The Cross, In Light Of The Law Of Grace

I get into a lot of theological discussions. Some of them are more fun loving and light-hearted; some not so much. Something I was thinking about last night and discussed it with a couple of my friends is the Law of Grace in regards to the cross of Jesus and His suffering and how we should then live. Something important to consider is how do we ride the straight and narrow without going to extremes on issues.

A term that gets thrown around jokingly at times is "Greasy Grace." Basically meaning you can do basically whatever you want and there will always be grace there... just repent and get on with life. The word 'repent' alone seems somewhat a taboo topic. You dare not say that to someone or you might be judging them! :: Gasp:: "Oh no brother, we believe in grace around here. You don't dare mention repent because it might offend someone.." Let me say this: as far as I know, the gospel message is going to be perhaps the most offensive message to some out there.

If you look at the law of Grace, it holds you to a higher standard than the Ten Commandments! It's saying "ok, there is something going on in your heart here that needs to be dealt with." It addresses the root cause moreso rather than just telling you not to do something. Hate your brother? In your heart, you already have done something wrong to him. Looked at someone of the opposite gender with a lustful thought? Guess what... no good there.

It's amazing what happens if you preached repentance in certain churches and/or groups nowadays... "oh my goodness, your a legalist!" "No, actually, I'm just following what the Bible says." Look at the woman caught in adultery in John 8. "Let him who has never sinned cast the first stone." Everyone leaves and then Jesus says "Go and sin no more." He didn't condone the sin but He said "sin no more." I've heard stories from friends of mine who minister in prisons that the harder you rail against sin in prisons, the more whoops and hollers of agreement you get. But it seems like a taboo thing to do in churches across America... that seems a little strange to me....

So what about discipline and grace? Let me put it really simply here: It shouldn't be "I can't go see that movie or participate in the event" but it should be more like "no, I don't want to because I wouldn't enjoy it." It goes from "can't" to "don't want to." Why is that? I think it has to do partly with its about a relationship that you have with someone. And you don't want to do something to that person that will hinder your relationship with them. I believe there is an awesome balance between the reverence of God and His grace. As a matter of fact, I think those two work hand in hand! When you live by grace, you're going to want to be reverent in His presence. That's not to say you always have to be stone cold serious, but in your heart you want to be careful when your in God's presence. You won't want to do something to grieve His Holy Spirit.

Through which lens?

Over the years, i've learned to take criticism. Everyone is a critic nowadays. Everyone has an opinion on the matter. Even when some people don't even know all the facts, they still have an opinion. The church that i currently attend, FIRE, was 'birthed' (or started) out of a major revival that rocked the world. And in that revival, people had opinions. Some good, some bad, some indifferent.... Some would say that the things that happened there were majorly demonic or wrong or weren't the Holy Ghost.

The article below is about the founder of FIRE, Dr. Brown. Recently, a local magazine did an article on him. It's interesting. i find it interesting whenever the media (or secular mindset) tries to define God or something of the supernatural. i've come to terms w/ the fact that God can't be described. it's just not going to happen. Try and explain God to someone and man... you can really get into some good conversation. But in reading this article, i laughed. and was shocked. The article was very well written. Lots of good adjectives and the writer really knows how to write well. I give them that. And he even gave me some things to ponder and perhaps look into. but i just find it amazing whenever the media has to research things of the Spirit. Because, for the most part, they're going into territory that is hard to chart.

I mean, you can easily cover a basketball game. Give the stats and players names and the highlights of the game. That's easy. But imagine trying to describe wind. it's actually harder to describe the simple stuff! Because it just happens!

But i encourage you to read the below article. And if you were apart of the revival in Brownsville, i'd love to get your take on it. if you weren't and your a critic of revival or God or religion, i'd like to get your take on it as well.

http://www.charlottemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2301&am p;Itemid=106

An Expression of Outreach

Well, Halloween is just around the corner. I'm looking towards the time when churches all across the country will hopefully come up with some sort of way to reach out to the local community. I'm not against handing out tracts and doing some sort of ministry outreach. I've found it funny in the past to hear that various youth groups go to these haunted trails. Kinda defeats the purpose...

In any case.... one thing i'm looking towards is the time when your talking to someone and you start to tell them their life story. When you start to dig in deep and instead of just ministering the superficial need, you get deep. You find out why they have the issues and problems that they have. You find out they have an addiction to porn or a smoking addiction or gossip like crazy (yep, gossip is a sin just like being addicted to porn... ((thats bound to stir up a hornets nest))).

I think that having some sort of outreach to the community is great. It pulls people in and gets conversation going. But when that person comes in in a wheelchair or crutches, what happens? I am personally all for eradicating the handicap spots. Get the person healed! That is the job of a 'Christian', being one who is a disciple of Christ. This bogus theology that those gifts have ceased is just that... bogus. I have found NO WHERE in scripture is says that.

I think that hopefully one day, when the church comes into maturity, that you casting a demon out of someone will be like giving them a glass of water. You won't have to sit there for hours on end figuring out what the world is happening. You'll simply be talking to them and you'll be like "oh, and by the way, that spirit of greed that is one you... out now in Jesus name. I was at the mall the other day..."

