tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961153118521166135.post1383362094879377789..comments2023-08-17T05:20:32.004-07:00Comments on Muckboots n' Aprons: Polyester PeopleDalynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09553803562170918993noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961153118521166135.post-69822861574951994432009-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:002009-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00I was thinking about the greatest commandment, you...I was thinking about the greatest commandment, you know the one about loving God and loving others. <BR/><BR/>There's another book I'd like to recommend called "Messy Spirituality" by Michael Yakonelli (don't know if I spelled that right). It's been years since I've read it, but it seems like the completion to the thought you expressed. We ought to LOVE AND ADORE JESUS! Everything else stems out of that. <BR/><BR/>This book is very encouraging to not only break down the walls that we often erect between us and God, but also us and other humans who we often cause to stumble, rather than bring to Jesus because of "polyester" things. <BR/><BR/>When I walked into "our" church, almost 9 years ago, I was a travelling through town (or so I thought), and smelled of a month's worth of body odor and pot. I was a very un-grounded christian, who had a serious distaste for the church. Immediately, we were welcomed into "the family". <BR/><BR/>I long to see radical christians that adore and treasure Christ, saturate their hearts and minds with His word, are humble and contrite before an Almighty God, and authentic and sincere enough to get beyond people's appearance and issues, to bring them to Jesus. It's not easy, but I think we need to SHINE in this dark age, and knowing Jesus for ourselves and realizing that we're all cut from the same cloth (even the guy next to us, who offends everyone with his sharp tongue, because he's lived such a difficult life, or the guy who is still struggling to stay sober and yet keeps coming to Christ for help). It is so easy to see things that are more external, surface sins and judge others harshly, but what about our food-addictions, gossiping, pride, impatience.... None of us fear God as we ought, it just looks more obvious in some than in others. And our job is to LOVE not convert! People will come to Jesus because He draws them, and if we are faithful to love them in all their messiness, we may just get to be a part of that. <BR/><BR/>Anyways, I'm supposed to be homeschooling. Thanks for listening!<BR/> Space Welch<BR/> Arcata, CAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5961153118521166135.post-40473186057632692852008-02-06T15:00:00.000-08:002008-02-06T15:00:00.000-08:00This was a problem at my congregation several year...This was a problem at my congregation several years back. There was a group that insisted that the men serving communion be dressed a certain way so that it would be appropriate and not distract those taking communion. Well that excluded one of the most God-fearing, Jesus-loving, kindest young men I knew because he was very large and didn't have what was "acceptable." <BR/><BR/>Many of us argued that it wasn't scriptural, and that they should stand in back prior to delivering the trays. Fast forward several years to a congregation that has finally healed from that rift. A preacher who is very strong in following only the scripture, and our men stand in back before delivering the communion trays. <BR/><BR/>I'll still get annoyed when people forget to be a follower of Christ and instead are a church member. Thanks for the book recommendation.TJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11002884307603736439noreply@blogger.com