For Or Against

Matthew 12:30 ESV - "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."

This is the passage I woke up with on my mind.

I remember as a young man I was 'against' many things and people. I spent a lot of time talking about and reasoning as to why thing were 'wrong' and unfair. I knew people who talk mostly about things they were 'for' and it was good to be with them at times but even then I could be 'against' them because I thought their positive outlook was naive and ill informed.

The Gospel is an all 'for' message. It proclaims that God has made a provision for us based on what His Son accomplished on the cross. There are no negatives. It is not against anything or anyone. It is all 'good news'.

Jesus is polarizing. If you don't gather with Him you will scatter. I've seen it happen again and again with people and in my own life.

If I stop gathering with God I become a critic of everyone and everything including myself.

If I gather with Him and rehearse the good news I have hope.

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Going And Listing

Lately I've been thinking of some of the unique aspects of Church life.

One is 'the prayer list'. I know many people have 'phone books' where the keep phone numbers of people. Perhaps they write in birthdays and names of that person's relatives and/or children also. That way when the call they also can mention those people by name. The prayer list is another animal really. I have had these lists of people... no contact information... some entries read like 'that guy with the blue shirt you talked to at Home Depot'. The list isn't one we use to contact the people. We use it to talk to God. Unique.

The other is Church 'seating'. I have purposed to be a wandering Jew in this area. I try to vary where I sit on purpose. That way I get exposed to many different people and interact with them. It does seem however that once a Church grows to more than a few people 'seating zones' begin to form. The 'upfronters' want every drop they can get. Sometimes it is family who will just dominate a certain area. The youth often like to sit together. Once in a while I'll just plant myself right in the middle of the teenagers just for fun.

Church has added so much to my life. It isn't always an easy place for me to be but it has added much more than I can list here.

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

A believer living 'in application' goes. They go out to evangelize. They go to other countries. They go to God. They gather. Believing is active not passive. I never want to stop going and listing things and people.

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