A THOUGHT ABOUT THE CHURCH

So I've been reading a lot of OT for my deVo time as of late, but about a week ago I decided to mix it up a bit so I read a gospel (fyi, fell in love with the gospel of Luke) and then felt compelled to read Corinthians.

For those of you who haven't spent a FATTY amount of time with me, I don't have the greatest memory. Hanna, the hottest chick on the planet, always reminds me that she loves telling stories to me... I ask why and she replies something along the line, "Because you never remember them and I get to tell you the same story over and over again."

Anyways, I've read through the entire NT and majority of the OT yet I love to re-read the same books because I have a bad memory. I started reading through Corinthians and while I was reading in chapter 14 (when I read through Corinthians, I always read 12-14 as one chap), a HUGE thought came to mind...

"GOD LOVES COMMUNITY SO MUCH!!!!"

It may seem like Paul opened up a can on the church of Corinth telling them to repent, directing their ways, setting these high standards yet encouraging them, but there's a reason... story time!

I used to be a leader for Gig Harbor Young Life for almost six years. Young Life has a rad structure for reaching the lost youth, but the thing that got to me most was the leaders. I'd say 60% of the leaders were students. I do support student leaders, but what I don't support is student leaders given so much freedom with their...sheep when that leader isn't being discipled nor even being held accountable. After a good chunk of time goes by, that leader flakes out (even ditches their faith) and says this statement that I've heard over and over again.... Christianity requires so much and I'm not down for that.

Now here's my point... God loves community so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins. Okay... good. Jesus dies, appoints apostles like Paul, and ascends in to heaven. Paul, through the promised Holy Spirit, plants churches and writes letters to those churches encouraging, yet setting high standards.

Yes, high standards may be discouraging at times, but imagine if the standards were set at a comfortable level. The church would've/would be in sin like crazy! And these high standards are NOT written in the bible to discourage us or condemn us.... God loves His people SO MUCH He sent His only son to die for our sins and calls us to a higher standard than the world.... why you ask? So that we can be a bunch of studs and studdettes ready to rock the world and function at a high standard in and as the body of Christ. People forget that we are now the body of Christ! And as the body of Christ, we must learn how to function at a higher, more holy level than the world not to boast about ourselves or condemn...so that we can be lights to world to draw them to the cross.

DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH GOD LOVES COMMUNITY WITHIN THE BODY? I now understand why love is greatest "law" to practice. God wants the best for each one of us because He loves us SO FREAKIN much.... and Jesus loves us so much that he died for us.... and Paul loved the church of Corinth so much that he laid out a higher standard so that Corinth would function as followers of Jesus, not as "Christians"...and that's where we come in. Let's get freakin serious about our faith and read our bibles and fellowship in community that will grow us... for the bible says "bad company corrupts good character"... AND after dying to ourselves and living in Christ daily, we can then function as the church that God desires so that we can love the world and win some lost souls, ya know!!!!!

I love you guys so much! The end of our time here on earth will happen in the blink of an eye and no one really knows when Jesus will come again, but who cares about knowing when he will return... we're living right now so let's LIVE in and through CHRIST.