen to what God says, “You may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (I Corinthians 14:31). God has a particular ministry for you. Are you still in bed? Get up and wash those pots and pans!
Ephesians 5:18b-21 Be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of
God.
Colossians 3:16-17 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.
I Corinthians 14:26 When you come together, every one of you have a psalm, have a teaching, have an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
These are the words of God. They and hundreds of others like them were not placed in the Bible just to take up space, and they were not just meant for the churches of that day. Are you still in bed? Get up and wash those pots and pans!
“But I don’t have the opportunity to function in my church. Many of the things you talk about are not even taught in my church.” I shouldn’t have to tell you what to do about that. A church that doesn’t give you space for ministry or teach you how is not the kind of church you need to be in. Find a church where you can wash those pots and pans!
II Thessalonians 3:10-11 When we were
with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he
eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you
disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now let’s take this passage of Scripture off of the natural plane and look at it spiritually. Paul is not speaking of work as a vocational job, but of some who are not working in the Lord’s vineyard. They are not functioning in the Body of Christ as they should. Do you want to grow in the Lord? Do you want to be fed and nourished in the ways of the Lord so you will become spiritually mature? Then you will have to function. God has a work for you in His vineyard. Regardless of how insignificant you think you are, God has a purpose for you. Are you still in bed? Get up and wash those pots and pans!
Micah 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Inactivity is the devil’s workshop. The easiest way to backslide or fall from grace is to just do nothing. Your greatest enemy is your flesh nature. All of the works of the flesh are in there (Galatians 5:19-21). When you are inactive in the things of the Lord then space is given to your flesh to manifest its works. Micah is not talking about sleeping in your bed at night. He is talking about the bed of idleness. Are you still in bed? Get up and wash those pots and pans!
Activity in ministry has a cleansing effect. The Lord is interested in His church becoming a rich diet for all. He wants you to become a pot or pan in His church full of life portions for His people. Inactive pots and pans are tainted, no better than the flesh pots of Egypt. Everyone in the church is responsible to become a pot or pan of holiness that others may feed upon Christ. In that day…the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 14:20-21.
Copyright © 2006 by Henry DuBose