Do You Use the Bible as a Weapon?

This post was inspired by a sermon by David Andersen who is one of the pastors at Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS.

I have sat through hundreds or maybe thousands of sermons and many were a call to war. We were exhorted to battle with the flesh, battle against the evil ruler of this world, and battle with those of the "world". I sometimes found that some sermons encouraged me to use the Bible as a weapon agains those who have sinned.

Make no mistake about it we as followers of Christ are called to war. We are called to battle our own sinful nature and the temptations this world brings our way. 

BUT... How are we called to use the Bible in this war? Are we to use it in pointing out the sins of others? Are we to use it to beat each other over the head when we have a dispute? The answer to these questions are found, you guessed it, in the pages of the Bible.

How are we called to use the Bible in this war?

2 Timothy 3: 14-17 But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Notice: These verses focus on using the word for showing US the truth, exposing OUR rebellion, correcting OUR mistakes, training US to live God's way.

Are we to use it in pointing out the sins of others?  Over and over again we are told in the New Testament to encourage one another. If you look at the times God rebuked people for their sins they were followers of His. In most cases He used those people to show the ones who were not His followers how to live and how to take correction. He did not call us to go up to someone who was outside of our fellowship and point out their sin to them. Within the fellowship we do have a responsibility to do that but only after we have considered our own sins and weaknesses. 

Matthew 7: 1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. 

 6 "Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

Are we to use it to beat each other over the head when we have a dispute?  

Matthew 5: 23-24 "This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.

Matthew 18:  15-17 "If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you've made a friend. If he won't listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church. If he won't listen to the church, you'll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God's forgiving love.

In Ephesians 6 it is clearly pointed out that we are in a war but it is not against flesh and blood. 

Ephesians 6: 10-12 And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

Look people are going to be people and they will at some point do something to hurt you and break your trust. If you say you forgive them but use the Bible to beat them over the head even when they have come to their senses and apologized you condemn yourself by the very Word. It is especially important that we reconcile with those who have taken the steps to correct a wrong they have done. If we do not then it is like our prayers and our offerings are stuck on the offering waiting for us to make the move towards reconciliation.

Most often what keeps us from making that step is PRIDE. We would first have to admit we may have also contributed to the problem and second acknowledge we have sin in our life as well. Pride keeps us from doing both of those things.

In March of 2010 I hurt another person, their ministry and those who followed that person. I had to acknowledge what I did and I had to admit I have sin in my life. I then had to apologize and seek forgiveness. It was not an easy thing for me to do but I knew if I did not I would be like Israel and be sitting outside of the Holy of Holies and access to God's Mercy Seat. 

Consider for a moment a person in your present or past that either has something against you or that you have used the Bible as a weapon to point out their sin. Let the Holy Spirit convict you of your part and then take the step to overcome your PRIDE and move toward reconciliation. Now as Dr. Laura would often say, "Go do the right thing".

I Am Who I Am

I wrote this on my facebook page: I am who I am and God is willing to work with that. He does not expect me to be perfect but to seek His perfection. There is a big difference in the two. The first is not possible but the second is a continual process.

What keeps a lot of people from attending church is a preception that those already attending are sinless or nearly sinless. It is true we are to be pursuing a life without sin but the truth is we will never actually reach that destination in this life. My vision is of a church where people come as they are warts and wrinkles and all. I do not mean they come content with who they are but real about who they are and what baggage they carry.

Let me break down the above statement.

I am who I am. I am not sure what your age is but during the course of your life you have become a certain personality and you have certain wounds and yes sin in your life. You are who you are.

God is willing to work with that. Believe it or not God is pursuing you just as you are. He is not waiting for you to clean yourself up because if He did that it would never happen. Let's be honest with ourselves we are a mess and well we have things hiding in our closets we do not want anyone to know about. The true is God already knows and He still wants to have a relationship with YOU. 

Romans 5: 6-8 (The Message) Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

He does not expect me to be perfect but to seek His perfection. A lot of energy could be put into what really counts if we could only accept what God knows about us and that is we can never be perfect. What God does expect us to do is to hunger for righteousness.

Matthew 5:6 (New International Version) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

The first is not possible but the second is a continual process.

I do not care who you are or how much Biblical knowledge you have you will never reach the goal of perfection as a human being apart from the full measure of God's Holy Spirit. 

2 Peter 3: 18 Instead, continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Messiah. Glory belongs to him both now and on that eternal day! Amen.

Growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus is a life long process and God is willing to work with who we are until the day He changes us completely.

Until then I will admit "I am who I am" and I am thankful that "God is willing to work with that".

Can You be a Christian and Not Attend Church?

The simple answer to this question is YES! Going to church does not make you a better Christian than someone who does not attend church. Going to church does not make you more spiritual. No where does it say in the Bible that your salvation depends upon you belonging to or going to church.

BUT... and there is a big but. But being a Christian and not going to church is like being a hunter or fisherman and not grabbing your gun or fly rod and heading out to kill something. It is like being a chef and not going into the kitchen. It is like being on the football team but never going to the game.

We are told in Hebrews 10: 22-25 So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Let's first understand what the church is and what it is not. The church is not the organization with a church name although that organization is part of the church. The church is not a building that people go to although it is the place the church meets. The church pure and simple is the people God has called to Himself and that He is working in and through. It is called the body of Christ. Paul talks about this in Ephesians, Corinthians and Romans. 

So what is the value of attending a meeting of other believers? In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about all of the various gifts that God gives through the Holy Spirit. Now understand you have at least one of those gifts where you attend church or not but...those gifts are given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12: 7).

If you think about the body of Christ as a body it becomes clear that unless the body in some fashion gets together it can't function as a body. For example if the eye were apart from the body how could the body see where to go? If the hands separated from the body what could the body hold? Gathering together as a body is not just to hear a great sermon given by a talented person using their spiritual gift although that is one reason. Gathering together is a time for each part of the body to exercise their part as the body. Some encourage, some bring healing and others provide strength.

The following statement will be somewhat controversial but it is true. You can be a Christian and not attend church. You can get fed a great spiritual food without going to church. There are hundreds of websites, books and cds that contain good, strong, Biblical messages that people can get fed by. What you will miss out on is the opportunity to rub shoulders with other parts of the body and build relationship and exercise spiritual gifts. You can grow spiritually sitting at home but it will be at a much slower rate than when you are building relationship with other people.

I have one more illustration that came to me as I was shaving the other day. As I pressed the top of the shaving can out came just a trickle of cream. It wasn't thick but just kind of like a liquid. As I applied it to my face I could tell it was not going to lather up and make shaving very easy. I had reached the bottom of the shaving cream and it was not as good as when the can was full. Attending a good, solid Bible teaching church that has the Holy Spirit flowing is like the full can of shaving what we get from it is thick and useful to our lives. We can still be a Christian by not attending church but our lives will be more like the empty can of shaving cream and not as much of a benefit as a full can.

The choice is up to you. You can be a slow growing Christian or get around others and have the opportunity to be a fast growing Christian. Either way you have salvation but in instance you are working out your salvation and the other you are living in your salvation.

As I make future posts I want to know what you would like to read about. I am most interested in what people who do not attend a church are wanting to know. So please leave a comment and let me be clear no comment is stupid or not worth my time. If you genuinely want an answer I will try my best to get it for you. I do not promise or claim to have all of the answers but I will research all comments.

A Vision for a New Church

I am ordained in the Association of Vineyard Churches and I am exploring beginning a new house church in Louisburg, KS.

First, let me share the problem in Louisburg and the Miami County area. Right now there are Baptist churches, a Lutheran church, Methodist churches, Assembly of God churches, Catholic and Presbyterian churches, a Cowboy Church and some non-denominational churches. Each serves the community in it's own way and does a good job of doing what it does.

For some reason though many in our community are not flocking to their doors or responding to their efforts to reach out. The problem is not with the churches themselves but with a lack of an alternative to what they have to offer. Throughout our great country and indeed the world there is a movement away from established churches and a movement to new alternatives. This movement began in the late sixties along the coast of California. Hippies, Surfers and Rock n Rollers were begin to discover this guy called Jesus. These folks were being pulled away from the spiritual emptiness of the drug culture by the spiritual fulfilment of what the Holy Spirit was doing through a new movement called the Vineyard. Now the Vineyard movement is not the only one that is drawing folks looking for something different than what is already available but it is the one that I have found healing in.

The population of Miami County is about 28, 350 and the data I have collected shows that 14, 240 people identify with one of the churches above but that leaves 14,110 that do not. Out of the 14,240 who do identify with a church of some sort probably a quarter to one half do not attend on a regular basis.

