What is Loving?

I was once told that a post of mine was the opposite of what my blog was supposed to be. They said I was being judgmental and unloving for telling people the Truth that is found in Christ

In reality Jesus said He was, “The Way, The Truth and the Life” and “That no one comes to the Father except through Me”.

The truth is not judgmental. Telling someone they’re an atheist or a muslim or anything else and then proceeding to tell them about themselves that is judgmental. But telling someone they’re a sinner in need of a savior that is just truth. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

Now on to the “unloving” part. Since Jesus declared Himself to be the “Truth” not telling someone about Jesus would be unloving because not telling the truth is lying and that in itself is an unloving thing to do.

Most importantly Jesus is the savior of the World. Imagine if you were in a fire and were saved, you now know the way out of the fire, would it be unloving to tell people the way out? Or would that be the most loving thing to do. The least loving thing to do would walk away and say, “well that is my way out of the fire. They’re many different paths to getting saved from the fire”.

That would be awful!

The world right now is trying to tell us Christians to do exactly that. They’re telling us to embrace everyone with “love” but its fake love desired to gratify the flesh.

Do the most loving thing you can do, tell someone about Jesus, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Have a Blessed and Loving Week,
Chris

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2014%3A6&version=NIV

Daily Scripture Reading
Monday – Hosea 1:2-10
Tuesday – Psalm 138
Wednesday – Colossians 2:6-19
Thursday – Luke 11:1-13

The Lack of Trust in the Church

This post is from a couple years ago. I have nothing more to add about the first half but the second half I’ll say seems more relevant today than it did two years earlier.

The Good Word

I once got into a debate with a person in the comment section of a video. They were arguing against giving a church or pastor money when they asked. They argued if a church needed Bibles or anything like that he would send them the items but he won’t send them money. I countered him with different arguments but couldn’t change his view.

In the end we decided to end the debate as neither one of us was getting through to the other.

I’ve thought about that conversation many times since. I get hung up on that debate due to a trend recently I’ve seen of people holding a similar view or even more harshly where they refuse to give anything to a church or pastor.

When the subject comes to my mind I try to think of more points I could have made.

But recently it hit me, I…

View original post 1,075 more words

Toxic Environments in Christian Culture

Throwback Thursday. This is from December 2018. Having gotten really into theology in the past year and a half this post really hits home with me more than ever.

The Good Word

I really wanted to write a Christmas blog this week but this has been on my heart.

Why are so many Christian discussions like comment sections so toxic? It makes me sad. Where is the love? Just because you can quote scripture doesn’t mean you know scripture.

So many Christians take a few scriptures and use that as a license to judge.

Didn’t Jesus tell you not to judge?

Stop taking a few verses out of context in order to behave like you are God, you are not.

All you’re doing is pushing people away from the Lord, your job as a Christian on Earth is to bring others to Jesus and take care of the needy. Not tear down your brothers and sisters in Christ.

It’s okay to go to other Christians and attempt to reconcile them with God. But it seems that many only wish to “expose” false…

View original post 521 more words

The Lack of Trust in the Church

I once got into a debate with a person in the comment section of a video. They were arguing against giving a church or pastor money when they asked. They argued if a church needed Bibles or anything like that he would send them the items but he won’t send them money. I countered him with different arguments but couldn’t change his view.

In the end we decided to end the debate as neither one of us was getting through to the other.

I’ve thought about that conversation many times since. I get hung up on that debate due to a trend recently I’ve seen of people holding a similar view or even more harshly where they refuse to give anything to a church or pastor.

When the subject comes to my mind I try to think of more points I could have made.

But recently it hit me, I had been focusing so much on the debate that I didn’t think about the core issue.

Those people don’t trust their brothers and sisters in Christ.

They believe that the church and pastor will misuse the money given to them. They don’t trust that the Holy Spirit will guide them on how to use it.

And you know what? Even if they do misuse the money. God will see it. God will handle it in His way.

He also sees what’s in your heart. He knows why you may not be giving. But if the reason is you don’t trust your brothers and sisters in Christ than that’s a shame.

Let God guide you on how you give. Sometimes He may guide you to give more than you want, sometimes less than you think you should, maybe He will guide you not give it all.

But ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, not your own will but His.

This topic is bigger than just giving money.

We as a church lack trust in general.

We use “discernment” as a license to judge. Often leading to us hiding the Light of God from the World.

Look at the reaction many are having about Kanye West. They immediately threw him under the bus and refused to believe his story.

There has been much written about Mr. West and his conversion, I am not focusing on just one man.

I want the church to look at themselves. If your friend was a person who immersed himself in evil and then gave his life to Christ would you want him to be judged in the same way we do to celebrity converts or others you don’t know?

