31 Day Challenge Part 2: Accepting One Another

31 Day Challenge Part 2: Accepting One Another

Photo by: (c) huhulin www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography

A thought to ponder...

What if we didn't judge by appearances or differences. What if we just accepted and loved each other for who we are. I am so thankful to the Lord that he accepts us and he loves us for who we are.

In my previous blog post I described a 31 Day Challenge for "One Courageous Community" within our churches. Today, I would like to share another challenge. One truth that I think we can all say we struggle to follow is in Romans 15:7,  "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, to bring praise to God."  How typical it is for each one of us to reject or to exclude each other because we might dress differently, behave differently, look differently, are from a different generation, the list can go on and on. When Jesus approached someone, he didn't look at their status, or their knowledge of the law, or how they dressed. He looked at their heart. He was deeply concerned for a person's spiritual welfare and the heart of the non-believer. He came for the lost.

As it states in Matthew 9: 10-13, Jesus came for the sinner and for the lost.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to show love towards one another, encourage one another, and help one another grow closer to Christ. A church needs to be one unifying spirit in worshiping God. A church should not be a dividing spirit segregated into groups or individuals. A person should walk through the doors of a church and feel loved, welcomed, and a part of the church family. No one should ever feel unaccepted, hated or unwelcomed just because of who they are. How many of you have ever felt this way at a church? I know I have felt this way at a church. The atmosphere within that church made me not want to go back to that church. It made me want to give up on church altogether. Despite my unhappiness, I wanted to be obedient to God and to be obedient to my husband, whom wanted to attend this church. I also knew I wanted to keep learning about God, so I endured going to an unloving, unwelcoming church. There were times I felt excluded and left out of conversations. No one ever wanted to get to know me personally. A person should never feel this way when attending a church. A church should exhibit a Christ-like attitude and nature. 

So, look around on a Sunday morning or during a Bible study. Do you see anyone sitting alone? Is there anyone who is being excluded from an event, conversations, etc.? Are you judging someone because of their background or perhaps their past or are you accepting them for who they are? A wretched sinner just like yourself. Let us join in unison in building each other up, not tearing each other down. Let us join in unison in growing closer to God and reaching those who do not know Him.

Love and Blessings!

Carol

31 Day Challenge

Photo by: (c) huhulin www.fotosearch.com Stock Photography

31 Day Challenge

A thought to ponder.... 

I wonder if there were to be a poll on how many Christians grumble against each other, what the outcome would be?

In July, I got the chance to go to a Ladies Camp Retreat. I had the most amazing enlightening privilege and experience of listening to the guest speaker, Kari Patterson, teach about One Courageous Community within our churches. The theme verse was John 17:11 “That they may be one as we are one.” When Christians are not unified and are divided, they cannot produce the fruit that God intended them to produce. In order to reach the lost, we must be unified with one spirit and one mind and live in a Christ-like manner. We cannot be isolated into groups, ostracizing each other, treating each other as outsiders, and causing strife, for if we do, we only demonstrate that the community within our churches is fragile and fracturing. If the vine is fractured and splitting into pieces, it will not grow and produce fruit. We must love and serve one another.

At the end of the camp retreat, Kari asked us to take on the 31-day challenge of practicing with friends and family to transform ourselves into being more Christ-like and strive to attain that one community - one spirit and one mind. Within the next few posts on my blog, I want to share a few of these challenges to help others grow into One Courageous Community. And if you have never heard Kari Patterson speak, I encourage women ministries at churches to attend one of her engagements.

One of the first biggest challenges brought to my attention at the camp and one I really struggled with is,  don’t grumble against each other. I think that this is something we can all struggle with and are all guilty of doing. There have been times in my life when I grumbled about someone and then later felt convicted about what I said. I thought to myself, "I just failed God in so many ways." My mouth was spewing out poison. In the book of James, chapter 5, verse 9, it states, “Do not grumble against one another, brothers so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” We are told not to grumble against each other, but when certain people aggravate you, or they are rude to you, or they are unkind to you,  it can be difficult not to grumble or complain about them. However, it is so important that we speak encouraging and positive words about each other. We are to love one another and speak in a positive light. 

In Exodus 16 and 17, the Israelites were grumbling against Moses and Aaron. They could only think of themselves and their circumstances. They blamed Moses and Aaron for leading them into their present situation. They were so focused on themselves and their struggles that they forgot it was God who led them out of slavery. They should have been focusing on God, and praising him for all he had done for them. 

Grumbling can be a cancer that can grow and spread division. By not grumbling against each other, we can take the first step in demonstrating a Christ-like character and a step towards having a one unified courageous community.

Love to you all and God Bless!
Carol