People do not attend church for a variety of reasons which range from "it does not seem important" to feelings that the "church is full of HYPROCRICS". I would have to agree with them to a point but argue that they are also operating from perceptions based on faulty experiences.

What I hope to do with this post is share my vision of a church and try to answer the misperceptions about the church.

Vision

The vision I have is based on several scriptures:

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul talks about different gifts the body (the church) has. It is my opinion that everyone who becomes part of the body receives some spiritual gift or even gifts. No one person (not even the pastors) has them all and so it takes the entire body working together to achieve the goals of the church leaders.

In Mark 10: 28-45 we are told that leaders are to be servants and not ruling over the church. It is my opinion that the greater the servant the greater the leader.

Now I could list many more scriptures but I want to use these two to build the foundation of the church on with Jesus being the corner stone by which is the ultimate example of how we relate to each other.

Structure of the Church

The Lead Pastor is the one who does the teaching and meets with the Board of Elders who help govern the body. The role of this group is to set vision, goals and missions for the body. They establish a budget and are accountable to the body for how that budget is managed. An outside accounting firm will be used to audit the corporate books.

Each pastor and department leader will be required to have an accountability partner who will meet with them on a weekly basis.

The salary of the Lead Pastor and other pastors will be established by the Board apart from input from the pastors.

Ministry will be done through the body with members being taught how to identify their gifts and trained in how to use them. The various ministries of the church will be led by people from the body and each will be held accountable by a department head. All ministry leaders and department heads will be interviewed and approved by the Lead Pastor and the Board of Elders.

The Lead Pastor will help each department and leader to establish goals and will allow them to come up with the plan to implement them. Goals and plans will be reviewed every six months.

The Lead Pastor will meet with the pastors and department heads each week and handle any problem situations. The Lead Pastor will meet with the Board of Elders each month and review the progress of the church and handle any problem situations.

The church will be built around the idea that it is a church of small groups that comes together weekly for a worship service. Spiritual and physical growth of the church will be the direct result of strong vibrant small groups.

Financial Giving

It is scriptual for the church board to request that the body give on a regular basis. Although tithing will be encouraged it is not required for salvation. Giving is an expression of the appreciation one has for what God has done through the service of the ministries. God does ask us to give in accordance to what we set in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 9: 5-12 but it does not secure our salvation.

The pastoral staff will not have access to the giving records of the body. The only information the staff will receive is the total amount of giving for a particular week. The giving records will be maintained by a member of the board and reviewed by the outside accounting firm.

Messages

Sermons will be developed by the Lead Pastor or other Pastors. The Lead Pastor and Board of Elders will establish quarterly themes but be flexible about subject matter. Sermons will be Biblically based and relevant to the lives of members.

Ministries

I believe that ministry is done through use of the Spiritual Gifts that has been given to the body. Pastors have the gifts of teaching, speaking, and maybe leadership. Most of the other gifts are given to the body for the common good and I believe that is where most of the ministry takes place. Every member of the body has a part to play in ministry. 1 Corinthians 12: 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Association

The church will apply to be associated with the Association of Vineyard Churches USA once it has grown to the 100 member level and will be called The Vineyard Church of Louisburg . Until then the organizational name will be Vineyard Fellowship.

Why Misperceptions?

It is my belief that there are several reasons for the misperceptions people have of the church. For one thing if we try to say or act as though we are perfect we live as HYPROCRICS because the truth is none of us will ever be perfect as flesh and blood humans. What we should be doing is trying to live as perfectly as we can and own up to our faults and sins.

It is my experience that some churches just do not preach messages that are scriptually based and are not relevant to the lives of those present. What the Lead Pastor should be doing is getting to know the body and teaching from the Bible truths that meet their needs.

For more information about the ideas behind the Vineyard please visit this website:

Why the Vineyard

I watched a movie tonight called "Crazy Heart" which was about a country singer who struggled with alcoholism. One of the missions of the church is to bring healing to the wounded hearts and to walk with them as they battle the giants in their life. Jesus showed us that freeing the captives is one of the missions of the church. Not an easy task nor is it without pain but when one person is set free it erases the hardness and pain.

My heart desire is to see young people discover the Jesus I know and for people struggling with life controlling habits to break free.

More to come

A Moving Experience - First posted at REAL Men RoCK

     Several years ago I received a call from some one I attended church with. They asked me if our men's ministry helped people move. I answered no but let me see what I could do. I called around and got a few volunteers and we moved them. Now 30 some moves and six years later I want to share why some one who hates to move would help over 30 individuals move.

