Yikes, again ...

Well ... I'm sitting in the same spot again this morning ... coffee ... Bible ... pen.  I picked up reading where my "moment" yesterday left me ... in Joshua.  And wouldn't you know it, another "moment" happened.  

Joshua urges a member of his followers to fess up to a crime.  It's breaking Joshua's heart ... because he knows the penalty.  "My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth.  Make your confession and tell me what you have done.  Don't hide it from me." (Joshua 7:19)  

I use the New Living Translation Study Bible.  In my notes (page 386-387) I read this sobering end note:  "To trifle with the things belonging to God signifies rebellion against God, and such sin always bring trouble upon God's people."

Once again, my pen did some talking ... has "the church" trifled too long with things that belong to God?  And if so, what is the "trouble" God has/is/will bring upon His people?  I made a list:

lack of knowledge, futility, working too hard for the wrong things, bondage to systems and religion, lack of vision, lack of enthusiasm for the right things, ineffectiveness, wrong theology within, lack of real growth.

Has "the church" rebelled against God?  Sounds a little ... sacrilegious.  But perhaps religion is the sin.  When I look at "the church" as a whole ... and perhaps I should limit my observations to what I know ... the traditional "church" in Midwest America ... I see too many programs, buildings, systems, hoops to jump through, images to maintain.  However, lets not just stop at "the church".  If we are to be fair in our assessment of rebellion against God, lets take a look at Christian organizations.  All the labels I've licked and stamped on "the church" could be licked and stamped on them as well.

When I contrast "the church" in the book of Acts to that of 2014 ... at its' beginning ... its' very core ... was growth, enthusiasm, adventure, power, accountability and passion to carry a life changing message to others versus ... stagnation, rote, strategy for obtaining and maintaining power, theory's of accountability and tons and tons and tons of books on how to regain passion to carry a life changing message to others.  Hmm.

There are churches who are emerging - praise God - to a new thing ... a new kind of experience that I believe are being born out of death of a system that has brought fear and bondage.  There are followers who are passionately finding truth and embracing God for Who He says He is and rejecting all that He says He is not.  Most of these kinds of folks won't be found sitting in pews.  They are meeting in energetic and Spirit-filled gatherings.  They are out, rubbing shoulders with their friends, living a message that has no formula.  At it's center - Christ.  At it's source of power - the Holy Spirit.

Let's take one more look at our friend, Joshua.  He knew the penalty for this troubled follower of his - death.  Yet, he begged him to confess his sin ... to get what was hidden out in the light.  Church ... can we be persuaded to confess our sin ... to get what is hidden out into the light?

Searching for rays of sunshine and rejoicing w/others who have found it,

christina