Don't put God in a box

Don't put God in a box. 

Jesus isn't who your mind sees Him to be.  He doesn't fit in the box of our mind's eye. 

Jesus dealt with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Two of the main groups of His stay on the earth.  Paul, while on trial, perceived the two and pitted them against each other. 

We live in a world where labels are more 'important'.  It's not enough to just be a Christian.  You have to tack on other terms to describe yourself.  The early Church wasn't this way.   They were simply Christ-followers.  Where they met was a different story.  It was more important to them to be grounded in the truth than stuck to legalistic ideas. 

The Word of God, as we have it today, is spread across dozens of translations. It's the work of the Spirit of God to protect it and to teach people of it. When anyone says you HAVE to stick to a singular translation there in is the path of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  Being open to the Spirit's teaching is to be open to whatever method He chooses to use.  The Spirit is no more contained in a single translation than the Lord God in the man made Temples of Israel.  His toe couldn't be contained in any Temple.  

Our lives as Christians is in pursuit of God's truth.  We are being transformed by His Word. Renewed day by day in the Grace in which He grants us all who still breathe air. 

It's been quite a few years now, but I have stopped referring to what I believe as Grace Brethren or Baptist.  I strive to be the Christ follower that I was called to be.  Nobody should need or have a label that precedes that distinction. 

There's only going to be Christ followers in Heaven.  There will be multiple trillions more that have no distinction of Baptist or Catholic or any other denomination.  

To be honest it's been immensely freeing to shed those distinctions.  Christianity was never meant to be complicated.  It was meant to be simple enough for a child to understand it. 

The most powerful, gratifying, satisfying, times in my life are after asking God to show me more.   You really begin to see how little all your problems are when you become as Mary and less as Martha...sitting at the feet of Jesus  in anticipation of what you will be shown next.

I am not some seasoned writer.  As it began back in May of 2019 so it is today.   God speaks and I write.  Share what I share with you  has been the message to me this year.   

We carry preconceived notions from family and others as to the truth of God.  Look into it for yourself.