Often after the initial mailing is done. I edit. Backwards i know. Trying to get the hang of it and much of the time I'm in a hurry.
~~ Just want to suggest that if you receive a mailing that i have a new post, please do not read it in the body of your email, Please go to the site (there should be a link at the bottom of the email) and read it there. Nine times out of ten it will be different, edited, finished - ish, on the blog site.
~~Thanks for your patience
Sherrie
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Honest Scales : Becoming as little children, for such is the kingdom of God
You know, even a five year old can tell you that honesty is essential to being a good person. A class of kindergarteners were asked what they thought a good person was. Here were the top ten answers: 1. Not hitting. 2. Not lying. 3. Not taking anybodies stuff. 4. Sharing. 5. Helping your teacher or friend. 6. Not spilling your milk, but cleaning up your milk if you do. 7.Raising your hand if you want to talk. 8. Not making fun of the other kids if they cry. 9. Bringing your mom flowers. 10. Saying your sorry.
I love little pre school aged kids (k-5 included.) So raw and pure, they are not yet jaded by life and it's experiences. You know, we have all made excuses at one time or another for questionable behavior. i.e. Didn't take back the overage of change someone gave us. Told the white lie because it was better for situation or because we didn't want to hurt someone or maybe, just maybe, it slanted the situation to our advantage. Told our husband "...what, this old thing?" Most of the time, we fudge behavior when it seems small, and we do it to avoid conflict or consequences. Sometimes we find ourselves doing it while in dire straights thinking: "If i just twist it this one time, i will stay afloat...i.e. not lose this acct., not get fired, not get demoted, not lose a friend, client, dollar, account" *All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (honesty is just one way)
We have a saying in our house, it goes back to our oldest child telling the next in line, his sister, "God's watching!!" while they were before me settling a dispute.
I've noticed that so many who call themselves believers, fudge alot of the time, when it comes to common everyday things that even a K-5'er knows is wrong. Perhaps the grown up has decided that moral integrity does count in the small things. How do we come to that conclusion?
The Bible says that one sin is as great as the next. That there are no great or small sins. It says *"If you have broken the law in one thing, you have broken the law in all" In other words: Breaking the law is breaking the law. I believe the biggest lesson we should derive from that principle is the K-5 knowledge that wrong is wrong. Little five year old's have not been alive long enough to have become aware of embezzling or adultery or serial killing, so the top ten are elementary. The bible says, sin is elementary and until we become like "little children" we will not enter the kingdom of heaven, for that is what the kingdom is made up of.
There are some terrific babies i love to have with me as often as possible. The oldest is now 12 years old and the youngest 5yrs, but as young as age 2 and still today, they will say "ooooh, miss Sherrie" and they will look at me with shame and almost healthy fright for what i had coming, when i say a bi-word. Am i saying stop your bi-words? No. What i am saying is. We need to get back to weighing our attitudes and behaviors against the elementary and fundamentals of our faith. Truth is truth, not a variation. Right is right, absolutely.
Mr Welsh, former President of GE, in March '09 stated: "integrity is something that is instilled in early childhood, by the time someone reaches the job market, either it is there or it is not."
We often weigh our behavior by our excuses, what we have to lose, whom it will affect, who will be mad at us.
Just a reminder: God requires "Honest scales." We tend to use them on others, how 'bout using them on ourselves.
I challenge you to begin to use honest scales. Believe in absolutes. We have seen recently how Wallstreet and often even Mainstreet can tweek the numbers. Medical and pharmaceutical researchers are tempted to do the same on trials and the like, and are often caught doing so. Most of them think they are justified in compromising, as it is simply a means to an end. But we, brothers and sisters, have knowledge that there is no end. That this is not all there is. That life as we know it will pass away, but we will go on, to face our maker who will decide our fate in eternity; Who see's and is a rewarder of those that diligent seek him.
Before acting, making decisions, weigh your thoughts, patterns, actions, ideas, decisions, not against our flawed systems of this world, rather weigh on the scales of fundamental "Truth," let the "truth" decide if you come up wanting. Whether your words or action are balanced and measure up. In short: Use complete honesty, truth, integrity as your measure of our spirituality, morality, behavior.
Regardless of our judgment day destination. We are called to be *"Children of the Light" The Bible says: "It is shameful to even mention what the sinner does in secret or cover of darkness" ...But, we are children of the Light, so let us shine forth that we might bring glory to our God, in word and deed that others might see and glorify God... I cannot help but write on the subject. In this, one more way, we can Be the Church.
