First thing is first and that is, you have to read the last post before this one to see the way God is responding to my prayers, questions, and actions. (Well, you don't HAVE to, you can choose to.)
So, here I am, on this journey to break free from religious bondage and God sends not one, but 2 messages to me within a short period of time. The first is the video I've posted entitled "David." Pastor, Jonathan Wiggins, says things about people worshiping God in truth and Spirit as in, "just being." Not the "faithful church attendance show" that people put on. And the second message is the video of Jefferson Bethke who says it in a slight rap but I couldn't have said it better.
It's like God is telling people (or at least myself) that the church is failing and we must break free and put it right!! I don't know how God feels about people who go to church every Sunday and demonstrate a kind of faithfulness. I don't know if He counts this to their charge. But I know I can't live inside of that box and still feel like I truly worship and serve Him the way He says to.
God doesn't judge me. He doesn't tell me He loves me but then leaves me alone to fend for myself through my trials.
I knew I wasn't that far off the track when I broke free from the church. I'm sure that millions of "Christians" would rebuke me and call me "back slider," but I rebuke you and call you "hypocrite."
Too many times have I been told, in the midst of a trial, "Go and be blessed." But that's something the Lord spoke out against. Don't tell your neighbor to go and come later and you'll give. Give at that moment. Don't tell your brother/sister to go away and expect them to be blessed by your telling them to be. We have to be that blessing to them.
I question everything!! The doctrines, the attitudes, the church!! I won't be moved from serving God in truth and in righteousness. I won't become a part of the scenery. I won't conform and be blended so as to become a religious pharisee!!
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27.
So, here I am, on this journey to break free from religious bondage and God sends not one, but 2 messages to me within a short period of time. The first is the video I've posted entitled "David." Pastor, Jonathan Wiggins, says things about people worshiping God in truth and Spirit as in, "just being." Not the "faithful church attendance show" that people put on. And the second message is the video of Jefferson Bethke who says it in a slight rap but I couldn't have said it better.
It's like God is telling people (or at least myself) that the church is failing and we must break free and put it right!! I don't know how God feels about people who go to church every Sunday and demonstrate a kind of faithfulness. I don't know if He counts this to their charge. But I know I can't live inside of that box and still feel like I truly worship and serve Him the way He says to.
God doesn't judge me. He doesn't tell me He loves me but then leaves me alone to fend for myself through my trials.
I knew I wasn't that far off the track when I broke free from the church. I'm sure that millions of "Christians" would rebuke me and call me "back slider," but I rebuke you and call you "hypocrite."
Too many times have I been told, in the midst of a trial, "Go and be blessed." But that's something the Lord spoke out against. Don't tell your neighbor to go and come later and you'll give. Give at that moment. Don't tell your brother/sister to go away and expect them to be blessed by your telling them to be. We have to be that blessing to them.
I question everything!! The doctrines, the attitudes, the church!! I won't be moved from serving God in truth and in righteousness. I won't become a part of the scenery. I won't conform and be blended so as to become a religious pharisee!!
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27.
I wholly agree Kelline. It can be a habit to tell people to be blessed, see them in their need and just tell them, "oh be blessed!" and walk away. We need to be that blessing. To answer the question, "What would Jesus do?". Tell the needy and the hurting, "Oh be blessed!". No I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteWe need to be active.
This is the second time in reading this post, but my eyes must only had been halfway open. Because I did not clearly see that truth in there.
Have you every read,the book Reckless Abandon?
I only got a few chapters in, on a group book study of that book. I'm thinking about picking it up. I think I remember it reiterating the same message.