Limitations of Journey to God in Small Steps

Products and services have disclaimers. Would you believe Journey to God in Small Steps has too? Would you care to be humored a bit if there was such a thing as a disclaimer for what I write and not write?

Disclaimers help us from overpromising and setting the right expectations of what people can receive from our products and services. Here is a sample statement of what Journey to God in Small Steps intends to be for its readers and what it does not intend to be.

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DISCLAIMERS

1. Journey to God in Small Steps is a personal inspiration blog written to provide examples, teachings, and stories of faith that are connected to the author's life. Therefore, it is not all-encompassing in its teachings and is not intended to be.

2. Journey to God in Small Steps is a supplement material only to confirm one's understanding of God's works. It is not meant to be a core resource for a person's personal relationship with God. For that, we have the Bible, the Church, personal prayer and most importantly God Himself. These should not be independent of one another as you read Journey to God in Small Steps. Though, lacking in one aspect will not exempt you from reading blogs written by any Christian author online or even in print.

3. Journey to God in Small Steps is a spiritual marker intended to provide enlightenment on spiritual issues. However, it is not "the" spiritual guide in itself independent of God, the Church and your personal relationship with Christ. While it can serve as a form of guide, we recognize that it is not the Ultimate Guide to Christian Living and as per disclaimer (2), it is only meant to supplement what is already being revealed in a person's life, a country, or the world in general.

4. Journey to God in Small Steps is not the implementing body that seeks to ensure everything goes well according to God's teachings. It is not responsible for monitoring every thing that goes wrong every time. Such responsibility belongs to the Savior who knows men's acts, thoughts, words, intentions, aspirations and heart. While it can be a resource by which God can use to speak about an issue, it is not responsible to change events, people, nor the will of man to believe and act on anything they will read in this blog.

[Journey to God in Small Steps is not what will enact change. It is just one of the tools that God uses to spark (light) change and brings souls to His kingdom. The due responsibility to bring about change is still God Himself who knows every word and deed and the will of man to accept God's Word and obey it in his life. Journey to God in Small Steps will not be liable for how a person will receive the Word of God in their lives but only God alone who is all knowing and is all powerful.]

5. The main purpose of Journey to God in Small Steps is to point people to the Savior and not itself to be the Savior. Such task and responsibility belongs to God alone. We recognize that the Savior is God Himself. We are mere servants for Jesus' sake. "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Corinthians 4:5)." 

[While it has a form of authority as only a witness to what God is doing (Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Matthew 28:18-19), however, it is not the sole ultimate authority on spiritual matters pertaining to God.] 

Also, 6. Journey to God in Small Steps is inter-denominational with the only reference point being made about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not the sole authority for every doctrine imaginable but focuses only on reconciling God and man's relationship once more. "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience (2 Corinthians 5:11)."

"...he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)."

Not only that, we recognize that Jesus died for all and so anyone from any belief, background, profession, spiritual understanding, wealth or status, gender and race can read the contents of this blog. "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)."

7. Journey to God in Small Steps does not assure that its author is perfect or beyond reproof. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)." The author does not intend to be seen as the expert on all things spiritual but having had the real relationship with Jesus Christ Himself, she can only share what the Lord has revealed and confirmed to her. This blog is not an expert advice column as the matters being discussed (e.g., salvation, reconciliation, faith, heaven, sin, forgiveness, sanctification) are of the sole authority of God Himself and reaping their benefits are in part subject to the will of the readers, of which the author has no way of controlling.

8. Journey to God in Small Steps does not guarantee that obedience to God will free someone from life's storms. However, it, coupled with God, the Church and the Bible, can offer perspective about one's circumstances and God's view of them as revealed in His Word.

9. Journey to God in Small Steps does not guarantee that the Christian life will always be about blessing (which it will definitely have) - or that everyone will receive the same blessing as the rest, but considers the sole most important gift of the Christian life is to be reconciled back to Jesus Christ though the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ.

10. Journey to God in Small Steps does not guarantee that the Christian life will make you popular. More often than not, according to God's will, it will make you do the unpopular, be with unpopular people, and stand for what is not popular. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Mark 8:34-37)."

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[If all is well to your agreement and acceptance, then please sign your name below:]

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT 

FOR READING JOURNEY TO GOD IN SMALL STEPS

I agree to the terms and conditions stipulated in this entry as the limitations and scope of reading Journey to God in Small Steps. 

I will seek to find out for myself whether what the author is saying is true or not by reading my Bible, and communing with God Himself and talking to people in Church and being part of a small group.

I release the author of any responsibility for personal actions that I could have otherwise prevented having been adorned with the gift of self-will and being of legal age to be able to make my own decisions. 

SIGNED:

(NAME)

This (day) of (month), 20(_).

CONFORME:

Marie Kris Rodriguez

This (day) of (month), 20(__).

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Thank you valued readers of Journey to God in Small Steps! I will see you through the next seasons, journeys and entries of Journey to God in Small Steps.

May the Lord bless your heart and may He reward you for seeking Him more!

Let us seek God daily ;-)

Sincerely,

Marie

Blogger of Journey to God in Small Steps and God's servant