Tag: Jesus

Christianity and Social Justice

Today’s a new day! I am always surprised and saddened when I hear the debate among Christians on the issue of social justice. That somehow the two cannot be part of a Christian’s life. In my own life, I believe my faith in Jesus and a desire to do His will goes hand-in-hand with doing social justice. I personally do not believe you can truly have one without the other. I cannot fully follow Jesus without serving those who are suffering and I cannot fully serve those who are suffering without an understanding and faith in Jesus. Without Jesus, I can never fulfill more than the surface-level needs of those I am trying to serve.

This is where I believe the Church needs to take a stand. People of faith should be the biggest supporters for social justice. I believe if we want to truly live out the teachings of Jesus, Christianity would be synonymous with social justice. I think the Church needs to challenge itself to see how we can be a place where a faith in Christ and social justice are so intertwined they cannot be separated from each other. How can we help a lost world to better understand the connection between God and social justice? There is a lot of talk on blogs, social media, and even in church pulpits about how the church can stop losing its influence on the world. I think the answer lies in helping people understand just how close justice is to the heart of God.

I know some reading this might disagree with my thoughts and views on Christianity and Social Justice, but I pray you will take some time to see how you can better serve Jesus, by serving others. ~OC

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Merry Christmas

Today’s a new day! Merry Christmas!!!

Finding the real joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done. We find the real joy of Christmas when we make Jesus the focus of the season. Born in a simple stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from Heaven to live on earth as a common man and to establish the kingdom of God. His glorious Gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He lived for us, and He died for us. What can we, in return, give to Him?

Our lives! May our hearts be full of peace, love, grace and forgiveness on this Christmas Day…. and every other day. May our lives be one of service to others.

May we all remember the true meaning of Christmas and celebrate today in a way that pays tribute to Jesus and the sacrifice He made for all of us. 

I want to wish each of you a very, Merry Christmas full of love and laughter and family and friends and wrapping paper, presents, good food, and a day full of happiness and joy. I pray each of you experience whatever Christmas miracle you have been praying for. And may we all remember the person whose birth we celebrate today, Jesus Christ. ~OC

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That First Christmas…

Today’s a new day! I love the Christmas season. The songs, the lights and everything bright and merry. As I was listening to the classic “ I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, I started reflecting on that first Christmas so many years ago.

Joseph and Mary were not at home. They were not surrounded by family and friends.

That first Christmas was not beautiful to behold when viewed from a human eyes. There were no fun holiday parties to attend with friends and family. No prizes for the best Ugly Christmas Sweater. There were no merry songs “making spirits bright.”

That first Christmas was a dark, musty barn with little more to offer than a manger with some straw. It was strangers—smelly, dirty strangers—visiting instead of the faces of familiar loved ones. It was feeling far away, lonely, and no doubt afraid and anxious because of the unknown.

That is what “Joy To The World” first looked like.

That first Christmas was about a young couple who followed an unseen God on a journey that was impossible to understand—a journey that led them into a dark, lonely, and humble place so that The Light could break forth in an unexpected and glorious way.

Joseph and Mary would not have chosen to script their story the way it unfolded. If they had, there wouldn’t have been a virgin birth. There wouldn’t have been a stable visited by shepherds. They wouldn’t have chosen to leave their loved ones to travel so far from their comfortable home at such a delicate time. Joseph wouldn’t have chosen to face the utterly disappointing words “There’s no room at the Inn”, for his needy bride. Had they chosen to write their own story, it would have looked better to the human eye.

But . . .because they chose to let God write their story, it was beyond beautiful. Because they accepted God’s story for their lives, their arms were the first to embrace the human form of The One who had held them and carried them to this point. In the midst of obscure details and overwhelming circumstances, Joseph and Mary went. There they were rewarded by the physical presence of the Almighty God. Joseph and Mary went, but Jesus came. 

He came! That is why we can sing “Joy To The World” with such happiness this Christmas season.

The story of Jesus is that He came. He came in the form of a precious baby. Jesus came to change lives. He came to bring great tidings of comfort and joy. Jesus came to bring peace on earth. The world forever changed on that first Christmas night.

Emmanuel, God With Us, still comes. That’s His story. That’s our story.

When we throw ourselves into accepting and loving and living out His Story without reservation, we find out what an overwhelming, beautiful story and gift it really is. Merry Christmas! ~OC

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The Empty Seat

Today’s a new day! As I wake up on this Christmas Eve, my thoughts turn to those walking through hard times this holiday season. On this day before Christmas, some are experiencing their first Christmas season with an empty chair at the table.

This year like so many, I have experienced the loss of loved ones.

The loss of a parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, niece, nephew, friend or the tragic loss of a child creates a hole begging to be filled and a seat at the table that will remain empty.

At times these precious family members may feel deserted. By God, by life, by family and friends who don’t know what to say, so they stay away.

