Blog Posts containing "legalism"

Year A Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Do you read this scripture literally or gracefully? Literally we read what is obviously written. Gracefully we know what is obvious when we are out of the Presence and the inclusive and unconditional life of grace when we are in His Presence. Literally we can compare the event as a warning to us. We better be prepared and ready at all times because we do not know when the moment will arise that the Lord will come. What if we read it Gracefully?  Read more


Year A Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

This is Jesus’ War on legalism. The questions must be asked! Why now? Why did He not do it before this? Why not later? Why not just mind His own business? What was the spark that lit the fire leading to calling out the legalists as hypocrites? To grasp this we need to go a back a bit. It is the time that He became thirty years old. He now could be recognized as a rabbi. It was then He was baptized in the River Jordan by John. He was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness for forty days. There He did battle with Satan.  Read more


Year A Second Sunday after Pentecost

To read the scripture spiritually one already knows the spiritual principles. The emphasis is not on the Sword or the Peace. It is on “Think.” Do not “think” I am here to bring peace in the world. Spiritually we know when we are out of the Presence our thoughts create our feelings. We depend on things being peaceful so we can find our peace. If they’re not peaceful, conflict between ourselves and others create our stress, anger and hurt. There is no peace.  Read more


Year A Trinity Sunday

Trinity Sunday offers us the opportunity to view scripturally the “Three in One doctrine”. It creates a problem because while God is one, God is also three. How can that be more confusing? How can that be important? There are those who have had a close experience with one of the Three Persons and are content to stop there. Belief in all three as compared to just one does not make a person better. The belief comes through experience. All of us have had the experience. We just have not had the name to go along with the experience.  Read more


Year A Day of Pentecost

“You have given Him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him”. Here it is. Jesus has the authority to give eternal life to anyone He desires to give it to. Legalism thinks we must do something to get in His grace. He is a kind of Santa Claus; you better watch out, you better not cry. He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you are awake. He knows if you’ve been good or bad so be good for goodness sake. You better look busy when He comes. No pouting or crying I’m telling you why. He is coming!  Read more


Seventh Sunday in Easter

“You have given Him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him”. Here it is. Jesus has the authority to give eternal life to anyone He desires to give it to. Legalism thinks we must do something to get in His grace. He is a kind of Santa Claus; you better watch out, you better not cry. He knows when you are sleeping. He knows when you are awake. He knows if you’ve been good or bad so be good for goodness sake. You better look busy when He comes. No pouting or crying I’m telling you why. He is coming!  Read more


Sixth Sunday in Easter

The Purpose of God pouring the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts was for us to feel the Presence of His grace. Sense the intangible presence of a loved one. Now whatever you just did do the same by sensing the intangible Presence of Jesus. The rest are all details.  Read more


Fourth Sunday in Easter

One thing Jesus did was to confront those who did not believe Him. In His time it was the Pharisees. They were easy targets. He did not try to convince them as much as He used them as illustration for those who were open to the Truth. Otherwise, He would only be wasting His time because they just did not get it. When He told the story of the Prodigal Son, some have wondered why He added the character of the older brother. It was because He was talking directly to the Pharisees at that time. They teased Him, wondering why He would join the sinners and not their righteous group. He pointed out there was a party going on. You, like the older brother, are sitting outside bitter and angry and not coming in to celebrate.  Read more


First Sunday in Lent

Prosperity followers believe God wants Christians to be rich! There are millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. If this is so, why isn't everyone in the church a millionaire? Their answer: It's God's will for you to live in prosperity instead of poverty. It's God's will for you to pay your bills and not be in debt. God wants us to prosper financially, to have plenty of money, to fulfill the destiny He has laid out for us. I want to be wealthy and God wants me to be wealthy too! “Who would want to get in on something where you're miserable, poor, broke and ugly and you just have to muddle through until you get to heaven?” God wants us to be prosperous. To be happy we need to have money to pay our bills, send our kids to college bless, be a blessing to other people.  Read more


Transfiguration Sunday

This story of the Transfiguration is one of the most significant stories in the Scripture. There was Jesus, Elijah and Moses. What did they all have in common? Much! They were talking to Jesus about their Exodus. Each one was involved in a type of exodus experience. Elijah was caught up in whirlwind and the flaming chariot. Moses led the Exodus of the children of Israel out of the slavery in Egypt. Now Jesus was to have His Exodus being resurrected from the grave. Peter displayed his legalism saying. “Rabbi it is good we are here. Let us make three booths one for you one for Elijah and one for Moses.” Mark adds almost in astonishment, “He did not know what he was saying.”  Read more


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