When Stubble Lasts 2

We looked at stubble and some of the reasons it can last a long time and continue producing the heat it is supposed to produce.

At the back of everything is the fact that the stubble is backed by the God it is connected to.

I need to remind us that the stubble I am talking about is the young and/or new believer.

As I was developing that message, I went to the net to look for some scriptural songs for my children since as you know much of what is now called Gospel music is nothing but just music with a smattering mention of Jesus or any other spiritual sounding jargon to bait the ignorant.

I remembered Keith Green since any song I knew he sang was solidly scriptural. Incidentally, the only thing I knew about him apart from his songs was his face.

I came across a documentary about him and of course was interested.

To say I was shocked may be an understatement.

He died at 28 after being a Christian for seven years, coming from a past that was tumultuous to say the least.

But one thing will stand out when you listen to that documentary or even listen to his songs.

He took God seriously. He did not understand why believers were living a life different from what the Bible plainly says.

As a result of that, he opened his home to the needy; drug addicts, homeless, pregnant girls and a mix of all those useless cases churches would not touch with a ten-foot pole.

Until his house was full beyond capacity. Then he rented another. And another. And another.

Then he bought one. Then another.

And that in a city.

Until he needed to buy a ranch so that he could do what the Bible says without breaking city rules since he couldn’t turn anyone away.

Not only was he feeding and sheltering all those people, he was also teaching them the Bible as he was also learning; meaning that he was offering them a wholesome spiritual diet.

All his life before his conversion, he had craved stardom in music.

After he became a Christian, he became the bestselling musician in a short while. And it went against what he was learning from God.

Then the selling of albums and tickets to his concerts also went against what God was teaching him and he had to cancel a record deal.

He had to build his own studio to record songs that he gave away. He also started a magazine that he also gave away, and not in exchange for an offering as modern televangelists do.

All that and more in seven years!

That for me is the stubble I am talking about.

He was a young man who was able to have a monumental impact because he took God and His word seriously.

And that is the kind of faith God requires. The faith that only stubble can replicate because it has no past, no experience, no history.

It is seed on virgin ground.

His intake of the word was not dirtied by the experiences of those who had been raised in church.

He made enemies because he was questioning everything that did not make sense to the word he was reading. And many believers, more so leaders, hated him because his taking the word at face value was a constant source of rebuke.

Yet, not only was he able to bring throngs to salvation, he was able to challenge many more to offering themselves for missions.

After his death in a plane crash, even more responded to his call to take the Gospel to the nations from the last songs and messages he had released or that were recorded.

So, what am I saying?

Stubble can and does last. It can continue blazing for long

But that is not automatic.

It needs a fuel source to be able to do so.

That fuel is the word of God and how the said stubble relates with it.

But it is not only that.

Stubble can also graduate to be blazing logs if its relationship with God and His word is alive.

It loses its fire when experience starts ruling.

Remember John the Baptist recognising Christ when both were in their mothers’ wombs yet looking for clarification towards the end of his ministry?

That is what I mean.

The childlike faith must continue for stubble to continue blazing, even graduating to a more lasting fuel source.