Skubula

Watch this, I dare you!


Once upon a time I was different. I didn't quite get it. I knew all the bible stories and a fair bit of scripture. I went to church every Sunday, and I sure thought that made me something. I was full of pride because I thought I knew who God was. Key word thought! Mathew 20-16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

The thing is truly knowing God shook everything I believed! I was so much like a Pharisee. I followed all the rules and found such comfort in the tradition. I knew that my church with its ancient roots and beautiful traditions was the best. I looked down on all those Weirdos with their strange beliefs! Romans 12: 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.I must have read that verse a million times, but it wasn't until I really took it in and understood that I became changed! I realized that if I wanted to be a follower of God I had to let go of the things of this world. I might even have to let go of my religion if it were keeping me from God!

On Easter and Christmas I looked down on all those who were not there every Sunday! How could they sit there just twice a year they were so much lowlier than us holy people who showed up every Sunday! We were the truly faithful. Once again I was like the Pharisees wondering about these sinners in my perfect church. However, when we look to scripture we find that Jesus addressed exactly this. Luke 5: 30-32 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” ³¹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Imagine that Jesus didn't go to those who were sitting in church every Sunday and say hey guys you are doing awesome! I just want to sit and tell you how awesome you are. Instead he went to tax collectors and sinners. He didn't even take them to church he went to where they were. The Pharisees found this insulting. If that weren't insulting enough to those followers of the law he started to rebuke them. He called them hypocrites. He told them that their interpretation of the law was not good enough. He called them to mercy and kindness. Matthew 23: 13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. ¹⁴ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. And for this alone they grew to hate him! They hated him so much that they had him seized, scourged, crowned in thorns, and crucified. Because he told them that the law would not save them. This thought scared them; it shook them to their core. I tell you just as he did the law will not save you. Your traditions will not save you.

It is one thing to know about God and another to be a Truly Devoted Follower of Christ. You can know the bible stories and even acknowledge that you believe that God exists and not have the message. You can prescribe to one religion or another but no matter how tightly you cling to it that will not save you. If your religion is a boat in the Ocean and God is the Sea; would you cling to your religion or your faith in him. Surely the sea can crush your little boat! "Religion is man's NORMAL attempt to reach God, ". "Religion leads to Pride and Despair!"Quoted from Craig Groeschel's message 4/24/2011 Christ is the way, the only way! Knowing about him won't save you, but knowing him will transform your life! Philippians 3: 8-9 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; Notice the emphasis I have added to this verse. Rubbish is translated from the word skubala, a Greek word that translated literally to English means Shit. Its time to stop searching for the SKUBULA, and look to Christ. Christ is not one religion or another. He is not a denomination or a faith. He is not a tradition or a rule. Christ is the Savior. When you find Christ he will transform you too.

Its time to be weird in your faith!