Hi friend! . . . I'm 34 years old . . . [and] just wanted to take a few moments to say thank you for sending me the link to your book.
I spent 30 years of my life in the institutional church system, participating in everything that goes along with that (much of which is probably not too different from parts of your story). About 7 years ago or so the Lord started dealing with me about some things and began to walk me through some unfamiliar circumstances . . . . Well, it gives me plenty of opportunity to pray and plenty more to learn grace and forgiveness. I do love my family Christ, even though I find it sorrowful that so many are going through the motions within the four walls. But God was faithful to answer the cries of my heart and lead me to Himself. I pray He will do the same for many others.
Though the first couple of years out of the "system" was a little lonely, God has begun to bring people into my life on His time table as I just patiently trust Him and try not to get anxious. In fact, I've met some of the most wonderful believers in Christ ever since I left that old way of life. The last several years has been a wilderness of sorts I suppose, but I don't say that with any negative connotation. I wouldn't trade this path I'm on with Jesus for all the religion and typical church-attendance in the world. Your story encouraged me because though our backgrounds and experiences are different, I could relate completely to the things God was walking you through throughout the years and how He has patiently and graciously made His Way ever more clear to you up to the present day. I am right with you man in the spirit!!! I was so encouraged. God is so incredible!!!
. . . I read the whole book in one setting and enjoyed it very much. THANK YOU! However it came about that you sent that out, thank you brother! :)
I especially enjoyed the last chapter. It is very much on track with the same insights the Lord has been teaching me the last few years. I also loved the way you described what the Lord has taught you concerning the "Word of God" (i.e. the Bible) when you said, "to study the menu and refuse the meal is death." Excellent way to put it! I set the book down, after reading that, and nearly cried saying, "thank you Lord for reafirmming this truth to me." The last 6+ years . . . has been a process of finding my footing firmly on Christ the Rock and leaving behind the traditions and religious trappings of organized religion. It's been a time of learning who I am in Christ and also how to discern His body. That would take a book as well to share with you, but I thank God for his mercy and for placing me on the journey. Truly I have been sinking my teeth into the "meal" and not just drooling over the menu. ;)
Two different books I've read over the last couple of months reiterated the same truth (Come Out Of Her My People by Peter Whyte and The God's Honest Truth by Darin Hufford) and the Lord has been encouraging me afresh with this. A lot of Christians have a better relationship with their Bibles than they do Jesus. They know plenty of Scripture, but few translate that into anything more than components of their religion.
Recently I was in a discussion with a brother who was offended that I said to him the Bible is not the Word of God. Of course, I did not intend that the way he heard it. I was conveying the very same truth you described so eloquently in your book (but I confess I did use the terminology on purpose to stir up the conversation so I could share this truth... This brother was making his god the Scriptures and there was no other evidence in his words or actions that demonstrated a real relationship with the Master. No love. Very little attempt to reason with grace, and a very high opinion of his own wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures). Knowing a bunch of Scriptures about Jesus is fine (and I love to study the Bible), but it's also fruitless if we never embrace the One whom those Scripture direct us towards. That was the case I was discerning with this brother. The Scriptures are inspired by God and infallible, I believe that 100% and I tried to explain this to this brother ('cause I think he was about ready to stone me - hehe). I continued to share with him that they (the Scriptures) contain more than the "Word of God". They also contain history and the words of Satan and carnal men as well as the many mistakes men have made. Obviously those details, while important for our learning and put there by God for that very purpose, are not "the Word of God." I've watched preachers take passages out of Scripture, ignoring the context, that are actually the recorded words of men whose wisdom God rejected (like Job's friend Eliphaz) and quote it as instruction (i.e. the "Word of God") to their congregations!
A few months back God started highlighting this truth for me again, that the Word of God that Jesus and His disciples consistently referred to was not the whole historical reference of Scripture and the Torah Law, but the doctrine (teaching) of Christ. And then, of course, the truth that Christ Himself IS the Word that takes up residence in our hearts. Again, as you said, He is the meal that the menu speaks about. The menu is GOOD!!! That is to be certain! :) But the meal is the whole point!!! Without partaking of the meal, we will go hungry... and as you said, eventually we will die.
While it's true that too few Christians today are aquainted with what their Bibles teach, there is also a large segment of believers who have the Scriptures on such a high pedestal that they nearly worship the Book instead of the One the Book points to. Your comments nailed this on the head. Unfortunately, when the word came out of my mouth to this brother, he thought I was speaking heresy and throwing out the Scriptures. Sigh...
Anyway, all of that to say that it's just wonderful to me how the Lord brought your book across my path at the very moment He's been stirring up some of these things afresh in my heart. THANK YOU again my brother!!!! :) I would very much like to share a download link for your book from my website if that would be ok with you. http://truthforfree.com