All posts by Paul

Psalm thoughts

Psalm 133

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How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Arron’s beard. down on the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forever. (NIV)

I dream of the day when all who claim Jesus as their God and Redeemer can stand together without fear or condemnation. Martin Luther King had a dream. My dream is that all Christians can live with peach and love for each other. When I heard a pastor of a Holiness church mock the theology of a Calvinist church that was destroyed in a recent fire, I was sickened. This was not the brotherly unity that David cried for. This is not the Holiness that Christ called us to. This was and will forever been the voice of Satan dividing us so as to lead us into false expectations of self righteousness.

Christian thought, Quotable

Quotable

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Phil. 2:5-8. Your attitude should the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself NOTHING, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in the appearance as a man, humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross. (NIV)

“It is only when we realize our nothingness, our emptiness, that god can fill us with Himself. When we become full of God, then we can give God to others, for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Teresa of Calcutta

Christian thought

Malachian observation

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While reading Malachi this week I made a couple observations I want to share. Although they are not directly connected with the message of the prophet, they do reflect on my views of Wholeness Witnessing.

Malachi 1:10, 11. “I wish that some among you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not at all pleased with you.” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will not accept your offerings. But My name is honored by people of other nations from morning to night. All around the world they offer me sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of My Name,” says the Lord Almighty. (NLT)

Wholeness/Christ

Wholeness of Christ (the preface)

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It took many years to come to an understanding of Christian living. While I still am searching after twenty-six years, I am still baffled by the continual disharmony between the churches. I mean, there have been wars over this! Even after all this time I still see the churches offering Grace, understanding and the message of Salvation. But because they are locked into “Theology” and “Dogma” they limit themselves to certain areas of Spiritual growth and much of the Wholeness of Christ is lost.

What I want to do in this forum, and as what I see as the call of Jesus in my life, is to help bridge the gaps by building on the common ground that all churches that proclaim Jesus as God, One in the same with the Father and the Holy Spirit. In this way perhaps Jesus will be presented in a common light that allows for a unification of Spiritual Worship so we can be Whole in the Body of Christ.

When we read the Gospel, we should become aware that the Good News is for everyone, and as we are each different in our desires of life, so are we different in our Spiritual needs. Isaiah 65:1 reads (NLT):The LORD says, “People who never before inquired about Me are now asking about Me. I am being found by people who were not looking for Me. To them I have said, ‘here I am!’ ” We need to allow the difference and rely on the equality that reigns in each of us. As Paul said: We are all of Christ, we are the Body of Christ! What good does it do to be spiritually flogging fellow Christians just because they have found strength through scriptures differently than we have? That makes about as much sense as beating yourself up. All it does is bring pleasure to Satan, allowing him to move in the church and divide us further. I refuse give him a break. Jesus said that a house divided cannot stand. It is our Godly responsibility to drive contention our of the church and foil Satan, as long as we build wall between the churches, divide and separate ourselves from each other, Satan is the victor.

Teaching the Wholeness of Christ is to gather up the remnants of the Body of Christ and bring them together so that while each church has its own identity and unique Spiritual Walk, and can worship and give Praise in the manner it chooses, they become One in the Will of the Lord. I am not saying that there should be a One World Church, I’m trying to convey that all Churches that proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior worship God as one people in Faith, Love and be assured of the Hope Promised.

Psalm thoughts

Psalm 32

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This is the most important Psalm in my life. When Christ reveled His purpose in my life, it was this Psalm as repeated by Paul in Romans 4 that allowed me to accept Jesus as my redeemer.

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” NAS

Christian thought

Extra-demoninational works

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While I was with the United Methodist Church, I took part in many outreach programs. Most of these programs where started by the UMC but not limited to their church. This gave me the opportunity to see the work of God through others. While I left that church because I was not pleased with the direction they where going and I needed to expand my faith, I never forgot that it was there that Christ Jesus and I were joined.

I worked with the Salvation Army, Walk to Emmaus, Lay Witness Mission and Kairos Prison Ministries. While there I came to Christ (or He came to me) at United Christian Ashram Camp. I learned how to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit and lost my desire to dominate others by Scripture but learned to serve others instead.

Christian thought

Share Christ in Commomality

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I was born and raised in a Roman Catholic family, but as I reached adulthood I was torn by the knowledge that throughout history, christians constantly warred against each other. Because of this I felt that Jesus had failed in His call and therefore could not be the savior that we sought.

It took me sixteen years and much soul searching to finally come to the understanding that Jesus did not fail, we did. We are still failing today. We still condemn and reject Christians that do not see the scriptures as we do, and the ones who do the most condemning are those who speak from the pulpits and stages of our churches.

It is my contention that God has called me to be a voice against this. When I searched for the true God, it was not a church or a dogma that brought me an understanding of God, but Christ working though my life. When I accepted that Jesus was the answer that I had sought, I then searched for a church to fellowship with. I started with the church I had left, Roman Catholic but did not stay. I tried Calvinist, but also was not in agreement with them in many areas. Next it was Baptist, then Methodist and here was where my personal relationship with Christ took fruit. Yet I was not complete by any means. So I explored Pentecostalism and non denominational teachings.

From each of these Christian backgrounds, I gleamed knowledge. From each understanding, I grew in my faith, trust and most importantly, my Love in Jesus. Although I will never say that I am completed, I am well onto my way of perfected Love.

I lean heavily on Holiness Sanctification but still hold onto teaching from Calvin, Fox and other reformers. I read many pre-reformation works of the early Church and am influenced by Thomas a’Kempis, Augustine, Francis and many others. From all this I see the work of God. Most of all, I have Heard God calling me to reconcile those who Love Him to quit the infighting. His words to me were: “Stop My children from hurting each other for they are hurting Me!”

There may never be a “One Church” because as each child is different from its siblings we will always have different personalities. What we are is “One Family” under Christ God. My mission then is to help all those who know that Jesus is God and have accepted that They are chosen to Love, Serve and Obey God in all aspects of their lives, respect all others who also believe. Is this to much to ask?

Christian thought

Introduction

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This site is for those who believe in living wholy for Christ and are NOT locked in criteria of dogma set down by others. While being involved in the structure of common belief as accepted by believers, they are open to hear and even share Christian understandings expressed by other churches.