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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Comfortable. Christian. antonym or synonym?


Let me start by saying I HATE hypocrisy. All of it. whether its me or someone I don't get along with hypocrisy just rubs me the wrong way. just because i make an excuse for they way or how or my intention in doing something does not give me the right to accuse others of something I do, or claim I have morals I do not act out. However, I in noway think I am above this hypocrisy (or any other for that matter) it just really erks my nerves. 


It apply s to most anyone who has accepted Christianity, but it cuts deeper into my nerves when it's people who know better, you know those who accuse "sinners" make excuses for themselves or that other denominations excuse their mistakes with once saved always saved theology, and then turn around and make an excuse for themselves. The more I get involved in church and helping with ministry the more I've dealt with this hypocrisy.I can not listen to you tell me your doctrine of doing God's will if you have to be comfortable as you do it. Does the Bible every say plan to do my will and then make it happen? or save up money to do my will and then make it happen? I'm not saying that you can't plan or save money and do gods will I'm just saying don't put off Gods work for anything and don't expect me to think God cares more about your stress and your bills than he does his work. I'm not buying it.  Job never did anything wrong and yet he suffered, in Acts he is literally telling people to we (as Christians) are going to suffer to enter to the kingdom. 
Did Peter and Andrew have time to save up money or put in extra time fishing or sale their fishing equipment? Was it comfortable for Jesus Christ to be on the cross? and somehow mainstream Christians have this idea that we should be comfortable? That we should get our life and possessions and jobs and children in order then do what we think God is asking of us? 

I'm not saying what God has told you to do can't be plan, or save, or get your life together. I'm saying God can't ask to much of you. When I say God, I don't mean your friends, or your spouse, or your church. I mean God in the sense that he can reveal to you opportunities or needs that he opens your heart to knowing are in his will and if you think you can't do them because it would threaten your comfort, your wrong. This goes for me too! I'm not saying that I haven't or don't do this I'm saying it is unacceptable for anyone to concede that I am righteous in supporting my thinking that when God wants me to do something I should wait for a time (or circumstance) that works for me, that doesn't make me uncomfortable. Yes there were wealthy people in the Bible who I'm sure saved money and thanked God for their blessings but the redeeming quality in them is that when if came down to doing what God wanted from them they did it. Only when they did what God was asking of them did they really gain favor. 

HONESTLY I think John Piper KILLLS this message in just 35 seconds( from 1:25 to 2:00). I mean literally as Christians we show the power and awesomeness of our GOD: when were down at our lowest in our deepest pain, when the time is most inconvenient, when we have the most struggles, when we have nothing, when things do not go according to our plan, when our backup plan fails when every effort we have fails and we still uphold Gods love and his will as our highest priority. Do we really think that the God who sent his son to save us owes us a scheduled meeting, or a steady income, or good health or even a peaceful mind...

It's not about what we PLAN to do for God, or what we want to do, or if its something we like, or if its in our area of expertise, we don't have the luxury of putting what Gods asking us on the back burner. It doesn't have to be as blatant as a talking bush for us to realize what God is pointing us toward. if God opens you eye to a need that you can fix and you are set on doing it your way when you have extra time, how you want it to be done, only until it stresses you out, only if you have enough support ignoring and making excuses for yourself does not excuse you. The biggest indicator of faith (to me) is not what you say, but rather that you act as if the God you claim is a reality today. whether his power is great enough to provide what you need be it food, money, peace, acceptance, help, time, resources, health. If you don't believe that he can (and will) work those things for his good on this day,  Do you really have faith?  More importantly do you have faith in something bigger than this lifetime.

No one has it all figured out.

Honestly this is the point of this blog...

I'm not here to say "I know the answer" more importantly i'm not trying to prove that "your answer is wrong" I'm just documenting what I believe. right now. today at this point in time. subject to growth and change because one thing I am pretty sure of is that the point of Christianity is to strive towards becoming something pleasing to God.  I basically Plan to discuss all things religion/church/church people/church politics annoying, good, bad, beautiful, sickening, agreeable, all of it. The point is to call it how I see it without the filter of seeking acceptance.

BASICALLY THIS IS WHERE I'M COMING FROM...

While I believe 100% in THE BIBLE (i don't always agree with it) and that the The Bible is always TRUE AND GOOD AND CONSISTENT. I also believe that people are not, and our interpretations of The Bible are always subject to our imperfections.That although we think we understand what God is telling us through The Bible, it is an asinine assumption, in my opinion equivocal with that of Satan esteeming himself as high as the Lord, to suggest that we can understand EVERYTHING about The Bible. Don't get me wrong we should strive for understanding, but if after thousands of years and hundreds of denominations, we have taken The Bible and made it about fitting into how we feel, what we understand, and what our denomination/theology teaches rather than making it about IDK, actually doing something for God. I believe that as we grow our interpretations should grow and change and morph into something that is ultimately for the purpose of either pleasing and exalting Christ. Anymore than that is to put God into a bubble that I am comfortable and honestly, I'm not okay with worshiping an all powerful all knowing God that is trapped in a bubble that my mind created. I don't mean to say that God cant reveal all the truth of the bible to everyone or one denomination. I'm just saying I don't think we are capable of boxing God into what we have interpreted. I believe that only God can judge because there is an exception to every sin. whether it be circumstance or the blood of Jesus. 

 I believe we are so caught up on being right about what it says that we don't do what it says. I believe the Bible is relative in the sense that it was intended for man and since we are all created differently each individual will thrive and struggle with different aspect of The Bible, and that we will disagree about the true meaning and intentions of scripture until God returns and reveals to us his Pure Will. The point isn't to have supreme knowledge and understanding the point is to open ourselves to searching for Gods guidance and doing what it is God ask of us when we entertain his word, and when we seek his counsel.


What I really believe is that Christianity is not a check list  one-size-fits-all because we are all tools in Christ work I believe that God uses us differently and in different denominations all to prove his purpose not ours. There are concrete truths and standards for everyone but since we can't see motive and everything is subject to circumstance all judgement is for God.