Are you a mean Christian?

I spend a lot of time talking to people who haven't given their lives to Christ or people who have walked away from the church. In most of those cases, those people have rejected Christ not because they have an issue with Christ himself, but because they have an issue with those represent him. Do you know why that is? Cause church folks can be so mean!




For example if someone "from the world" comes to church why would we talk about what they wear? Of course they wear party clothes that's the life they live! If you care, then buy them something else. Otherwise, be quiet and let the Holy Spirit do His job which is change people from inside out.



God is love. He loves people even before they accept Him...that's why He sent Jesus. He knows that we aren't perfect, nor does He expect perfection from us. At least not perfection in the sense that we never make a mistake or sin. IF it was that easy, there would not have been a need for Jesus to die on the Cross...we could have just choosen perfection. Now that's not a license to do whatever I like b/c like the Apostel Paul said we should be "constrained by the love of God."



For the record...love doesn't go around pointing out people's faults...looking for every opportunity to tell them how much they've sinned. Love doesn't keep record of wrongs. Love believes the best about people. Love isn't always talking about hell. Speaking of which...I believe there is a heaven and a hell, but when I read about how Jesus and the disciples lead people into the kingdom, they never mentioned hell. So it's interesting to me that most calls to salvation inside and outside the church talk about hell.



When Jesus met the woman at the well, he didn't say, "Look you're a whore and if you don't change you're going to hell." Why not? He knew that if He could show her the love of God, she would come to him and HE could deliver her from the bondage of whoredom." Same for calling in the disciples...he doesn't tell them about hell if they don't follow him...so why in the world do Christians keep trying to scare people out of hell into the kingdom?



Am I the only one who has the experience of coming to Jesus because I'm scared to death of going to hell? Over time the fear leaves and the feelings that I was never going to be able to stop sinning so I was going to hell anyway caused me to just walk away from church. It wasn't until I learned the love of God and that he wasn't sitting in the sky with a big button waiting to sin me to hell that I was able to continue walking with him.



Between church people talking about hell and being mean as, well you know what fits there, why would anyone want to be a Christian? Even as a pastor, I can honestly tell you that most of the stuff I hear people say about the kingdom doesn't make me want to join. And then when you combine that with a group of people who say they know Jesus, but spend all their time pointing out your faults....is it any wonder people are rejecting Christ?



So what can we do? We can remember that people who are sinners SIN and even people who love God still sin until they are renewed in their minds so we ask God to show us people as HE SEES THEM not as they are. We can remember that no one is perfect and we all have shortcomings and we can treat people the way we want to be treated when and if we blow it. We can stop gossiping about the mistakes people make while pretending we are just telling to pray about it. We can take a new believer or a struggling believer under our wing and spend time "modeling" what love, holiness and integrity look like. We can be compassionate and empathetic remembering that whatever we've been delivered from...is because of grace...because of love.



My challenge to every believer is that we put judgment down and pick up love and grace. When we have to point out someone's sin, we do it from a place of true love and concern and a desire to see them be free...not a reminder that hell waits on the edges if they don't change. That we remember that NO ONE is perfect and that we all have things we are working on, but it doesn't mean we don't love God...we're just growing up in Christ. When we have an opportunity to lead people to Christ, we model Jesus lead them into a kingdom of love....

Create the Life you want

It seems as though I'm always thinking about thinking ... mainly because I understand that my thinking controls every area of my life. I know from past experiences that trying to change areas of my life without changing my thinking only produces a temporary change. Before long I revert back to my previous behavior. Why is this? Because for the most part our thinking is set on auto pilot. We just cruise along at the same altitude until we hit a little turbulence that cause us to adjust, but just like the auto pilot, once we have navigated the storm we return to our programed altitude. Often our desire to change comes from a crisis. For example, we when we get our paycheck and it's not enough to pay our bills, we talk about getting another job and promise to do something different, but once we pass through the storm we settle back into auto pilot. We do the same with our health, our relationships and dreams. We know we want more, we know God has created us for more, but yet we stay in the comfort of auto pilot. Why? Because even though we want change, we haven't done the work to produce change where it matters most...in our thinking. As a result, we continue to repeat the same cycle expecting a different outcome, even though we know it's insanity. We offer up so many excuses as to why we don't change, but in reality all those excuses cover up the real thing holding us back ... fear!

"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be so brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God: Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Nelson Mandela receives the credit for saying this, but he was actually quoting Mariam Williamson. In the end it doesn't really matter who said it first, it's true.

Fear causes us to accept just existing rather than living which is so far beneath the abundant life God created for us. Fear causes us to refuse to allow the God given dreams in us to become the reality we live! Fear causes us to be more comfortable with things that we should never tolerate. Fear controls our thinkink causing us to place and accept limitations as normal living. We get so focused on how hard it is to return to school that we can't even envision oursleves with the degree in hand. Our fear keeps us from seeing that millions of others have overcome the same issue...not because they are favored or more blessed, but because they eradicated the fear by dealing with their thinking. They disproved the lies established by fear by taking consistent counter actions to their fears.If others have overcome fear to achieve their goals, then I can...you can. But the first step is deal with our thinking.

Here are four things we must do to change our thinking so that we can live abundantly

1) Locate ourselves - How do we think? Spend time thinking about our thinking. Why did I respond that way? Am I limited myself? Why do I procastinate?

2) Make a Commit to Change - We must make a quality decision that enough is enough and that we are willing to do the work necessary to produce the change we desire.

