I asked someone, whom I greatly respect, to read my posting from yesterday and to provide his opinion. His response, “I don’t believe a word of it!” Actually, he believed it himself. However…His point was that others do not believe such things.
Some may believe IN them, but they just don’t believe that “I” can experience them. Only “they” can experience such things… Or… They may believe in Jesus and have a “knowledge” of God, but do not believe in the moving of the Spirit (I can relate to this, since I have been there). Sadly, I have to say that he is correct. Even worse, I also have to add that this very thing is the reason for much of the beatings and abuse I have taken. Either the person thinks I am off-my-rocker and hallucinating, or the person has experienced the same thing, but just “knows” that God would NEVER spend time with me; especially since I am a nobody. I don’t carry a denominational diploma, or degree, or certificate of acceptance by some legal board that oversees such things.
Isn’t it sad how “religion” has literally dissected the body of Christ? There are disconnected arms and legs and toes and fingers floating all over the world. “You cannot get into heaven unless you are of our (fill in the blank) church or denomination.” Why do you suppose so many who love Jesus, but do not attend church? The ones I speak to about it are very clear – They are tired of getting beat up by pastors and congregation alike – So they retreat to the relative safety of their own home and worship and study alone.
One church I was in I heard a deacon of the church say, “We don’t want their kind in here.” The deacon was referring to a crippled man, who came in one Sunday. He said he was led there. The man was one of the outcasts of society. He was on disability but lost it because of some paperwork issues. He had no friends and was being evicted from his home. He suffered severely from seizures, and had many scars and open wounds to testify to the seriousness of his illness. My heart broke for him. I literally cried as I laid my hands on him to pray. I felt his pain and brokenness. He was crying out for God and for the love of God. And the church leader said, “We don’t want his kind in here.” I ministered to him and drove him to get boxes to pack his few belongings into. I purchased an easy-to-read translation of the bible for him, and did what little I could do. Even now, I recall the hurt that I felt as I touched him to pray. Yet, this man was rejected by the church, and the “religious” leaders.
Sounds a little like something that took place 2000 years ago, doesn’t it? I have to fight back the tears for the things I have seen – In the name of religion. Where is the love of Christ? Where is the unity?
Certainly, not ALL congregations are like this. The TRUE church is alive and well and living and loving others. I know it is, because I have met others who have the same mind of acceptance, forgiveness, and love for others – Regardless of the past of the person. If the person has repented and God forgave them, then who am I to hold it against them?
None of us is perfected, yet. We all are a work in progress and each at whatever level the Spirit has attained in us. Where I am in my walk has no bearing on where another person is in their walk. As long as we are seeking His Righteousness and not our own, let it be so, and accept and encourage one another. Build one another in faith. It is ok to inspect fruit but it is NOT ours to judge. Leave that to the One who can judge fairly.
Start with a loving and accepting heart – Just like the One who maintained that heart for you, when you were yet far from Him. There was a time when you found that forgiveness and love from God. This is the focus of the verse: “Freely you have received; Freely you shall give.”
“Nor do I condemn thee”
1st Journey 