He told me to tell you that
Achurch congregation is full of hurts, habits and hang ups. The heart is deceitful among all things (Jeremiah 17:9). We can’t help it (that’s not an excuse). We might be getting better with the help of the Holy Spirit but at best we are a messed up people.
The church is also full of hope and holiness. People who are inspired by the Holy Spirit to stand at the door with open hearts and open arms.
People need hope, if you haven’t noticed it’s rough out there and we are beyond confused. I had a married woman call me yesterday and she said she had just had a baby. That sounds good until I found out that her husband is not the daddy. Okay, now what?
I told her that baby is a gift. I told her all life comes from God and that there is no such thing as an illegitimate child. I told her to enjoy and celebrate the life of that baby. I also told her she needed to reconcile with her husband. I let this dear woman know she had to stop fooling around, last time I checked they called what she is doing adultery. In my business we call this truth and we have to tell it regardless of how much it hurts.
Do you remember the story about the woman the church guys dragged out of a house while she was with a man (John 8)? There she was half naked if not all the way unclothed and they took her to Jesus and said, “Look! What do you think about this?” The motives of these guys were not any more pure than the actions of the woman and the man who were trying to enjoy their afternoon.
Jesus, in a kind of trying to mind His own business sort of way said, “Look, have you ever done something that wasn’t right? If you haven’t than okay, let’s throw some rocks and throw them hard so that it hurts. But, if you are not perfect, let’s all chill out.”
If the story ended there, we should all be sad. Jesus loves us as we are but as Leighton Ford says, He loves us too much to leave us the way we are.
Jesus loves therefore He speaks truth to power. What I’m saying is while we offer grace, mercy and forgiveness to people we have to also be honest with them.
Jesus told this dear lady, “Hey, lady. I think you are great but you have to stop doing what you are doing, it’s wrong and it hurts both yourself and any potential relationship you have with Me. Go, go and sin no more.” Be kind but be honest. He told me to tell you that.
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