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Watch Out for the Seeking Faith

Luke 5:18-20
18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 

Too often, churches nowadays are becoming exclusive and isolated to the real world as they create and build themselves with their services and ministries. We want to make sure we are always the first to glance the beauty of our God where we want to surround the church in every place we can fit in and leaving no space for others to even squeeze themselves just to have a look of Jesus. We think mostly that we are the first to be called and so we must always the first to lead. We all loved to be in the front row, especially if an opportunity to witness an awesome Broadway play, to lead a project in our workplaces, to be the best in our talents, to be recognised, and there is no difference in the church services and ministries.

How about the seekers? How they will find Jesus if people surrounding Him is blocking their way in? Are we so exclusive that others can't join us? Or are we thinking that we are far righteous than anyone who does not belong to our church. God has a reminder to us in Luke 5:18-20 that people of seeking faith will find their way in no matter what. It somehow can be referred to the saying that "if there is a will, there is a way." However, he wants us to give ways and space easier for people to access Jesus as that is the very first step for every seeker to know Him. Without such, it is difficult for us to bring the lost souls to Him.

Any doctrinal traditions, norms, and practices should not be enforced immediately to anyone entering the church to know more of Christ. The core belief is important, however, it should allow to be questioned when necessary as it will speak for itself if true and from God. The most important is that we let our community of believers to allow outside people to immediately access God for repentance and forgiveness where Jesus saving grace has offered, both in active or passive sharing of the Good News of Salvation through Christ, the Messiah. Remember in verse 20, Jesus loves forgiving us as He came to reconcile us back to God in everlasting relationship with Him. 

Always keep the way toward Jesus open at all times as it will reflects our church how welcoming are we for every seeking lost souls with faith. God bless everyone!

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