I'm not Catholic, never have been, never will be...but I've been following the news of the new Pope since his election to see how he'd do in his first days and thus far I'd have to say that I'm impressed.
He seems to be a very humble man with a heart for Jesus and a heart for people. His refusal to live in opulence while others live in poverty was the first thing that impressed me. Then his comment about the church, how it should be poor because it's using its assets to help those in need. He more or less condemned the church for hoarding wealth while the people are starving. His heart seems to be truly where it should be and I have to say that it's a relief to finally have someone in a place of power who doesn't appear to want to abuse that power.
I know it's not good to place our hope in a person- and I'm not- but it gives me a little bit of reassurance that God hasn't left us completely to our own evil devices just yet...that there is still hope in our Savior and it's being expressed through those who are willing to give up all for the Kingdom.
Pope Francis made some comments in Rio this morning that were bold and probably upset many in the Catholic community. He told the Church to watch the young- that the youth were the future of the church, that the church needs the energy and joy of the young to shake things up. He said the church needs to stop following the status-quo, to get out of our comfort zones, to reach the lost and get back to a more simple Gospel that ordinary people can relate to. A gospel based on love, grace, mercy, and above all else, truth.
I believe that he's right. The church as a whole has dropped the ball, lost its connection with people. The church also seems to have forgotten that the WHOLE CHURCH is the army of God. We need to set aside our differences and work together as one, united for the cause of Christ. It shouldn't matter what building we gather in each week for worship, or what pastor leads us, or what name is on the front of that building. If we are Bible believing, God fearing, Jesus loving Christians then we need to be willing to work with others to lead the lost to the fold and stop worrying about unimportant doctrinal differences that we may have. What matters in the end is Jesus...plain and simple.
Reach the lost for Jesus, not for the Baptist, the Protestant, the Catholic, the Methodist, or any other denomination...it's ALL about Jesus!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
It's time to STAND UP!!
To my friends, family, and random readers...
Our world is in sad shape, as I'm sure many of you have noticed. It would seem that God has been kicked so fully out of our society that He's gone completely and has left us to our evil devices.
Our government is full to brimming over with deceitful, scheming, lying, Godless people and WE the people put them there. They've corrupted their positions and forsaken the Constitution they swore to uphold. They're slowly stripping away our rights and freedoms and it won't be long until we're no better off than those trapped in concentration camps during WWII!
Our religious liberties are being stolen at an alarming rate and those of us who claim to be true Christians are standing silently by, allowing it to happen. We don't go out and vote, we don't attend rallies, we don't write or call our reps to make our voices heard! Would Jesus stand silently by and do nothing to try to change things?
NO, He absolutely would not! He went to the temple and turned over the tables of the cheating money changers. He booted them out of His house and we, the people, should do no less!
Get out and vote! Write letters, make phone calls, talk to those who are voting for those who are corrupt and destroying our nation! We the people need to Stand up for Jesus, for God, for our nation. It's desperate out there and we need to fight for what's right.
Our world is in sad shape, as I'm sure many of you have noticed. It would seem that God has been kicked so fully out of our society that He's gone completely and has left us to our evil devices.
Our government is full to brimming over with deceitful, scheming, lying, Godless people and WE the people put them there. They've corrupted their positions and forsaken the Constitution they swore to uphold. They're slowly stripping away our rights and freedoms and it won't be long until we're no better off than those trapped in concentration camps during WWII!
Our religious liberties are being stolen at an alarming rate and those of us who claim to be true Christians are standing silently by, allowing it to happen. We don't go out and vote, we don't attend rallies, we don't write or call our reps to make our voices heard! Would Jesus stand silently by and do nothing to try to change things?
NO, He absolutely would not! He went to the temple and turned over the tables of the cheating money changers. He booted them out of His house and we, the people, should do no less!
Get out and vote! Write letters, make phone calls, talk to those who are voting for those who are corrupt and destroying our nation! We the people need to Stand up for Jesus, for God, for our nation. It's desperate out there and we need to fight for what's right.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Icing or cake?
It has occurred to me recently that many new believers are leaving the church. They come in and hear a few sermons about salvation, heaven and hell, they profess their faith, get baptized and a few weeks or months later they stop attending church. When asked why they've stopped attending, they respond with many versions of the same reason: I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. I wasn't prepared for what church really was. I guess I didn't know what I was getting into.
If you ask someone- believer or not- if they'd rather go to heaven or to hell...of course they'll say heaven. So it's like a sales job. Sell Heaven to the un-reached masses. Everyone who believes there is a heaven or hell wants to go to heaven.
But is that right? Shouldn't we be 'selling' Jesus instead? I know that sounds crass- we shouldn't be selling Jesus at all- but it's the best way I could find to get my thought across. Being a born again believer should be about Jesus and what He's already done for us, not what He's going to do for us in the future. Heaven is in the future. The cross is already here. We should be teaching new believers why they should serve Jesus for what He's already done for us, not because He's our ticket to heaven. I, personally, would love and serve Jesus even without the promise of heaven...that's just icing on the cake. I want the cake...the substance...and that's Jesus and the cross.
But that requires service, selflessness...and sacrifice. People today don't seem to understand what sacrifice is, what it means, or how to go about being sacrificial. It's not enough to say you're a Christian, to put a fish sticker on your car, to go to church each time the doors are open. Being a Christian means you have a relationship with Jesus!
How do you have a relationship with someone you can't see? How did husbands and wives nurture their relationships when one or the other was far away for years at a time back when a husband left his home country to set out across the sea in search of a new home to raise his family? They wrote letters.
