We live in a world that puts much emphasis on individuality or independence. We just celebrated our countries freedom from England 248 years ago but it looks like we have forgotten the reason our country sought that freedom.
The word dependent is an adjective which is defines as relying on someone or something else for aid, support, etc., conditioned or determined by something else.
In spite of the emphasis on being independent we have in this nation one of the most dependent generations in our country’s history, in 2022 we have 81 million people in Medicaid or 24.3% up from 12.4% of the population in 1975 and 41 million receive Food Stamps.
We have an epidemic in a country that is dependent on pharmaceutical drugs with 66% of all adults using prescription drugs, 2012 research from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association found that 81% of adults use some kind of drug as a first response to minor conditions.
21% of adolescents between the ages of 12-17 have experienced symptoms of anxiety in a two-week period of a survey given in December of 2022, more than 42% felt persistently sad or hopeless, 22% considered suicide, and 10% attempted suicide in 2021.
Our world especially the USA is a dependent nation.
As Christians, we are too dependent, but dependent in an entirely different way. As the world tells us to be independent not reliant on one another, the bible says differently.
Heb 10:24, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
1Co 12:12-14, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.
God has built His church to be not a kingdom governed by one or a few individuals, Jesus Christ is the head and everybody else is part of the rest of the body.
We need to have dependence on one another in our Christian Walk but where should our total dependance be put on?
Psa 62:1-8, “To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
John, “15:4-7, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
Our hope is built in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness!
Dependable means to be trustworthy and reliable, we all have a dependable God, but are we not supposed to be dependable as well?
1Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
Luke 16:10, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
I don’t know about you but the more I realize that I’m not that super-Christian that I thought I once was, that the forgiveness Jesus Christ has given me through the blood He shed for me, I have a debt I can never pay.
Luke 4:41-48, “There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.”
1Co 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
It doesn’t matter what task it is, whatever it is, do it as you are doing it for the Lord! We don’t labore to earn anything but only because we love Him!
Matthew 25:21, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
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My Thoughts about Revival 