Love, Truth, Fire, and Elephants

"What are you afraid of?  It's time for brother in Christ to act like brothers!  No more sectarian Jesus where brothers act like sisters in a cat fight.  No more sentimental Jesus where brothers get all weepy and sing Kumbaya when the Truth is on the line.  No more watered down Jesus where the approval of pagans comes before proclaiming the truth.  We are brothers."

The Elephant Room from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.


In all seriousness I don't think I could be anymore excited about this! I am already looking for ways to buy this.  (Side note:  If anyone needs anything done call me and I'll do it for about $50 bucks, and then you can borrow these too!)  All of these men I really respect, a couple have shaped me spiritually in ways they will probably never know, and they all do ministry so differently.  I feel connected to almost every member here in some way, either through sermons or books or even geographically.  I can see and experience the Oneness of the Gospel and the church in how I feel towards them and their congregations.

I feel a background story coming on!


I am bent towards debate, and without the guiding of Christ and me leaning completely on Him this becomes contentious.  I know that now, wish I would have realized it when I was about 5 though!  The interesting part is that I want to please people, I want them to like me but the argumentative side loves putting that me in the back seat.

They both need to be locked in the trunk!


Thankfully, through all sorts of arenas this has been made known to me and over the past several years I have learned that through Christ it can be tamed and aimed in directions like these.  I think a lot, and I am drawn through Acts 14:21 - 22 to Strengthen the Souls of believers.  This does not allow me to disregard making disciples, as I have done in the past, but the passion that I am drawn to is opening Christ followers to the depth and truth of His character through His Word to love and therefore obey Him more.

I'm out to sharpen the iron and I have been and continually need to be careful that the fires that start are from these sparks and not the ones coming from my sword beating my shield.  I am a servant of Christ and I will love my brothers in Him but I am not after their approval, direction maybe, but not approval.

I think Perry Noble said it very well in his blog yesterday, disagreement . . . yes with love at its base.  Vicious attacks because of different thinking . . . this is us allowing spiritual warfare to bring us down and degrade the name of Christ in societies eyes.  They win.

So let the iron sharpen the iron, let the sparks fly, let the fires burn, but let it be done in love to further the gospel of truth not to win or lose a prideful argument.


So what are you afraid of?  That love isn't true or that truth doesn't love?  Because ultimately these go hand in hand or they are worthless.


Truth not founded in love is a lie and love without truth at its foundation isn't love, it's selfish.


.