Fri, Mar 31st - 9:53AM

Which Organized Church?

My private time with God was consisting of my concern over the way His organized church handled--or rather mishandled--just about everything. I was especially disquieted, about how everytime the structured corporate church took issue with anything, dear members of the church ended up hurt, damaged, or falling through the cracks.

When the Lord spoke, He asked,
"What organized church are you talking about??" He said, "I didn't organize anything...that structure is not mine." He went on to say "My church is made up of the people. I didn't organize them; I just touched their hearts and saved them. It's the people that are mine. The organization is not mine; and it means nothing to me."

He swept me into a private room where He pointed to someone who was on their knees, head bowed, silently praying. And He asked,
"Do you see that praying heart??
THAT'S My church..."
All of a sudden, we were downtown where he pointed out two people standing on a street corner. One was telling the other about a loving, faithful, powerful God. And He asked,
"See that desire to talk about Me??
THAT'S My church..."

Then we saw somebody climbing up to fix the lights on a cross. And He said,
"THAT'S My church..."
He went on to say, "Not the building, not even the cross...but the HEART climbing up there to fix the lights, that I might be glorified.
THAT'S My church.
It's MY spirit, in the heart, of the people.
I didn't organize anything. I listened for hungry hearts. When they cried out, I drew them to Me. I loved them, I delivered them, I healed them, made them Mine. They are my body. They ARE the body of Christ. That organized corporate thing...that's not Mine. It is just there."

My perfect church is made up of broken, interdependent, imperfect,teachable, forgetful, troubled, formerly lost people. They have no perfection to boast about except what has been given to them as an undeserved gift from God. Yet this is the church so protected by the power of the cross and prescence of Christ that the gates of hell cannot and will not prevail against it.

The people should gather, they always have, from the first century on. It's the organized structure that has no sway with God. Lest we forget that Jesus dwells in, works with, and sees the intent of the heart of every individual.
Brother Lee

http://www.ThoughtsFromGod.com

Mon, Mar 27th - 9:15PM

Prayer, part of God's plan, Never Quit!!

Sun, Mar 26th - 4:42PM

Don't keep it to yourself

Speak the gospel always...
and here is why
As a young man I was sitting in a break room of the company I was employed with; and I was contemplating the events of my life up to that point. I was a young man then, about to marry, and was just thinking of how I had come to this particular place in my life--and what I should do about continuing on from there.

An elderly man dressed in a janitors uniform was sitting at the table next to me. I am not sure if He was there when I came in or if He came after I sat down. However, after a few minutes he turned to me and asked if he could talk to me. That simple...he just said, "Can I talk to you?"

As I was busy with my own thoughts and didn't really want to engage with an explanation of why not, I said "sure". I simply thought that was easier then arguing no.
I remember the old janitor began to talk about God. I don't remember much of what he said, but I distinctly remember he spoke about God.

I was iritated; and after a moment I turned to him and told him to just shut up. I remember telling him that religion should be a private matter, and he needed to keep his opinions to himself. That he should not be telling everybody what they ought to believe.

Looking back now, I realize the old janitor never mentioned religion and certainly wasn't trying to tell me what to believe. He was simply talking about God.
But I do remember that the longer I talked, the louder I got until I was actually yelling.

As a middle-aged man, I was sitting on a prison bunk in a maximum-security prison, contemplating the events of my life up to that point. I was just thinking of how I had come to this particular place in my life and what I should do about continuing on from there.

As I thought about the events of my life, my mind went back about eighteen years to the old janitor in the break room. I can't remember exactly what he had said; I don't recall if he even mentioned the name of Jesus or not. But I do remember he talked about God. And my mind began to turn towards God. Eighteen years after the fact, the seed that old man planted with his desire to talk about God began to germinate and grow in response to the prayers of my Dad who had become a Christian.

Today I am a Christian husband, a Christian father, a Christian grandfather, Christian friend, and commited member of my community and church.

I know many say that they don't believe in talking about Jesus---that they would rather just try to be good examples and not talk about it. They don't want to offend others in the workplace or what ever. Please!!

What if the old janitor had kept God to himself? What if he was more concerned about getting along in so-called love? What if eighteen years later when my Dad began to pray, there was no seed planted in my subconciousness for the Holy Spirit to bring up so that my mind could begin to think aout God?
This is the memory that opened my mind to think about God, read about God, and finally to pray "to God" and learn about "Jesus".

It is good to be an example. It is good to pray.

In fact it is a commandment to do both.

But also you must, you must, you must TELL THEM, or they just won't get it.

Do not leave this to others to do.

To go and tell the world is a commandment
to "all" believers.

Brother Lee

http://ThoughtsFromGod.com

Sat, Mar 25th - 12:27PM

Grace according to God

GOD'S GRACE
A power of divine Proportions!
********************
Many bible translations and bible scholars explain grace as simply unmerited favor. However, according to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, The main connotation is,
"that grace is that divine influence upon the heart, and it's reflection in that life".

In twenty first century language This means, God touches your heart and changes you. When that change is reflected in your life. That's Grace!!

Grace is not divine permission to sin and do as we want, thinking it's all covered by grace anyway.

If you are going to sin, and do as you know, you should not. You do not need grace, you need mercy, and forgivness.

Grace is not something that is just floating around in the air that you just come under because you want to, or claim to be a christian. It is not something you claim or do on your own.

It is something accomplished "in" you- by God,- because He was invited into your life by a genuine cry from your heart. Grace is not something you ask for, pray about, or talk God into.

Only a genuine honest cry from your heart will bring grace into your life.

There are no words, no tone of your voice, no deals you can make. No promises you can keep to trick God into giving grace on your behalf.

Grace is, in fact, a divine power that allows us to think as God thinks, it changes our heart; and it heals our hate, anger, hurt, fear, and betrayal. Grace is the power of God that gives us the desire to live right, and the ability to do so; It gives us the desire and the ability to please God; and point people, to Him.

If you find yourself having more patience with people....
Grace happened!
If you find yourself no longer wanting to spend time in bars....
Grace happened!
If you find yourself valuing integrity more than profit....
Grace happened!
If you find yourself loving God more than any thing else....
Grace happened!
If you find yourself, better able to forgive, no longer afraid, no longer angry, desiring to please God, and love your neighbor....
Grace happened !

Grace is;
God's ability to manifest the power of the Holy Spirit into the five senses realm. In you, to you, and through you, to accomplish the things that you did not, could not, and would not do, to be sons and daughters of almighty God, and accomplish the work of His ministry.

Not even you can read your heart as accurately, and as plain as God can. Be honest with Him after all He heard what you thought, and He saw what you did.

If you live under grace, you will hate sin, and you will live as you know is right for-- Jesus' sake.

The omnipotent grace of God can change
and transform the worst and most hopeless;
Quicken those who are dead;
Animate the groveling spirit with . . .
New strengths,
New motives,
New principles,
New tastes,
New feelings,
New aspirations!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Philem 25
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more on grace according to God

http://www.ThoughtsFromGod.com