Am i out of my mind? I don't think so... i may be out of YOUR, but i think i'm thinking pretty clearly. The only reason why that idea might scare you is is because we're soo used to the idea of the church not operating in power. We're soo used to just having our nice little services w/o making much of an actual impact.

I'm personally really tired of it in my own life. It's something that the Lord has been challenging me on for some time now. I believe that the church is slowly coming into a maturity in the Spirit that healings and deliverances and other workings of the Spirit will be common place. We won't be shocked when our 5 year old is laying hands on someone in the supermarket and this person is actually healed!

I often tell people to get their little children involved in this stuff. I mean, who in their right mind is going to turn down a 5 year old when this little child asks to pray for them. Ok, so there might be a few people.... but just think of this...

Your in the store and a little child comes up to you and says "I see you have a cast on. Would u mind if i prayed for you?" and not only that but they begin to tell you your life story.

I love the fact that its about faith and not feelings. I prayed for a guy once and the only thing i felt was really tired. It was a Friday afternoon and i just got home from bible school. i wanted to go in and lay down. but no, God had a child he wanted me to minister to. and i'm personally really glad i felt nothing. because that means it wasn't me doing it... it was God reaching down and touching this person. I've prayed for countless others and absolutely nothing happened. Which bothers me at times b/c then i start to question my faith.

The bible says that these signs accompany those who come in the name of Jesus. They lay their hands on the sick and they recover. Doesn't anyone else wonder or question this stuff?

I really hope that this has gotten your thinking cap going. I mean, at times you gotta wrestle with this stuff and just get a holy frustrated with it and just really have it out with God. God likes that i think. Or He at least likes us coming to Him.

You know like the 5 fold ministry gifts aren't for us to get all puffed up with and walk around like we're someone. They're for us to train others up and see the kingdom of God come down! For me, pastor is a position, not a title. Apostle is a position, not a title. True ministry giftings are not for people to get puffed up over. They're for us to lay down our lives and see Jesus exalted. I fully believe in honoring men and women of God. but i don't like pedestals. thats why i like serving at church soo much. the job gets done and i move on. i'm not doing it for a pat on the back... i'm doing it to see others ministered to. i pray for others for them to be released into their calling and get their lives straightened out.

This past week was a beginning of training for my new job. Our trainer told us that we as the worker bees are the real workers. without us, the CEO and the people up top are out of a job.

wow, you get the ball rolling and you never know what will come out. (and for you FIRE grads/students.. i know i sound like Gladstone or Dr. Brown a lot. hehe. i try not to but you know....)

Arm chair critics

Today while at work, i began to meditate some on 1 Cor 2:1-5. To summarize, the Apostle Paul is talking to the church of Corinth and he tells them that when He came there, he didn't want to come with wise and persuasive words. But with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power!

to give a little cultural background... the people of Corinth in that time were a very intellectual people. They would pay famous speakers to come in and just teach/talk to them about whatever various topics. Now, i'm not saying that its not a God thing to be wise and intellectual. I know many awesome powerful men and women of God who are brilliant and are using that effectively to the glory of God.

But what i am saying is is that i know of countless people who go to church week after week and probably have never had an encounter with the manifest presence of God! They go to church, thinking they're doing God a favor and doing the right thing by doing the church thing, but its really nothing. It's just ritual. Put their two hours in sunday morning to do the nice song and dance routine and walk out. I personally am annoyed at that. I can remember growing up that we would have family get togethers sunday afternoon. and in order to provide lunch for people at their homes, my relatives would just go to early service at church so as to get home and have the food ready by lunch time.

Isn't that cute... they think they're doing God a favor and doing the nice little church thing.... exscuse me while i run to the bathroom and puke....

Ok, i feel better now.... somewhat. honestly, if thats your idea, just stay home and forget about it. your not doing anyone a favor, least of all God. He doesn't want your lips, He wants your heart.

what would happen today if God were to come down in your church? i mean, how prepared would our hearts be for him? how many lies do we sing in church on sunday morning... "oh, i surrender all..." whatever...

You don't have to tell someone who's had an encounter with the Living God to go out and evangelize. through their lives it happens for the most part. i mean, just their stories get people doing. Take someone who's never had an encounter with Jesus and they might know good theology. And they might be able to take someone through the 4 Spiritual Laws or something. And thats fine. But take someone who's been a witness of God's love, and their witnessing takes on a whole new dimension. People they're talking with can feel a difference. It's not just a nice discussion, but the people they're talking with can probably tell they're doing it out of more love and a heart that says "I want you to experience what i've experienced."

When you've experienced God's love and in a certain manner, your life will change. I'm living proof of it. yeah, people can challenge things about your past, but give them your testimony. Watch them challenge that. God doesn't really need defended. I don't really do a whole lot of debating with people b/c i'm not a good debater. I'll share my point and they can share their's. But God can't really be defined to a point. He's not in our little box.

whats my point here? my point is is that we need the manifest presence of God again! i'm soo tired of boring services where we lack healings and salvations... give someone the presence and they're changed forever more. I was sitting talking w/ a group of people once and they were basically slamming a move of God on a few small points. Some of the points may have been a bit legit. But overall, they were talking out of ignorance. I sat and listened for a while. It was just funny to me to see how we think we know everything about everything.

Lately, God's been dealing with me about stewarding His presence. People were killed in the Old Testament for not stewarding God's Presense (The Ark of the Covenant) properly.