FREE

I recently had a rather unpleasant interaction on Facebook with some legalistic religious zealots, who (it embarrasses me to say) share my religious heritage. Yes... I'm talking about the one and only true church... the church of Christ. (They'll tell you church is spelled with a lower case "c", but don't believe it for a second). This is the only church that Christ died for. I'm sorry to tell you that most of you reading this are NOT members of this church. The easiest way to know if you are a member of this church is to look and see whether you are using Mechanical Instruments (known as "MIs") to worship God. Anyone using MIs is not a faithful member of this church. Also, anyone who CONDONES the use of MIs is not a true member even if they attend a church every week that doesn't use them and even if they were baptized for remission of their sins. This weeds out lots of people right off the top, so I think this is why MIs are their favorite topic of discussion. Baptism is their second favorite topic.

And if you're not a faithful member, you know what that means.... eternal destruction in the fires of hell.

And if you don't believe ME... you can ask them yourself. They'll even offer to study the bible with you if you will keep an open mind to what God's word says about the appropriate ways to worship him. Once you agree to NEVER, EVER, EVER use an MI to worship God... they will gladly baptize you.



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I know I am sounding as mean as they do (if you are reading the sarcasm in what I am saying)... but it really riled me up. It is so hard to deal with self-righteous people who jump to all kinds of conclusions about someone based on VERY LITTLE information.


And then it saddens me that they are missing out on SOOOOOOOO much in their narrow little "church" box.


And then all I can do is thank God that I am free.....

........ free to worship Him with my voice, an instrument, clapping, dancing, cleaning the house, witnessing a sunset, cleaning up vomit...... wherever, whenever and in whatever WAY He moves me.

........ free to set my mind on JESUS and not on what I do from 10:00-11:00 on Sunday mornings.

........ free to admit I am a sinner and will NEVER do anything that will earn my eternity with Him except to ACCEPT the lavish gift.

........ free to stop judging the motives of other people

........ free to discern what is really SIN and to oppose it (in myself and others) in a loving, gracious way

........ free to read the bible with my heart OPEN

........ free to experience the abundant life God has promised

........ free to accept that life with God is filled with the SUPERNATURAL (that word keeps popping up in my life lately.. you'll probably be hearing more about it here)

........ free, free, free!!!!!!! Because when the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. And if you are free indeed, you never want to be a slave again!


Go here, watch this. This is the lead singer from Tenth Avenue North and the song in the background is my favorite off their newest CD. (Notice the MIs!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNpw-kCUEtk

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else". Acts 17:24-25