Yesterday I received a letter from a friend who asked me if I could touch on a subject. As I don't usually do requests but felt that it was a follow up for yesterdays, I will touch on it. Its from a friend at ORU(where as the Tulsans would have you believe God is a local call!!!). The line is humourous, but the concern isn't.

You and I have impact on people's lives (who me?-yes, you.) and that is an important responsibility when you see it from God's perspective. God tells us that how we treat in the least a single person, belies our love for Him!!!

WOW!!!

So do a little selah (think about it!) and come up with the person you treat the most poorly. Is it your mom and dad, or your boss or your teacher? Do you do things at their expense that cause them hurt and pain? Do you sidestep the beggar on the street or act differently towards an individual than your pastor? Do you treat your friends better than your spouse?

Well, God isn't happy!!!

He says if you in Matthew 25:

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

"Oh, Lee, you are just to legalistic." Tell me something if the Bible says "thou shalt not kill" is that being legalistic? Sometimes our flesh/soul get in the way of our spirit and we can't see the forest through the trees(a little Vermonterism).

So let's get real. All the running around in the "name of Jesus" that so many profess at this time of year isn't always in the "name of Jesus", but in the name of soul.

So what do we do??

We begin to grow and act like Christians. Act like Christlike followers of a holy God. Why? There are people who don't know Jesus, who need the power of God ain their lives and can't get it because the church is often times playing church. In this country do you realize that most church growth is under 10% "new converts" and the rest is transfers from other churches and multiplying families (we got that part right!) and that means there are a lot of people going to hell.

People don't come to church because they have problems and the "religious church" says you can't have problems because if you do you are in sin. Well, if I have to take a bath before I take bath(get clean before I get clean) there is something wrong with the system. And if I have to walk like a Christian to become a Christian it is small wonder folks join all the cults that they do or don't come to church.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus isn't a crutch but a life support system and you can not function without Him and His grace. So all the holier than thou crowd needs to look at the scriptures and begin to see what Jesus is saying.

Let them come in all who are in sin. Open the doors. And the rest of you who know how to praise and worship do it. Don't sit on your "blessed assurance" like your team lost. When it comes time for a teaching or preaching, Listen! Don't be talking to your neighbor.

Be an example to those who don't know Him.

Love one another that they might know the LOVE of CHRIST!

Begin to be a Christian. As we say here in Vermont, "just cause a cat has her kittens in the oven don't make 'em biscuits" and just because you call yourself a Christian don't make you one. It is repentance and belief and then following the Lord God Almighty that sets us apart.

I am not saying tolerate sin in your church, but sinners sin. They come in not always smelling great or talking great or acting great. But let me tell you something they come in and we, the church had better get off our high and mighty notion that we are better. It is only by grace that we made it.