Sunday Service, 24 July 2005 God In A Box
.
How big is your God?
With our last message we discussed how we perceive God. What we feel God wants and desires is often, wrongly, what we have learned through our social group is desirable. We need to go to God and find out his desires from him.
This won't come as a surprise, I am not perfect. God has a lot of error to work out of me, in his time and with his priorities. The same is true for you, your pastor, the evangelist, your local church, and your denomination. As you grow in Christ, you should find yourself disagreeing with all of the above on some things, including yourself.
If you defend or root for any of the above by reflex, perhaps you need to take a step back and find out what God sees. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; all of man's constructs are prone to error.
It is ok for Chicago to be divided North and South over which baseball team they root for. It is not ok for the Church to be divided over small issues between local churches. The local churches and their denominations may all be wrong! Your relationship with Christ is not a team sport, it is a one on one commitment.
You may very well find as you grow in Christ that he has you leave one church or denomination for another. This is not usually because the first was so bad; it is one of the ways God works on you and the churches. If you find a perfect church, it won't be as soon as you join it.
God is smarter than we are. God is wiser than we are. God is the Truth. God loves us more than we love ourselves. We need to get out of the box we have trapped ourselves and our God in, and let his love direct us to his truth.
Follow God, not man, or man's teaching. God will make your steps of faith work to the benefit of all concerned.
Perhaps that nest in which you were born again is for young birds. As you grow and spread your wings it may be time to fly off on your own. You will make mistakes, God is big enough to plan for that, to pick you up, and still work those mistakes out to your, and everyone's good.
Seek God's face.
Do God's will.
That it may be well with you.
Jesus is Lord!
.
How big is your God?
With our last message we discussed how we perceive God. What we feel God wants and desires is often, wrongly, what we have learned through our social group is desirable. We need to go to God and find out his desires from him.
This won't come as a surprise, I am not perfect. God has a lot of error to work out of me, in his time and with his priorities. The same is true for you, your pastor, the evangelist, your local church, and your denomination. As you grow in Christ, you should find yourself disagreeing with all of the above on some things, including yourself.
If you defend or root for any of the above by reflex, perhaps you need to take a step back and find out what God sees. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; all of man's constructs are prone to error.
It is ok for Chicago to be divided North and South over which baseball team they root for. It is not ok for the Church to be divided over small issues between local churches. The local churches and their denominations may all be wrong! Your relationship with Christ is not a team sport, it is a one on one commitment.
You may very well find as you grow in Christ that he has you leave one church or denomination for another. This is not usually because the first was so bad; it is one of the ways God works on you and the churches. If you find a perfect church, it won't be as soon as you join it.
God is smarter than we are. God is wiser than we are. God is the Truth. God loves us more than we love ourselves. We need to get out of the box we have trapped ourselves and our God in, and let his love direct us to his truth.
Follow God, not man, or man's teaching. God will make your steps of faith work to the benefit of all concerned.
Perhaps that nest in which you were born again is for young birds. As you grow and spread your wings it may be time to fly off on your own. You will make mistakes, God is big enough to plan for that, to pick you up, and still work those mistakes out to your, and everyone's good.
Seek God's face.
Do God's will.
That it may be well with you.
Jesus is Lord!
.
posted by BFuniv | 4:04 PM
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