the Lord
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 7:46 pm
I was just thinking we try to formulate all of the concepts about the way God really is. We all differ so much (which we may discover if we really started digging), but that is OK. Once we choose to follow the True King, we are all on a "road to find out" "the narrow path."
As Christian infants in America, we are taught certain truths about God as the letter. The sad part is that sometimes we are fed the truths to memorize and repeat without the Spirit behind the understanding. We know we can use our intellect to remember things and perform functions -- praise the Lord for this ability. However, when we view Scripture primarily through a lens consisting of our intellect, I think we are very limited. I'm not saying most Christian's are not believers and do not possess the Spirit, I'm just saying I believe the church in America stops short in presenting the full message of the Kingdom. It seems to stop short at salvation and seems to insist, "don't worry about the way you're living your life."
And we accept that, because hey, most of us are comfortable are we not? We live in a land of plenty and we praise the Lord for all we have (rightfully so), but neglect to commit it _all_ to His purposes and kingdom. We hope to have our cake in this earthly kingdom (and we each have our 'kingdoms') and eat it too later in His kingdom.
We have all read the verse "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven," and we settle for "well, I know I sin, but no one is perfect and I hope that isn't me." I think there is more assurance in the Lord than that. I believe there is a relationship that He wants from all of His children/subjects that takes a total commitment on our part. We have to want Him so bad that it doesn't matter what He is like, if He fits our view of Him, or if He lets us do what we like; because He is the true Lord.
The total commitment is seen in the next verse (sometimes skipped over): "but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." To know Him is: to be about His business and to lay down our _lives_ for Him. In doing so, we are granted _life_ and life _abundantly_.
So, all of this started because I just wanted to say, I accept the Lord however He is and whatever I don't know about Him is fine with me.
As Christian infants in America, we are taught certain truths about God as the letter. The sad part is that sometimes we are fed the truths to memorize and repeat without the Spirit behind the understanding. We know we can use our intellect to remember things and perform functions -- praise the Lord for this ability. However, when we view Scripture primarily through a lens consisting of our intellect, I think we are very limited. I'm not saying most Christian's are not believers and do not possess the Spirit, I'm just saying I believe the church in America stops short in presenting the full message of the Kingdom. It seems to stop short at salvation and seems to insist, "don't worry about the way you're living your life."
And we accept that, because hey, most of us are comfortable are we not? We live in a land of plenty and we praise the Lord for all we have (rightfully so), but neglect to commit it _all_ to His purposes and kingdom. We hope to have our cake in this earthly kingdom (and we each have our 'kingdoms') and eat it too later in His kingdom.
We have all read the verse "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven," and we settle for "well, I know I sin, but no one is perfect and I hope that isn't me." I think there is more assurance in the Lord than that. I believe there is a relationship that He wants from all of His children/subjects that takes a total commitment on our part. We have to want Him so bad that it doesn't matter what He is like, if He fits our view of Him, or if He lets us do what we like; because He is the true Lord.
The total commitment is seen in the next verse (sometimes skipped over): "but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." To know Him is: to be about His business and to lay down our _lives_ for Him. In doing so, we are granted _life_ and life _abundantly_.
So, all of this started because I just wanted to say, I accept the Lord however He is and whatever I don't know about Him is fine with me.