When you finally start feeling gratitude for your scars …
Is about when wisdom begins.
Category: Simple Truth
Those who use God’s blessings to pursue Satan’s temptings…
Will suffer a fate far worse than those who never knew His blessings at all.
Master the art of vague generalities, and you too can gain fame and notoriety …
As a for-profit non-prophet.
The modern “church” was born …
When folks found fame and fortune by putting on a good show each Sunday and calling it “worship”.
God is …
Therefore, I think.
Misplaced Loyalties:
Getting more upset about abuse, lies and cover-up being exposed in your beloved “church” and its leaders …
Than about the impact of that abuse on the victims.
God will not hold you blameless.
Don’t be bashful:
We need to publicly ask those who publicly tell everyone how to do or be the church (whether organic, missional, traditional or whatever) …
If they themselves are part of one – in their own lives and hometowns – like they keep promoting to others.
You may be shocked at how often they aren’t.
But hey, that shouldn’t stop them from peddling their ear-tickling ideas, books, blogs and conferences to unsuspecting audiences.
Right?
🤔
Unless you’re willing to fail …
You will never succeed.
However, never let risk exceed …
Your ability to survive possible failure.
By learning to successfully fail …
You can turn obstacles into opportunities.
If you’re not a disciple …
You’re not a Christian.
Because without God’s rule …
There is no “Christ” in “Christian”.
Until you admit that “church” as you know it, is not how the Bible actually shows it …
You will remain stuck in your rut.
If we’re not about redemption, then what hope does anyone have?
This is my passion.
This is my cause.
But it ain’t neat and it ain’t tidy.
It’s raw and sometimes ugly.
Because if Jesus doesn’t work for the worse of us …
Then He works for none of us.
God’s presence without His sovereignty …
Is an impossibility.
Which is why I’m convinced that what we call “worship” and “His presence” at many “churches” these days …
Is so bogus.
So last Sunday morning:
Was it the Jesus Show (“church” on a stage) …
Or the Body of Christ (ministry one to another)?
Revivals come, revivals go …
But true repentance is forever.
Everyone seems to want to do what the Bible says …
Except when it comes to how they do church.
Are YOU the church?
Really???
So here’s the test:
Who controls the mic and the money?
They actually are the “church”.
Not you.
You’re just their supportive audience.
God speaks …
Therefore, I am.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion …
But not to a Christ of their own perception.
He created and defines us …
And not us Him.
Many “churches” today have abandoned New Testament norms …
For scripted events that thrill and entertain.
Not for the ultimate benefit of their members …
But their “leaders”.
Jesus never told people they were saved by asking him into their heart …
But through faith to submit to his Kingdom rule by doing his Father’s will.
That’s called repenting.
Those who proclaim anything less …
Are preaching a lie.
Prophetic voices speak truth to those who don’t want to listen …
And don’t want to know.
Not to convince them …
But to convict them before a just and holy God.
Authentic citizens of God’s Kingdom …
Are the greatest force for reform of earthly nations.
History proves this time and again …
And God is not yet done with history.
It’s ironic how some think that elevating Christ as the Living Word …
Means discounting His written Word of Scripture.
Is Christ divided?
He’s all or nothing …
Because there is no pick-and-choose Jesus.
A “relationship” with a purely subjective Jesus, apart from His plenary authority of Scripture as His written Word …
Leads to inauthentic faith.
Likewise, “truth” from the plenary authority of Scripture without Jesus alive in us …
Also leads to an inauthentic faith.
Each extreme – born of an endless cycle of reaction to the other – chronicles two tragic trends of Church history.
Unfortunately, we still see these extremes all too evident today.
Authentic faith embraces the fulness of Christ:
Both His Person …
And what He has revealed in His written Word of Scripture.
Yet where my subjective perception of Him parts with His written self-disclosure, objective precepts and propositional truths of Scripture …
I must yield to Scripture.
There can be no maturity in Christ apart from these essentials.
There are no “worship leaders” in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada.
In fact, the very concept is utterly missing from “church” and “worship” as actually taught in the New Testament.
Why is that?
Could it be that our notions of “church” and “worship” are more about post-Biblical presumptions …
Than what God actually says in His written Word?
