Rules & Relationship

Last Summer I was out on Hollywood Blvd. doing relational outreach and entered into a conversation with someone who was both politically and religiously well-versed. We started out the conversation by discussing what many people have been talking about the last two years - politics. I know the two things that you are not suppose to discuss is politics and religion but I honestly believe that that is a huge scheme to get us away from relationship and talking about what is really going on in our world. These two items dominate much of what goes on in our society and if we are afraid to engage these issues, we will continue to let others dictate our thinking and activities. Oddly, we shared much of the same views and so I pushed the limits and brought up the problems with both and posed to him the question what were the solutions to these problems. This is where things could have became very dicey but the conversation slipped right passed the surface and we started really talking serious.

We begin to discuss the similarities between government and the church and how the church has taken a backseat on issues that should have never entered the political realm and thus created an environment that tries to legislate morality. I notice him scrunch his face when I said that abortion, gay marriage, and healthcare were not political issues but moral issues that should not be taken up by government to legislate. I told him that if the church would do its job in addressing these matters by speaking truth in love and building relationships with people in these circumstances legislation would have never happened and we would have not been sucked into fighting them by means which are unbiblical. We are now trying to create a circumcision of the flesh when it is a circumcision of the heart that is needed. This lead to the topic of rules vs. relationship.

I began on the biblical terms of presenting the idea that the old testament law was given to prove to us that we were incapable of keeping the law thus keeping us from right standing with God. He wanted to show the people that laws were the only way to keep people trying to live right if they did not desire a relationship. In other words, the more strained the relationship the greater amount of rules in place to keep the population under control. He agreed. I then asked him when was the last time he was in close relationship with a political figure. His answer to me was never. This lack of relationship between the governing body and its people creates the need for more rules to keep the people in their proper place; only this time the decision for the lack of relationship is coming from the governing body. I then threw out the question of when was the last time you saw church leadership with a strong relationship with the people they were to watch over and how many people do you have a strong relationship with? This question made him ponder for awhile and so I broke the uncomfortable silence. Why have we created so many rules within the church that are not found in the Word of God? The simple answer is our broken relationship with God and with each other.

I purpose a question all of us, when we will begin to throw rules out to build relationship with people and with God so as to create self-discipline and discipleship amongst the body? It is in the building of relationships that we will see the heart of people and gain permission to speak the truth in love that will produce lasting change. Are you with me to risk it all to reach broken people and show them the way to be reconciled to God and walk in the most excellent way? Let us be the ones who, like Paul, say, "follow me as I follow Christ". Church, rise up and take your proper place.

Ready for Relationship,

Pastor Jeromy

Getting God's Attention

What really gets the attention of God? Is there anything specific, or a specific combination of things? As I look through scripture I see many places where man got God's attention but nothing seemed to jump out at me as a connecting theme. First there is Noah, he obtained God's attention and then built an ark. Jacob comes next and God took notice when he would not let go until God blessed him. Moses working on the backside of the desert running from his place, Rahab hid some spies, Gideon was minding his own business, David was an overlooked young man tending sheep, Daniel prayed continuously, Elijah prayed earnestly, the centurion believed, the Samaritan woman would not give up, Peter spoke the truth, the thief begged for forgiveness, Thomas questioned, Stephen kept going, and Saul, a.k.a Paul, killed followers of The Way. What is the common thread between them? There lives, actions, and encounters seem to be so different and yet the secret to all of them is not really found in any of their stories but laid plain in Hebrews 11. Real, honest faith is the answer to commonality between the stories above. Some of them, at one point, had their faith misdirected but had faith nonetheless and were honest about it. Their faith lead to actions that seemed to be over the top ridiculously pointless in the moment it happened but is now monumental in the light of eternity.

Why were these people so sure of their decision making in the midst almost complete uncertainty? These people had a faith and hope not in the circumstances but in the what they honestly believe God was calling them to. They were honest in the beliefs and when encountered with truth moved immediately towards its end. Is this the way we live our lives? Constantly searching for truth in our relationship with God and when face with truth, adjusting our faith to line up with that truth. This is the way these people got God's attention and lived an extraordinary life. Are you ready for that life of a disciple?

In Search of Truth,

Jeromy