So I'm getting ready to head back to the Beth Moore conference for Day 2...I'm just hoping today is better then Day 1, because I left the arena last night just upset... feeling frustrated...
Why? Well, it started off wonderfull with Travis Cantrell leading worship. Y'all know me - I love to worship - especially in a place full of other worshippers. Just so amazing to hear so many voices lifted in praise. Awesome!!!
Then Kay Arthur lead the night. Let me tell you - this isnt like your normal "Women of Faith" or a conference like that, where the speakers give a message that is full of funny, full of heart, full of a point & lasts 30 minutes. This is a TEACHING - a deep Bible study... Kay talked for over 2 hours - & the whole time, we're flipping in the Bible - writing down scriptures, getting "Bible Thumped" is how I always put it....
While I know Kay Arthur is full of knowledge - she is 77 years old afterall & has been doing this for awhile - I just was upset at how she delivered her message.
We were basically in 1 John, Chapter 3 - 5.... & the main point was "Does God love us?"... do we doubt it?
The thing that bothered me the most... let me see if I can explain it. Kay would refer to scriptures that would talk if you were a child of God - or a child of the devil. But she would stress so BOLDLY that "if you are a child of God, there is no sin in you"... OK - the Scriptures do say that.. I believe it - if the Bible says it, I believe it. But she just kept making it sound like, if you're a Christian, then you dont sin.... wait... WHAT? Who doesnt sin?
She even asked everyone - "Do you want to be a slave to sin? Are you a slave to sin?" .... well, of course not, I dont WANT to be... but I'm human - so I have to fight againt sin every day... being a Christian doesnt make me perfect - in any sense of the word. I fail daily... I will, until I'm made complete in Christ after this world.
I think what got to me the most is that the point sounded - to me anyways - that if you sin at all, then you are a child of the devil... & as she put it, "... the flames of hell are nipping at your feet" ...
I wasnt comfortable with it at all... I wasnt comfortable with statements like "Have you seen todays youth in our churches? Do they look like a child of God? Our churches are full of people who are going to go to hell because they are children of the devil" .... OK... I kinda, sorta see a part of what she was saying - how this generation is not as close to God - how the values of this world have changed - but I just have a problem when ANYONE says who's going to hell & who's not.
The ultimate that bothered me... not one time, out of Kay's mouth came the words "forgiveness" - or "grace" - or "mercy" .... none of those words were ever mentioned. Isnt that the point of Jesus? So when we DO sin - which we do... I'm sorry Kay, we do. I'm a Christian - I AM A CHILD OF GOD... & I still sin... but Jesus loves me enough to love me through it & still CLAIM me as a CHILD OF GOD because of MERCY & GRACE...
I left last night just upset thinking if there is a new Christian, or someone who is trying to figure out what this God thing is about - they probably just got really freaked out.. or SCARED into a relationship with Jesus... which is sad to me...
I was even debating going back today... but I'm going to hear what Beth & Priscilla have to say... those are the 2 I've been looking forward to the most ... I just hope I do hear the words, forgiveness - grace -mercy....
