The struggle I'm faced with as of late...

Since the Columbia thing was solidified, I have been feeling okay about what's going on. What scares me though, is I'm not super happy about it. It's nothing the church has done, or anything wrong with the area in which I'll be serving; the problem becomes whether or not to go ahead and start a fellowship of believers without this church.

Last night, we had only the second Bible study on James at Jonathan Lewis's house. Instead of 2 hrs., this time it went for 3. One of the big things we were discussing is the fact that we're all so quick and easy to point out flaws and lacking characteristics of other churches, all without doing something about it. We are being called to be the church, and not merely "listen to the word, and so deceive [ourselves]. Do what it says."--James 1:22

If you look at a lot of the things James talks about, it's involving doing what the word of God says... Not only that, but to keep pure in doing so. James is only 5 chapters, but it is loaded with meat of God's word. Things to "chew on," if you will.. If you get a chance within the next couple of days, I'd challenge you to go ahead and read all of James. You may find that your feet are stepped on, not just your toes. You may hear your toes crackling as a result, but still.. it's valuable stuff.

When I said "to keep pure in doing so," this comes from James 1:27, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." To risk sounding legalistic, have you ever thought of what it would be like for us to obey ALL of the commands in the Bible? It'd almost be too much to handle, even to know what all of them are. However, Jesus laid out the most important two: to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," and to "Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus even went on to say There is NO commandment greater than these.--Mark 12:30-31.

John 15:13 (first of all, John 15 is a great chapter to read :) ) reads: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Friendship, love, and closeness requires us to sacrifice, even our LIVES, for the ones we love.

It's really difficult for me to be at peace in a place where I know there is so much to work on. Why not start out fresh? God's mercies (and even His Spirit's move) are new every single day. Let's appreciate and relish in God's love and mercy.

Love you guys!

Michael G