I just started reading a new book today titled, "The Emotionally Healthy Church," written by Peter Scazzero. I've only read 2 chapters and it's phenomenal.
I had written this thought down on a piece of paper to blog a couple of months ago, but never really developed it until tonight. This book deals with a topic that I've blogged about before and preach regularly at Revival Center, and that's the need for us Christians to be REAL enough to admit we're NOT perfect! We desperately need to get past the "shout," "the look" and the "tongue talking" and develop a REAL, genuine, sincere relationship with Jesus Christ!
Peter Scazzero wrote, "According to some scholars, the four presidents prior to Abraham Lincoln were "compromise leaders," unwilling to confront the difficult issue of slavery between the North and the South. Then a mature leader with a solid sense of who he was, what he believed and valued-regardless of the consequences-took the White House. The strength and maturity of his character and convictions in many ways forced the nation to confront the reality of the abomination of slavery...
The starting point for change in any nation, church, or ministry has always been the leader: As goes the leaders, so goes the church.
But is is not enough for the leader to change. God wants to set others free as well..."
We will NEVER grow a healthy church if we ourselves do NOT address the issues beneath the surface of our lives! We must be honest about what is going on "INSIDE" of us and stop hiding behind our fake facades (the "OUTSIDE")!
This about it...when God went looking for Adam and Even in the Garden in Genesis 3, He wasn't interested in dealing with them on the level of who they should have been and what they should have done. NO, He was interested in dealing with where they were at the moment; who they were right then!
There was no need to pretend that they hadn't sinned because they had! They couldn't hide, let alone live behind the tree forever, either!
The Fall was evident and the need for fellowship was greater now than ever before, and the only way for God to restore Adam and Eve was for them to STOP PRETENDING!
So, I'll leave you with a few scriptures that reveal the simplicity of God's desire for you to stop pretending that you're perfect, especially since you're NOT:
(1 John 1:8-10/ NLT) - If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
(1 John 2:1-2/ NIV) - My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
(Ephesians 2:8-9/ NIV) - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
I no longer feel the need to pretend that I'm Saved by my giftedness, talents, abilities, personality, charisma or WORKS! I'm SAVED by GRACE!
I no longer feel the need to pretend that I'm perfect, because the fact is: I am a SINNER in NEED of a SAVIOR!
I no longer feel the need to pretend...
Monday, July 2, 2007
I No Longer Feel The Need To Pretend
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This is the forgotten message of Christ. We cannot do it ourselves. Only until Adam and Eve came out from hiding did they have true freedom in their walk with God. However, I have a question. What makes the Secret Place really the Secret Place? It is the revealing of secrets to a God that already knows. There are no secrets in the Secret Place. Until we reveal who and what we really are to Him (who already knows), we merely live cloked in a facade. Great blog Marshall.
Perfection... That is a word that my mouth muscles have a hard time forming. I guess it is because I realize I am the epitome of the opposite of perfection. Even the words of the very definition of perfection (the state of being without a flaw or defect) are so foreign to me when I try to compare them to who I am. Thank you Pastor for helping me realize that God will help me to become a Spirit lead man when I realize it is He (the ONLY perfect one) living in me that allows me to rip away the facade and know that my advocate is firmly in place awaiting my acknowledgement of His strength and my weaknesses. Wonderful blog Pastor.
The truth is that the majority of of people have trouble being transparent and are bound because they are afraid of being judged by others. When such a strong stand is taken on the way you are supposed to look and act and having "the truth" it puts a strain on being real and almost like you are not allowed to be human. The Bible says to confess your faults (greek word means sin) to one another so you can be healed. It doesn't say just to another but to one another. There is a difference. How can you confess your sin when you are made to feel that you shouldn't have any. But, unfortunately there is so much judgement and such a standard to maintain, people feel condemnation instead of love and understanding. This has produced a secretive people who live in bondage to what people think and say. It is time that we demonstrate the love of God not just to the world but to each other.
Post a Comment