Tag: Scriptures

Hello Christian

Let us take a walk to your local mall and take a survey. No, not the Census. The survey we are going to take is much more important than the Census. Here we go.

The good thing about our survey is there is only one question. That’s right. We traveled to the mall to ask one question. I believe it’s a pretty important question. Here we go. The one survey question we are asking fellow shoppers is “What Do Think About Christians?” What would be their response?

Group A:

Would they say Christians are such loving people?

Would they say Christians are such giving people?

Would they say Christians are such forgiving people?

Would they say, I wish I could learn more about having a relationship with Jesus?

Group B:

Christians are against everything.

Christians are judgmental.

Christians are angry.

Christians are racist.

Christians are hypocrites.

Let me asked my brothers and sisters in Christ a question. If you personally did this survey, would you end up in Group A or B? I pray my brothers and sisters will take the time to honestly answer this question. Because the way you answer this question could change the world for better or worse.

“So I give you a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.” ~John 13:34-35

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Living With Hope During The Storm

Life is hard. I think we can all agree on that one. We are either experiencing a storm, coming out of a storm or getting reading to enter a storm. Can I get an Amen? That is how life tends to work for most of us. So how can we find Hope during or after the storm? Here are a few things that have helped me as I walk through my own crazy beautiful journey.

God Is In Control. I know sometimes that is hard to fathom, when we are in the middle of the storm or dealing with the aftermath of a storm. But if God is in control during the good times, that means He must be in control during the rough times. Also, if God is God, then nothing good or bad happens apart from His knowledge. One of my favorite scriptures and one that has helped guide me through my almost 18 year crazy beautiful health journey is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9:

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 

God Never Forsakes Us. Sometimes that is hard to believe when we are walking in the middle of the storm. It can appear that God has left us to find our own way. We have all faced those moments in life. The poor diagnosis, the broken relationship or the lose of a loved one. But God promises us in His word that he will always be with us. One scripture that has given me comfort during my own journey is Deuteronomy 31:8:

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. 

God’s Timing. I used to use the old Christianize, God is always right on time all the time. But during my health journey, I have started looking at this in a different way. When I used to use that phrase, I felt like I am saying that God had left my side at some point during my journey. I truly believe God’s timing is always perfect, because He never leaves us. *Just a side note. I do not have a problem with people using the phrase. This was just me sharing my perspective. Sometimes I still find myself saying it.

I pray these words will encourage you as you walk through the storms of life. God wants us to seek Him during the good and bad times. He is always there for us. We just have to reach out to Him. ~OC

 

 

 

 

 

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Stop Using Jesus

Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,

We need to talk. I need to share my concerns over the current state of Christianity in America. This talk is not meant to attack the Church or my fellow believers in Jesus Christ. But I feel, I need to share my concerns. Did you catch that? My concerns. My opinions. My thoughts.

When I study scripture, I see a God who is loving, forgiving and stern when the situation calls for it. I see a God who is full of grace and mercy. I think we could all use a little grace and mercy. As I study scripture, I see a lot of Love. There is even a chapter in the Bible called the Love Chapter (Check out 1 Corinthians Chapter 13). Jesus commands us to love. To keep no record of wrongs. To be patient. To not boast. To not be rude. If you check out the books of Matthew and Mark, they talk about not judging others. As I have studied the scriptures, I still have not found a section where it says we should be judging or hating others.

In some circles, Christianity as become more about what we hate and less about what we love. That breaks my heart. More importantly, it breaks Jesus heart. When did Jesus give us permission to start categorizing the levels of sin? Or to hate someone based on their brand of sin? Once again, I looked through scripture and did not find any giving us that permission. Sin is sin. Jesus  is not up in heaven categorizing sin. I do believe Jesus is shedding some tears because we judge people more harshly based on their brand of sin. I totally get why some people want nothing to do with this brand of Christianity and why so many people walk away from Jesus. Have you turned on the tv, scrolled through social media or walked  into some churches lately? Some people have turned Christianity into a bad Jerry Springer Show. I know the Church is full of broken people, but we must do better. We share we love Jesus and his teachings, but our actions and words show a completely different story. We cannot only talk the talk of faith, we must live it out. The Church and it’s people need to be a safe place for other broken people to come. In Mark 2:17, Jesus shares “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Did you catch that? 

I truly love the Church and it’s people. I have spent over half of my life in the church. I have spent over half of my life reading and studying scripture. That is why it grieves me, that so many professed Christians spend more time judging others than they do loving them. Jesus did not come down from heaven, die on the cross and rise three days later so we could judge others. No, Jesus came down from heaven, died on the cross and rose three days later to teach us the true meaning of love. So dear Christian brothers and sisters, lets stop using Jesus to judge and spread hate. Instead let us be a people of love, forgiveness and grace. ~OC

 

 

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LOVE

The Bible mentions Love between 500-800 times based on the translation. I guess love is pretty important to God. It’s kind of like when your mom would use your full name. You knew she was serious. So I think love is pretty important, if the Bible mentions it hundreds of times.

Today the word love is tossed around so causally. We love our sports teams. We love the latest music from our favorite artist. Who we love by the way. We love our favorite tv show. And who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday? We love everything. Or do we?

Do we love the homeless person begging for money, food or a job at the stoplight?

Do we love the refugee?

Do we love the person who worships differently than us?

Do we love the person who speaks a different language than us?

Do we love the atheist?

Do we love the addict?

Do we love those in the LGBTQ+ Community?

Do we love the Democrat?

Do we love the Republican?

Do we love the Independent?

Do we love the person who’s opinions are different from ours?

Do we love our neighbor?

How did you answer those questions? Did you cringe a little as you read through those questions? When I read the scriptures, I do not see where God looked down on any of the groups above. I do not read where He avoided them. I do not read where He judged them. No, when I read God’s Word, I see where He loved them unconditionally. Are we doing that? Are we at least trying?

Today, I would encourage each of us to examine what Love truly means in our lives. Are we living out the true meaning of Love? ~OC

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