•12:30 PM
Every Christian is centered on something, and not necessarily on Christ.
There are 3 usual centers for the Christian. These are: the Lord Jesus Christ himself as a living, resurrected Saviour, the local Church, or the Scriptures.
1) How can you tell if a Christian is focused on the Scriptures?
They look and act like the Pharisees. The keeping of the commandments is more important than people. They walk by the rule of "Thou shalt not" instead of the Law of Love. They have an invisible rule book that is always with them, and they refer to it often. They will let you know when YOU have transgressed, but they often transgress themselves in other more important ways (which they refuse to talk about). These sorts are always smiling on the outside, but always frustrated on the inside. They see God as having a giant spanking spoon that hovers continually over them, ready to administer the proper punishment.
Now, we ought to be lovers of the Book, and studiers of the Book. I am not saying that we shouldn't be. What I am saying, is there are some who have substituted the Bible for the Lord. They worship the word, not the Word.
Jesus addresses this crowd in John 5:39, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
Eternal life is not in the Book, it is in the Son (1 John 5). The Bible was given to bring us to the Saviour. The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians).
2) Then there are those who are focused on the Church.
This type is closely linked to the first type. Their church is the center of their existence. They won't miss a single church service, but they will miss their children's birthday parties. They won't miss Saturday morning visitation, but they will miss making pancakes with their family every Saturday. They believe that revival is 'more people coming to church,' and they count heads on special days, and keep records that they hope to beat the following year.
Sure, they'll tell you that their interest in the church is because they're interested in people, but those people closest to them are farthest from them. They yell at their children every Sunday morning: "Get dressed!" "Hurry up!" "C'mon!" Their voices are angry as they yell at the ones whom God has given them to love and cherish, while on their way to their beloved church.
The truth is, they are impatient with people who get in the way of their trying to please God.
This is very backwards to the plan of God! The family came before the church (Genesis comes before the Gospels).
3) Those who are Jesus centered.
These folks are gracious to others because they know that the Lord is in control. They have liberty to live in the wonderful acceptance of God, and they do. They have friends outside of the church. They can talk about things outside of the Scriptures. They have peace.
They are in no hurry to check off the items of a religious checklist.
Didn't Jesus take care of that list anyway?
If they have to take their child to a Sunday morning doctor's appointment (like when Evan broke his elbow), they don't worry about it. God doesn't need them to carry on with the church service. And there is no condemnation for missing church, because they are walking according to the law of love.
These people talk about fellowshipping with Jesus in a very real way that makes the religious person uncomfortable. They talk about answers to prayers, and the presence of the God, and the gifts of the Spirit, much to the consternation of those who are seeking God with all their strength, but who have never learned to rest in the strength of God.
They are the prodigals who know they are prodigals, but who have come home to fatted calves and music and dancing. And their religious older brothers are angry at their joy (aren't they more worthy?).
Jesus centered people are all about grace and liberty, and love and joy. And whole-hearted worship. They raise their hands, they dance, they rejoice and make fools of themselves in loving their Saviour.
The religious man doesn't get it. The local church folks don't get it.
And that is Okay!! LOL
There are 3 usual centers for the Christian. These are: the Lord Jesus Christ himself as a living, resurrected Saviour, the local Church, or the Scriptures.
1) How can you tell if a Christian is focused on the Scriptures?
They look and act like the Pharisees. The keeping of the commandments is more important than people. They walk by the rule of "Thou shalt not" instead of the Law of Love. They have an invisible rule book that is always with them, and they refer to it often. They will let you know when YOU have transgressed, but they often transgress themselves in other more important ways (which they refuse to talk about). These sorts are always smiling on the outside, but always frustrated on the inside. They see God as having a giant spanking spoon that hovers continually over them, ready to administer the proper punishment.
Now, we ought to be lovers of the Book, and studiers of the Book. I am not saying that we shouldn't be. What I am saying, is there are some who have substituted the Bible for the Lord. They worship the word, not the Word.
Jesus addresses this crowd in John 5:39, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
Eternal life is not in the Book, it is in the Son (1 John 5). The Bible was given to bring us to the Saviour. The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians).
2) Then there are those who are focused on the Church.
This type is closely linked to the first type. Their church is the center of their existence. They won't miss a single church service, but they will miss their children's birthday parties. They won't miss Saturday morning visitation, but they will miss making pancakes with their family every Saturday. They believe that revival is 'more people coming to church,' and they count heads on special days, and keep records that they hope to beat the following year.
Sure, they'll tell you that their interest in the church is because they're interested in people, but those people closest to them are farthest from them. They yell at their children every Sunday morning: "Get dressed!" "Hurry up!" "C'mon!" Their voices are angry as they yell at the ones whom God has given them to love and cherish, while on their way to their beloved church.
The truth is, they are impatient with people who get in the way of their trying to please God.
This is very backwards to the plan of God! The family came before the church (Genesis comes before the Gospels).
3) Those who are Jesus centered.
These folks are gracious to others because they know that the Lord is in control. They have liberty to live in the wonderful acceptance of God, and they do. They have friends outside of the church. They can talk about things outside of the Scriptures. They have peace.
They are in no hurry to check off the items of a religious checklist.
Didn't Jesus take care of that list anyway?
If they have to take their child to a Sunday morning doctor's appointment (like when Evan broke his elbow), they don't worry about it. God doesn't need them to carry on with the church service. And there is no condemnation for missing church, because they are walking according to the law of love.
These people talk about fellowshipping with Jesus in a very real way that makes the religious person uncomfortable. They talk about answers to prayers, and the presence of the God, and the gifts of the Spirit, much to the consternation of those who are seeking God with all their strength, but who have never learned to rest in the strength of God.
They are the prodigals who know they are prodigals, but who have come home to fatted calves and music and dancing. And their religious older brothers are angry at their joy (aren't they more worthy?).
Jesus centered people are all about grace and liberty, and love and joy. And whole-hearted worship. They raise their hands, they dance, they rejoice and make fools of themselves in loving their Saviour.
The religious man doesn't get it. The local church folks don't get it.
And that is Okay!! LOL
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