Tuesday, May 10, 2011

My thoughts for the day

I have not posted in several days so I thought it was time that I say a few words. I have spent a lot of time thinking and praying in the past few weeks. First, I want to share this, I have come to the place of being reminded that God is not a religion, He is an experience and a relationship. I have become weary of motions and traditions that are not about the Word of God or about the Spirit of God. I recently heard someone teaching who said that the only difference in teaching and preaching is one is yelling and one is talking. It saddens me to think that a "Bible Teacher" lacks understanding to this degree. I believe that preaching is about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul said I preach one thing- Jesus Chirst and Him crucified. Teaching is about discipleship or helping a believer learn and discover how to live the life that God has ordained for them and to find a way of life that pleases God and aligns with His word. So often preachers and teachers are presenting a message that they have heard and not what they have studied and learned. I certainly do not know or understand all the things of God. I do however try to study and seek out truth from the Word of God. I am sure it will ruffle some feathers when I share this next thought but here it is anyway. All of my life I have set in churches that "preached the standards of holiness" and recently that phrase has started to bother me. I have researched and found the word "standard" in the Bible (KJV) twenty- two times. Each time it is mentioned in Numbers, Isaiah and Jeremiah, it is talking about a defense such as a shield or barrier against an enemy which we need in our lives, no doubt. I have not yet found the word in the context of holiness. Please do not misunderstand, I believe in living a life that is holy and I believe we are to be set apart from the world, but I must ask who's standards are we preaching about? We should be careful that we are not being different just so we can say we are set apart. Our outward apperance alone is not where we must be differnce. I wish someone would teach us that living holy means that our thoughts, our words and our actions should bring glory to the God we serve. The command is to be ye holy even as I am holy. This speaks to me about taking on the nature of God. God, who loved us while we were yet sinners, God who sacraficed His own son to save us from Hell. I don't care if you have the perfect standard of dress and know how to look "churchey" if you are constantly sending everyone that looks differently than you to hell- you are missing what Holiness is all about. I am not satisfied to just look different I want to be different. I pray that my life will reflect a Holy God in the way I treat others around me. I want someone to see Jesus in my by the way I live and the way I love not by the way I dress. Jesus said by this shall all men know that you are my disciples that you have love one to another. I see more church folks in competition with one another, cutting each other down and showing anything but love. Once again, it seems I must stand and take the heat for not "going with the flow" I am not concerned if I am not asked to preach or sing or play at someone's church because I do not just "do what the preacher says" I would rather just so what the Bible teaches. God and not man called and ordained me to preach, he gave me the talent to sing and play for His glory and I am happy if I just preach Jesus to the people I meet everyday. I am not against anyone and do not mean to disrespect ones personal covictions. If the Holy Ghost convicts you in the way you live and dress, follow the leading of the Lord in your life. However be careful that what you teach and preach is based on solid scripture and not the "standards" of a man or organization.

May God Bless and Prosper you today in the name of Jesus!

2 comments:

  1. Just some food for thought...

    Standard in the English language has a variety of meanings but the basic meanings are held as such:
    a) something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison; an approved model.
    b) a flag, emblematic figure, or other object raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point of an army, fleet, etc.

    The latter definition is commonly used in the Bible, when the word "standard" is found but has its meaning based on in the first definition.

    It was the standard raised by God that would serve as a token for His people. The standard is a sign of God's sovereignty in one's life. Not only were God's people different in mannerism, but that also in dress, lifestyle, judgment, etc. Everything about the person of God was a direct correlation of the Standard of God in their life (the sign). It was in their subjection and submission to YHVH in all aspects of life that proved to be the greatest sign to the nations around them. This in return became a sign of distinction.

    It is true, however, that one could hold to a standard of “holiness” or Godliness (god-like-ness) incorrectly and still be wrong. In the end, doing the right thing wrong is still wrong in God’s eyes.

    Jonathan, keep on you are on the right track.

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  2. Proud of you Jonathan seek first the kingdom of God!

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