I Want the Whole Gospel

This afternoon I spoke with a young woman who probably thinks I’m a little harsh in my approach to some of the issues we face within the church. She made the comment that she’s glad I am not God. Me too.

Unfortunately there is not a lot of difference between those who claim to follow Christ and those who follow their own path. The rates of everything from sleeping around to telling only a small lie is nearly the same.

As the very old Wendy’s commercial lamented – Where’s the Beef?

If there is no difference between me and my neighbor, how can I be light in his darkness? If I am inconsistent in my life, where is the credibility?

No one is perfect. Certainly not me. And the Book of James says that “we all stumble in many ways.” But there is never an excuse for winking at our failures within the church.

As individuals we have a responsibility and those in leadership have a responsibility to proclaim the truth. The Whole Truth.

Take a look at this post from James MacDonald:

“I Want the Whole Gospel

Every single ounce of truth; give it to me straight just like it is in the Bible.

I want the whole gospel:
Don’t dilute the living water—it might not quench my thirsty soul.

I want the whole gospel:
Turn on the light of Jesus Christ and don’t shield my view—I need every beam of His radiant glory to dispel the darkness in me.

I want the whole gospel:
Don’t block the door, or I might not get through.

I want the whole gospel:
I need an accurate map to the narrow road, because only a few are finding it.

I want the whole gospel:
Because I am wholly lost, God’s verdict is wholly just, and my damnation is wholly certain.
My heart is wholly depraved and my sin is wholly mine.
My efforts are wholly futile and my escapes are wholly hopeless.
I need a whole Savior, whose whole suffering, wholly satisfies a holy God.

Please, please don’t cut the corners. It’s appointed unto man once to die and I have to be sure I get it right.

I have to have the whole gospel—give it to me straight. Nothing else will do!

Yes…God help us, let’s give the whole gospel.”

Brokenhearted?

Brokenhearted? Feeling alone? Really alone?

As I worked in the yard this weekend, I listened to a podcast by James MacDonald on the promises of God. He used the following scripture for those times when we feel despair.

Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

I had several things on my mind as I listened and I must say that this scripture rang true to me. It literally stopped me in my tracks. I stopped what I was doing and looked up the scripture on my iPod and then I took some time to think about the scripture.

Despair. My dictionary defines despair as a complete loss or absence of hope. Have you been there? This weekend I saw a family who lost their father. I talked with another family who has lived with the challenges of a disabled child for more than 25 years. I spoke with another person whose husband had been pushed away as a pastor of his church largely because of his physical ailments. And there are some things in my life over which I have very little control, and without God, some of those things are quite hopeless.

As my family will tell you, I have times when I am “passionate” about things. This is how I am described when I have a little trouble keeping it all together. I was a little “passionate” as I read and reread this verse.

From personal experience, I can tell you that in the lowest points in my life I have felt both closer to and further from God than at other times. It easy to remind others that if we,”Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6 . It’s a little more difficult when our hearts are broken.

On Saturday, I need to be reminded that the LORD is near.