Jesus pointed out to us how easy it is to love our friends* but we are told by Him we must also love our enemies.

So when an enemy becomes a brother or sister in Christ shouldn’t you love them just the same as a friend of yours who becomes a brother or sister in Christ?

This isn’t a new problem. Read the Bible. The people around Job believed he must have sinned and that caused him to lose everything, people didn’t trust Paul’s conversion to Christianity either.

I am not going to lie, I’m very guilty of this myself. I judge people, Lord help me I do.

I know it’s easy when confronted about judging others to say, “The Bible tells me I must use discernment.”

However we must remember the difference between discernment and judgment.

Yes the Bible tells us to discern. We must look at a situation and use wisdom to understand if it goes with the Word of God.

But that doesn’t mean you go and point out the flaws of a person and tell them they’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing or that they’re lying or that they’re going to Hell. That is judgment.

Discern whether or not your using discernment.

I saw this quote on Facebook, “The only One who had the authority to cast a stone, didn’t”.

That is something we truly must remember.

Trust your brothers and sisters. Help them, be with them, love them. Because God loves them.

And He loves you.

Have a Blessed Week,

Chris.

Here is some scripture that relates to this week’s blog…

James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without ^[a]your works, and I will show you my faith by ^[b]my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is ^[c]dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made ^[d]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was^[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-26&version=NKJV

Luke 21:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

The Widow’s Two Mites

21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, ² and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.^[a]3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings^[b]for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A1-4&version=NKJV

*Luke 6:32-36 New King James Version (NKJV)

³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, ^[a]hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A32-36&version=NKJV

Forgiveness is Available For All Sinners

I’ve heard many people ask a similar question that often times is hard to answer or even comprehend for some Christians. The question is usually along the lines of, “How can someone who is in jail who did terrible things and repented go to Heaven while I haven’t done horrible things will go to hell for not believing in God?”

For years I struggled with an answer to this question but God showed me the answer through scripture. The reason is that person in prison has now paid twice for their sins.

First through earthly consequences, the person committed crimes, was punished and served their sentence or is serving their sentence. That is their physical judgment.

But what remains is their spiritual judgment and when one truly accepts Jesus Christ as their savior, it is He, Jesus who took on their spiritual punishment. God will know if they truly are remorseful and their repentance true, if God sees it as so then he will be forgiven.

So now that prisoner’s penalty has been paid on Earth and in Heaven.

Truth is we are all prisoners to sin and the only One who can change that is the Lord Almighty.

Some may say that it is unfair and I agree. But it is NOT unfair to you the person who rejects God.

It is unfair to God alone. We all don’t deserve salvation. It is a gift from God, if you reject it. You are choosing where you spend eternity.

I repeat YOU will chose where you spend eternity, so choose wisely.

Now a message to my Christian brothers and sisters, don’t blame others or worry about what others have done. Don’t focus on others sin remember what the Bible says.

Matthew 7:5, “5 You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Focus on how you can approve yourself in order to serve others.

Also I want to point out never think or tell someone who has gone to Hell, because the truth is you never know who spent their last moments confessing their sins to God.

We have the right to the Kingdom until our last dying breath.

Remember the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard…

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

That is a very powerful parable. We as Christians must remember this and just like the thief on the cross, salvation is available to the end.

Now back to those who haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior, you may think, “Oh okay, I have time then.”

That may be true but you never know when your time on Earth will end, don’t risk it. Let Jesus in to your heart today.

Have a blessed week

https://biblehub.com/matthew/7-5.htm

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20%3A1-16&version=NIV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+23%3A39-43&version=NASB

 

 

 

Does God Want To Bring Judgment?

Many think of God as this evil tyrant who can’t wait to bring judgment. But in Ezekiel 18:23 it says “²³ Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?”

This proves those views to be false. God only judges when He has to. The books of the prophets are filled with God’s warnings of incoming judgment. Why would He warn us if He was evil and wanted to bring judgment on us all.

All He asks is for His people to repent.

It’s been almost 2000 years since Jesus came to Earth, God has withheld judgment so that as many as possible in the World can be saved. With how far the gospel has spread and the availability of the Truth, God has every right to bring forth the end. But He waits.

And that is because He loves us all.

That is why it is so important for us Christians to not wish judgment on others. When someone has harmed us or has done evil things we shouldn’t delight in their coming judgment. We should feel sorrow for them. We should pity them.

Nothing they did can to others can equal what will happen to their soul if they don’t repent.

Show love to those people.

Pray for them to come to the Lord. Remember we are all guilty.

Jesus paid the penalty for us. Let’s pray that others allow Him to do so for them as well.

Have a blessed week,
Chris.