So what do you do for someone who is grieving on what should be one of the merriest days of the year?

I pray the following helps.

1) Your presence and words matter

Saying I can’t imagine…

Nothing more. Nothing less. Those words embrace them, their loss, and their pain, showing you care. Deeply. And you are there, for them, with them, regardless of the pain it causes you to share in theirs.

When we add words after I can’t imagine, we are likely to add our own emotions, thoughts and feelings. Just simply acknowledge their feelings, pain and loss.

I can’t imagine…yet I care. Simply be with them.

2) Say the name of their lost loved one. Hearing the name of that precious person matters and makes a difference in the healing process. Avoiding speaking the name actually hurts everyone there, so share stories, cry and laugh as you recall the amazing life of a loved one.

So say their name…

3) Pull out the pictures! Sometimes the best gift and step to healing is going through old photos or videos. The gift of beautiful memories. Never letting their life be forgotten.

He comforts us. He heals the broken hearted. God is good, even when situations are not, God is. ~Psalm 56:8

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ~Psalm 147:3

So pull up a chair to the table, set a plate and name card for the one who is no longer there and let the stories and memories flow.

Let us honor the ones who have simply gone before us to where we want to be when it’s our turn – dancing and praising in the presence of Jesus.

There is hope in the midst of the sadness. We will see our loved ones again and that is worth celebrating.

On this Christmas Eve, I am thankful God sent His one and only Son Jesus to pave the way for each one of us who love Him. Yes, we miss the ones who have gone before us and left their seat at our table empty, yet we celebrate they are in Heaven. Seated with Jesus at the Heavenly Christmas Table. ~OC

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True Meaning of Christmas

Today’s a new day! As we celebrate this Christmas season, I wanted to share my thoughts on the true meaning of Christmas.

For me and many Christians, Jesus is the reason for the season and my family and friends mean the world to me and are a beautiful blessing. With all the shopping, parties and trying to have the perfect Christmas, so many people lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Isn’t it supposed to be shared with those you love most? Isn’t our presence supposed to be more valuable than presents? What happened along the way to constantly change people’s perspective? Aren’t we supposed to be remembering the most famous story in the Bible of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and the Angel visiting them in the manger telling them not to be afraid of the Angel’s presence? We are supposed to be surrounded with our loved ones, attend Christmas service and gather around tables eating together and sharing holiday memories with loved ones.

If only people could really understand the true meaning of Christmas and not be so infatuated with the gifts, lights, shopping deals and trying to spend the most money to impress people. Gifts fade and become meaningless, time passes, people forget what you purchased them and we tend to glorify the wrong things and situations. While receiving gifts is fun and rewarding in the short term, actually caring for and spending time with the people we love is a lot more important. Being together with loved ones and sharing time together is what this Christmas season is all about. Giving back to our community is what we should be looking forward to and trying to help those in need. Saying a prayer for someone hurting this holiday is a good start if you cannot afford to buy anything monetarily.

I know the holidays are difficult for people who have lost loved ones during this time of year, or might be going through a difficult season in life. However, we cannot allow these negative situations to hold us back from receiving Jesus’s love for us and spreading holiday cheer. Do not allow your current or past circumstances cloud your future happiness and the joy of this season. Make the choice to live with a grateful heart for the small things in life and try not to dwell too much on the past. Spend some time reflecting on 2024 and look forward to all that God has for you in 2025. Take some time to count your blessings.

The true meaning of Christmas is what you make of it and not all the fancy gifts that sit under trees and will be forgotten as years pass. Go out and make new memories with your family and friends that will last a lifetime. I promise you – time spent together with loved ones is better than money well spent on items that have a lot less meaning to them. Merry Christmas to you all and blessings for the New Year. ~OC

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Jesus is Enough

Good morning. I want to share a story with you this morning. A true story. A story about a man we still talk about today. Here is a little of his story.

This man was never baptized.
This man never took communion.
This man never spoke in tongues.
This man never attended a Bible study.
This man never gave a tithe to the local church.
This man never went on a mission trip.
This man never volunteered.
This man never said the sinners prayer.
This man could not even bend his knees to pray.
This man was a criminal.

Jesus didn’t lay hands on this man.

This man was broken and beat up by the world. But today, this man is sitting at the feet of Jesus, the same way anyone can by simply believing that Jesus was who He said He was and did what He said He did.

This man had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was.

-No spin from a gifted speaker.
-No ego or arrogance.
-No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty worship.
-No fog machine, donuts, or a latte in the lobby with a cool name.

Just a thief on a cross who was unable to even fold his hands to pray.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. ~John 3:16

Because in the end….Jesus is enough. ~OC

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Walking Another Journey

I have always tried to be open and honest about my health journey. God has given me a story of hope and encouragement to share with the world. He has given each of us a story to share. Here is my current story.

