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Sentimental Journey....where is the ride? Winston Churchill was quoted as saying if a person is not liberal when they are young, then they have no heart. If they are not conservative by the time they are 30, then they have no brains. Brains. Hmmmn. There are other people who have stated that you do not know squat until you hit 35. I have looked back at my life and I can concur with these statements. They usually are the norm in a lot of peoples lives. I was 15 when the simple plan of salvation was explained to me. On that day, March 5, 1972 I received Christs' forgiveness of sin and asked him to be the Lord and Savior of my life. It was so simple. Just as God planned it to be. That was all that I needed to do to have a relationship with God. Believe he was who he said he was and receive the forgiveness of sin. The sin is what separates us from God before we become a born again believer. I had the two greatest weeks emotionally after I met the Lord. Cloud nine. But a funny thing happened as I was experiencing salvation and getting to know God. People got involved. Ok, now that you are a Christian, you need to do this and that, and oh yeah, here is a list of the things you can not do. You need to go to our church. You need to listen to the Pastor.You need to...You need to. Well i listened to all of that and did the best that I could. But I have to tell you that beautiful feeling of the newness of Christ wore off quickly. Instead of Jesus, it was becoming "the Jesus Club". But hey, I figured this was what Christians did. I didn't know any better. After all, I was a newbie. The next month I turned 16. In contrast, what would I tell someone like myself today, nearly 40 years later? I would say it is important to fellowship. Read your bible. Do not worry about the Old Testament for the first few years. I would tell them that the Holy Spirit resides in you. I would show them in Jeremiah where it speaks of right and wrong being written on the believers heart, so we know. Then I would show them the scriptures in the gospel of John where Jesus clearly states his words and miracles are from the father. I would show where Jesus taught abiding, which is allowing God to live through you. Then how Apostle Paul proclaims it is no longer he living, but Christ living through him. I would take them to scriptures showing how much God loves them. How he provides for us and how no matter what happens in life, God will turn that for our good. I would show them how God says there are seasons in life and their purposes. But above all, even when he seems silent he is there. I would remind them that it is important to meet with other believers even daily and share back and forth what God is doing in your life and what he is sharing with you. But I would never recommend an organization of any kind. Why would I say that? I think for me that has been the biggest downer. There is a scripture that warns against putting New Wine in old Wine skins. In the New Covenant Paul Speaks of in Galatians that the law was once a tutor to people, but when they receive Christ, then Christ is your tutor and the law becomes a Curse. Yes a curse. Galatians chapter 3. I have yet to find an organized fellowship that does not mix law and grace in its doctrine. That is why I do not recommend these places. If we build upon an actual love relationship with God through spending time alone with the Holy Spirit, then its about Love and commitment and not about obligation. Its much more of a strength to have a loving relationship than it is out of obligations. Obligations become a drag and then as Paul stated you find yourself doing the very things that you do not start out intending to do. Perhaps that is why Jesus gave atonement right? That we could be justified because of what he did, because no man could ever live up to the law. That in itself was the very reason for the law. To point to Jesus when he came. Gal 3: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore the law was our tutor [to bring us] to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. [Is] the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. Now a mediator does not [mediate] for one [only,] but God is one. 19 So in my heart, I understand Grace. I can no longer be a part of sitting under any human being. Fellowship is one thing. That constitutes sharing what God is doing and speaking to me, and hearing back the very same from another person. It means encouraging and being encouraged while not allowing another to be "over" you or you be over "them". It does not constitute being in a group, standing when told to stand, sit when told to sit. Listen, break out your wallet to pay for the procedure and do the very same thing next week. I did that for 30 years. I have never found life in that. I get more out of a nice quiet Sunday with just the people in my life that I love; then I have ever received from being in a pew on Sunday. I do not think it is what God intended either. Simplicity of God has become complicated by man. We live in an unjust world, craving justice. I pretty much apply the same stance regarding the political. Man creates their own agendas. Honesty is tossed aside for agendas and feeding the big machine, with no thought of the ramifications. One group wants everyone to take care of them as they vegetate. Another wants to be left alone so they can prosper and do their own thing. Yet another wants it somewhere in the middle. The fringes are so disillusioned they believe every tom dick and harry conspiracy that is available for though. The bible makes one clear statement. The truth will set you free. So, what do half truths do? Do they put one in bondage? Do they destroy you? Do they rob you of what God intends in your life? I think so. We aren't supposed to put our trust in man. Yet it is apparent that we do, at least in varying levels aand to be honest it is disappointing to say the very least. Loving and not being really loved back. People misrepresenting themselves and others. It can get ugly. people with good intentions getting tossed aside. Its a lot more simple, the truth is. Yet lies complicate things. |
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8/3/2011 6:05 am |
I love being in Chruch Sunday Felowshipping with Beleivers that i only get to see once a week due to heavy schedules for all of us!! I also have NO problem in the offering or giving part of the service!! I trust my church to use those finances correctly but Im ultimatly giving it to the Lord---not to them anf they are responsible before HIM how they use those funds!! Ive been active in church for the 39 Yrs Ive been saved and love it---Teaching SS--Over seeing the Childrens church--and many of the kids i taught 25 Yrs ago are in ministry today--serving him all over the world!! Im not a Pew warmer-how boring that would be lol--blessings!!
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Hey Terry. Glad you can enjoy it. I love to fellowship with my Christian friends. But Fellowship is interacting. Its not deferring to others. Stand when told to stand, sit etc. Giving is good, but it isnt all money. But I will tell you Terry, I stay away from the Judaism. There is no dual covenant. Jews are grafted in just as we are.
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