Mankind has a habit.
Mankind has had this habit ever since the Fall.
This habit never fails to cause destruction when indulged, whether out of simple-mindedness, selfishness, or an overreaching attempt to grasp wisdom.
What is this habit? It is corrupting that which is naturally found.
Just last night, I heard about an incident that happened this past Friday. I didn’t know anything about it, so I decided to look it up. I found a disturbing video, one that reveals a complex, multi-faceted social problem.
What was this incident? It revolved around a pool party in a well-to-do neighborhood in McKinney, TX. A neighbor called the police to report that there was a disturbance, so the police came to put a stop to said disturbance.
What happened when they got there is telling, to say the least.
Have you ever spoken about God “showing up” in your church service? Did you stop and wonder how that makes sense, if we indeed believe that God is omnipresent? Is there a difference between the idea of Him being present and Him “entering” or “coming into” a physical place at a particular date and time?
These are questions that some may have never asked, while others have probably asked them ever since they became conscious of the two ideas.
I believe that this article I found on the Worshipfuel blog will go a long way in giving you a direction for your thoughts, if not alleviating your concerns. But before you read it, please take some time to work through where you stand. Then return to your position after reading and see what changes to your understanding may be necessary. After all, our hearts and minds must be influenced by the Scriptures, not the other way around.
In my last post, I talked a bit about how one should exit a church staff position. Unfortunately, many people calling themselves Christians still live a life void of some decidedly basic characteristics vital to the Christian walk.
As James 1:19-26 tells us, a person who does not listen to and apply Scriptural principles in his life has no business claiming religion at all, for his devotion is useless. Ephesians 4 speaks volumes as to the life of a Christian, and any Christian worth his proverbial salt (ha ha) will strive to live his life according to these principles, as they are the core of the godly lifestyle.
In our recent church staff meetings, our pastor has brought a somewhat new topic to our table. Some of you may have heard the idea before, but most of you have probably heard it more in the context that I have — more of a cousin context than a different form of the idea.
Do you remember the old saying “love the sinner, hate the sin”? Do you remember that one guy who once said that we as Christians should be “in the world but not of it”? These are related concepts, with the difference being an internal, personal screening of sorts versus an external, relational screening.
The problem is that we have focused too much on the second part of each respective phrase rather than the first part. So what’s the big deal? The big deal is the nuance through which you view the world. Do you view the world as a place that is trying to contaminate us with its ways, or do you view the world as a mission field? Do you consider being in the world as a necessary evil or an opportunity to reflect God’s love and compassion to those around you?
Learn It And Share It 