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LEGALISM: My Recovery From This Addiction

I don’t know when it started, I just remember when God spoke directly to me and told me it was wrong.

You see, I’m a recovering legalist.

There was a time in my life when I used to think it was up to me to do all the right things. To have more check marks than x marks on my list of do’s.

I’d even see people who were doing things and think about how much better I was because I wasn’t doing them.

It wasn’t like I didn’t have issues. It was just that mine weren’t as easy to see, weren’t as easy to point out. I’d see someone doing something in public that I thought was wrong and think about how much better I was because no one saw my junk.

What I came to realize is that many of these things weren’t undeniably wrong, they were just my way of judging and getting a leg up on others.

It took me some time, but I finally came to realize that God isn’t keeping score to see if He loves me or not, that’s already a given.

What He does care about is that I’m surrendered to Him, that I seek hard after Him.

Ultimately, I had to realize that God just wants me. Not my deeds, not my perfection, just me.

It’s freed me beyond explanation. What I do now, instead of trying to see another’s sins, I seek to be like Jesus.

The actions will come with it.

I’m Jonathan and im a recovering legalist.

Are you?

Jun 2011

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Encouragement, Life

DISCUSSION 23 Comments

TAGS

Church, God's grace, google, Grace, Jesus, Leadership, legalism, Love, ministry, pharisee, salvation, works

Looks Like Forgiveness

We talk a lot about forgiveness this time of the year…
for good reason.

For those of us that have received the forgiveness of Christ,
we really have no excuse not to forgive others.

But I have to admit,
I struggle with forgiveness.

I struggle to let go of things when people hurt those that are closest to me and dearest to my heart.

It’s always more of a struggle for me to forgive when it’s someone close to me that’s hurting than when someone has hurt me directly.

I tend to want to protect those that are closest to me…even more than myself.

And so I battle to forgive.
To forgive others and to not let bitterness harbor in my heart.

I’ve come to realize that forgiveness usually requires an action.

Sure, we have to deal with forgiving others on a personal level with God, but it usually requires we take action to move past the hurt with the person that caused it in the first place.

We reach out to them even though they may not deserve it.
We pray for them to be blessed and see growth.
We take the first step to repair the relationship.

Forgiveness usually requires action…it usually looks like something.

For Jesus it looked like a cross, 3 nails, and an empty tomb.

Where does forgiveness start for you?

What does forgiveness look like from a practical standpoint for your life situation?

Apr 2011

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Life

DISCUSSION 11 Comments

TAGS

easter, forgiveness, Jesus, Love, resurrection

Choking Under Pressure

Growing up, I loved playing baseball.

I was actually kinda good at the game, but there was one particular situation that I almost always failed in…

Executing under pressure.

I still remember the 2 outs, down by 1 scenario that every baseball player dreams of. What’d I do? I struck out for the first time all game.

The final out scenario when I got an easy popup at first base. What’d I do? I let the ball fall out of my glove.

I never was good at executing under pressure. I usually messed it up.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

Jesus took the pressure off.

The end is not in doubt. He’s already overcome the world.

What I have to do is just run up the score.

It’s amazing the freedom and joy that comes when the pressure’s off.

It doesn’t mean that I can quit, it just means that it isn’t up to me.

Operating in complete freedom and victory makes life a lot more fun than it would be if the end was in doubt!

Apr 2011

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Church Ministry, Life

DISCUSSION 6 Comments

TAGS

baseball, Christian, freedom, google, Jesus, life, Love, religion, sports, victory

Which Came First? Chicken or Egg?

The common question is what came first, the chicken or the egg.
I lean toward the chicken since God created it, but that’s not the point of this post.

The point? As Christians we have to know what comes first… Jesus or getting our actions right.

A lot of Christians want the egg before they have the chicken.

They want to change their behavior before they allow God to change their heart.
This leads to nothing but frustration and often quitting because it’s impossible to get right.

A lot of Christians want others to do the same… To become perfect before they will “accept” them.

It will NEVER happen.

The key to our Christian life isn’t trying to clean up and become a trophy to sit on the shelf.
A life truly lived for Christ seeks Him first and leaves the behaviors up to him.
A life truly lived for Christ is about fighting to become more about Him and less about self.

You see, I’ve noticed something during my short life…
When I seek Jesus, I become more like Him.

It’s the natural result.

If your frustrated with your actions and are on the verge of giving up or giving in, return to the Father and be changed from the inside out.

Spend time getting to know Him, beg Him to change your heart, and gain a better appreciation for His love and grace.

Don’t try to find the eggs before you have the chicken.

PS: I’m in no way calling Jesus an actual chicken. It’s just a metaphor.