Non-christians show more grace to non-christians than christians, too, so we do really need that grace from each other. But it can’t be stupid, turn-a-blind-eye kind of grace. Encouraging grace that reminds us that God is rooting for us kind of grace is what I like.

And, shew! I just make Randy’s age cut-off there. But I do agree, I think the new gen has a handle on it. I am very hopeful.

“His big thought of the day was that we ought to take a meal to whoever was our next door neighbor and tell them that Jesus cares for them and so does the church. Hmmmmm. My neighbor’s name is Russ and he is heavily tattooed, curses like a sailor, and beats his wife every other weekend after sucking down a bottle of Jack Daniels. Somehow I didn’t think that fried chicken, apple pie, and a hugs-and-kisses message from Jesus was really going to impact him so I chose not to take the preacher’s advice.”

These kind of churches are shrinking. Young people aren’t buying what they’re selling anymore. The Kingdom of God is in good hands…20 to 30-something hands. They are BEING the church, not just GOING to church. It’s going to be a fun next decade or two!

Christians are still needy and hurting people, under constant attack, still subject to human needs and hurts, and forget to continue to look to God for what is needed.

i am not sure that what has become of the gatherings is what should be going on. but, i know that the Holy Spirit is changing things all of the time through the spirits of the believers who are part of the body of Christ.

if anyone thinks they are called to do something different than what is already being done, like going out into the community in some way, in their own homes or in another country…etc., then i think that they should do it.

we each need to be listening to the Spirit and that is how the changes are made.

i think that listening to the Holy Spirit and doing is best…if everyone did this instead of complaining or criticizing, then the Holy Spirit could really do some work through the body of Christ.

that is the word…if we all took on the importance of our own relationship with God and actually did something about it by steping outside of the little boxes that we make or the walls that have been built up between us, we could all take off the plastic masks and realize that most of the important work for a Christian is what secretly goes on in the relationship between the believer and God…a lot of the pretence and lies would not be able to survive the truth that would be sweeping through the minds and hearts of believers. there would be world-wide changes going on.

as it is, God can and will still work through all things, but, i think that we are missing out and even being misled if we do not do our personal relating with God in our whole life, a life that He has given to us by His Grace.

i think that some of the people in the body of Christ
are being called to take off the plastic mask

and in doing so should be only uplifting
to those that are not at that place in their walk

You are absolutely right about the “plank in the eye” thing. I think it was Mike’s blog (see comment above at Church for Men Florida) which hit me hard recently when he wrote about praying for God to help him love church people as much as he loves non-churched people. God has been helping me see that in some ways, I show more grace to non-Christians than I do to Christians. So I am working on that too. Thanks for the reminder!

HA HA HA!!! That is the most I have laughed in a long time! So funny.

Thanks my friend! I continue to love what you all are doing there at the Church for Men Florida! Keep it up! I may be wanting to do something similar soon.

I felt like this at one time, often I still do. My dad – a sometimes atheist -sometimes agnostic – admits he feels like this around any christian but me (and he may only say that to spare my feelings). I do clearly remember many times that I felt too imperfect to be in a church – that I had to quit smoking, drinking, cussing, remove my tattoo, etc., before I could go to church and definitely before God would want to have anything to do with me.

I will admit that there are times (but not always) when genuine smiles on others seem fake and plastic because I just can’t fathom any reason to have that kind of joy – even if I have experienced it at one time myself. There is a certain level of criticalness I maintain when I am hopeless that makes me see and think the worst of people. There is certainly something to that “plank in the eye” thing.