"If you're only willing to follow or gain wisdom from those who think, act and believe as you do, you're setting yourself up for a stagnant and arrogant life making yourself to be as a god. It's when we can see, without judgment, all people's have something to give, whether through their brokenness or life experiences, strong faith (even if different from our own) we will not only gain wisdom, but put The True King back on the thrown, loving more like He. Amen."
I read to Andy this quote and he said, "You are talking about believers, right?" And my response was, "No, actually."
Here's why. I had a pretty thick head when it came to my beliefs and those who "claimed to be Christians" but had a faith very different than mine. I use quotation marks because that's exactly how I would say it. Sarcastically, as if they weren't really Christ-followers.
I was so very concerned about how others' theology looked that I barely took into consideration whether or not they believed the one thing that is core to being a part of the Body of Christ,
That Jesus Christ is the son of God, was sent down to earth because we needed (all of us) a Savior, who lived a perfect life as fully man and fully God, died a gruesome and undeserved death out of love for you and me, rose again and is now sitting on the Right Hand of God. He'll come back again making ALL things new. All because He first loved us.
This is important. You must believe these things as they are The Gospel. Jesus is the way to heaven and there is nothing you or I can do enough of to get there.
*Sorry, I've been all preachy and even had a spontaneous, mini sermon with my kids today about Jesus and His kingdom and it's okay because I got a few "amens" from the crowd! ;)
But, what is sad is that until I've come to a place in my life where I've been completely desperate for prayer for my son who is extremely ill, I didn't have the eyes to see The Kingdom, The Body of Christ all around me, some believing things I didn't or do not.
But these same people are loving on us like crazy during this trial we face, helping to make this season livable. These same people are coming along side us, giving up time and love to serve us in this extreme time of need. These same people are praying fervently for our son as if he was their own.
I didn't believe the way I do now, before this trial as far as healing...God started building my faith way back when He told me to pray over a man in Target, on Father's day who was revived after God kept telling me to pray almost 2 years ago.
So, why do we judge? Why are we so quick to make fun of those in The Body of Christ who see things differently or at a different part in their walk as you and me? It's not right and I want to stop!
Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, but to save it.(John 3:17) Is he telling us to condemn, then? Should we be quick to point fingers when their worship or their preaching looks differently than ours? No.
With that being said, there is obviously discernment needed and Spirit led guidance when attending a new church or listening to someone who is truly speaking out of love but may not be completely speaking truth to you.
There are sheep in wolves clothing and we want to keep watch for that, again, not to judge but to steer clear and if it's appropriate, call them out as you feel led (out of love, people and IF IT'S YOUR PLACE!).
I want to be clear on the importance of discernment but discernment is NOT supposed to look like we are disregarding or even making fun of those who do this Christian life differently. Of this, I am guilty and of this, God has opened my eyes to loving on a whole new level.
Part of that is this vision I had when thinking of where people are in their faith. I don't picture it, anymore, as like a running track with a beginning line and a finish line and people are further ahead or behind. There is so much more depth to it. It's more like an actual body. A body doesn't have a perfect beginning or ending line where we start and finish. There are many parts to a body and all are needed for it to work well.
Here is what the scriptures says about The Body of Christ
Spiritual Gifts
12 "Now mconcerning1 spiritual gifts,2 brothers,3 I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that nwhen you were pagans oyou were led astray to pmute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that qno one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is raccursed!” and sno one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now tthere are varieties of gifts, but uthe same Spirit; 5 and vthere are varieties of service, but uthe same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is uthe same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 wTo each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of xwisdom, and to another the utterance of yknowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another zfaith by the same Spirit, to another agifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another bthe working of miracles, to another cprophecy, to another dthe ability to distinguish between spirits, to another evarious kinds of tongues, to another fthe interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, gwho apportions to each one individually has he wills.
One Body with Many Members
12 For just as ithe body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, jso it is with Christ. 13 For kin one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—lJews or Greeks, slaves4 or free—and mall were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If
the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the
body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And
if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the
body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If
the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the
whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, nGod arranged the members in the body, each one of them, oas he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts,5 yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and
on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the
greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater
modesty, 24 which
our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the
body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, pall rejoice together.
27 Now qyou are the body of Christ and individually rmembers of it. 28 And sGod has appointed in the church first tapostles, second uprophets, third teachers, then vmiracles, then wgifts of healing, xhelping, yadministrating, and vvarious kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But zearnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way."
What about people who are not a part of The Body of Christ? Those who do not claim to believe. Well, they have a story just like you and I. The only thing different is Christ in us. Simple but crucial. We can even learn from them, to see their brokenness and need for a savior but their choosing not to follow.
I think of Hitler. He was so freaking evil.Then I think of abortion clinics. And then I think of these people and how they may have been treated and how they clearly didn't know the love Jesus had for them. Makes me sad but I can learn something, right? Even if it's remembering they need Jesus, too but they just don't have Him. Humbling, eh? Takes us further down on the "righteous" scale and puts Jesus back on the thrown?! Yes. For me, at least.
People are loving us the best way they know how. "Sending thoughts your way." or "praying every day" or coming over and cleaning my house because they know my life doesn't really allow for even that. Some of you pray more than you have ever before because you love our family that much.
Again, I'm not here to judge. I want to use this season in our life to draw others to Him and help you see that God is still good, even in the trials and that this trial, although it has shaken our faith, we have kept our faith and truly want to point others to Him as God will get all the glory out of it. Heck, he's even going to continue to bring good out of it! Amen? < ---- See? I'm all preachy today. I can't stop.
So here I blog, staying up much later than I should because God knows when Zeke will be up screaming. I just wanted to share some wisdom God's placed on my heart as someone who is going through the fire. Any good you see in me or Andy or in my strong children, it's by God's grace and mercy and I will take no credit only that I keep going to Him as my need for Him is great.
Amen and thank you agian for the way you lift our family and sweet Zekey up as we pray for God's healing hand to come upon Him, in His perfect timing.
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