seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Luke 6:43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
I'm pretty sure it was the Preacher in Florida, who burnt all the Bibles in the church that were not KJV, who preached on this. He said this was about the church, as I recall. A good church [one that reads what he says they should read] will show its love for God by obeying what God says. He was, of course, preaching to a church steeped in tradition. They still lived by the Old Testament laws set down by Moses while reading the Gospels in just the KJV. They sang the same hymns the traditional way. They met for church at 9:45AM, Sunday School was taught on the same topic the sermon would be on. We would get out of church promptly at 12:30PM. He was always saying "Well I've been long winded again this morning, let us pray and close in hymn." That way we all got the same "milk".To be fair, I have attended churches that were so freewheeling with the "milk" it was almost a "frosty milk shake", cold and full of air. I would prefer tradition rather than a free for all. I just don't want someone acting like a Hitler running the service and burning my Bible. Believe me, it was way beyond normal Southern Baptist preaching. He had us go outside to an actual bonfire [snatching and burning any Bible that was not KJV] one Sunday morning!
There's a church not far from me that has a clue! The people are smiling whenever they go there. They enjoy Jesus. They run a food pantry and if they find someone in need of anything, they try their best to obtain it for them. [note: I said "need" not "want"]. They make sure that what they do shows love that comes from deep down in the heart! It's really refreshing. People talk about the church, and everyone always seems to smile when they do.
They didn't push the mask issue. They wore masks, they had masks available, but if you didn't think a mask was good for your worship, they just prayed for healing and went on about the business of learning more about Jesus.
I don't think the original church had any literature the teachers used in Sunday School. I don't think they had Sunday School. I don't think the original church sang four handpicked songs strategically planned to be sung in a certain place around the message.
I think the original church was known for kindness and smiles. They were happy in their Salvation. They had the original "Rock" teaching on the mountainside. They had seen His face. They knew His charity.
I don't think the church should be just about the "law" of the Bible. I think the church is a place for good people to gather to help others. It's that Christian [not Christina] smile that identifies a church. No one was smiling in that particular Bible burning Southern Baptist church down there in Florida. They all looked "lawful", but they were not happy in their hearts. My daughter would say, "they were all dressed up with nowhere to go".
I learned Faith is built on love and charity. That's what Jesus taught.
Love and charity were what Jesus showed the people through healing and caring for the poor, widows, and orphans.
Is your house built on solid ground?
