TRADITIONS

Story in my e-mail….
One day a passerby saw a homeless man on the roadside. He stopped for a moment to hand him some loose change and casually said “God bless you, my friend”.   “I thank God,” said the homeless man, “I am never unhappy.”  “What do you mean?” the passerby asked.   “Well,” he said, “when the sun is out, I thank God — when it rains, I thank God. When I am full, I thank God and when I am hungry, I thank God. And, since God’s will is my will, and whatever pleases Him pleases me, why should I say I am unhappy when I am not?”  The man looked at him in astonishment and asked, “Who are you?”  “I am a King,” said he.  “Where, then, is your Kingdom?” asked the man.  “In my heart.” The homeless man replied.     Yes, we can have nothing, yet have it all. So often, we focus on what we have and forget who we are! The two are not related at all — what we have (or don’t have) has nothing to do with who we are! The Word says that we are ambassadors,  kings and priests and so it is!   Let’s give all our concerns to the Lord and see ourselves as He does — as part of His Royal Family! Thank God in every circumstance and there, we will find our victory.”

Ken’s notes:
So what do we have as traditions that get in the way of God’s will for us.  I grew up in my early faith with pride that I belonged to the biggest church in town.   That was my church and I sang in the choir and eventually taught Adult Sunday School.   And that pride very nicely keep me from a Biblical position of humility, obedience & Biblical Truth.   I got so bored in listening to Salvation messages that I would go to sleep in front of 1500 people in the top middle of the choir loft behind the minister giving the sermon.  My ribs were hurting each Sunday from the guys on both sides poking me to try to keep me awake.   And when awake,  I would try to find the most lovely face in the congregation.  Also as a General Contractor I would buy stuff for the church like carpeting and roofs and things needed as though serving GOD, but getting the pats on the back all the same.   And then later I found out that the Early Church had an evangelistic outreach on Saturday mornings in the Temple or where ever and then met in homes in the evening for a walk through the Tabernacle, Acts 2:39-43.   Each of the 7 steps was represented prophetically by the furnishings in the Tabernacle of Moses.   The church built no building and no tithes were collected.   They collected gifts and offerings for evangelism and for the poor.  Paul even made tents so not to use collected funds.  It was a totally new wine skin with a brand new wine and with powerful signs and wonders.  So what happened to that?   We traditionalized it into our own comfort zone which makes us lukewarm as per the Last Church Leodocian, Rev.3:14-22/ Note that Jesus is outside this church, knocking to try to get in.

So we have, over the centuries, made religious traditions that make the church look good but is mostly powerless.   Paul taught us to leave that kind of foolishness and find some place else that truly makes Jesus LORD and allow the HOLY SPIRIT to guide and show us the Truth and the Power of HIS KINGDOM.

One tradition is you are OK, I am OK.   As if we don’t really have to agree or believe in the same things but we are still OK.  We can agree to disagree and this is OK with GOD, but it is not.  The only recorded prayer of Jesus that was heard by John is concerning true unity,  John 17.  All through the scriptures we are challenged to have the Unity of the Faith in the Bond of Peace.   Unity in God’s truth is the only channel in which the power of the Holy Spirit can flow.   Today the so called church is fractured into so many pieces that it is taught that the Book of Acts is only a history and not good for doctrine.   But until we find obedience in LOVE & RIGHTEOUSNESS, to join together in GOD’s TRUTH there will ALWAYS BE  little or no  power to help those in need.

We have the tradition of looking good on the outside and not really being much concerned about the inside nor the power of God to fix things.   Our Creator is intent on creating a powerful family in loving righteousness.   We find it difficult to have any form of unity, anywhere, especially in our homes, marriages, churches and govt.

We have a tradition of loving our leadership when they look good and trashing them when they are exposed and are like the rest of us.  As though it was them we were to receive help from rather than that the glory belongs to GOD and it simply flowed through them.   We elevate them to a place of pride where they can not succeed nor survive.

We have a lot of “TRADITIONS” that keep us from seeing Jesus and all of HIS GLORY that brings folks to HIM.   Might study, Eph. 4:11-16, 1 Cor. 14:23-40 for a view of the Early Church.   And Paul’s prophesy of today’s church in 2 Tim. 3:1-9.   But the church does end up victorious without spot, wrinkle or blemish before she goes home.  And in Rev. 12:11 boots lucifer out of the Heavens.   So hang on tight, we are getting ready for a real Holy Spirit bath and some deep pruning from the LORD..

If in Kona, and interested, we have OhanaChurch.Life at 5:30 Tuesday Evenings, PotBlessing.   Write Ken for directions:   ken@trinity-aloha.org

Yours, in HIS great Love and wonderful Grace and Mercy,   Ken<>< www.trinity-aloha.org
( Add / Delete, ken@trinity-aloha.org   “Worth Considering” library link on Homepage. )

There is but one Holy Church of Christ Jesus as LORD and all who Love, Honor and Obey HIM are eternal members.