God Made Church and Church Can't Hurt

While in Baghdad I had to eat a great deal of Meals Ready to Eeat (MRE). There was one that had the chocolate covered brownie. One day I was watching as someone else was eating the awesome dessert in front of me when after they took the first bite they dropped it on the desert floor and began to walk away frustrated. I said, "Are you not going to eat that?" Of course they were not and of course I would. I went to get it and the guys were watching me with amazement as I attempted to remove the sand from the warm chocolate that covered the brownie. I couldn't remove it all, but I ate it anyway. After all of the sound affects from the disgusted brothers in arms, I sounded off with that familiar saying, "God made dirt and dirt can't hurt." That was the best chocolate covered brownie I have ever had in my life.

God made church and church can't hurt.

It is sad to say that there are a great number of people that are hurt by the church. When people find that I am a pastor they like to share with me how bad the church was to them. Of course, I assure them that the church that I serve is not one that will hurt them. I let them know that the church that I serve is one that will love them unconditionally, encourage them in their faith, cry with them, and celebrate with them. I let them know that it is a church that will allow them to share their struggles and victories. A church that will always pour out grace and forgiveness on them. I am honest with them when I give them the disclaimer that the church I serve is a gathering of sinners who will mess all of that up because of sin in our lives. I have to tell them that our church is one that not only does all these things for others, but our church is one that needs grace and forgiveness from people. I inform them that they must partake of our church along with the sand and grit (sin) that is on us. It can be the best church you have ever experienced in your life.

God made church and church can't hurt.

Paul writes to the church in Corinth and says, "'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is beneficial. 'Everything is permissible' -- but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." (1 Cor. 10:23&24) The church in Corinth had questions of Paul about how to deal with these meats that were used in idol feasts. Paul deals with the real issue at hand which is the freedom of believers. The freedom to, "Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, 'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.'" (1 Cor. 10:25&26) People should feel free to come to the body of Christ because...

God made church and church can't hurt.

There is responsibility that comes with freedoms and Paul addresses that also in chapter 10 of this same letter. My point is not freedom to sin, but my point is that the church is established by God, for God, and God's son died for it. It can't possibly hurt, but it does hurt many.

God made church and church can't hurt.

Too much dirt, sand, and grit on my brownie would hurt me. Sin will hurt me and others, but the church would do good to learn to love more and judge less. May people be able to partake in the body of Christ without so much dirt, sand, and grit (sin). Paul says in chapter 15 and verse 34 of his letter to the church in Corinth, "...stop sinning..."May we all embrace the fact that we are the hurt that comes from the church and not God. We should always look for the good of others more than our own good, because...

God made church and church shouldn't hurt.

STOP

My wife's cell phone started flaking out last week and she couldn't figure out the problem. The phone began to shut off and it would not answer calls the way it usually did.

Of course, she took the battery out and put it back in because that is what happens when you take your phone in for repair. The clerk always goes straight for the battery removal technique. That didn't work.

I noticed last night that she was looking on line for options to replace her existing phone so I asked her today if she found a phone she likes. She told me that she had left the battery out all weekend and put it back together on Monday and now the phone is working as usual.

Many of us have complicated our lives so much that we are stressed out, overworked, out of shape, have pour diets, and juggle to many obligations. We are sprinting to the end of our lives. What's the rush?

Why don't we all take the battery out for the weekend?

No projects.
No trips.
No parties.
No church activities (it is not a sin).
No eating out.
Just rest.

How healthy would we be if we just stopped every once in a while?

I am going to find time to take my battery out for a couple of days. Not sure when, but I'm due. I don't want to have to go to the shop for repair.