     After that first move I remember the fun I had with the other guys as we loaded the truck. We talked as we did the task and shared simple life stories with each other. After the move was done I remember the person we helped tell us how much stress it took off of her to know she had men showing up to help her move. It seemed every time we helped some one something marvelous happened between the men who moved the stuff and in the person's life that we were moving.

     Most of the people we helped were attended the church we went to but every now and then we would get a request from some one other than church members. Once I got a call from a church member to let me know they had read a post at CraigsList about a person needing moving help.

     I checked into it and found the woman had had several men offer to help but that they would expect some special favors from her before they would help. When I contacted her she asked what I was going to expect from her and she was shocked when I informed her that all she had to do was sit back and watch. She shared with me how she and her parents were physically unable to load anything and how her parents had given up on finding any honest and decent men to help.

     As we loaded the truck her two girls, ages 8 and 11, watched us. After a while they began to talk with us and shared with us how out of all of the people who had ever helped them they liked us most. The 11 year old shared how much fun we were having and that we seemed to actually care about them. It was at that moment I realized that what God had set up was one of those events where what was taking place here on earth was arranged by Him.

     On another move the reason we were doing it became clear as one of the guys who helped with moving the party told me how important that day had been to him.

     Let me be very clear I hate moving. My wife and I have been married for 24 years and up to six years ago we were moving every two years. But...I really enjoy these Moving Experiences. I enjoy rubbing shoulders with other men, talking with them, sharing our hopes and dream, sharing our disappointments and failures, and watching the stress drain from the faces of people dreading the move.

     Why do I do these moves? The answer is found in 1 Thessalonians 5: 11 So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.

     Bringing encouragement to another person does not require you to spend a morning or day moving them. It could be as simple as paying for their coffee, milk shake or changing their tire. I encourage you to take a moment and give some one encouragement even if it is only giving them a smile.

So You Have Been Hurt!

So now what do you do with the pain?

Here are a few suggestions:
1. You could do as a recent country song sings about, pray for the person. Pray that they have a flat tire while on the way to an important meeting. Pray that their dreams become a reality for someone else. Pray that they get what they deserve. OR
2. You could say you forgive them but then refuse to meet with them because they haven't built trust with you again. OR
3. You could do what Jesus did as He hung on the cross. It is found in Luke 23 verse 34 Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing."

I was convicted today by the sermon given by David Andersen at Vineyard Church in Overland Park, KS. and it is what has inspired this post. Some of the material comes from, "Total Forgiveness" by R.T. Kendall

In today's sermon David spoke about our enemies in life. Those we chose to have and those who chose to have us as an enemy. In both cases we can choose to do what Jesus taught in Matthew 5: 43-48 "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. 

 48"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

First, we have to establish some ground rules:

Forgiveness is not:

  1. Approval of what they did.

  2. Excusing what they did.

  3. Justifying what they did.

  4. Pardoning what they did.

  5. Reconciliation. Although this is something that in most cases should take place.

  6. Denying what they did.

  7. Blindness to what they did.

  8. Forgetting what they did.

  9. Refusing to take what they did seriously.

10. Pretending that we are not hurt.

Nothing will be achieved by doing the above. The wounds of being hurt will still be there and each time you see, think about or hear about the person those wounds will reopen.

From "Total Forgiveness"

"Just as God forgives people without approving of their sin, we also must learn that forgiving people does not imply an endorsement of their evil deeds.

"Totally Forgiving someone is a choice. It is not a feeling--but is rather an act of the will."

"Relinquishing bitterness is an open invitation for the Holy Spirit to give you His peace, His joy and the knowledge of His will"

Total Forgiveness involves an element beyond just saying we forgive the other person: it involves praying for God's blessings to rain on the lives of your offender."

Finally RT Kendall says, "Totally forgiving another person is an achievable act. It can be done, and it is something you and I must keep doing."

So you have been hurt! Someone reading this has had people betray them, some have had people who misused or abused them, someone may have been raped, and I could go on and on.

The wounds you have and the pain you feel are very real. The actions taken against you were wrong.

So what do you do with the pain? How do you heal the wound? How do you trust again?

There is only one way to not be under the control of what someone else has done to you and that is lay it at the feet of Jesus and let Him handle any punishment that should be handed out. Then get up and ask the Holy Spirit to come and comfort you in the pain and to heal your wound. Once you do this you will no longer be controlled by the actions of someone else. Then do the radical thing and ask God to rain down His blessings on the person.

