Ramblings and Clearing the Air

Thought I would post a quick one to update everyone on what we are doing and to clear the air on a couple of things. We have been busy around here recovering from the big ice storm. We have had a couple of days of sunshine, and I was actually able to take a few hours off and go on a 20 mile horse ride with a couple of friends. Contrary to what many think or believe, I usually stay going seven days a week and rarely take time for just me. I do not recommend that schedule as it can burn a person out pretty quickly. But there is nothing like a horse ride to recharge your battery and bring a sense of peace and calm back to your life. I am not bragging here, but to give you an example of what I am involved in to show you what I mean. I do this not to bring credit upon myself, but to hopefully teach someone a lesson about taking on too many obligations. Of course I am a minister and am in the process of helping to build both an online and local addiction ministry. This in itself is a full time job, but it is my passion. I feel a great burden, as anyone with a call from God on their lives should, to help as many as possible by allowing God to use me to show Christ as the answer. I am also our county weather reporter. This usually just means calling the current temps, highs, lows, and rainfall/snow amounts to the weather service and a local TV station. But during a major event it also includes taking pictures and sending in damage reports, etc. I am a Father to 5 boys, and we have a mini zoo to look after consisting of two horses (so far), 3 dogs, 3 cats, and one rabbit. And as a minister, you have all of those things no one ever sees, like helping people find jobs, houses, money, and all of that stuff. I also am the resident animal "doc" of the county since our veterinarian has moved away. As some of you know, way back I started out in college to be a vet and worked as a vet tech for a long time. I don't charge anything, but am thinking maybe I should to break even. I am also attending college to get my PhD in Christian Counseling.

Whew! Quiet a lot huh? But look, I almost never sleep, and rarely get a day off. My advice to you would be to plan your day carefully, and put your call from God first. All parents and husbands and wives have a call to each other (Ephesians Ch 5-6) first off. Then to your call to service, and we all have one. Be careful what you obligate yourself too, and learn to say no. I need help in that matter, because saying yes all the time can allow you to become easy for others to take advantage of. Like I said, I am not trying to brag, but just want to let you know why it sometimes takes a week to answer your e-mails.

Now to clear something up. Quiet a few have asked about my constant references to Pharisees and legalism. Some are not sure who or what they are, some think I am too hard on them, and some think I am too easy on them. While you cannot please everybody in a forum like this, I try to stay within the confines of Scripture, so if someone disagrees with me, they can take it up with the Man upstairs. But nothing spells controversy like mentioning Pharisees in today's Church. Some accuse me of judging, and others think I am a Pharisee myself. So lets see if we can straighten this out.

Pharisees were a sect of Judaism that we would call neo-conservative in today's language. They taught a very strict adherence to the Law of Moses, and added to it a very burdensome Oral Law that they said was passed down by word of mouth from Moses until their day. They were perfectionists and though that anyone who did not agree with them and act just like them was condemned to hell. At the same time, their customs made it nearly impossible for anyone but them to get into heaven. They started out in opposition of the Greeks, and were lauded as heroes for not folding into Greek demands to stop worshiping Jehovah and only worship Greek Gods. By the time the Romans took over rule of Judea and Palenstine, they had become a political sect as well as a religious sect.

That brings us to the days of Jesus. While on earth, Jesus did not condemn or judge one sinner. But the Pharisees did. Jesus did not reject one cry for help. But the Pharisees did. A a matter of fact, you will find Jesus' behavior in the Gospels to tbe the exact opposite of the "religious, church going" pharisees. And even Jesus did not condemn them; only their behavior. The only words He spoke in anger were directed at them. They were almost exclusively responsible for His Crucifixion, and yet He still did not condemn them...as a matter of fact He forgave them.

IN several places in the Bible, you will find Jesus at odds with them, but the best place to look is in Matthew Chapter 23. You will also see some behavior exibited by some in the Church today. While some believe the modern day Pharisee and legalism movement is setting the stage for the "one world religion" or "Apostate Church" spoken of in Daniel and Revelation, I made a vow long ago to confront and teach against this practice. In 23:3, Jesus told us to copy their observances, but not their works. These people I constantly rail against really try to impress God by their works. And preachers saddle entire congregations with back breaking rules not in the Scripture's and at the same time shut out any that do not conform to their twisted beliefs.

If you witness or evangelize for very long, you will find hundreds that have been hurt by church members (who end up blaming the Church itself), and if you dig just under the surface you will find legalism to blame. While Jesus was condemned by the Pharisees for eating, drinking, healing, and associating with sinners, modern day Pharisees do the same to other workers of the Kingdom for doing the same. A an example, I was severely chastised for going and visiting a drug dealer and for being seen with a known drug user in town. ummm, thats kind of what I do for God's sake! How can I help druf addicts if I don't seek them out?

Jesus and the Apostles taught inclusion, love, patient, and forgiveness. And Pharisees will teach that, but their actions condemn their own behavior. Now please don't get me wrong, I strongly am against sin. Name any sin mentioned in the Bible, and you will find some reference somewhere where Jesse condemns it. Hate sin! But do not hate the sinner! For are we not all just sinners ourselves, saved by the Grace of God? How can we witness if we turn everyone away at the door? How can we invite the sinner to come to Church if we only visit Church Members on visitation day?

Do you really think that God, after watching His Son die the most gruesome death known to look past what He did to send us to hell because our womwn wear makeup and jeans and our men miss one Church service?

Read Matthew 23 before you send me any hateful e-mails. Do you preach love, yet your actions prove hate? Do you burden members of your congregation with hundreds of rules not spoken by Christ? Haven't we all heard someone making known how often and long they pray, how much money they give, and how holy they are? Do we not know some preacher or teacher who loves the title before their names and the abbrevation after it more than God?

Look at verse 13- does your actions and beliefs shut anyone out of the kingdom of Heaven?

Let me be clear, with all the authority given to me to preach the Gospel ffrom Christ Himself, no man is capable or authorized to judge any other. None. Not one. We can firmly say that a particular action will send you to hell, but we cannot Scripturally say "Joe, John, or Sally" is going to hell. For if we could, we wouldn't need God. And Jesus would have died in vain. Why have the perfect sacrifice if God was going to allow man to decide who gets into heaven or not?

So that is my beef with legalism and Phariseeism. It is a parasite that destroys individual Churches, and has kept more people from coming to know God than the meanest demon in hell.

So instead of a bunch of rules, how about these two that Jesus said were more important than all the rest: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and then to Love your neighbor as yourself.

Love. Forgiveness. Kindness. Service. Faith.

Those are the keys to a real Christian life. SO disagree if you like. Just remember when Jesus points to Matthew Chapter 23 on judgement and ask you if that wasn't warning enough that you will have no excuse, because now you have been told.

Stop judging. Stop hating. Start loving.

PS- this is not a rant, so I hope it doesn't sound like one, ha. I was in danger of doing the exact behavior I had condemned in earlier posts by judging these legalist and Pharisees. I will not do that any more, but I will not recant from pointing out their very un Christ like behavior.

Untill next time, may the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Issac and the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, bless you with vineyards you did not plant, wells you did not dig, and houses and barns you did not build! Shalom and God Bless!