in my experience as a youth minister for over 14 years
I found out four things that always killed my fire number one it was offense
any time I got offended at somebody I lost my fire people leave the churches
because of offense actually 99% of people that leave the churches today
leave because of offense and for those of us who think yeah it's about church
do something and change so that people stop leaving the church because of
offense actually in one meeting Jesus had 75 of his key leaders leave him if
you think that if the church will get perfect less people will leave the
church because of offense if the church will get perfect more people will leave
because of the offense because they could not live up to that perfectionism
offence is unavoidable we can only stop causing offenses but we cannot ever stop
having offenses you will be offended and offense is the devil's trap to cause
your fire to die out it's just a devil's trap that's all it is if you look today
somebody offended you tomorrow you can unknowingly you can offend somebody and
it's the devil's trap to kill your fire that's all it is the second thing that
I've seen in in my ministry and and personally in my life for what kills the
fire is disappointment it's when you dream you believe you fast you pray and
it doesn't happen you prayed for somebody who wanted if you believed is
there gonna be healed you had a word from God you knew it and nothing
happened and next didn't happen is that becomes like a water that goes on your
fire and it's very important I want you to see this when you get offended
honestly Jesus doesn't really go after you and tries to butter you up when the
guys got offended Jesus didn't go off them say hey guys let me explain I
didn't mean you to eat my flesh I meant communion Jesus didn't do that but when
guys left him left Jerusalem walked to city of Emmaus he walked beside them
encourage them with preachers until their hearts
current fire again anytime you disappointment Jesus will walk behind
you and remind you of his word so your heart will catch fire again
and the third thing that kills our fire is honestly busyness it's when we become
so busy that we don't have time spend time with the Lord we don't have
time to even make it to church and please understand intimacy makes you
fruitful not busy busyness could be a result of intimacy but busyness itself
does not make you successful only intimacy with God makes you successful
if you are too busy to pray you are too busy if you are too busy to be with God
you are too busy and this is what I know about busy people you actually don't
make more money you make less because you break God's rule God ordered for
us to rest on Saturday if you say but I'm gonna work three jobs for Jobs and
Mark this you will not make more money because God blesses order and you're out
of order God blesses order not out of order I
mentioned how chick-fil-a decided not to open its fast-food restaurant chain on
Sundays and people said did you know that on Sundays all the fast-food
restaurants make the most money and the main guy of chick-fil-a he says I know
but God said and people should take a rest at least one day and he says and
I'm gonna choose the most busiest day to rest average fast food restaurant makes
1 million dollars a year chick-fil-a makes 5 why because when you but it
doesn't make sense nothing with God makes sense but when you follow the
order God blesses you
same thing when you give it seems like but you're gonna lose money and somehow
you have enough when you hold on to that it seems like it's never enough business
is good if it comes out of your fruitfulness and it doesn't affect your
intimacy with God but the moment you see usually your feel for your fire is dying
out your fire is dying out cut back on some things
catch your breath relax you're still gonna die why work so hard that you you
you you waste your you ruin your health to get more money and then you spend
your money to get your health back why don't you just keep both at the same
time because this is not just about relationship with God this is about your
health being this is about your kids knowing who you are this is why your
family this is about your spouse this is about everyone everything being intact
and the last one is materialism its materialism Islam when you have stuff
it's when the stuff has you
I have this Apple watch I have this watch this watch doesn't have me because at
any moment this watch can be yours not today
the most freeing thing for my relationship with God has been is when I
can hold things without holding on to them when God has the right to take
anything out of my hand and I have the privilege to take anything out of his
pocket