Did you know that little children are known for spotting a phony? Well, they are not the only ones. Christians, we are not our own. We are Christ's; we are in Him who is: the only way to God, the truth and the life. I can't help saying it again: Let's not fudge our way through life. Be the church, my friends, not the counterfeit!!
I love little pre school aged kids (k-5 included.) So raw and pure, they are not yet jaded by life and it's experiences. You know, we have all made excuses at one time or another for questionable behavior. i.e. Didn't take back the overage of change someone gave us. Told the white lie because it was better for situation or because we didn't want to hurt someone or maybe, just maybe, it slanted the situation to our advantage. Told our husband "...what, this old thing?" Most of the time, we fudge behavior when it seems small, and we do it to avoid conflict or consequences. Sometimes we find ourselves doing it while in dire straights thinking: "If i just twist it this one time, i will stay afloat...i.e. not lose this acct., not get fired, not get demoted, not lose a friend, client, dollar, account" *All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (honesty is just one way)
We have a saying in our house, it goes back to our oldest child telling the next in line, his sister, "God's watching!!" while they were before me settling a dispute.
I've noticed that so many who call themselves believers, fudge alot of the time, when it comes to common everyday things that even a K-5'er knows is wrong. Perhaps the grown up has decided that moral integrity does count in the small things. How do we come to that conclusion?
The Bible says that one sin is as great as the next. That there are no great or small sins. It says *"If you have broken the law in one thing, you have broken the law in all" In other words: Breaking the law is breaking the law. I believe the biggest lesson we should derive from that principle is the K-5 knowledge that wrong is wrong. Little five year old's have not been alive long enough to have become aware of embezzling or adultery or serial killing, so the top ten are elementary. The bible says, sin is elementary and until we become like "little children" we will not enter the kingdom of heaven, for that is what the kingdom is made up of.
There are some terrific babies i love to have with me as often as possible. The oldest is now 12 years old and the youngest 5yrs, but as young as age 2 and still today, they will say "ooooh, miss Sherrie" and they will look at me with shame and almost healthy fright for what i had coming, when i say a bi-word. Am i saying stop your bi-words? No. What i am saying is. We need to get back to weighing our attitudes and behaviors against the elementary and fundamentals of our faith. Truth is truth, not a variation. Right is right, absolutely.
Mr Welsh, former President of GE, in March '09 stated: "integrity is something that is instilled in early childhood, by the time someone reaches the job market, either it is there or it is not."
We often weigh our behavior by our excuses, what we have to lose, whom it will affect, who will be mad at us.
Just a reminder: God requires "Honest scales." We tend to use them on others, how 'bout using them on ourselves.
I challenge you to begin to use honest scales. Believe in absolutes. We have seen recently how Wallstreet and often even Mainstreet can tweek the numbers. Medical and pharmaceutical researchers are tempted to do the same on trials and the like, and are often caught doing so. Most of them think they are justified in compromising, as it is simply a means to an end. But we, brothers and sisters, have knowledge that there is no end. That this is not all there is. That life as we know it will pass away, but we will go on, to face our maker who will decide our fate in eternity; Who see's and is a rewarder of those that diligent seek him.
Before acting, making decisions, weigh your thoughts, patterns, actions, ideas, decisions, not against our flawed systems of this world, rather weigh on the scales of fundamental "Truth," let the "truth" decide if you come up wanting. Whether your words or action are balanced and measure up. In short: Use complete honesty, truth, integrity as your measure of our spirituality, morality, behavior.
Regardless of our judgment day destination. We are called to be *"Children of the Light" The Bible says: "It is shameful to even mention what the sinner does in secret or cover of darkness" ...But, we are children of the Light, so let us shine forth that we might bring glory to our God, in word and deed that others might see and glorify God... I cannot help but write on the subject. In this, one more way, we can Be the Church.
Did you know that little children are known for spotting a phony? Well, they are not the only ones. Christians, we are not our own. We are Christ's; we are in Him who is: the only way to God, the truth and the life. I can't help saying it again: Let's not fudge our way through life. Be the church, my friends, not the counterfeit!!
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Church and Who She Is
I'm all for multi-site churches. What i am not for, is the misunderstanding of the terms and language that the Bible uses to describe who the church is. You might notice that i assigned the church a "who" instead of a "what". That is because, by Biblical definition, she is a living breathing organism, connected by synapse, sinew, bone and marrow, muscles and organs, hands and feet. She is a walking, talking, breathing, influential, tangible, recognizable presence on this Earth and her efficacy should not be underestimated, neither by herself nor her adversaries.