As some of you know, I walked an almost 18 year health journey. I faced death on many occasions. At one point I weighed 112 pounds, was living off a feeding tube and had to use a voice amplifier to speak. On November 3, 2019, with just two weeks to live, I walked into a tent and was healed during an old fashioned prayer and healing service. My life changed completely in a minute. I went from The Man Who Refused to Die, to the Dead Man Running sharing my story around the country. A documentary was even made about incredible journey (www.deadmanrunningmovie.com). Life was good. Then February 7, 2021 happened and my life changed again.

I woke up on Super Bowl Sunday February 7, 2021 excited. You see, my Tampa Bay Buccaneers were playing in the Super Bowl. I have been a Bucs fan since the NFL announced Tampa was getting a team in 1974. The Bucs started playing two years later in 1976. Anyone who truly calls themselves a Buccaneers fan knows there have been a lot of ups and downs over the years. But on Sunday February 7, 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would win the Super Bowl. I would only see a few minutes of the game. Life was about to throw me another curveball.

I woke up that Sunday morning a little tired, but nothing major. I went to church that morning feeling excited about the day. After church, I came home and took a small nap. Had to get my rest before cheering for my Bucs. I did not wake up rested. No, I woke up trenched in sweat and a 103.7 fever. So I ended up sleeping through most of the Super Bowl. The next day Monday February 8th, I would be admitted into the hospital with Covid and deal with a 104.4 fever for four straight days. Little did I know that over a year later, I would be still dealing with issues from Covid and be classified as a Long Hauler.

Which brings me to September 2022. I am currently hospitalized and dealing with an uncertain future. I was brought to the hospital a few days ago with stroke life symptoms. Thankfully, the doctors do not believe I had a stroke. So what caused those symptoms? We may never know. Thank you Covid. These days eating and even drinking have become difficult. At this time, I am taking in less than 500 calories a day. My body is being attacked on multiple fronts. A lot of tough decisions will need to be made over the next few days and weeks. Once again, thank you Covid.

With all that said, I am still clinging to the promises of Jesus. I am reaching out, just trying to touch his robe. I still believe in the beautiful miracles of Jesus. None of this is a surprise to the King of Kings. He is still using my beautiful crazy journey to tell a story of hope, love and encouragement. I am at peace.

A little side note. Jesus did not take away my miracle from November 3, 2019. My current health issues are not caused from sin in my life. I do not have some type of evil spirit in my life. The only spirit I have in my body is the Holy Spirit. I share this because these things have been said to me as I am walking this new health journey. I also know other people walking through their own journey that have heard these cruel words. Please do not believe these lies. Remember, Lazarus was raised from the dead, but today he is walking with Jesus in Heaven. So for those walking through a storm, do not walk in these lies. Walk in the beautiful victory, hope, love and peace of Jesus. Stay Focused. Finish Strong. ~OC

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Go Rest On High

As I have scrolled through social media the past few weeks, I have been saddened by stories of friends dealing with the death of loved ones. Those stories inspired me to write the following words.

Your mission on earth is now complete. No more pain fills your days. Your journey on earth was filled with ups and downs. But even during the hardest days, you looked up to heaven and gave praise. When the enemy came in the middle of the night, you faced him head on never taking a step back. You reminded the enemy that even on the darkest days, you would continue to praise the one on high.

Now you are looking into the eyes of Jesus rejoicing in praise. He has welcomed you home. No more walking through the pain. Your purpose on earth is now complete. I wish I could have seen your face as the angels led you into the gates of heaven to meet the King. We rejoice as we think about you sitting at the feet of the King of Kings, as he took you by the hand and uttered those beautiful words well done, thou good and faithful servant. I can see the smile on your face as you gazed into his eyes. Go rest on high.

We will continue this journey as we carry your memory in our hearts. We will remember your strength and determination as you faced your darkest days. Some days will be filled with tears, when we pick up the phone to call only to remember you have gone home to the King. We will smile as we recall how you made everyone laugh even during the pain. We will rejoice as we think of the day we join you in heaven and sit at the feet of the King. Go rest on high. ~OC

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A Loving Warning

Today’s a new day! People are not abandoning Jesus. People are abandoning churches that use Jesus to push political agendas, choose tithes and numbers over relationships and choose which sins are acceptable. That is just unacceptable to an unbelieving world. It is also unacceptable to a believing world. The Church needs to not only preach the Gospel, but live out the Gospel in words and action.

Even as I write the words above, I love the Church because Jesus loves the Church. This is not an attack on the Church. No, this is a loving warning to those churches who are more concerned about their own agenda than the truth of the Gospel. This loving warning comes from someone who has spent more than half my life in the church. This is a loving warning from someone who has seen the beautiful and ugliness of the Church. This is a loving warning from someone who desires for everyone to find a beautiful, amazing church home. ~OC

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