Mature Manure and Cheeses

Good Morning.

Can't honestly interpret my title this morning. It would be incriminating.

Just read a FB update from an ex-pastor who was chewed up,  spit out, re-married and trying to reclaim life as a disciple - not - an oracle in the world. Well I have news for the spiritually mature.  

Hard to believe for some indoctrinated Mature and overfed spiritual cattle but yup "manure happens, and it's a natural part of life" , The super natural part is dealing with it in a Christ like manner and seeing our fruit change from bitter to sweet as we become more like Cheeses. Gosh if someone is translating this blog in another language "I'm so sorry this morning for you".  I've always been a sucker for metaphors.

The thing i love about new believers and followers of Jesus is that they know their stuff stinks. They are so happy to be redeemed. They know they have so much to learn, and they hunger for reading the bible and praying.  Their guilt lies in the fact that they are trying to give up all the flesh habits of their  walk in the world, and now slowly and surely learn to replace them with some better choices. Usually the world gets us addicted to the things that are "ok" in moderation of life and we abuse them horribly. Now a life of faith can help us either get a grip on those issues or eliminate them for our own safety. And in this process new believers naturally  have all the flesh issues to deal with that manure opps, I mean mature christians love to point out over coffee.  But, new believers,  they LOVE  and eat the Word,  Love devotions (even if they don't know that word yet), and love prayer with a passion.  It's so exciting to see. They don't judge others and non-believers --- daaa --- . They know what they just came from, and haven't been indoctrinated yet into learning how to become a  judgemental pharisee or a  "lookatmee".

  And then there's the flip side. 20, 30, 40 years of "deep" teaching and american church. Those of us in that camp. (ME)  Well, we've eliminated the obvious sins that the church doesn't want to see in us, and so, we "look", really clean on the outside.  "lookatmee"..   However we find it harder and harder to feed ourselves and be excited each morning to have devotions and pray. We look for the super teacher or writer to enlighten us, so we have something new to discuss over coffee, with our other enlightened mature believing friends, as we heartfully discuss all those in our lives who are struggling and need "our" prayer. "insert fresh pile photo here".

So today, I sit writing Lord Jesus. There are topics Lord, that make me sick of myself and to my stomach. And this is one of them. This is my morning confession and regurgitation of my own disgust of my heart at times.   "judging others, bearing false witness". I recall those I've judged over obvious wrongs to me. Things i've had a right to be upset about, but things in which I've not had a right to judge or malign them or their characters about, any more than others to me. So forgive me for my Mature Manure of religious indoctrination that has ever made me think more of myself than i ought.  Not only forgive me... CHANGE ME. 

I said the other day over lunch with a traveler. When asked how to address sin within the fellowship of believers?  What do you do they asked.?  I said, quite honestly "today" i'm standing at a place where i lovingly remind them that I love them and that the Word of God says that  "x" actually is sin and they are in it. Then I tell them that I love them and that i have my own "x" 's  I'm trying to come to terms with every day and I need their prayers as well to be humble enough to admit it and see it so I can deal with them as well. I tell them that I will be with them, regardless of their choices, and love them as a friend. I tell them my prayer for them as well as me, is that as I draw nearer to Jesus in word, deed and prayer and supplication, and that He will transform my very soul and those ties to my flesh will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace each day.
And there it is. No judgement, No i'm better, No gotcha.    Just "do you know what you're doing does not align up with Jesus basic truths in the Word for abundant life, and that I'm praying as we walk this "together " that He will make that change in you "and" I, and we will gloriously look and act more like Him in the future".  Does that look like friendship, brotherhood, love and grace to you ---- or does that look like milk toast, whitewashed, watered down, greasy grace Christianity?

I guess that all depends on who your teachers were. 

Matt.,Mark, Luke and  John's accounts, or, Luther, Calvin, the Pope or another modern day pied Piper....with - of course -  great intentions, telling you "without telling you" that they are/were the oracle.  Come on now, don't read too deeply into that, or you're likely to start the "lookatmee" routine over your spiritual mortal heros you think i've maligned. No doubt they all were/are better and more spiritual than I'll ever be. Better scholars, better whatever's.. It's ok. I'm just sharing the confessions of "one" worshipper here to others.

As I leave today, remember it's "never what you say but what others heard you say" that get's repeated and "spun"  in life, and causes so much confusion and division.  

That's where constant prayer and asking of God's Holy Spirit to help us, and lead us each moment of each day, becomes the real "x" factor to a life of hope filled humility to humanity in search of real love.

Just because Manure Happens, doesn't mean God can't turn it for good, or that you should think "you" don't possess any for any periods of time. Think of this photo from India and be reminded of what fuels and heats their huts in places where there is no elect. or gas and no power plants either.

"Whatever is good, whatever is pure, whatever is of good report, whatever is uplifting, whatever is beautiful, whatever is lovely, whatever brings peace and a smile.. focus on these things."

Did i forget " whatever brings espresso"....