Filling Your Voids

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I wish to speak to you about voids and having them filled. It is a pretty simple concept, but I wish to share some simple examples and along with some scripture of course.

In my prayers, I ask the Lord to remove qualities or sinful natures (unlike Him) from my body and life. In their places I ask Him to fill me with gifts and qualities that will contribute to the building of HIS kingdom. That is a pretty simple prayer, right? Of course it is. However, let's look at what happens when you are filled with Godly things.

Overview of Acts 4 (NIV): Peter and John (the apostles) had been speaking, preaching, healing, and resurrecting the dead in the name of Jesus. Because of this, they were arrested and thrown into jail over night, however the greatness was already done. The people had seen and believed in what the apostles were doing and it began to spread across the area. The next morning, they were brought before the Sanhedrin. Now, because I didn't know the definition of Sanhedrin, I looked it up and felt compelled to share it with you. A Sanhedrin is "[a] group of 70 men who were a religious political body for Israel (a Jewish supreme Court) made up [of] 24 chief priests (Sadducees), 24 elders (Pharisees), 22 scribes and one high priest [-] overall (71) religious men who dictated how people were to worship God and practice Judaism" (http://www.calvarychapel.com/redbarn/terms.htm#S, retrieved Wed Nov 2, 2005).

Basically, the lawmakers asked Peter and John who and what gave them the authority to do what they were doing. Here is Peter's response:

Acts 4:8-10 (8) Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! (9) If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, (10) then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. (NIV)

Noticed that Peter boldly spoke out as he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The law makers could not deny what Peter and John had done because all had saw and believed, but the Sanhedrin wanted to quiet them. They asked the two not to speak about Jesus any more and to leave,"But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." (Acts 4:19, NIV)

After more threats, they were let go and returned back to their people. They spoke about all that the Sanhedrin had said and the people all broke out into the "Believers' Prayer" (see Acts 4:24-30). After they finished praying the Word says,

Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (NIV)

Again, I would like to point out that they were filled with the Holy Spirit. See, we all have voids in our lives and if you do not fill them with something good, then something bad will fill them.

Modern Day Example: Let's look at a yard as an example. I would like to have a plush green, golf-course type lawn, but in order to do that, it must be filled with all the same type grass (tall fescue in my case) and no bare spots in my yard. If I do not fill the bare spots with seed, guess what? Weeds take over the bare spots and you have a mix of grass and weeds in your yard. (Lawn tip: A weed is anything that grows in your yard that is unwanted, so if I have Bermuda Grass and Tall Fescue Grows in patches, it can be considered a weed). Then you have to fight, buy weed killer, and remove the weeds and believe me, it is hard to undo a weed problem! The point is if I had pro-actively filled the bare spots with good grass I would not have had this fight with weeds and my lawn would be plush.

This is an example of what the devil does in our lives. We all have "bare spots", but if we do not care to fill them with Godly things, "weeds" will grow in those spaces. A good example of a bare spot (or void) is a neglected prayer life. If you do not pray, the devil will wait patiently to fill it with something unholy. 

Keep working at your Christian walk as we will always have voids to fill in our lives. Just make sure they are filled with good things. I don't know about you, but I would like the Holy Spirit to fill my voids any day!

Antoine E. Hall

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A Halfhearted Christian

Today I want to share with you on the subject of Halfhearted Christians. Before we go any further, let's get a working definition of what we are investigating.

Halfhearted: Exhibiting or feeling little interest, enthusiasm, or heart; uninspired (TheFreeDictionary.com)
Christian: following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ

So, given those definitions, you can put it together and say that "A Halfhearted Christian is one who feels little interest, enthusiasm, or heart for following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ". That's pretty simple and to the point right? Well do you see the problem with this though? A halfhearted Christian lives as though they know about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They know Him on Sunday and when it is convenient for them, but become filled with amnesia when their walk is complicated by following Him. They may claim to love Jesus and can even quote scripture, but live in a manor where even the unbeliever takes notice.

Because you do not whole-hearted give your time and attention to Christ, the halfhearted Christian leaves themselves open to backsliding and confusion. James 1:8 say, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways" (KJV). Guess what, if you do not serve God with all your heart then who do you serve? If your mind is not totally focused on Him, then the devil sees that as a prime opportunity to give you his card and say “Call me”. This can introduce both recognized and unrecognized confusion into your life.
1 Corinthians 14:33 says, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (KJV). So, if God isn't your source of confusion, then you know that it is not of God. If you took the devil's card when you hit that low point (or high point) you opened yourself to choosing between two masters.

Romans 6:16 - "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (KJV)

Romans 6:16 is saying that whatever you allow to become your master, you will become a slave to it. If you are a slave of sin then it is to the death, but if it is to obedience of God then you will have righteousness and everlasting life.

If you are confused, be confused no more! If you serve the Lord with all your heart, then He will show you what is right and wrong. There is no in-between on this matter. Either you are for God or against.....you're either hot or cold....you're either black or white on the matter......you get the point.

I wish to say that if you feel halfhearted about your walk with Christ pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show you the error of your ways. If you know someone who is living a halfhearted walk, then speak to that person. There are only two ways – with God and not with God. At the end of the day, you must choose. I may have shared this before but one prayer that I always pray is that the Holy Spirit be with me in all things that I do: the good things and the mistakes, so that in my errors I am shown the right way. If you can't choose, call on the Holy Spirit and He will help to direct your path. In closing I want to leave you all with Romans 8:38-39 and it says,

"(38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (KJV)

Be blessed gang and have a great day!

Antoine E. Hall

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