DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER

Have you heard this saying before - "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water?" I think it's pretty universally understood - but in case you are not familiar with it - it's basically saying - don't throw the good out with the bad. Or, don't reject the good because there is some bad with it.

I've been thinking about my 26 years of journeying with Jesus Christ. I've been around a lot of different brothers and sisters in Christ. I've been immensely blessed - but also have experienced some error (like everyone else.) I've been hurt by the error and I have hurt others with my error. Error is impossible to avoid - but what we do after we recognize the error makes all the difference.

One of the things I've asked Daddy God to help me with is this- I don't want to reject any truth because there is error with it. I don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water.

For example I don't want to reject the importance of faith because I got into legalism through my interpretation of Faith. (And yes that did happen.)

I've been around a lot of Pentecostal and charismatic brothers and sisters and I've seen some error - but I don't want to throw out the good just because there is some bad.

I have been on a quest in God for 26 years. A quest toward intimacy. A quest toward truth.

I was raised in church but my early life experiences were all legalistic - you do certain things and don't do other things and you please God; the God that sits on His throne a zillion miles away; the God you believe exists but you have NEVER experienced in any way...

So now that I have come to Him and continue to mature I see this whole thing much differently. Christianity is not an organization of people that just try to live by a moral code, it is a family of sons and daughters of God. And this family, that I have been adopted into, is a family that is fully accepted by our Heavenly Father, through His GRACE!

Now what kind of family would it be if Daddy never spoke to me, if Daddy never directed my life, if Daddy never corrected me, if Daddy never said I love you? And I'm not referring to His written word. I know the absolute importance of His written word. It is what everything else must be judged by. It is critical that all of us spend a lifetime studying the Bible. But what I'm talking about here is His intimate words to my heart. His personal leading and directing in my heart. Much of that will come through the Bible - but much of it will come other ways. Other intimate ways.

What He has made so clear to me over the last ten years is that He wants an intimate relationship with me. He wants me to hear what He is saying to my heart. (I Kings 19:11-12, "...a still small voice.") He wants intimacy with me - because that is why He created me. He created me to walk with Him and to live out my destiny in Him - which brings glory to Him. He created me for a grand adventure. And for me to participate in that grand adventure - I have to develop an intimate relationship with Him - I have to be led by the Spirit of God. I have to hear His voice. I don't determine when He speaks or what he says - but I have to hear Him.

And that is why I can't throw out the baby with the bathwater. I can't throw out all "supernatural" things just because some of what is called supernatural is not. I can't throw out all prophecy because some prophecy is off. I can't throw out all tongues and interpretation because some is off. Etc, etc... And as I mature in Him it becomes easier and easier to determine the difference.

I'm not going back to legalism and head knowledge. I'm pressing into intimacy with Him - living transparently, and accountably (if that's a word) in the local church I am part of, and studying His word (the Bible) to help keep me on the right path. It is the most exciting and rewarding life one can live. It's about destiny. It's about intimacy with my maker.

It's simple but rarely easy!

I've been thinking about the "things" of God. And it seems to me that when I finally do get something (concerning God and His Kingdom) it then seems so simple. It's like - why didn't I see that, or understand that before. Why do I make things so difficult!
This is how it goes down for me - Before I understand something it seems hidden, complicated or mysterious. But after I get it - it seems so simple, pure and obvious! Huh!
I believe my problem is - I try to figure things out on my own - you know, using common sense and intellect (STOP LAUGHING NOW!). OK, I don't have a lot of intellect - but I'm doing pretty well in the common sense area.
Listen to I Corinthians 3:18-21 from the Message Bible, "Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God’s fool—that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid. It’s written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic. The Master sees through the smoke screens of the know-it-alls. I don’t want to hear any of you bragging about yourself or anyone else."
Why would God give us this warning. I believe it is because we have a tendency to lean upon our our natural abilities. Now God wants us to use our abilities but he doesn't want us to lead with our abilities. He wants us to yield to Him and follow Him. I call this "the dance of GRACE." He leads I follow. If you watch a couple ballroom dancing, only one of them is leading. But the one following must use all of their abilities as they are led by the other. This is a picture of God and us. It's His wisdom we need. And when the Holy Spirit whispers the wisdom of God in our heart - the light turns on and we say - that's so simple!
My struggle is to deny myself and yield to God! So often - I'd rather do it my way. I need to remember Luke 9:23 "'Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'"
When I do yield to Him - I am so blessed. Father help me deny myself and follow Your lead.

Christmas is over for another year, and after the holiday I went to the store and checked out all the Christmas decorations, then on sale 50% off. I noticed there were almost no holiday decorations about the birth of Christ. How sad that the real reason for Christmas has been all but lost to most Americans. The picture I've included here is of a plastic nativity scene I recently purchased. It is 40 or 50 years old. It's like the nativity scenes sold back when I was a kid. Kathy's mom had one similar to this one. They were very common and inexpensive. Back then I remember more people having nativity scenes up at Christmas. I love nativity scenes, they help me focus on the unimaginable thing God did for mankind back at the first Christmas. He became man and was born in the lowliest place - a dirty stable out behind an inn. Jesus left His glory in Heaven and became man - but not only did He become man he became a baby and experienced life in all ways. As hard as I try I cannot comprehend this sacrifice God made for me. Oh what love! I want to spend eternity getting to know Him more and honoring Him for what He has done for me - for all mankind!