Backyard barbecuers around the country love to cook large pieces of meat, low and slow, for several hours, flavoring the meat with smoke from various kinds of wood (hickory, apple, cherry, pecan, etc.).  Those experienced at smoking cuts of meat know that at a certain period in the cook, the meat will enter the “stall” phase when its internal temperature remains about the same, usually for several hours.  Since the goal is to get the meat to a temperature where you know it is going to be nice and tender, and full of flavor, barbecue experts have come up with different techniques to speed up the “stall.”

It is not unusual for seasoned saints to enter a “stall” period.  They get to the point where they are not cold, but they are not on fire for the Lord either.  When it comes to smoking meat, the “stall” is not that big of a deal.  Even if you do not use one of the methods of cutting down the stall time, the meat will turn out just fine; it will only add several hours to the cooking time.  Spiritually speaking, however, being in a “stall” phase is disastrous.  Think about it.  How did Jesus describe the one who is neither hot nor cold?  In Revelation 3:16, He called the church at Laodicea lukewarm and told them that He was going to spit them out of His mouth.

If you are a seasoned saint, avoid the “stall” by taking an active role in the local church, something I will discuss further in a blog later this week.  Specifically, follow the admonition that Paul made to seasoned saints when writing to Titus.

Titus 2:2-8 (ESV)
²  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶  Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. ⁷  Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, ⁸  and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

First, seasoned saints must behave themselves in such a way that they can serve as a good example in their local churches.  Men must be sober-minded and sound in faith, love, and steadfastness; while women must be reverent in behavior and avoid being slanderers.  Both must show themselves to be models of good works.  Then, they must take advantage of the good reputation they have earned by their behavior and teach and train the younger men and women in the church.

For local churches to remain strong from one generation to the next, the young people in it must pick up the torch of faithfulness left behind by older saints.  What better way is there for that to happen than by the seasoned saints teaching and training them how to behave in a way that is pleasing to God?  Who can better teach a young husband how to succeed in his role than a man who has been in a good marriage for several decades, loving his wife as Christ loved the church?  Who can better teach a young wife how to love her husband and children better than a woman who has proven herself to be a god-fearing wife and loving mother for many years?  God’s way works, and Paul tells us exactly what that way is.

If you are a seasoned saint, avoid the “stall.”  Determine to be active as long as you can.  

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.