Satisfied
Are you satisfied? Did you really get what you wanted today? Is there a sense of peace in your heart that you are living out what you were destined to be on this earth for? Just a few nights ago, I was spending some much needed time with one of the brothers. We had dinner with my family and afterwards decided that a large piece of cheesecake would perfectly end the evening. We headed over to the “CheeseCake Factory�?? and each shelled out $7 for a fairly large, amazingly delicious slice of their famous item. It was incredible and yes, satisfying! But only one part of my body was truly satisfied- the old stomach was full. Besides that, every other part of me wanted another piece. It just wasn’t enough! My taste buds were screaming, my mouth was still longing for more and every cell in my body said, “gimme more sugar.�?? Being somewhat of a godly man, I invoked some self-control and made myself go home. Would I ever be really satisfied? Well, when it comes to cheese cake- probably not. After this, I began to ask, what about in my relationship with God? Can I be satisfied? In this article, we will explore three keys to becoming satisfied spiritually and prayerfully helping you answer the question, “am I satisfied�??
1. Remember the Lord. It is almost shocking how many times we are asked to remember the Lord throughout the Bible. Yet, our sinful nature seems bent on forgetting Him. Once the Israelites came out of Egypt, the longing to be back in slavery was intense. Not because they loved slavery, but they had grown accustomed to it. In our day, when we forget the Lord- we go back to what we were used to; lukewarmness of dead churches, little or no heart for the lost, lusting to build our lives like the world and democratic church leadership over godly leadership. Look at Moses’ words to them-
Deuteronomy 8:6-20
Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land–a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.
He warned that they would embrace the demonic ways of the nations (like modern day denominations) unless they remembered the Lord. How does your heart respond toward this call? Have you become more like your neighbors or more like Jesus? Have you become satisfied with the state of your congregation and taken pride in your worldly accomplishments or are you forcefully advancing the kingdom, Matthew 11:12? Some say the “firestorm�?? in our churches has passed and are now teaching a more comfortable gospel. Jesus was not satisfied until he died on the cross- uncomfortably in love with us. What gospel are you embracing- are you satisfied? Let us not fail to observe His commands! We are to be satisfied with God and His word, which teaches us to love Him, heart and soul, to love the lost in the cities and nations around us and to deny ourselves.
2. Know the Condition of the Flocks. Lately, I have spent a significant amount of time examining the condition of dozens of churches (through conversations and online research) including our own here in Phoenix. I cannot speak as an expert and neither do I claim to have unusual wisdom or insight, but very simply put: our former fellowship (which has cut us off) continues to shrink drastically year after year. Of all the hundreds of churches listed, only a handful (about 8 ) shows any kind of growth at all from 2005 to 2006 (their latest statistics). The most significant growth shown was about 72 people added- but that was in a congregation of about 3800 members. I do not say that with an ounce of pride or arrogance but simply an observation that saddens me. It makes me think of Psalm 34:17-18 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many of my lifelong best friends are a part of these churches- but do they know the condition of the flocks they are in? Do they know the Lord is looking to deliver them? Proverbs are amazing in isolating our heart problems:
Proverbs 27:17-20, 23-24
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored. As water reflects a face,
so a man’s heart reflects the man. Death and Destruction are never satisfied,
and neither are the eyes of man-Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
We have to sharpen each other- and that takes sparks! We have to “encourage one another daily�?? Hebrews 3:13 so that we are not hardened by sin. If you do not examine your heart and the hearts of those you fellowship with- you are far from God and disobedient to His commands. Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves while digging deep is the only way to reach others. What are you willing to do to look after the flock? Have you given in to the new gospel that teaches “discipleship is optional and not necessary for the mature�?? Baloney and false doctrine is what that is! Repent- check you heart, your leaders’ heart and the heart of the congregation you are in. “Worship in spirit and in truth�?? John 4:24 and never get satisfied SHORT of the gospel. Death and Destruction are NEVER SATISFIED- without carefully checking our hearts- we will end up destroyed. Love one another enough to speak the truth. If your congregation is not growing- find out why and radically do something about it. We had to do that in April and it was painful to see the complacency and lack of faith that crept in. Since we repented- God blessed us with a restoration and as of this week: four people baptized!
3. Make Intercession for the Transgressors. God’s heart always amazes me! Through Jesus, he laid out his plan to give every single person the opportunity to be saved. From the beginning of the Old Testament to the last page of the New Testament- our God pours out his heart for all the nations. His relentless willingness to save us is extraordinary and humbling. Look at God’s plan for you in:
Isaiah 53:10-12
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
This amazingly accurate prophecy about Jesus tells of God’s heart for his people and the destiny of His Son. Simply put- our Father gave up Jesus to save us. What father would be willing to do that today? The plan involved suffering and for Jesus to be the sacrifice. Then when Jesus came, he plainly says: “Come, follow me�?? Mark 1:17. Here in Isaiah, Jesus would face “suffering of his soul�?? and then would “see the light of life and be satisfied�??. Jesus bore our sins and that satisfied him. Jesus “poured out his life unto death�?? and was called a sinner like you and me so that we could have someone to intercede for us Hebrews 7:25. Are you living gratefully? God’s plan for the world is for disciples to take this message to the nations. The job will not get done in our generation unless we have the heart of Jesus to be satisfied with nothing less than the sins of many being forgiven. All over the world, right now- souls are being saved because some radical disciples have decided to be sold-out again and make intercession for the transgressors! To God be the glory and let us- remember the Lord; know the condition of the flocks; and make intercession for transgressors: then, like our Savior, we can be satisfied!
He stoops down to make us great!
Matt Sullivan
