Empty Boxes

(not our cupboard)

Last night I got in a 'cleaning mode' and decided I wanted to clean our kitchen. One thing led to another and I ended up cleaning out our cupboard. As of late we have been doing a lot of adding without much subtracting. Tonight I subtracted.

What I found was that while our cupboard was overflowing with boxes... about a quarter of them were near empty. On our bottom shelf I found some expired items including some Creatine that expired October of last year. (I guess buff only lasted a few months?)

I'm telling you this for a point. Yes really there is a point...

I got to thinking: How many of us need to do a little cleaning up and inspecting of boxes? I mean how many "ministry cupboards" look full to the untrained eye but at the end of the day are really empty boxes?

Do you lead ministries that once were full of life and purpose but now are little more than a habit and a relic. I wonder how many expired items we'd find if we were bold enough to inspect the boxes.

How many team members or church leaders abandoned their box once they got the toy from the top of the bag?

How many sermons are recycled from a day when prayer lives and devotional lives were stronger?

In your area of influence are you taking inventory and making certain that the gospel you preach matches the gospel you live? Don't allow your fervor or favor to expire. Don't remain satisfied with empty boxes justifying your job. Be courageous enough to inspect EVERYTHING and ask if your cupboard is full or if you're secretly coasting and content as you live on yesterday's blessing.

People expect the church to be a non-profit but please don't allow it to become non-prophet.