3) Surround ourselves with successful others - Our environment is always working on us so the best thing we can do is surround ourselves with others who are also committed to living abundantly

4) Develop successful systems - We need plans to make our dreams come true. Nothing just happens. If the goal is weight loss, then let's plan our meals and schedule our workout time...it won't happen if we don't. If we're going to start a business, carve out time to work on the business plan and teach others in your life to respect that time. If the goal is to grow spiritually, then make bible reading and church attendance a priority and don't read your bible when you're sleepy...you know you are going to fall asleep.

5) Do all you can and trust God to do what you can't. God wants you to succeed way more than you do. He's given you everything you need to be successful, however, He needs you to do your part. When you have done the natural...you can expect the supernatural.Each of us is here on purpose for a purpose. Our lives are more than being consumed with uninspiring activities and reality tv. Let's be the best we can be, make a difference in our lives, those we love and the world!

Beyond Imagination

I love to study about God's love because I believe love is truly the essence of who God is. In fact, I John 4:16, tells us "GOD IS LOVE". Last night I was reading 1 John 4 and rediscovered verses 9-10, "God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life though HIm. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that HE loves us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." !!!!
I don't know how you feel, but to me - that's exciting news! Often we think the key to our success as Christians is loving God more. However, scripture clearly reveals that our relationship with God is based on His love for us! We don't have to perform for God's love or be perfect. He loves us unconditionally, always has and always will!
I'm not suggesting that we should just live any kind of way because we know God loves us. I'm suggesting if we focus on God's great love for us, then the only response would be loving Him in return. A revelation of God's love toward us would make obedience and trust a piece of cake. We would never think that God is withholding something good from us. We would realize that when God says, "Not now" or "She/he is not right for you" it comes from His desire for us to experience true joy and peace in life. We would also have a confident assurance that when God promised to provide all our needs according to His riches in Glory - HE MEANT IT!
For those struggling because of gas prices and the economy, I encourage you to take this time and jump deep in God's love for you. Worry and complaining won't bring the prices down and does nothing to give you peace, but focusing on how much God loves you will position you to receive the provision He has already provided! I pray that you will grow to perfection in His love. I am convinced that the same God who gave his Son to give us life is willing and able to provide gas (and anything else) for his children. What do you think?

Love Like This?

Are you looking for a love like this?
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done?
What you said? Or where you’ve been?
Let me tell you where to find it—

The only place it exists – in God
God loves you
Completely
Eternally

In spite of your sin
His love is unconditional
It never changes
Doesn’t matter what happens

His love always remains
Patient, kind, enduring
No recording keeping
He’s not judging

Why judge?
He already knows all about you
But yet He loves you anyway
This is the real deal – truth

Not looking to pay you back
For all the wrong you’ve done
God ain’t mad no more!
Your sin debt paid by his SON

Not breaking you down
To teach you right
Not using fear of hell eternal
To make you see His light

Instead He woos you
Calls you to him
Showing mercy and grace
Far beyond what you deserve

Always loving you anyway
No one else offers love like this…

I Choose Champion

I refuse to be defined
Confined by labels
Society tries to stick on me
Carving out limitations
Based on gender, race, or nationality
I am not restricted to merely repeat
That which has already been achieved
Endless potential within my soul
Maybe a cure to cancer or HIV
God wrote out my purpose
From beginning to end
By my choices I decide
If I lose or if I win
SO I choose victory
Living life giving God glory
Taking my place in history
Touching society in a way
That is uniquely me
Unwilling to become
A cheap carbon copy
Embracing the Designer’s plan
A vision of originality
Life may attempt
To place me in a category
But only I have the ability
To determine what I become
I chose CHAMPION!

You have the ultimate power

Are you ready for change? Do you wish that you could change your life immediately? Well, I have great news....you can! It may sound too good to be true, but it's not. Just stick with me a moment and I will show you to change your life in a minute.

No matter what circumstances we face, we can change our lives instantaneously with one simple act - a decision!

The moment you make a decision, your life begins to move in a new direction. Let me give you an example, early in my marriage, my husband and I experienced major difficulties. We had the kind of problems that usually lead to divorce. Sometimes it was so bad that divorce seemed to be the only viable option. But we didn't want to be divorced! So we took divorce off the table as an option. In other words, we made a decision to stay married.

The power of making a decision to stay married changed the course of our lives because a true decision cuts off the other alternatives. When we decided to stay married, we cut off the possibility of divorce and opened ourselves to learn how to be happily married. As a result we are happily together ten years later.

You may thinking...well great for you, but how does that help me? I'm glad you asked. Pick one thing you want to change in your life. It may be losing weight, saving more money, getting a new job or ending a relationship that's headed no where. Now decide right now to do it! Don't worry about how hard it will be or how much time it will take....just decide that it's the only option for you.

If you made a decision, then you just exercised the ultimate power. You have taken control of your life and empowered yourself to change. You have closed the door to being overweight, struggling financially or continuing to work in your current job.

How will you know if you have truly made a decision? Cutting off other alternatives will force you to act. So start exercising, saving and looking for another job - call your signficant other and tell them it's over - you are moving on to better things. You have the power to change your life now use it!

See you next week~

Keep It Moving

Couldn’t stay here
In this place
Living in a house made of
Other people’s expectations
Started to stifle me, strangle me
In time it would have silenced me
Felt like I was losing me
Had to set myself free
Stopped marching to the beat of another’s drum
Making my own sound now
Found my voice
Feels so good to be free
From the urge to fit in
No longer stuck in mediocrity
Waiting for the world to get the epiphany
Of the greatness in me
I am great – make no mistake about it
Although it took a time for me to see
Cause the loudness of average was blinding me - binding me
Shook myself loose from the chains
I’m crying loud my voice will be heard
Different isn’t always easy
But it’s always necessary