Don't be a but...

It's camp season in my world which means chigger bites in places that just make you look creepy when you have to scratch them. It means beds that were made in a concrete factory. It means showering with your new best friend, Mr. Cockroach. It also means kids making life-changing commitments to Christ by coming to know Jesus for the first time. I love it!! There are so many stories I could share with about what God has done, but I want to share with you a lesson God taught me. Working in a ministry like FCA, you work with staff and volunteers from different churches, different denominations, and different theology views. And camp seemed to be the place to talk, discuss, and debate those differences...or so I thought. We debated reformed vs. free-will, the women's roles in ministry, the tithe, homosexuality in the church etc. and you know what I noticed not one person came to know Jesus because of these discussions. I watched, listened, and played a part in discussing what we thought was "right" instead of God's righteousness. We discussed what we thought instead of who God is. We debated God's word instead of living God's Word.
At the same time I was being convicted of these truths, I read Acts 6 in my quiet time with Jesus...

"But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontentment. The Greek speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a  meeting of all the believers. They said, "We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a  food program." Acts 6:1-2

There are so many statements, relationships, God's movement that can be ruined by "buts."
"I really like you but I don't think we should go out anymore"
"I like our church but I think the music should be different"
"I know God is moving but if He could just do it faster"
"Believers were rapidly multiplying but people were griping"

Our "But's" can keep us from God's Plan.

Our enemy will do anything to keep us focused on everything except Jesus. He will distract, distort, and discourage you in order to keep your focus on yourself not God..."you have to prove your point", "you have to prove you are right." Like the early church of Acts, we are called to teach about Jesus, live for Jesus, Show Jesus....not run a debate program. 

"But's" is one of the biggest problems in Christianity today. We can get so focused on "causes" that we forget Christ. We can get so focused on social issues that we forget the Spirit." We think if someone disagrees with you, they hate you. If someone loves you, they have to agree with you. These disagreements just distract, distort, and discourage what God wants us to being doing: Spread the Good News of Jesus Christ with Grace and Truth.

I challenge you as a follower of Jesus....Don't be a But!!