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.