Though the church is one, it is a conglomerate unit. I like how my military friend Juan Camacho put it, "...One church, one people, A UNIT as we say in the military..." A unit of believers, with one directive, one allegiance, one God, one with her husbandman - her redeemer. Many members, sprinkled all over the Earth, like salt on a dish flavoring the whole. On seven continents, in nearly every country, scattered across many villages, comprising countless denominations, in prisons, surviving school campuses, on beaches, under piers, in valleys and abroad oceans, the church lives. But, there is a difference in the physically gathered church and the ethereal church that is the extended body.
Christ called the apostles to the world to make believers of humans, then called all humans to the ministry of reconciliation and to the fastening of themselves together into this form, this body called the church.
Let's take a look at one of the words the Bible uses to address believers. Every time you see the word "church" in the NT, in the original it is the word "ekklesia", which means: "Church/Assembly", The etemology further denotes "called unto a place by name and officially assembled together". So the "church" the "ekklesia" is the local body. The physically "fitly joined together" (Strong's # G1577)
Understanding that a literal gathering of believers should adhere strictly to the paradigm dynamics which the apostles administered in grace to the new testament church, we pause a moment to consider the Apostle Paul, instructing the church, more than once, to "greet one another with an holy kiss and a a psalm," a personal and hands on act. The apostles finished their lives visiting when possible and writing when necessary, admonishing and commending the early church concerning one main theme, the same thing Jesus was concerned with in Jn 17, the "unity"of believers. We read the apostles advising that we, the church, are to be bearing one another's burdens, preferring one another over our own selves, confessing our faults one to each other (vs denying them,) supporting one another, holding one another accountable and looking after the orphan and the widow, without divisions, that we might "function" as one.
Now, let's pan out to the bigger picture. Assemblies, ekklesias, bodies of believers may link up with other units of believers and be a body of ekklesias. There is nothing wrong with that. But remember, "the ekklesia" is the physical group, not an ethereal one. They are a unit that comes together "in one place, in one accord" regularly.
So, believers, distinguishable from coast to coast and around the world as the church, are a conglomeration of groups not individuals. Each level of ekklesia denotes perhaps units of units. But there is no way to escape the fact that , by virtue of definition, the church is not an individual. Nor is an individual the "church" - "the gathered(pl) together in one physical place" (notwithstanding exigent circumstances neither discussed here)
Ekklesia is a physical group, two or three gathered together in His name....it is not singular, it is the "assembly" you don't assemble one item, you assemble two or more.
Some have referred to the churches at home, scattered and abroad as a unit, a sleeping giant. I merely make reference as to give you the picture of who she is united, but there is no mandate that ALL the churches of the world be in unison prior to that day when Christ returns to the Earth physically, The Bible does, however, mandate the church/ekklesia=local church, be adhering to sound doctrine, in one accord without divisions.
Jesus called disciples just as he was beginning public ministry... The apostles were sent to make disciples and from that we read the entire new testament, apostolic writings, giving instruction to the "churches", the gatherings of believers, how they are to conduct themselves, personally, morally, physically, in assembly, in dispute, in charity, in community. The letters concerning the early church were replete with echoes of a clear mandate: "Forsake NOT the Gathering together as some have become accustomed to doing"
Jesus "sups" with his disciples. Jesus walks with his disciples. Jesus talks with his disciples. Jesus weeps for his followers. Jesus calls his followers friends. Jesus prays with his disciples, gets involved with their living.
I've had the privilege of being of flocks who may boast of pastors' that fully felt the call of shepherd. You know some are teachers, prophets, evangelists who serve in the capacity of pastor and that is okay-ish, but the pastor/shepherd, today is a rare and really special combination. I remember pastor Don telling of a man he felt led to bring to the Lord. He visited him, told him of Jesus grace, had coffee with him and on occasion asked if he would mind if he went on a run with him in his truck. That man felt the shepherd love of this pastor. My present pastor will set aside time for his members, mainly the men. He will take them on trips with him, not so that they can carry his luggage, but so that he can spend time with them, connecting in a way that spending long hours together facilitates. He will come and help with any thing that needs being done: Fixing automobiles, moving into new homes, moving out of old homes, setting up stages, etc. Hands on - in your biz if you need him or the clan he enlists to help as well. The men in our church are the most connected men i have ever seen. The young men have a code of honor that i am so impressed with because of the strength of the men that are before them. Valiant men of God. But this kind of strength and unity comes from "connection" and this kind of connection is what makes us a "church" a "body" a "physicaly assembled unit - ekklesia"
So, as we stray from the original meanings in scripture, wanting easy-to-read versions of what we believed were the Bible, we often lose the truths that God managed to maintain and hand down to us through the ages.
