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| A (2) THE POINT COMMENTARY |
| Do I Need You And Do You Need Me, As Much As We Need Each Other?? |
| If ones point misses the point... What's the point? |
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| We Ain't Nobody! |
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The following is a note I sent to the members of our (2) The Point Facebook Group on September 21, 2010.
I was re-reading the commentaries that are posted on our website 2thepointministries.com. One in particular titled
What If? which is really a sermon preached by Art Katz and as I was reading, I got to the following paragraph and
couldn't get past it.
"We don’t want to have our essential lifestyle called into question, and it’s why we don’t want an atmosphere
that’s challenging and confronting… It’s painful and troubling. Because of this, we constitute a conglomerate
of individualities. Little islands of self will, of subjective interests doing their own thing coming together for
midweek, or Sunday service and enjoying the provision of the facility. But it’s not a Body! Not an organic
people joined in discipline living sacrificially because they know there is an end in view!" - Art Katz
As God always invariably requires that as leaders we're to be first partakers, I must first perform a SELF examination
measuring my "SELF" against the above comments. Am I or have I been an island of self will with subjective
interests doing my own thing? I can honestly answer that with a yes. As we haven't been meeting for Sunday
service recently, but when we were, was our essential lifestyle called into question? I can answer that with a yes also
but, more than having our essential lifestyle called into question, were we willing to give up that essential lifestyle?
I think we'd have to admit no to this and it is this essential point that hinders us and so many fellowships
from becoming an organic people, joined in discipline living sacrificially because we know there is an end
in view!
We've never had to live interdependently as Believers, because in America, we're taught to live independently!
This whole nation was built upon the idea of independence, to separate ourselves. A we don't need
anyone else, I don't need you, I'm learning to make my own way, I got mine, you get yours attitude and
mentality. This division also exists in Christendom. Denomination means divide, yet the Body of Christ is... one? The
"Culture of The Church" constitutes a conglomerate of individualities, little islands of self will and subjective interests
each doing their own thing! Yet, what makes (2) The Point different? Nothing if we don't have a desire to or are
unwilling to change!
Elder always says... "We won't get it until we have to!" We all come from realities that only teach us "American
Suffering". American suffering is having Duquesne Light turn off your lights or Peoples Gas turning off your gas.
Having your vehicle repossessed, your phone/cell phone turned off or having cable cut off. American suffering is
simply an inconvenience to our "essential" American Lifestyle. A lifestyle in which we depend less on God
for sustenance than we do on ourselves! Truth is, when things are going well, why do we need God? I
mean think about it... God generally has our full attention when things in our lives aren't going well or else out of our
control. As long as I'm employed, got a roof over my head and can get my morning latte, God is good!
One of the most overlooked biblical principles is the principle of suffering. It is the responsibility of leadership
in the Body of Christ to adequately lead and teach by example, and American suffering doesn't count for it's not true
suffering. It's simply an inconvenience to our "essential" American Lifestyle and it is this "essential lifestyle" that we
can't live without. That has permeated our soulish being blinding us to the true essential of life which is
Christ! Until we're able to confess and admit how essential our desire to have, to live and to maintain this American
Lifestyle is, we will always be hindered from experiencing true fellowship! The focus of this "essential" American
Lifestyle is to keep us attached to the things of this world!
Our fellowship @ (2) The Point Ministries will only become a true expression of fellowship when we recognize how much
we need each other! When our hearts and minds are totally captured by the ONE essential life we need... Christ
Jesus! (Luke 10:38-42)
I'll be the first to confess and admit how much this American Lifestyle has been a part of my life, but I'll also admit that I
recognize it's NOT essential and have come to grips with that. Be encouraged, for there is NOTHING that we can give
up in this life that is worth holding on to!
(Mark 10:17-31)
I miss and love you all!
I was re-reading the commentaries that are posted on our website 2thepointministries.com. One in particular titled
What If? which is really a sermon preached by Art Katz and as I was reading, I got to the following paragraph and
couldn't get past it.
"We don’t want to have our essential lifestyle called into question, and it’s why we don’t want an atmosphere
that’s challenging and confronting… It’s painful and troubling. Because of this, we constitute a conglomerate
of individualities. Little islands of self will, of subjective interests doing their own thing coming together for
midweek, or Sunday service and enjoying the provision of the facility. But it’s not a Body! Not an organic
people joined in discipline living sacrificially because they know there is an end in view!" - Art Katz
As God always invariably requires that as leaders we're to be first partakers, I must first perform a SELF examination
measuring my "SELF" against the above comments. Am I or have I been an island of self will with subjective
interests doing my own thing? I can honestly answer that with a yes. As we haven't been meeting for Sunday
service recently, but when we were, was our essential lifestyle called into question? I can answer that with a yes also
but, more than having our essential lifestyle called into question, were we willing to give up that essential lifestyle?
I think we'd have to admit no to this and it is this essential point that hinders us and so many fellowships
from becoming an organic people, joined in discipline living sacrificially because we know there is an end
in view!
We've never had to live interdependently as Believers, because in America, we're taught to live independently!
This whole nation was built upon the idea of independence, to separate ourselves. A we don't need
anyone else, I don't need you, I'm learning to make my own way, I got mine, you get yours attitude and
mentality. This division also exists in Christendom. Denomination means divide, yet the Body of Christ is... one? The
"Culture of The Church" constitutes a conglomerate of individualities, little islands of self will and subjective interests
each doing their own thing! Yet, what makes (2) The Point different? Nothing if we don't have a desire to or are
unwilling to change!
Elder always says... "We won't get it until we have to!" We all come from realities that only teach us "American
Suffering". American suffering is having Duquesne Light turn off your lights or Peoples Gas turning off your gas.
Having your vehicle repossessed, your phone/cell phone turned off or having cable cut off. American suffering is
simply an inconvenience to our "essential" American Lifestyle. A lifestyle in which we depend less on God
for sustenance than we do on ourselves! Truth is, when things are going well, why do we need God? I
mean think about it... God generally has our full attention when things in our lives aren't going well or else out of our
control. As long as I'm employed, got a roof over my head and can get my morning latte, God is good!
One of the most overlooked biblical principles is the principle of suffering. It is the responsibility of leadership
in the Body of Christ to adequately lead and teach by example, and American suffering doesn't count for it's not true
suffering. It's simply an inconvenience to our "essential" American Lifestyle and it is this "essential lifestyle" that we
can't live without. That has permeated our soulish being blinding us to the true essential of life which is
Christ! Until we're able to confess and admit how essential our desire to have, to live and to maintain this American
Lifestyle is, we will always be hindered from experiencing true fellowship! The focus of this "essential" American
Lifestyle is to keep us attached to the things of this world!
Our fellowship @ (2) The Point Ministries will only become a true expression of fellowship when we recognize how much
we need each other! When our hearts and minds are totally captured by the ONE essential life we need... Christ
Jesus! (Luke 10:38-42)
I'll be the first to confess and admit how much this American Lifestyle has been a part of my life, but I'll also admit that I
recognize it's NOT essential and have come to grips with that. Be encouraged, for there is NOTHING that we can give
up in this life that is worth holding on to!
(Mark 10:17-31)
I miss and love you all!
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