Afternoon thoughts

Theology matters. We should be instructing each other in the right ways. But, should one in the faith misinterpret scripture, we are to gently instruct them and correct them. We need to be patient with them. We’re not to beat him over the head or mock them or make fun of them. This is what has happened between arminians and calvinist.

A lot of times people in each of these denominations say this:”you’re not a Christian if you don’t believe this way.” Or that “you’re a heretic or false teacher if you believe that way”. I don’t think that’s what Christ would do.

Yes, he called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers.” But he was righteous and what he was doing pure of sin. We in our arrogance and pride and selfishness tried to correct others thinking that we have the right to do it and to do it in such a way that it belittles the other person. And that is not the way of Christ

I try not to “claim” I’m anything particular as far as who I follow, or what teaching I’m under. Remember Paul addresses this in scripture?

But, a follower of christ. So, if I get it wrong..its on me. Not a person I have followed. Remember men and women fail. They can misinterpret scripture.

I have misinterpreted scripture.

But if I am seeking God, walking in the spirit, and trying my best to live for him, I know that he will guide me in his ways. He will instruct me to do what’s right. Or to say what’s right. And with that wisdom we cannot fail.

But, we have to keep our eyes on Him.

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November 7, 2017 by Fanning the flame 4 Comments

Thoughts on the Sutherland Springs Shooting

A message a friend shared with me. I completely agree with their sentiments. 

Lord forgive the church and help us to be the light to this depraved and lost world. 

“In regards to the #SutherlandSpringsTexas church shooting:
God is not the source of evil, nor does He command evil.
These senseless acts of violence that are happening in our country happen not because God’s inactivity, but the Church’s inactivity.
Simply put: We’re letting it happen.
This world is sick, fallen, depraved, & full of all kinds of evil. And Jesus has commissioned us, His church, to go & preach the Gospel & make disciples.
Evil resides in the hearts & minds of every single man, woman, & child walking the face of this Earth. While it’s highly unlikely that most would do something as tragic as what we seen today at Texas Baptist Church the potential, given the right circumstances & conditions, is still there for anyone of us to carry out a heinous act such as this.
This is precisely why the Gospel needs preached & disciples need to be made! The Gospel is the only vehicle in which the Holy Spirit comes into the life of someone trapped & gives them a heart change.
This world need Jesus, & we’re failing at giving Him to them. 
Someone said, “We need to call this nation to repentance!” I don’t disagree with that, but a call to repentance is only good if the Gospel’s been preached, first!
Sadly, the church fails at that. 😔
If repentance starts anywhere then it needs to start with the church. We’re failing Jesus by NOT preaching the Gospel & by NOT making disciples. We have also failed the world NOT preaching the Gospel & by NOT making disciples!
Some may disagree with that. So, let me explain in a scenario…
There’s been a hurricane. You’re given a boat & you’re commissioned to rescue people from their houses as flood waters rise. Instead of going out to rescue people you instead decide to keep your boat hidden inside your garage far from the flood area. People are out there helpless, scared, & in danger of dying. They may not know that you we’re supposed to come, but when nobody comes & death over takes them it is easy to see that someone failed to bring them a boat. Someone failed to deliver to them the vehicle that could have saved them. Someone let them down.
We’re not taking the vehicle out of the garage. We’re not preaching the Gospel where it needs to be preached.
We keep it hidden in our garages (churches) & then we tell those who are in danger of perishing, “Hey guys! If you want saved come to our garage! We have a boat there!”
Then one day we see tragedy unfold.
A man runs a car into a crowd of people….
A shooter slaughters indiscriminately at a concert…
A lone gunman comes into a house of worship….
Some cry out, “How could God let something like this happen?”
Others scream, “Do away with guns!”
Others are talking about beefing up security in their house of worship.
But nobody is doing what needs to be done to help solve the problem: Preach the Gospel & make disciples!
People need the boat & instead of taking the boat to them our solution is to hide the boat in the garage, surround the garage with guns, & then tell those who are perishing to come to the garage to be rescued.
It’s not God’s fault.
It’s not gun’s fault. Anything can be a deadly weapon in the hands of someone who has murder on their heart.
Cain killed Able with a rock. Muslim terrorist killed almost 3,000 people on 9/11 with airplanes. Timothy McVey murdered 168 people with a truckload of poop!
The problem isn’t the weapons, themselves. It’s the evil in the hearts of people that’s the problem.
And God has tasked us with addressing it directly by delivering the only vehicle that can possibly pierce a hardened, evil, sin-filled heart: The Gospel of Jesus Christ.
No, Church. This isn’t God’s fault. It isn’t gun’s fault. It’s not Islam’s fault. It’s our fault for not doing what we’re supposed to do.
And this is the duty & responsibility of EVERYONE who is in Christ Jesus, not just the paid professionals!
It’s time for us to examine ourselves. It’s time for us to examine our walk with Christ. It’s time for us, the Church, to fall down on our faces, humble ourselves before God, and beg for His mercy & forgiveness. 
We need to lead the world in repentance by repenting, first!”

November 6, 2017 by Fanning the flame 1 Comment