Fellowship In Christ                               
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                         As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord ´

              “Igniting soul’s through the proclamation of Jesus Christ”.



2 Corinthians 5:6-10  “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

 

"Aye matey, thars the rub"!  (Pirate accent)  Confidence is a slick Willy. Many gravitate, like a magnet, toward "confidence".  It impresses the girls, befuddles the weak, blinds the humble and creates an aura of power.

 

Ok, let’s get serious now.  Webster, Trust or faith in a person or thing.  1. A trusting relationship: I took them into my confidence.  a. That which is confided; a secret: A friend does not betray confidences.  b. A feeling of assurance that a confidant will keep a secret: I am telling you this in strict confidence.  2. A feeling of assurance, especially of self-assurance.  3. The state or quality of being certain: I have every confidence in your ability to succeed.

 

See!  It's all about YOU!  Paul says it is all about Jesus the Christ, NOT YOU!  This confidence is not in human intelligence, competition between individuals, groups, "Churches", ideologies, interests, opinions or wealth. The confidence Paul speaks of is not in human relationships, social skills, abilities, intellect or any other human performance.  Such things are just putrid rotting feces.  Oops.  NO!  This confidence is in the promises of God! This confidence is in the unseen intangible invisible presence of the living Christ alive in the midst of all human activities.  This confidence is demonstrated when a man is rejected by his wife, afflicted with MS and discarded by his employer but refuses to be discouraged, beat down, worn out, discouraged, disheartened or damaged.  Such a man may be reading this epistle right now.  Confidence is not in the tangible, testable scientific method.  It is not in the elements of this physical decaying world.  It is not in the business plan.  I am convinced that, ‘this confidence is on No Thing,  Source, Place, Wisdom, Insight, Capability, Understanding, Manipulation, Beauty or Responsibility! 

 

Listen up here, the confidence Paul speaks of is in nothing other the reality, substance, beauty, trustworthiness, practicality, presence and glory of the sacrificial savior of all, Jesus the Resurrected Living Christ Alive Among us!  So here is the deal, take it or leave it.  Please do not come back with some manipulative effort to spin it your way.  "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him/her for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."  God decides what is good or bad, your opinion is Not solicited!  This is not a democratic social decision. And guess what, the Church board has No authority!  So, do not even go there!  This is between YOU and GOD.  No human counsel has any validity in the face of God.  There is no plan, preparation, coordination, staff meeting, precognition, prophetic insight, word from God or other superstitious tool or manipulative chant or mantra to guide you.  THIS IS IT! "We live by faith, not by sight!"  Simple, yes!  Pure, Yes!  Unstained, Yes!  Under God’s utter total and Immovable control, Yes!  

 

"So we make it our goal to please Him!"  Above all, in every area of life, whether on Sunday or Monday, in front of the pastor or behind his back, hidden, exposed, revealed or concealed, known or unknown every thought, action, response, hope, joy, purpose, desire, intent, goal or plan is calculated to please Him!  Not the wife, the father, the mother, the sister, the boss, the child, the bank or any other human earthy concrete, testable, empirical, scientific, business minded authority.  Refuse to complicate simplicity with complexity!  Let your no be no and your yes be yes.  Refuse to protect the social environment by thinking you can be god.  Trust in His providence and leave it at that!

 

Ok, deep breath.

 

Love in the Lord
Paul/Hayman
To visit click here:
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/FellowshipInChrist
 "Igniting passion in the people of God through the proclamation of truth."

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