We are the body of Christ. And we do esteem and feel a part of the churches of God around the world, but we are accountable to be in local fellowship, physically gathering, meeting, supping with, praying in person with, touching physically, meeting needs, supporting, confessing our faults --meaning, being transparent one with another, in a way that we are only able, in community, connection, gathering physically, regularly. This is the paradigm of the church of the living God. It is clearly factual. (just ask me for the scriptural study)
I'm reminded of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts. He is alone, reading the scripture and God sends him a flesh and bone man of God. That is another story for another time, however, the point i am trying to make is: God intends for believers to have connection with others, physically. Of this, there is no doubt. As i study scripture, this truth has become paramount.
If you call yourself the church, i would first ask you, "Are you currently in fellowship with a body of believers and if so; Whom are they with which you are fellow-shipping." Jesus put names to his group. Real flesh and blood, present and accounted for, men of God, of diverse backgrounds and education. Some he chastised, some he loved, some he taught to put down the sword, but is absolutely clear, that he had one-on-one, ongoing, close fellowship with his flock, his church, his disciples. If you are not a pastor you need one. If you are not a shepherd you are a sheep which physically belongs in a flock. The Bible is clear. We are the ekklesia/church/the assembled .
Let's stop looking for itchy ears versions of the word of God. Let us give a concerted effort to learn the vocabulary of the Bible, and the true intended meanings of it's carefully chosen words and not it's biased watered down paraphrased versions.
If God said, "...a body, fitly joined together..." (Eph 4:21, 4:16) let us "...be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves..." (James 1:22)
Jesus died that we might have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who's job it is to empower the believer to overcome and stand in the face of culture, oppression, hardship, challenges,abundance and complacency, that we might find the grace to obey what the original scripture instructs.
Be the Church, people, not the counterfeit!
Though the church is one, it is a conglomerate unit. I like how my military friend Juan Camacho put it, "...One church, one people, A UNIT as we say in the military..." A unit of believers, with one directive, one allegiance, one God, one with her husbandman - her redeemer. Many members, sprinkled all over the Earth, like salt on a dish flavoring the whole. On seven continents, in nearly every country, scattered across many villages, comprising countless denominations, in prisons, surviving school campuses, on beaches, under piers, in valleys and abroad oceans, the church lives. But, there is a difference in the physically gathered church and the ethereal church that is the extended body.
Christ called the apostles to the world to make believers of humans, then called all humans to the ministry of reconciliation and to the fastening of themselves together into this form, this body called the church.
Let's take a look at one of the words the Bible uses to address believers. Every time you see the word "church" in the NT, in the original it is the word "ekklesia", which means: "Church/Assembly", The etemology further denotes "called unto a place by name and officially assembled together". So the "church" the "ekklesia" is the local body. The physically "fitly joined together" (Strong's # G1577)
Understanding that a literal gathering of believers should adhere strictly to the paradigm dynamics which the apostles administered in grace to the new testament church, we pause a moment to consider the Apostle Paul, instructing the church, more than once, to "greet one another with an holy kiss and a a psalm," a personal and hands on act. The apostles finished their lives visiting when possible and writing when necessary, admonishing and commending the early church concerning one main theme, the same thing Jesus was concerned with in Jn 17, the "unity"of believers. We read the apostles advising that we, the church, are to be bearing one another's burdens, preferring one another over our own selves, confessing our faults one to each other (vs denying them,) supporting one another, holding one another accountable and looking after the orphan and the widow, without divisions, that we might "function" as one.
Now, let's pan out to the bigger picture. Assemblies, ekklesias, bodies of believers may link up with other units of believers and be a body of ekklesias. There is nothing wrong with that. But remember, "the ekklesia" is the physical group, not an ethereal one. They are a unit that comes together "in one place, in one accord" regularly.
