Real Thoughts
REAL Thoughts
I have had a lot of questions ask to me on what the Word says about certain issues. So here it is: I know we are all in the body of Christ. We are just in different camps or different parts of the Body of Christ where he has called us to be.
We do not need to try to keep people in church through FEAR, FEAR, and more FEAR. It is a very shallow surface way to keep people in line and will always need propped up. Christians need a REAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ on a daily basis when no one is around. It's time for the body of Christ to grow up! You don't need Pastor DADDY to dictate your spiritual disciplines and keep setting up man made rules for you to feel better about your salvation. A Pastor should be a Shepherd.
The man made legalistic rules create a sub-culture, a group, and spiritual pride- mind set for a way to measure your outside conditions. However, its just that, OUTSIDE. When we pastored in Perryville it amazed me at all the former people from that church who grew up with the outside works, gave us the most amount of trouble. They were the least self-controlled. They were totally run by their emotions. We had better results with former Presbyterians. What about the perfection of pride? What about your eagle eyeing judgements on one another? What about always comparing yourself to everyone who comes along? What about making your whole Spiritual life as a way to succeed politically So you look good? What about all the boasting and bragging that continues to go on? I could go on and on. It is the ISSUES of the HEART! God has the perfect vision to see the heart clearly. Take off your inherited traditional rose colored glasses and read Galatians, John and Ephesians for what it is really saying. RULES ARE NOT STRONGER THAN THE HOLY-GHOST! The LAW is only to point a sinner to Christ. We all sin and have to fall at the foot of the cross. Then after that we know that Gods Grace and mercies are there before we even sin as we are walking with him now.(Ephesians) Your salvation is not in anything you can see. SALVATION is found Romans 10:1-15, Eph. 2:8-10, Act. 16. So please do not twist this to fit your knot hole in the fence. Real RELATIONSHIP outside of fear and guilt is always the best way to come to Christ and then grow. Then you can truly understand about REAL GRACE.
The GOSPEL is multicultural. If we are so arrogant to think God is so small to get out the simple Gospel through one sector or group, than we are sorely behind, given our very small numbers over the world. Come on, one or two churches in a City with thousands and we still run the same number for 40 years. Sorry ,we are mistaken! God is much bigger than that. He has a simple divine plan to get the Gospel to the whole world. Stop trying to make people pay at the gate of the temple by your traditions and measuring sticks for them to enter in. If we took away all of the Mid-west and traditional ideas of all the extra fluff, you would find a very pure and simple gospel.
Truth is Christ. (John 14:6) and in him you are saved. He becomes your defender, Not you. You don't always have to keep defending your position in the spirit of contention. So, do not be divisive and full of offense saying that your specially separated from the world because if you look real close you CAN find the world even in your church. Double standards can easily be found. It is issues of the heart..( which is defined clearly in Gal.5 for anytime you sow to the flesh, it is worldly) Your sacrifice is just that a sacrifice, not a heaven and hell issue . BALANCE is the key. When you come to the end of yourself and your ideas and know he is the true SOURCE, you it is Faith . When you know you are free , God's doors start to open up for you in new levels ,you could ever dream or think.
We do not need to try to keep people in church through FEAR, FEAR, and more FEAR. It is a very shallow surface way to keep people in line and will always need propped up. Christians need a REAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ on a daily basis when no one is around. It's time for the body of Christ to grow up! You don't need Pastor DADDY to dictate your spiritual disciplines and keep setting up man made rules for you to feel better about your salvation. A Pastor should be a Shepherd.
The man made legalistic rules create a sub-culture, a group, and spiritual pride- mind set for a way to measure your outside conditions. However, its just that, OUTSIDE. When we pastored in Perryville it amazed me at all the former people from that church who grew up with the outside works, gave us the most amount of trouble. They were the least self-controlled. They were totally run by their emotions. We had better results with former Presbyterians. What about the perfection of pride? What about your eagle eyeing judgements on one another? What about always comparing yourself to everyone who comes along? What about making your whole Spiritual life as a way to succeed politically So you look good? What about all the boasting and bragging that continues to go on? I could go on and on. It is the ISSUES of the HEART! God has the perfect vision to see the heart clearly. Take off your inherited traditional rose colored glasses and read Galatians, John and Ephesians for what it is really saying. RULES ARE NOT STRONGER THAN THE HOLY-GHOST! The LAW is only to point a sinner to Christ. We all sin and have to fall at the foot of the cross. Then after that we know that Gods Grace and mercies are there before we even sin as we are walking with him now.(Ephesians) Your salvation is not in anything you can see. SALVATION is found Romans 10:1-15, Eph. 2:8-10, Act. 16. So please do not twist this to fit your knot hole in the fence. Real RELATIONSHIP outside of fear and guilt is always the best way to come to Christ and then grow. Then you can truly understand about REAL GRACE.
The GOSPEL is multicultural. If we are so arrogant to think God is so small to get out the simple Gospel through one sector or group, than we are sorely behind, given our very small numbers over the world. Come on, one or two churches in a City with thousands and we still run the same number for 40 years. Sorry ,we are mistaken! God is much bigger than that. He has a simple divine plan to get the Gospel to the whole world. Stop trying to make people pay at the gate of the temple by your traditions and measuring sticks for them to enter in. If we took away all of the Mid-west and traditional ideas of all the extra fluff, you would find a very pure and simple gospel.
Truth is Christ. (John 14:6) and in him you are saved. He becomes your defender, Not you. You don't always have to keep defending your position in the spirit of contention. So, do not be divisive and full of offense saying that your specially separated from the world because if you look real close you CAN find the world even in your church. Double standards can easily be found. It is issues of the heart..( which is defined clearly in Gal.5 for anytime you sow to the flesh, it is worldly) Your sacrifice is just that a sacrifice, not a heaven and hell issue . BALANCE is the key. When you come to the end of yourself and your ideas and know he is the true SOURCE, you it is Faith . When you know you are free , God's doors start to open up for you in new levels ,you could ever dream or think.
