Speaking to the staff in between services, I told them this is one of the dirtiest messages I have ever preached. Looking back at it, it reminds me of the poem:
The Bible speaks of mire, mud and muck several times, so just what is mire? JUST, WHAT IS MIRE?
A situation or state of difficulty: it is Distress or embarrassment from which it is hard to extricate oneself:
"Have you ever been left to squirm in a mire of new allegations"? Do you agree with me that America is still trying to climb out of the mire left by previous presidents? Do you think maybe some feel as though they are caught in the mire of poverty? David knew how to get God's attention. He prayed like this:
"OH GOD, DELIVER ME OUT OF THE MIRE."
This is a universal cry for help and I can feel it when I read it. For some, IT IS AS THOUGH CRYING FOR HELP, DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP.
I have spoken with many people who have been caught with this drama of frustration in their lives, more men and women, than I can remember. I call it the distress of soul. One of the ladies in the congregation responded with this email, and I asked her permission to share it with you.
DAVID HAS TURNED INWARD ON HIMSELF. IT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL FRUSTRATION THAT MEN MAY EXPERIENCE.
"THE FLESH LUSTING AGAINST THE SPIRIT AND THE SPIRIT LUSTING AGAINST THE FLESH."
CHRISTIAN, I MAY BE SPEAKING TO YOU. YOU ARE TORMENTED IN THAT YOU ARE OVERLY CONSCIOUS OF YOUR WRETCHEDNESS. "OH WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM."
COULD IT BE THAT WE HAVE BECOME SECRETLY, BITTER AGAINST GOD? COULD IT BE THAT WE ARE NURSING RESENTMENT TOWARD THE VERY SAVIOR OF OUR SOUL?
WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO EAT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT OR JEALOUSY, COMPARISON, OR LOVING THE WORK GOD HAS GIVEN US TO DO MORE THAT WE LOVE THE LORD THAT HAS GIVEN US THE WORK?
LET'S DO A HEART CHECK. ILLUSTRATION:
GAYNELL'S HEART WENT OUT OF RYTHMN THIS WEEK. THERE MAY BE SOMEONE IN HERE THAT THERE HEART WAS ONCE IN RYTHMN WITH THE CALL OF GOD ON THEIR LIVES BUT IT IS NO LONGER IN RHYTHM, THEY WANTED TO SHOCK IT BACK INTO RYTHMN BUT IT RESET ITSELF AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
THIS IS NOT A DAY TO CLEAN JUST THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP BUT THE INSIDE AS WELL. AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS I REALIZED THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSPECTIVE AN PERCEPTION:
PERCEPTION IS YOUR SUBJECTIVE SENSORY BASED INTERPRETATION OF THE WORLD AS YOU SEE IT.
PERSPECTIVE IS THE BROADER OBJECTIVE VANTAGE POINT OR LENS USED TO UNDERSTAND A SITUATION, OFTEN INCORPORATING EMPATHY AND MULTIPLE VIEW POINTS.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THESE TWO MEN WHO HAD BEEN IMPRISONED.
"TWO MEN LOOKED OUT THROUGH PRISON BARS, ONE SAW MUD THE OTHER MAN SAW STARS."
GOD KNEW OUR NEEDS BEFORE WE WERE BORN, SO HE USED WORDS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR PLIGHT IN LIFE. THE SCRIPTURE SPEAKS OF MIRE, MUD AND MUCK 50 TIMES IN THE BIBLE.
I have always said, if you find words in your concordance numerous times, it is for a reason. What the Holy Spirit thinks important enough to mention frequently, we should pay attention to. Those passages are repeated for a reason.
Oh God, deliver me from the MIRE.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU USE THIS AS A TOOL TO HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH AND THE FAITH OF OTHERS WHO MAY BE MIRED DOWN.
I PRAYED FOR YOU TODAY,
PASTOR CLEDDIE KEITH
P.S. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO ESPECIALLY FEEL AS THOUGH CRYING OUT TO GOD DOESN'T HELP. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THIS WAY YET THEY AT THE SAME TIME, FEEL AS THOUGH NO ONE CARES.
Two men looking out
through prison bars.
One see's Mud
the other, only see's Stars.
The Bible speaks of mire, mud and muck several times, so just what is mire? JUST, WHAT IS MIRE?
A situation or state of difficulty: it is Distress or embarrassment from which it is hard to extricate oneself:
"Have you ever been left to squirm in a mire of new allegations"? Do you agree with me that America is still trying to climb out of the mire left by previous presidents? Do you think maybe some feel as though they are caught in the mire of poverty? David knew how to get God's attention. He prayed like this:
"OH GOD, DELIVER ME OUT OF THE MIRE."
This is a universal cry for help and I can feel it when I read it. For some, IT IS AS THOUGH CRYING FOR HELP, DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP.
I have spoken with many people who have been caught with this drama of frustration in their lives, more men and women, than I can remember. I call it the distress of soul. One of the ladies in the congregation responded with this email, and I asked her permission to share it with you.
Good Morning! I hope Gaynell is doing better.
I wanted to share with you a testimony that seemed relevant to your message yesterday.
As you know from conversations we've had, I've spent a good chunk of time stuck in the mire. I've been a Christian since I was a child. I don't remember my conversation because I was so young, but I do remember being filled with the Holy Spirit at 6 because my mother looked at me one day and said,"Come here. You're going to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit!" She prayed over me until it happened, and it's been a blessing to my life ever since.
But as you know, people can grow up in church, serve God, go on missions, see God move, and still be stuck in the mire. That was me. I've been through many seasons where I was stuck.
Recently, it's begun to change. As you preached yesterday, I began to wonder what had changed. Why would someone spend almost 36 years in the church having the same problem and then shift?
