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| Decency or Dependance - Which is God More Concerned With? |
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Howdy All,
I've had this thought rolling around in my head for a while. Looking at the "heavy hitters" in the Bible - Moses, David, Paul - they weren't particularly decent people. Moses and David murdered people. Paul instigated the death of a number of Christians.
All of them both obeyed and disobeyed God. All of them made big mistakes late in life. Moses disobeyed God and wasn't allowed into the Promised land by God (although God showed him the promised land). David, by committing adultery with Bathsheba, started a chain of events which eventually led to Absalom deposing him (temporarily - God restored David to the throne). In the book of acts, Paul was repeatedly warned not to go to Jerusalem. By going, he was arrested, spent years in prison, and wasn't able to go on any further missionary journeys (God used him to write most of the New Testament, though).
Today, in our Churches, any leader who fails is automatically written off as being unfit. Indeed, many churches won't allow a murderer in the building, let alone accept one in a leadership role. God didn't treat these leaders that way.
All three of them have three things in common. They all depended on God even though they weren't decent. They all were used by God to write the Bible. Through the Bible, they inspire, lead and guide us today - thousand of years later.
I think God is much more interested in dependant followers than He is in decent followers. Decent followers are more concerned about their behavior. In fact, a decent person can live a reasonably decent life without depending on God at all.
It all depends on how a person defines "decent". Using the Bible as a definition doesn't guarantee dependance on God. The Pharisees knew the Bible more than a modern Christian can. They didn't recognize God in front of their faces. They certainly didn't rely on Him, otherwise they wouldn't have opposed Jesus.
Dependant followers are more focused on the God they have to depend on. It's hard not to develop a relationship with someone when you depend on Him. |
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| To add a comment to "Decency or Dependance - Which is God More Concerned With?" |
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| October 06, 2008 |
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| WoW!!! Great blog.... I have seen decency and dependency issue in Church and I have to chuckle... my Bible says all my sins are washed away... I guess some bibles are different! LOL! Have missed you. |
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| October 06, 2008 |
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Thanks Cheryl,
I still don't have a job that lets me blog like I did last January, but I'm going to be blogging more. |
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| October 07, 2008 |
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| Of course you know where I stand on this point, so I say thanks for making it. Good to hear from you. |
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| October 07, 2008 |
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| Great blog Jess. It is good to hear from you again! |
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| October 07, 2008 |
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| This is great, Jess! What an awesome Word for today..thanks! |
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| October 07, 2008 |
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Howdy Brad! Yep, I figure we agree. It's good to be back.
Howdy Deb. Thanks =D
Thanks Carol and Mike. I'm glad I could encourage you =D |
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| October 08, 2008 |
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In the book of acts, Paul was repeatedly warned not to go to Jerusalem. By going, he was arrested, spent years in prison, and wasn't able to go on any further missionary journeys (God used him to write most of the New Testament, though). Hey JessIam, Imagine if Paul had put that on his resume and applied for a job in the church. God did use some flawed people didn't he. Would we? |
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| October 08, 2008 |
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Thanks Jerry,
I think we agree. God's power is perfected by weakness. He can do a lot to change the world through broken people. |
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| October 08, 2008 |
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| This blog was awesome and gave me much hope! I am always weak and trying my best to be decent. God has to hold me up all the time. |
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| October 09, 2008 |
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Thanks Reb! I've given up on "trying my best to be decent". I can't manage it anyway. When I admit to God I'm powerless, and that I need Him to work in me, the decency seems to happen. It's all about connection! |
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