Outside the Box
by Randy Chambers, 2016-08-22
John 7:24, NIV: Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right
judgment.
Jesus' ministry was not the typical ministry of His day. His ways and teachings
continuously clashed with those of the mainstream religious leaders. His methods
and message were, to say the least, unorthodox. He resisted the pressures of
Pharisees, followers, and family, and maintained His focus on the Father.
Pleasing God was more important to Him than pleasing men. There is a seminarian
quip, which asks, "What are the seven last words of a dying church?" The answer:
"We've never done it that way before." When seeking God's will for our church,
we may often grind against the grains of tradition, doctrine, preference and
bias. And yet, just as Jesus did, we must maintain focus on the Father
throughout. The easiest thing to do is to go with the flow and accept the usual
ways. Yet, our goal must remain to find God's will, regardless of how "out of
the norm" it may seem.
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