The Great Debate

I really do miss the days when things were simple and not so complicated. I have seen changes in people in the past 5 years that I never thought I would see. Sometimes it's rather frightening because instead of people getting closer to God, they seem to be drifting further away.

Anyway, there are some things that I will never be able to stop and that's what creates the great debate about church in the day that we live. We do so many things out of tradition of men that we overstep our heritage as believers. That's the problem that I am having in my mind and really need some prayer to help me understand how to change that thinking. Here's the great debate:

-On one hand the Bible says that we are not supposed to be men pleasers (Ephesians 6), but we are supposed to do all things that are pleasing to God. Paul writes this to the bondservants, but says the same thing is applicable to their masters as well. However, if we don't please men today and do exactly what they want they get mad, leave the church, and try to ruin your reputation.
How many pastors out they will say "Amen!"

-Another is that we do not let the traditions of men superseed the directives of God, but no matter what you do somebody always wants to stop the direction of God if it changes what they consider to be their personal property. Paul again said in Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

-Lastly, the Bible says that God wants us to bring Him our best gifts or more easily understood, our best efforts. Numbers 18:29 says "Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it." However, I talk with pastors all the time who find their congregations are satisfied with mediocrity and are not willing to present their best gifts to the Lord.

No matter what I do I can't seem to find what I need to answer these questions in this great debate. Do we let down the standard and just let things slide just to keep the peace? Do we say that certain things don't really matter anymore in the sight of God  because we don't want to deal with junk? Or do we fight the influence of the enemy and hope for the best no matter what happens? Yes, the great debate rages on.

So, where do you stand on this issue? My last statement is very simple and really says where I'm at with this thing. I don't want to stand before the Lord on the Judgment Day without knowing that I did my best. My prayer is God don't traditions of men stand between me and Your will for my lift and don't ever let me give less than my best effort. If I can't give my best effort then God don't let me be a stumbling block to others. Just help me to do the best I can and through my efforts influence some else along my journey.