So, believers, distinguishable from coast to coast and around the world as the church, are a conglomeration of groups not individuals. Each level of ekklesia denotes perhaps units of units. But there is no way to escape the fact that , by virtue of definition, the church is not an individual. Nor is an individual the "church" - "the gathered(pl) together in one physical place" (notwithstanding exigent circumstances neither discussed here)
Ekklesia is a physical group, two or three gathered together in His name....it is not singular, it is the "assembly" you don't assemble one item, you assemble two or more.
Some have referred to the churches at home, scattered and abroad as a unit, a sleeping giant. I merely make reference as to give you the picture of who she is united, but there is no mandate that ALL the churches of the world be in unison prior to that day when Christ returns to the Earth physically, The Bible does, however, mandate the church/ekklesia=local church, be adhering to sound doctrine, in one accord without divisions.
Jesus called disciples just as he was beginning public ministry... The apostles were sent to make disciples and from that we read the entire new testament, apostolic writings, giving instruction to the "churches", the gatherings of believers, how they are to conduct themselves, personally, morally, physically, in assembly, in dispute, in charity, in community. The letters concerning the early church were replete with echoes of a clear mandate: "Forsake NOT the Gathering together as some have become accustomed to doing"
Jesus "sups" with his disciples. Jesus walks with his disciples. Jesus talks with his disciples. Jesus weeps for his followers. Jesus calls his followers friends. Jesus prays with his disciples, gets involved with their living.
I've had the privilege of being of flocks who may boast of pastors' that fully felt the call of shepherd. You know some are teachers, prophets, evangelists who serve in the capacity of pastor and that is okay-ish, but the pastor/shepherd, today is a rare and really special combination. I remember pastor Don telling of a man he felt led to bring to the Lord. He visited him, told him of Jesus grace, had coffee with him and on occasion asked if he would mind if he went on a run with him in his truck. That man felt the shepherd love of this pastor. My present pastor will set aside time for his members, mainly the men. He will take them on trips with him, not so that they can carry his luggage, but so that he can spend time with them, connecting in a way that spending long hours together facilitates. He will come and help with any thing that needs being done: Fixing automobiles, moving into new homes, moving out of old homes, setting up stages, etc. Hands on - in your biz if you need him or the clan he enlists to help as well. The men in our church are the most connected men i have ever seen. The young men have a code of honor that i am so impressed with because of the strength of the men that are before them. Valiant men of God. But this kind of strength and unity comes from "connection" and this kind of connection is what makes us a "church" a "body" a "physicaly assembled unit - ekklesia"
So, as we stray from the original meanings in scripture, wanting easy-to-read versions of what we believed were the Bible, we often lose the truths that God managed to maintain and hand down to us through the ages.
We are the body of Christ. And we do esteem and feel a part of the churches of God around the world, but we are accountable to be in local fellowship, physically gathering, meeting, supping with, praying in person with, touching physically, meeting needs, supporting, confessing our faults --meaning, being transparent one with another, in a way that we are only able, in community, connection, gathering physically, regularly. This is the paradigm of the church of the living God. It is clearly factual. (just ask me for the scriptural study)
I'm reminded of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the book of Acts. He is alone, reading the scripture and God sends him a flesh and bone man of God. That is another story for another time, however, the point i am trying to make is: God intends for believers to have connection with others, physically. Of this, there is no doubt. As i study scripture, this truth has become paramount.
If you call yourself the church, i would first ask you, "Are you currently in fellowship with a body of believers and if so; Whom are they with which you are fellow-shipping." Jesus put names to his group. Real flesh and blood, present and accounted for, men of God, of diverse backgrounds and education. Some he chastised, some he loved, some he taught to put down the sword, but is absolutely clear, that he had one-on-one, ongoing, close fellowship with his flock, his church, his disciples. If you are not a pastor you need one. If you are not a shepherd you are a sheep which physically belongs in a flock. The Bible is clear. We are the ekklesia/church/the assembled .
Let's stop looking for itchy ears versions of the word of God. Let us give a concerted effort to learn the vocabulary of the Bible, and the true intended meanings of it's carefully chosen words and not it's biased watered down paraphrased versions.
If God said, "...a body, fitly joined together..." (Eph 4:21, 4:16) let us "...be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves..." (James 1:22)
Jesus died that we might have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who's job it is to empower the believer to overcome and stand in the face of culture, oppression, hardship, challenges,abundance and complacency, that we might find the grace to obey what the original scripture instructs.
Be the Church, people, not the counterfeit!
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