Sources:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+18%3A23%2CEzekiel+33%3A11&version=NKJV

 

Would Jesus be for the Death Penalty?

I got into a discussion on Facebook. A few women were arguing with me that a man should face the death penalty for his crimes. I was arguing if found guilty he should be put in jail for the rest of his life. That we should pray for his soul and hope he finds redemption. I was told I was being “Holier than thou” and that my views were just an interpretation of the Bible. I completely disagree with this.

The Bible is clear, Jesus wouldn’t want this man to be killed.

For anyone who thinks Jesus would be for Capital Punishment, you must remember these things from the Bible.

First, Jesus stopped a public execution of a woman, making it known that anyone without sin can stone her but no one could.

John 8:4-9
⁴ “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

⁹ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.”

Jesus talked about an eye for eye, tooth for a tooth but said we should not follow that path, he says we should love our enemies. So a murder for a murder would not be Jesus’ message.
Matthew 5: 38-47
“38You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’h 39But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; 41and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’i 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,j 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?”

Remember Jesus actually made a murderer of Jewish Messianic believers a leader in the Christian movement. Saul, who became Paul was the man Jesus chose for this path, he believed in Paul.

Jesus said we must forgive in order to be forgiven, Paul wrote we are murderers if we hate others. How can we continue to have such hatred in our heart?

Matthew 6:15″But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.“

“1 John 3: 15″Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.”

If the man doesn’t repent and is redeemed, his suffering will be far worse than anything he did to the person he killed or anything that can be done to him on this Earth.

Most importantly we must remember Jesus suffered Capital Punishment, he received the death penalty in exchange for Barabbas…A Murderer.

I believe in Jesus and trust his word over everything.

Be Blessed
-Chris

Pokemon Go and Church

Found today that my church is one of many that has been made into a Pokestop. It’s pretty humorous that they’re people who criticize Christians for going to Church and believing in God because they can’t really see or touch him. Many are now going to church to get pokemon supplies to catch cartoon pictures of things in reality they can’t see or touch. I understand it’s just a game and not a belief system but it still makes me laugh.

Anyways…

My pastor gave a powerful sermon today. He spoke about how we have become a forgetful  generation. We no longer remember or believe miracles can happen. We want to focus on how certain churches are doing things. When in reality there is one Way. The Bible is the Way. Many misinterpret things or change them because they didn’t understand the times and will attempt to match it up with this day and age. When reading the Bible it’s important to understand the Jewish culture back then and the adjustment that was being made to live the new way. Let’s not take the Word of God and read it in American culture terms.

We need to remember God’s Word and put it into action. Let’s stop judging others sins as if they are worse.

Remember in John 8

2Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts. All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them 4and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”

6They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.

7When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Whoever is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.

9When they heard this,a they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left

Is your word better than His?

Have a Blessed Week.

JOB: Is God the villain?

I was watching a movie called, “A Serious Man”, it was very critical acclaimed and was nominated for Best Picture. Many people have called it a modern day tale of JOB. However many critics seemed to believe the Coen Brothers were attempting to show God is a heartless, evil, deity. The Coen’s never said that but many critics and viewers alike took the opportunity to angrily rant about God and religion.

To me this is a common problem in society, people want to find one part to a problem to magically fix everything. They blame the gun, not the attacker, the alcohol not the man who decided to drink it then drive, and of course God. Taking the dangerous things I mentioned away from people will never stop the Evil, only God is the answer to that. Take God away and there is no stopping the evil.

In the story of JOB, Satan is the villain, not God, God loved JOB and believed he would stay loyal through everything. At the end God told JOB that he had no right to question him because he is the creator, he is our father. Even though JOB did question him, God gave him double everything he had. God loved JOB and he loves us.

He didn’t intend us to go through this pain, Adam and Eve rebelled and we continue to do so through sin. The Old Testament is filled with laws and punishments because that is the society that people created. All of these laws and punishments did not come into place until people disobey God.

God did not want us to suffer, so he sent his son, Jesus who redeemed the World. Our debt is paid, no more judgment for those who accept the lord, he has forgiven us.

Can’t we all do the same?  How can we judge others when God no longer judges us? How can we tell people to be thrown in jail for the rest of their lives because “they will never change” or be killed for their actions when we have been forgiven for ours? We must remember Jesus said in Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you will be judged” and in Matthew 6:15 “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.”

So is it worth to throw away Jesus’ sacrifice over your own anger and hatred? Let’s do everything in our power to continue to show love to others, forgive, don’t judge. Show that God isn’t what these people claim he is. Show his love and compassion. You as a servant of God are representing his image to them, if you behave the way they view God, you will be justifying their arguments.

Have a blessed week

-Chris