A Price for Freedom

  ^{There has always been a price paid for ANY freedoms that anyone has enjoyed.   It doesn't matter if it is the tyrant that has his freedoms by putting down the masses through control and manipulation (the price), the freedom that you and I have been blessed with in this country (from the price paid by those who have physically fought mortal enemies or the battle to restrain our own government that tries to control through laws and regulations) and finally the important liberty that Jesus Christ paid to make us God's children. 
   I hate to say it but just as we must watch our own government, so that we can stay free, we must also watch our individual local church bodies to make sure that the doctrines we hear line up with the Word of God.  There are two ways to guard against doctrine creep (the action of truth slowly being changed and sometimes its line upon line with slight deceptions creeping in till they become large lies).  
  The first protection against doctrinal creep is good old fashioned listen to what is said and studying the word.  The hard part is  you want to believe what those who you love is saying.  Paul commended the Bereans in Acts 17 because they not only listened but they checked what was taught in the Word to see if it was true.  He did not chastise them saying "Hey, don't you know that I am an apostle? God Himself has made me an apostle! I have position and authority!  After all I even write scripture!!".
  The second protection will come to you not only "live" (while listening) but also following the hearing of the Word.  It's the voice of the Holy Spirit and your spirit talking to you or nudging you that something is right or wrong (sometimes a still small voice).
I have had times when the warning came to me, but I wanted to be part of the group and couldn't raise questions without being ostracized.  So, I swallowed it but later paid the price as the deception grew.  I have had times where the Holy Spirit has brought up past doctrine and shown me scripture (both spoken quietly to me and also as I was just reading) that corrected the situation.  I have also had times where I was sitting on the front row right in front of the speaker and the Holy Spirit spoke... no, more honestly, it felt like He hit me in the chest with a scripture that totally contradicted what the pastor was saying.  I can easily remember a time when He did that several times in the same meeting.  It was bit alarming,because of the force, to say the least.
To hear His voice though comes only with spending time with Him.  It is worth the time spent.  
Next time we are going to look at a scripture that most pastors ignore to preserve their doctrine.}

Where are you going to church anyway?

When we as believers make things priority over our or another's relationship to the Father we are making an idol or you could say a god to worship.  In today's society we have raised the man made institution of "the church" to a level with the Godhead.  If you are trying to influence people to the gospel, what is the method that you try to get them to or interested in God?  The three most common used that I have seen is "Come to my church.", another is "You should come hear my pastor.", but the real invitation should be "Let me tell you about my God" or "This is what God has done for me" or again "Hows your relationship with God?".  To what or whom are you pointing them to for their salvation?  The church building or meeting is not to be the attraction or goal, the goal is the Father.
  I recently visited (creeping?), through a common acquaintance's post, "Philip's" facebook page (a pastor of a local "revival church")  below is a print screen image of an entry.

 

I know both parties and "Jim" has been out of his church (and from what I know all churches) for 8-10 years under the assumption that he was leaving God.  You will notice the thing that "Philip" emphasized.  I don't know for certain but it looks like this is the note after "Philip" accepted his friend request and may have been the only communication between them (I know its a supposition, but I think its accurate).  It may have been the only communication with him and all it did was inflict a feeling of guilt or shame. Where is the encouragement for relationship or the words pointing him to the Father or even  the current concern about his present life to reestablish a relationship and then be able to speak into his life?  I am not bringing this up to embarrass either party, but is a real life example that shows all what we probably do ourselves mainly out of habit or upbringing or even lack of relationship with the Father. 

   To point someone to a church it takes knowing an address or directions or a financial interest in that church and can have NOTHING to do with God.  To be able to point someone to the Father it takes a relationship with the Father or better yet a current relationship with the Father.  Letting people know what God has done for you can be one of the most effective ways to bring people to the Father.  Have confidence in what He has done in and for you!

