Monday, Feb 02, 2009

TWG - February 2, 2009 - Bad Boys in Black Hats

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Well, my weekend with mom is up! I’m back home, and ready to go to work. We had a great time. If you are a member of our “ning” community at http://pinegrove.ning.com you can check out the pictures of the trip I took. I had some good ones. A cloud that looks like an exclamation point! A few pics of my mom in her home. We had a good time talking about the Word, working on computer and eating. She loves to eat. I also built her some steps and a terrace for planting. To do that we had to take a trip to Lowes and load down her Cadillac with about 1000 pounds of block! That is an amazing car. It has auto leveling and hardly dropped at all in back! Sunday we went to church with her in Lake Shasta and then it was home for the Super Bowl Party at Kyle & Marcia’s. We had a good time! It was a fun game even if the Steelers did win. I put a picture of the cloud on the blog at http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com. Check it out.

Today isFebruary 2, this is time with God, I’m Pastor Dennis - I’ve been waiting here for you. Welcome to our life transforming community. Together we are strong. As we walk though the word together we help each other grow.

Today's Scripture reading is Joshua 13; Psalm 136; 2 Timothy 2
To Listen to Today’s Reading http://timewithgod.mypodcast.com

Today’s thought comes from 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."

Who do you hang around? The good guys with the white hats? Or the bad boys in the black hats? Wouldn’t it be nice if it was that easy! Let me give you a simple guideline to help you know who NOT to have in your social circle. Here it is: Don’t hang around with a person who calls himself a Christian but doesn’t live like it! “Oh yeah! I’m a Christian, and no, I’m not married to her! What for? I love her and that’s all that matters!” Is it? Paul says if they claim Christ but are sexually immoral say adieu. He says the same thing about the covetous person, the idol worshiper, the abusive person (reviler), the drunk, or a thief. So long, farewell, it's time to take our leave… goodbye! Good bye! Good byeeee! And the Von Trapps exit stage left. More trouble is caused for Christ and the church by so called “sinning saints” than any other thing. Our reputation is at stake! We can’t afford too much of that kind of reputation. People will drive by your church and say, “That’s where bubba the bad boy drunk goes to church! I would never in my life, ever walk through the doors of that church.” Now, I’m not talking about everyday sinners. We invite sinners of all kinds to church, because we want them saved. Every dirty rotten, theivin’, womanizing, homosexual, druggie, or corrupt individual is welcome to our church! Come on in, sit right down, baby let your hair hang down! We WANT you to hear the Gospel! We want you to come to know Christ! Welcome! But once you make a public profession of faith, join the movement and begin to advertise that you are Christian, that changes everything. The saints are supposed to be delivered and transformed! It isn’t that we expect people to be perfect, nor do we expect that they will ever rid themselves of all their problems as long as they shall live… We do however expect that Christ will SAVE them and begin the transforming process. If you repent of your sins and seek forgiveness, we have the 70 X 7 rule! Otherwise we have a different rule! Sorry Charlie, Church is for repentant Christ followers, not for the rebellious who call themselves Christians. In order to protect our reputation, sometimes we just have to ask folk to either repent or depart. I hate greasing up the back door, but sometimes you’ve just got to let her swing!

Dear Father. We are the community of the broken. All of us struggle with our sins. We want to overcome them. They badger us. We’re not perfect, but we are sad and sorry that we sin. We want to be just like you. Please empower us with your Spirit to live the overcomers life!

"And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God."

Posted by Dennis Kreiss at 10:26 AM |   

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