I often hear how people say I got hurt in church

and I won't go back there again.  They found church

to be a court of law and not a hospital for broken

and wounded people.  They often spent more

time seeking the approval of people than God.

Or counting on people, and we know that

all people fail us from time to time, just as we fail others.

 

We are ALL still under construction.

 

I am reminded of how angry Jesus got with the

way people judge each other.  I know that while He

walked the earth, he walked around with publicans,

sinners, prostitutes, he got around the demon

possessed.  Jesus came to earth and died for

everyone's sins.  He had a heart of compassion

He looked beyond people's flaws and outward

appearance, and looked on the heart.

 

He knew we were all but dust.  We needed

a Savior... for none are without sin.

There is none perfect... no NOT ONE.

 

He said it is not the well that need a physician but

the sick, the infirm, the lost.  How can we reach them

if we avoid them?  What a revolutionary message he

brought to a world so used to legality in their church

and not love.

 

He taught a new covenant.  To love one another.

 

We know people will come to church, who will

not be where they should be spiritually. If we cast

them out.. who will tell them about Christ?

 

If you are legalistic, and chase people away from

God, by your very judgmental, religious snobbery

do not expect your church to grow.  It will become

stagnant and die. 

 

The following story is a classic example I wrote

of a church going wrong.

 

Please take time to Read the Purple thing below.

 

I know you will enjoy it.

 

love

millie

 

 

 

The Purple Thing.

 

Copyright Millie Plastaras 3/7/2004

May not be electronically, nor physically reprinted

without authors permission.

 

  

Once upon a time there was a village.  In this small

village there were 2 churches.  They were a bit

different in what they believed, and often had a problem

with each church thinking they were more important

and better informed than the other church.

 

One day there came to town a person, who felt

herself to be very religious.  She had a particular

way of looking at things, of dressing, of doing her work,

and felt that everyone should pretty much feel the same.

This person's name was Dora.  Dora had long held

the opinion that she had been raised the "right" way,

and no one else, quite had the edge on wisdom of

life that she did.

 

Dora visited both churches, and then chose the one

that fit better in with her line of thinking.  She got very

involved right away, and joined every women's group,

and set about to "reform" anyone who was a bit

different from her, feeling the need to inspire people

to become lined up with her thinking.

 

Dora loved purple.  She thought it was a "divine" color.

It was included in every dress she owned.  Her dresses

were long sleeved, high collared, and were always

strewn with bits of purple coloring. 

 

As Dora was sitting at the ladies missionary meeting

one day, she met a young girl, whom she wanted

to take under her wing and mentor.  She told Wendy,

that there was just certain right and proper ways to do

things.  Dora casually mentioned, I notice you do not

wear any purple clothing.  I am utterly shocked.  This is

a righteous' color.  Even Jesus wore this color.  Don't you

want to please Him?  Wendy, being young, naive and

impressionable, felt Dora was a wise woman and

must know what she was talking about.  After all wasn't

Dora self assured?  Didn't Dora attend church every time

the doors opened?  Didn't Dora witness to others, and fix

meals for others?  Dora was very religious.  So Wendy

decided to start wearing purple.

 

Soon, Wendy's friends at that little church notice what

was happening and asked Wendy why she always

had purple in her clothing.  Wendy, who had suddenly

become "the" informed one, said, why anyone knows

you can only be righteous when you wear purple clothes.

 

Soon everyone that went to that church, felt the pressure,

and if they didn't wear purple in their clothing.. other people

just "knew" they weren't righteous.  So the "Purple Thing"

took over this little village, where before people had

pretty much been friendly with each other.

 

Suddenly, there was a new standard.  If you weren't

purple, you weren't anything.  You just didn't fit in,

and you were looked down upon.

 

Then came a stranger to town one day, and He sat in

this church a few weeks, and noticed the "purple trend,"

and overheard the discussions about the reasoning

behind it.  He watched the demeanor of those with

the "purple" righteousness.  How they were so

haughty with anyone that didn't wear the purple.

And how the whole church had changed because

of one woman's misinformed, misguided belief

that she knew better than anyone else.

 

This man was soon to be the new preacher voted in

by the district board.  And He had come to town,

just to check things out.  He went home and prayed

fervently about the scenes he had witnessed at this

small church.  And it became a great burden to His heart.

 

Because He, and only He, recognized that people had

forgotten what they were going to church for - Jesus.

To worship Jesus, and to love one another.

 

You see, this man knew that it wasn't about being purple,

or pink or blue or white, it was about God's great love

for one another, and how the more we love God,

the more that Great Love should dwell within us.

He knew that only through salvation by the atoning

blood of Jesus Christ, could we be cleansed from our sins.

And that by the mercies of God.

 

The pastor took the position in that church

and became a powerful speaker and prayer warrior.

And soon people felt the shame come over their

consciousness and felt the draw of the Holy Spirit

to return to the simplicity of the gospel, and to live

a life called out unto holiness, and surrendered to Christ.

 

No longer did purple reign. Jesus did.

As it should be.  And the broken in spirit, and the lost,

the lonely and the needy found solace there.  As they

all gathered and heard the word of God and grew in Christ daily.

 

We become a product of our input.

Whatever we sow in our spirit, is what we speak to

those around us.  We are to be a light to the world.

This true light can only come from absolute surrender to Jesus Christ.

 

 

remember

Only one life,

will soon be past

Only what is done

For Christ will last

 

James said:

 

If there should come into your assembly a man with gold

rings and fine apparel, and there should also come in

a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to

the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him,

" You sit here in a good place." and say to the poor man

"You stand there" or "sit here at my footstool, have you

not shown partiality among yourselves and become

judges with evil thoughts?

 

Listen my brethren, Has God not chosen the poor of

this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom

which He promised to them who love Him?

 

But you have dishonored the poor man.  Do not the rich

oppress you and drag you into the courts?

 

If you really fulfill the royal law according the scripture,

You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well.

But if you show PARTIALITY, you commit sin,

and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

James 2:1-9

 

When you reach the end of your rope
you will find the hem of His garment.

I have often felt that many things that bring us to our knees,
teach us while we are down there to learn to pray.

These possibilities are open to everyone. 
Don't tell God you are not good enough, do what He asks.
Don't tell God to send someone else, He asked you.
Don't tell God you don't have time to pray, He said seek me first.
Don't neglect the things of God.  He said we are to
pick up His cross daily and follow Him. 
Don't tell God anything is bigger than His ability.
God is the Great I Am, I am whatever you need.

There is no pit so deep, God's love is not deeper still.

Not my will but thine oh Lord.

´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·°°´·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°`·.,¸¸,.·´°

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God