Is the alarm clock your enemy or your friend? If I am real, most of my life it seemed more like an enemy than a friend. What about you? Are you a “morning person?” I’m not! At least, not naturally born. I often need to set my alarms [yes, plural] an hour in advance of when I need to get up. And for some crazy reason, sleep seems sweeter after you are supposed to be up. Crazy! Whoever invented the snooze button is my friend for life!
Once I am finally up physically, it still takes me a good bit of time to wake up. My voice doesn’t sound pleasant for at least 30 minutes, and the closest I want to get to a conversation is, “Spark, please.” However, I discover that when I am looking forward to the day, it is so much easier to wake up. The alarm clock, my enemy from the day before, is my friend today because of what awaits me. Motivation is of vital importance to my perspective.
Our generation is in trouble. A brief review of the news on any given day speaks of the myriad of challenges facing us. The world is spiraling downward further and further into the chaos of wars and rumors of wars. Peace and true love appear out of reach. The truth is no longer considered a constant but a moving target that varies with the mood of the moment. There is an all out attempt to redefine borders and reassign morality.
The truth is no longer considered a constant but a moving target that varies with the mood of the moment. Click To Tweet
There is an answer! It is the Church! Jesus said, “…On this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” [Matthew 16:18] The Church is the body of Christ in the Earth: His hands, His feet, and possessing His heart and Spirit! And yet, If you look at what is happening around the world, the church appears to be falling way short of the intended goal. What’s the issue?
It isn’t an issue of authority or power. The church today is not powerless, just asleep. The problem isn’t that we don’t know the Bible. The church is not Biblically illiterate, but asleep. It isn’t that the church is not loving; but, sleepy people care more about their comfort than the needs of others. The issue is that too many in the church are asleep!
The church today is not powerless, just asleep. Click To Tweet
It is time for the church to wake up! It is past time! The alarms are sounding, and we have hit the snooze button for far too long. Look at the way Kenneth Wuest translated Paul’s admonition in Romans 13:11, “And this, knowing the strategic season, that it is an hour now for you to awake out of sleep, for now our salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”
This is one of the most strategic seasons of our lives! We cannot afford to sleep through another day. If we snooze we will lose a generation! The prophetic promise of Isaiah 60: 1-3 is upon us, “Arise, shine: For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” The Church must rise up in the light of His glory! We will stop hitting the snooze button and motivated by the Glory, we rise and shine.
This is one of the most strategic seasons of our lives! If we snooze we will lose a generation! Click To Tweet
Mark writes in his gospel the account of the Synagogue leader Jairus’ daughter’s illness. {Mark 5} In numerous ways this generation of young men and women resemble Jairus’ daughter. Many voices are declaring that they are dead and saying all we can do is mourn their demise. But I believe that Jesus’ words concerning the little girl are relevant and prophetic of today, “The child is not dead, but sleeping.” [Mark 5:39] The same anointing is available now to awaken a generation. This anointing is working right now to awaken a generation that is destined to experience His greatest glory! Stop hitting the snooze button! Make the decision! Pay the price of the discomfort. Pull the covers back, throw your legs over the edge and get up! A generation is waiting!
Keith Nix is the founding lead pastor of a thriving congregation, The Lift Church in Sevierville, Tennessee. [Visit www.TheLiftChurch.tv] He has traveled internationally since 1993 carrying a unique prophetic message of awakening to this generation. He and his wife, Margie, have one daughter, Isabella.