Conformity is an Enemy Part 2

  Why would conformity be an enemy when the Bible says that we are to be conformed to the image of Christ?   The problem arises when people try to get you to conform to their own image for you instead of helping you be all that you can be.    A majority of people will marry someone who is an opposite in personality to themselves.  I have noticed in my life people that have been my closest friends have had personalities that were opposite to me.  I am no psych major but as best I can see it is that subconsciously we can see the attributes in the other that we don’t possess and in a way it helps to complete us.  Then why after we were attracted to them, while dating, do those things that drew us together bother us?  For those that have been married, for at least several years, most will attest to a period where a spouse will usually try to change the way the other one acts.   Part of the answer is that you want someone to act like you so that the going is easier (selfishness).  I’ve seen couples get divorced and get married to someone just like the first spouse and then go through the same cycle (joy, discontentment, forced change, disillusionment, hurt feelings and finally divorce).

Pastors will do the same thing to make not only their life easier but their thinking is “It works for me so why won’t what I do work for them?”.   I have watched them try to conform people in their care to: pray in length and/or style also applying force to be like them in when or how they study the Word.  I have even seen where they think when God is telling them to “double up” their own devotional and prayer time and they  turn around and put that burden on others (this was coming from a body that was far beyond the normal church body out there resulting in a weary and condemned people that can’t do what is expected of them).  A pastor or spouse can show how they see and do things and explain the whys and then must leave the decision to the individual to do things that person sees best.

 Each one of us, because we are so completely different than anyone else (through genetic, psychological and experiential makeup) should each have our own ways that we communicate and act towards the Father.  My wife and I quickly realized that we needed to talk to and discipline each child we had differently.  What would motivate one could decimate another.  God knows how to deal with a harder nosed person like me and at the same time whisper softly to the gentle, shy soul.   When we try to conform people to our image we are distorting and hurting who they are and making them wear a mask so they will be acceptable to us.  We each have our own views and answers to life’s problems sometimes we need apposing ideas to get the best results.  Here’s a simple example Person A is pessimist he sees the glass half empty.  Person B is an optimist he sees the glass half full and says “Hey there’s a good amount of wine in that glass lets drink it!” Person A sees it half empty so therefore "It needs to be filled!”  Individually and by their lonesome they have one full glass (Person A) and one empty (Person B).  Together though, they are either going to argue about the perception of the glass or someone is going to get a little tipsy.

  We each are responsible to develop a relationship with the Father which is the same way we develop a relationship with another person.  It involves time and effort!  If you would invest a half hour a week with a “love interest” do you think that they thought you were serious about them?   (I am only counting outside church seeking and courting the Father. Think of it this way if God appeared in body in the service would the service be different? I generally have found most "church services" artificial and shallow.  I think if we worshiped a potential mate the way we say we do God in church our love interest would be asleep with boredom).

Be yourself and find out what you were created to be and become that person that your Father sees.

Conformity is an Enemy

  What makes you uncomfortable?  Remember the first time you went to a Pentecostal meeting even though you were warned not to?  Ever sit next to someone that has "THE SHAKES" and you didn't and were hoping it wasn't communicable? 
  What made your skin crawl or your tendency to freak out was they weren't like you and you weren't used to it.  I remember going to a rival school's football game in which my school's team was their dastardly opponent.  The first time I did, those "Pumpkin Heads" intimidated me because they weren't the same us.  We was (purposelessly left in wrong tense) intelligent, they was not (heads filled with pumpkin mush).  We was sane, they lived in Anoka (a sure sign of insanity). Then those school colors black and orange (why would anyone wear vomit?).
   Ever get on an elevator and face the back instead of the doors?  I saw a Candid Camera show one time where they stacked the deck and the majority faced the "wrong way".  Can you guess what happened when someone else got on? Sure enough they too faced the back!  You say that you aren't a conformist but do your actions say it?  When was the last time you purposefully wore two different color shoes to a formal event?  I'll bet  you wore your most comfortable clothes and flip flops instead of a gown or suit to some place where everyone else is dressed up way too much.  Have you ever gone to a church meeting where everyone there is a different race than you?   Do you get the picture?  We as the Church have segregated ourselves. We tend to gather in groups that behave and think like us.  It's easier that way, so we think.  We tend to critique and judge others that are different.   Can the hand say to the foot because you're not a hand we have no need of you? (a paraphrase of a NT verse).
  Try stretching yourself a bit.  Sit next to someone you are not totally comfortable with and engage them in conversation.  Maybe even try to accept a friend or a spouse that has quirkinesses about them  (they are quirky cause they aren't like you)! Maybe you should shut up about how the toothpaste tube is rolled up and be grateful that someone loves you or that you have someone to love!
More later...

