A Different Level

Today I received a postcard in the mail to come visit one of those "new" churches. You know, the kind where they stress how friendly and open they are with no walls and no one is any different from anyone else? One of the local churches advertises on the radio how "even the pastor wears jeans!".
These churches have become more popular in the last few years with the message everyone's welcome and you'll all leave with warm fuzzies!

Now, I am in no way saying that casual, open churches are bad but I realized that the continual message of "God views us all the same!" is wrong.
A visiting evangalist at our church last week put it well. He said, "I don't consider myself better than non-Christians or seeker sensitive Christians; I do consider myself on another level!"
What did he mean? Well, yes, God does LOVE everyone, but not everyone is in his family!
I have learned that a huge part of Romans 10:9, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.", is JESUS IS LORD!
How many "Christians" do I know who confess to believe and yet live a lifestyle so contradictory to God's Word that one wonders if they have ever bothered to read it!

Am I perfect? NO! But, I am repenting (to change one's thought process) daily. I am striving to be not just a "believer" ("even the demons believe" James 2:19) but a disciple (follower; student).

But, I wondered how to adequately explain that God does not view us all the same to someone with the very open-minded attitude that would angrily view this as "small-minded" and prejudice.

An example came to me: Say your grandfather has an amazing and valuable collections of rare coins. Do you expect him to hand them out to a random stranger on the street or keep them in the family? Your grandfather might even be a very open, loving person towards any and every person he meets yet you would still be hurt and surprised if that collection were casually given to a first-time aquaintance and not to someone in the family.

It's the same with God; He loves everyone equally and prepared equal opportunity for everyone to be His child. But not everyone takes that for themselves and many that do "believe" do not live righteously (in right-standing) and therefore disqualify themselves as sons. Hebrews 12:14 tells us "without holiness no one will see the Lord".
This does put those living righteously on a different level, "seated in heavenly places"! (Ephesians 2:6)
And as sons we have access to all the Father desires to give us!

Best Laid Plans...

Life never seems to go the way you plan it. Never mind the "plans" you make for the distant future, today is itself an unknown until it is ended.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. " Proverbs 16:9

Today I "planned" to clean house and have Ronan help me make bunny cookies. Grandma Mullane sent us a cute set of cookie cutters last year and he was too young to participate so I decided this year we would do it. And today was the day.

Or not... Poor little guy came down with the stomach flu that has been the bane of many mothers in the last week. With loss of fluids from top and bottom baking was definitely out of the question!

I realized this evening that although it had been a somewhat difficult day my spirits had remained high. I wondered to myself why I could take this truly unpleasant situation (I had to take three showers people!) in stride and yet some days that are filled with very little stress seem to be so difficult?

Truly, this past week and a half has been spent with God! Last night's praise and worship was both exhilerating and overwhelming as we focused on our King and Who He is!
The more time I spend with my King the more peace I feel. The less I let emotions and difficulty bring me down.

I am currently missing tonight's service to be home with my little man but I know that tomorrow can still be a good day as long as I stay focused on my assignment in the Kingdom!