"Time for a Sweep"

Luke 15:8-10

8 The Parable of the Lost Coin


"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!'
NKJV

I saw something in this text that I have never seen before. Before you can start seeking something, you have to realize it is lost (marriage, effectiveness in ministry, prayer life, passion, cutting edge). And when you lose something, God will throw you into a seeking mode because He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. There are some of you that have lost something, it is an indicator that God has something better for you, and He had to provoke you into a seeking mode.

She found the coin, but maybe her finding the coin is not the most important thing. Could it be that the thing Jesus wants us to see is that in the process of seeking the coin, she cleaned house. Why?

Because the byproduct of seeking is in the process of seeking you are cleaning everything up. Could it be that God is wanting you clean things up, to replace the old wineskin(structures, sytems, programs, man's methods) so that He can pour out new wine (move of God). Could it be that the reason you are stuck is because you are trying to get God to put a new thing in an old thing? Could it be that you are wanting to put a new experience in an old habit. God has challenged me recently to survey the wineskins in my life (how I pray, the time I spend with my wife, giving my wife control of the finances because she is better at it). Could it be that you have lost something because God has prepared something better? A relationship, a Church member, staff member, job... Could it be that God has closed a door because it is too small to get the big thing he has in store for you to you.

Could it be that the reason you didn't catch any fish though you fished all night is because God wants you to cast your net on the other side. Could it be that the reason your Church is not growing and you are down to just a few members is because God is demanding that you sweep the house to get ready for something new? Why stay in love with as old thing, when the new thing is much better (God always saves the best for last).

Some of you have lost some things recently, God is about to cause something bigger and better to come to you. Get ready, get ready, get ready!

Blessings,
Craig Sloan