Well, it goes back to what you said about sitting on your own throne. If you're sitting on your own throne, the word doesn't have lordship in your life or authority in your life. It's just a nice book of inspiration and history.
And while God wants us to be comforted by Him, sometimes comfort isn't the goal because change had to be the goal.
Lately I've realized my lack of allowing the word of God to be the authority in my life. I told Maria Meyer once that if overthinking was an Olympic sport, Wheaties would have offered me a contract to be on the front of their cereal box already. I felt the weight of every trial and every decision on my shoulders.
Now things are changing. As challenges come up I think,"His word says He'll never leave me nor forsake me." So there has to be something in the Bible about this problem that I haven't figured out yet. God has a solution if I pay attention to him."
And I tell you what, that change in mindset has made all the difference. When I allow what the word says to matter more than the emotions. I'm not perfect, but I serve the God who is.
Thank you for being with our family in this season. It's been a good season of growth.
I wanted to share with you a testimony that seemed relevant to your message yesterday.
As you know from conversations we've had, I've spent a good chunk of time stuck in the mire. I've been a Christian since I was a child. I don't remember my conversation because I was so young, but I do remember being filled with the Holy Spirit at 6 because my mother looked at me one day and said,"Come here. You're going to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit!" She prayed over me until it happened, and it's been a blessing to my life ever since.
But as you know, people can grow up in church, serve God, go on missions, see God move, and still be stuck in the mire. That was me. I've been through many seasons where I was stuck.
Recently, it's begun to change. As you preached yesterday, I began to wonder what had changed. Why would someone spend almost 36 years in the church having the same problem and then shift?
Well, it goes back to what you said about sitting on your own throne. If you're sitting on your own throne, the word doesn't have lordship in your life or authority in your life. It's just a nice book of inspiration and history.
And while God wants us to be comforted by Him, sometimes comfort isn't the goal because change had to be the goal.
Lately I've realized my lack of allowing the word of God to be the authority in my life. I told Maria Meyer once that if overthinking was an Olympic sport, Wheaties would have offered me a contract to be on the front of their cereal box already. I felt the weight of every trial and every decision on my shoulders.
Now things are changing. As challenges come up I think,"His word says He'll never leave me nor forsake me." So there has to be something in the Bible about this problem that I haven't figured out yet. God has a solution if I pay attention to him."
And I tell you what, that change in mindset has made all the difference. When I allow what the word says to matter more than the emotions. I'm not perfect, but I serve the God who is.
Thank you for being with our family in this season. It's been a good season of growth.
DAVID HAS TURNED INWARD ON HIMSELF. IT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL FRUSTRATION THAT MEN MAY EXPERIENCE.
"THE FLESH LUSTING AGAINST THE SPIRIT AND THE SPIRIT LUSTING AGAINST THE FLESH."
CHRISTIAN, I MAY BE SPEAKING TO YOU. YOU ARE TORMENTED IN THAT YOU ARE OVERLY CONSCIOUS OF YOUR WRETCHEDNESS. "OH WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM."
COULD IT BE THAT WE HAVE BECOME SECRETLY, BITTER AGAINST GOD? COULD IT BE THAT WE ARE NURSING RESENTMENT TOWARD THE VERY SAVIOR OF OUR SOUL?
WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO EAT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT OR JEALOUSY, COMPARISON, OR LOVING THE WORK GOD HAS GIVEN US TO DO MORE THAT WE LOVE THE LORD THAT HAS GIVEN US THE WORK?
LET'S DO A HEART CHECK. ILLUSTRATION:
GAYNELL'S HEART WENT OUT OF RYTHMN THIS WEEK. THERE MAY BE SOMEONE IN HERE THAT THERE HEART WAS ONCE IN RYTHMN WITH THE CALL OF GOD ON THEIR LIVES BUT IT IS NO LONGER IN RHYTHM, THEY WANTED TO SHOCK IT BACK INTO RYTHMN BUT IT RESET ITSELF AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
THIS IS NOT A DAY TO CLEAN JUST THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP BUT THE INSIDE AS WELL. AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS I REALIZED THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSPECTIVE AN PERCEPTION:
PERCEPTION IS YOUR SUBJECTIVE SENSORY BASED INTERPRETATION OF THE WORLD AS YOU SEE IT.
PERSPECTIVE IS THE BROADER OBJECTIVE VANTAGE POINT OR LENS USED TO UNDERSTAND A SITUATION, OFTEN INCORPORATING EMPATHY AND MULTIPLE VIEW POINTS.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THESE TWO MEN WHO HAD BEEN IMPRISONED.
"TWO MEN LOOKED OUT THROUGH PRISON BARS, ONE SAW MUD THE OTHER MAN SAW STARS."
GOD KNEW OUR NEEDS BEFORE WE WERE BORN, SO HE USED WORDS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR PLIGHT IN LIFE. THE SCRIPTURE SPEAKS OF MIRE, MUD AND MUCK 50 TIMES IN THE BIBLE.
I have always said, if you find words in your concordance numerous times, it is for a reason. What the Holy Spirit thinks important enough to mention frequently, we should pay attention to. Those passages are repeated for a reason.
Oh God, deliver me from the MIRE.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU USE THIS AS A TOOL TO HELP STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH AND THE FAITH OF OTHERS WHO MAY BE MIRED DOWN.
I PRAYED FOR YOU TODAY,
PASTOR CLEDDIE KEITH
P.S. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO ESPECIALLY FEEL AS THOUGH CRYING OUT TO GOD DOESN'T HELP. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THIS WAY YET THEY AT THE SAME TIME, FEEL AS THOUGH NO ONE CARES.