March 13, 2004

• I find it hard to believe that it’s been 11 days since my last blog here.  I did update a couple of the other sites but they don’t require as much thought as what I try and post here.  Maybe that’s it, I don’t want to think!!  At any rate, it’s my plan to blog here today and then get my SIRs as caught up as possible before preparing for tonight’s service which involves learning a new song (For The Cross by Matt Redman) for the regular service set as well as preparing some music for the pre-service prayer set.

  
  

  The past days have been pretty routine at work.  I did manage to get out of the office on Thursday and Friday with one of the electricians to try and solve a motor starter problem at Morgantown Locks and Dam but we still haven’t been able to put a finger on the solution.  We have a few more ideas and will return to the area soon to try them out.

  
  

  I’ve been downloading and reading some articles at www.theooze.com .  There is some onyeresting reading there especially if you, like myself, see a big change coming in the Christian’s concept of what church is and what church does.  Here’s one quote I especially like:

  
  

  “For 35 years, I have been discovering that the world isn't nearly as hostile to the gospel as I thought it would be. It is not nearly as frightening as we have been told it will be. Outside the walls of the church there are many people who want to be loved and would love to have a connection with someone that didn't treat them like a prize to be won, but persons to be loved.” - John Smith (Relocating The Church Outside The Walls - http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=747)

  
  

  As I’ve stated before it took someone from outside the church to let me know one time just how arrogantly we can preach to others from our pedestals of superiority and I like the way it is summed up above.  A lot of the church does approach the world not as lost souls needing saved, with the loving compassion of the Father, but as prizes to be won to prove their own superior spirituality and to score points with God.  Not everyone is like this, of course, but a lot are and I know I was one of them once upon a time.  People don’t need to be corrected, they don’t need their faults pointed out to them, they need love, the love of Christ and God is love.  If they receive Christ’s love from us, they will get the point as most people are not ignorant morons but are very discerning if we give them the proper chance and pave the way for the Holy Spirit to work.  Those who take one or two verses about chastisement and correction from the Word and build their life’s ministry around them are in for a rather shocking revelation one of these days.   When I think of these kinds of things I always feel more enlightened towards Matthew 7, especially the following sections (NIV):
  
  Judging Others
  
  ¹"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
  ³"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
  
  A Tree and Its Fruit

  
  

   

  
  

  ¹⁵"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
  ²¹"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' ²³Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

  
  

  Verse 21 tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” so we seriously need to find out God’s will for our lives, quit fooling around doing what we want to do, and get some serious work done for the kingdom.

  
  

   

  
  

  God IS Good!
  
  Go Ahead! Say It! Believe It! Confess It!
  
  You're Invited!!
  
  Go to The Prayer List , don't forget the others in need!

  
  

   

  
  

  "Next to the wonder of seeing my Savior will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer." - D.L. Moody

  
  

   

  
  

  Due to some confusion as to where to send prayer requests I want to clarify that you can use the email link at Isaiah56 (The Prayer List) or use this link (Click Here).  Please include your xanga address so I know who you are!

  
  

   

  • 9:02 am
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