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Christian Living Books? |
After 3 years of chronic pain, spinal surgery and very little relief, God gave me a mandate to complete this book, and He healed me overnight to enable me to finish it. Find out more here; Matt's Christian living book -------------------||-------------------- The best advice for good Christian living I can offer, if given the opportunity of only a single point on a very short page, would be to observe and imitate good Christian leadership. The qualifier requiring explanation, of course, naturally comes in the definition of 'Good Christian leadership'...
Spiritual abuse by Church leadership comes in many different forms and is usually clothed in a very 'religious' appearance, and naturally seemingly well justified by Scripture, but any attitude must be balanced and in line with all Scripture, not just the convenient ones. In the name of Christian living, much Church assumed authority is greatly leveraged today, contrary to Scriptures such as Matthew 20:25-26; 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you.' Jesus suggested that leaders in the church should 'not exercise authority over' other Church members. Outstanding examples of servant leadership within the church have certainly been observed over the years, yet this remains a vivid contrast to much of the traditional Christian living that exists according to denominational doctrine. This sounds very negative, I understand, but look around? Does everything appear to be running smoothly and as per 'God's plan'? I assert that if it were, then judgement would have either, already come, or never come. But look and listen... I can feel it coming, and if you've found your way to this page then you can probably feel it getting closer too. Maybe a better question could be, 'Who did Jesus criticize when He was here?' Was it the sinners, the corrupt tax collectors or the reigning dictatorship? No ... It was the religious hypocrites, who exercised their authority, in the name of God. Am I preaching anti-Church leadership? No. In fact, I would admonish you to follow your leaders into attacking the gates of hell and back, (since that's where they should be going). Taking the fight to the enemy! Jesus said, 'The gates of hell will not prevail against His Church,' and the point we so often miss there, is that 'gates' are not designed to attack, but defend. So the enemies of Jesus, should be on the defensive, and we on the attack! But, having said all this, if you're going to be in the trenches with them and following their examples, then choose your leadership wisely, is my point on this page. It's usually our own fault BTW. Looking back to Old Testament times, God gave His people judges, but they demanded a king. The difference now, being a Christian living in the New Testament/Covernant, is that we now have The Holy Spirit potentially helping and counselling us on our decision making, so we require less ... let's say, 'parental supervision.' -------------------||-------------------- After 3 years of chronic pain, spinal surgery and very little relief, God gave me a mandate to complete this book, and He healed me overnight to enable me to finish it. Find out more here; Matt's Christian living book |
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