You are the Church part 2

 In the last session we started to look at what a church is and isn’t.  In summery:   IT IS YOU!  It is not a building and it isn’t a church just because a group is “organized” or incorperated.   The presence of a pastor doesn’t make it “a church” just as an absence of a pastor does not stop it from being “a church”. The Church is believers as a whole and in parts.

  When you read  the book of 1Corinthians 1:12+ Paul is chastising the Corinthians for choosing people to follow and identify with (“I am of Paul and I am of Peter…”) he goes on to say you are only to identify with and follow Christ!  Today we can look and see several groups that do the same thing as the Corinthians…” I am of Luther” (Lutherans) and the Wesleyan church has (under their own history section) on their web site “When John Wesley began…”.   From the Methodist’s own web page: “The United Methodist Church shares a common history and heritage with other Methodist and Wesleyan bodies. The lives and ministries of John Wesley (1703–1791) and of his brother, Charles (1707–1788), mark the origin of their common roots.”  I am sorry, but I think their common root supply (that what roots do...supply) is supposed to be JESUS!  All large groups have their own people that they proudly follow with or without a name of that person in church name or doctrine. I am not picking on or belittling the above groups, but they are easy to see examples how the Church of today has lost its way and are currently dying for it (among other reasons). There is a “church” in Indiana (I believe) that to this day plays recorded sermons in their services of a past and dead pastor who they revere!

The point I am trying to make is your supply for life is Jesus.  What makes you you is Jesus.  It’s Jesus that causes the growth. It’s Jesus that gives you the new life.  You may have a pastor and you may like him/her and certain characteristics he or she has but get over them and get your eyes on Jesus.  I don’t want to go to your church and see them preach or teach, I would rather see or hear Jesus in whatever they do.  HE is to be the main draw. Yes, there are certain people I like to hear, but it’s because I can also see Jesus in them. They do not showcase themselves, but they draw your attention to the Father and/or the Son. They also have the fruit of the Spirit obvious in what they say and do. They also are people that are not arrogant or self absorbed (drawing attention to themselves). “Come to my church” some say, well it’s not your church! Did you die and rise from the dead for it? I visited a pastor (who served as an assistant pastor at a place where I had also served and attended) his first question to me was “Are you going to church somewhere?” notice it has nothing to do with relationship with the members Godhead but rather a man made organization and he never could get around to that point.  Another, seemingly unconcerned about my God relationship, needed to know if I have left the “word of faith” doctrine. 

So why is this all so important and important enough to write about?

1.       Denominations cause divisions (between people and between people and their God).

2.     Your salvation does not come or keep through the Church but through your relationship with God

3.      We often set our affection on “our church” or sometimes our denomination instead of Jesus or the Father (which is who Jesus was pointing us toward as the goal for relationship)

4.      We often set our affection and gratitude on our pastors, again a misplacement  of affection

5.      We live a diminished life because of an improper relationship with the Father

6.      Without a clear connection to the Father we to often put the work of the Gospel to those that are “trained” or to the “paid staff” of organizations because we are not qualified

7.      Your life flow comes from Jesus and that flow is necessary for you and others that come in contact with you

8.      With our eyes so out of focus our ability to affect the world of our time is greatly diminished