Earlier I mentioned that in most cases we should seek reconciliation. I do not recommend that in cases of rape, murder or any other violent actions against you or anyone close to you.  But in cases that do not involve violence it may be very appropriate and pleasing to God for us to accept the other person's invitation to reconcile. That does not mean we will be best buddies with them but it does mean we will work side by side in the name of Jesus Christ in Kingdom work.

So you have been hurt! Now what are you going to do about it?

Here is the truth: "No matter what you decide God is going to love you and the other party."

Are You Frustrated with Life?

Several months ago when I was so frustrated with the events in my life I felt like just withdrawing from continuing the battles. I do not mean taking my life but just wanting to quit trying to move forward with my dreams and the desires of my heart. I had become wounded and the pain seemed almost too great.

The following video kind of describes what happened. 

God is always faithful and He promises to never leave or forsake you. Hebrews 13: 5-6 Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, "God is there, ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?" (Message)

Hebrews 13: 5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," (New American Standard)

Earlier in Hebrews Paul tells us to run the race with endurance: Hebrews 12: 1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Videos like the one above remind me that when the journey gets tough Jesus is right there ready to help me to the finish line. All I have to do is call upon the Holy Spirit and like the dad in the video He will help me as I move forward.

If you are struggling today with the fact that you are struggling then I encourage you to ask God to show you the truth about whose you are. Once you understand that you belong to Him and that He will not forsake or leave you then you will, with the Father's help do as the young man in this video did, finish the race.

I hope that you found the same encouragement in the above video as I did. I may not finish first but I will finish!

Here is one more video for you to listen to with your eyes closed and your mind open.

as Sung by: Michael W. Smith
Mentioned on the video - written by: Lana Holt

He accepts you at your worst,
when he is hoping for the best.

Jesus loves you.
Jesus loves you.

He will never ever leave
and he will never ever forsake.

Jesus loves you.
Jesus loves you.

He is proud of who you are
and he has faith in who you’ll become.

He’s not like us.
He loves you just because.

He’s not like us.
He loves you just because.

And brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

And brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

He believes that dreams are true
and what a plan he has for you.

And Jesus loves you.
And Jesus loves you.

When you want to walk away,
he is asking you to stay.

Jesus loves you.
Jesus loves you.

You will never be alone,
he’s made your heart his loving home.

He’s not like us.
He loves you just because.

He’s not like us.
He loves you just because.

And brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

And brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

Brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

Brokenhearted,
do you want your healing?
Oh trust again there is love in his right hand.

Oh yeah, yeah, there is love in his right hand.

180 Days and Now Moving Forward

On February 3rd I wrote a post about going into a 180 day period of waiting. During this time I have not served or sought to serve in a leadership role at church.

Last week as I was thinking about the end of this period, which comes tomorrow, I thought about what I have learned. This what I want to share today.

1. I learned that God covers our failures. Last June I made the mistake of serving because of a position instead of from my heart and a calling. That was a mistake and I did not do anyone any good in what I tried to do. If God does not call you to do something then most likely it is going to turn out to be a mistake. For me I am at my best when I am serving from my heart and for the right reasons.

2. I learned that one of my gifts is service. I am more alive when I am serving in some role. I know now that it is not important to be number one or even number two. What is important is using what the Holy Spirit has given to you in service to those who are in need of the benefits of that gift.

3. Receiving God's Grace is not a hard thing but it is a heart thing. Giving God's Grace away to someone who has hurt you is the right thing but it is a hard thing to do. It means laying down your pride and admitting you made a mistake.

4. If I am going to serve it has to be what God through His Spirit directs me to do.

Today is the eve of the end of my 180 days of waiting and not serving as a leader. I have no clue what the future holds but I am willing to let God show it to me.

Whatever happens I will be glad to do as long as it brings glory to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Another thing that has happened is my readership of REAL Men RoCK has grown during this time.

I believe that I am being called to do one of ministries Jesus began found in Luke 4:18 (New Living Translation) 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,"

How that comes about or what that looks like is not my problem but being available, willing and responding when He reveals it is. 

 Check out post "Breaking Chains" at REAL Men RoCK.

You can be set free from the chains that bind you.

Amazing Grace from Craig Heitzenrater on Vimeo.