The Bible is full of letters given to us by our Father in Heaven to enable us to learn about Him. They're letters from His heart about His heart...Jesus. Read the Word, spend time in prayer, build a solid relationship with the Savior...and then put it to use.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, support the widows and orphans, heal the sick, love the lost. BE JESUS to them and the only way someone can BE JESUS is by knowing who Jesus is!
Being a Christian isn't about Heaven. Being a Christian is about Jesus. Loving Him in everything we do and loving others as He loves us...Sacrificially! Be willing to love until it hurts. Be willing to give all He gave you!
Undecided seekers and new believers need to be given all the facts before making their decision. This world is getting harder by the day, falling further away from what God made it by the minute. We as the children of God need to be strong, we need to stand up and fight, we need to make our voices heard! That's no easy task in this day and age.
Don't make the choice to be a Christian just so you can go to heaven. Make the choice so you can have a relationship with Jesus today and spend the rest of your days showing Him how much you appreciate the sacrifice He already made for you. Keep your eyes on Him in the here and now and don't focus on what He's promised to give you someday because someday could be a long way off. Serve Him today.
To those of you who are established in your faith, who know what it means to have a committed relationship with Jesus, who sacrifice: Make sure that you're giving those who have not yet made a choice all the facts they need to be a real Christian. Love them like Jesus and SHOW them what it means to sacrifice.
If you ask someone- believer or not- if they'd rather go to heaven or to hell...of course they'll say heaven. So it's like a sales job. Sell Heaven to the un-reached masses. Everyone who believes there is a heaven or hell wants to go to heaven.
But is that right? Shouldn't we be 'selling' Jesus instead? I know that sounds crass- we shouldn't be selling Jesus at all- but it's the best way I could find to get my thought across. Being a born again believer should be about Jesus and what He's already done for us, not what He's going to do for us in the future. Heaven is in the future. The cross is already here. We should be teaching new believers why they should serve Jesus for what He's already done for us, not because He's our ticket to heaven. I, personally, would love and serve Jesus even without the promise of heaven...that's just icing on the cake. I want the cake...the substance...and that's Jesus and the cross.
But that requires service, selflessness...and sacrifice. People today don't seem to understand what sacrifice is, what it means, or how to go about being sacrificial. It's not enough to say you're a Christian, to put a fish sticker on your car, to go to church each time the doors are open. Being a Christian means you have a relationship with Jesus!
How do you have a relationship with someone you can't see? How did husbands and wives nurture their relationships when one or the other was far away for years at a time back when a husband left his home country to set out across the sea in search of a new home to raise his family? They wrote letters.
The Bible is full of letters given to us by our Father in Heaven to enable us to learn about Him. They're letters from His heart about His heart...Jesus. Read the Word, spend time in prayer, build a solid relationship with the Savior...and then put it to use.
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, support the widows and orphans, heal the sick, love the lost. BE JESUS to them and the only way someone can BE JESUS is by knowing who Jesus is!
Being a Christian isn't about Heaven. Being a Christian is about Jesus. Loving Him in everything we do and loving others as He loves us...Sacrificially! Be willing to love until it hurts. Be willing to give all He gave you!
Undecided seekers and new believers need to be given all the facts before making their decision. This world is getting harder by the day, falling further away from what God made it by the minute. We as the children of God need to be strong, we need to stand up and fight, we need to make our voices heard! That's no easy task in this day and age.
Don't make the choice to be a Christian just so you can go to heaven. Make the choice so you can have a relationship with Jesus today and spend the rest of your days showing Him how much you appreciate the sacrifice He already made for you. Keep your eyes on Him in the here and now and don't focus on what He's promised to give you someday because someday could be a long way off. Serve Him today.
To those of you who are established in your faith, who know what it means to have a committed relationship with Jesus, who sacrifice: Make sure that you're giving those who have not yet made a choice all the facts they need to be a real Christian. Love them like Jesus and SHOW them what it means to sacrifice.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Fan or Follower?
I started reading a book recently called 'Not A Fan' by Kyle Idleman. It asks a question that upon first glance doesn't seem like a tough question to answer.
But as I continued to read that question became a little more tough to answer without really thinking about it.
Are you a follower of Jesus Christ?
That's the question. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ?
The first time I read it, I answered right away, "Of course I am."
But the more I read, the less sure I became. Am I a follower? Or am I a fan? Let me lay it out a little as the author did.
A sports fan goes to all the games, wears the jersey, the hat, the big foam finger, roots and cheers for his team. He has bumper stickers on his car, season tickets, and maybe a cell phone case with his team's logo on it. He's dedicated to his team.
But he sits in the stands. He's never on the field taking a beating, risking insult and injury for the game, protecting his teammates...making a sacrifice. He's safe up in the bleachers. He's all about his team while they're winning but what happens when they have a losing streak for 3 or 4 seasons? He quits spending money on season tickets and bumper stickers, stops talking about his team, maybe even switches allegiance to another team.
Now look at that from a Christian perspective: A fan goes to church pretty regularly, listens to Christian music, has a fish bumper sticker on his car, maybe wears a cross necklace. But what happens when things get hard, when life takes a turn for the difficult and God seems far away?
How many people let go of God because they don't have a REAL relationship with Him? How many people are really only fans of Jesus and not truly following Him?
Following Jesus requires sacrifice. What have you sacrificed for Jesus? That's a hard question for many people to answer. It's a hard one for me to answer and I'm still trying to figure it out. What have I sacrificed for Jesus?
I've lost a few friends because I refused to do things that would have compromised my values. I've taken the high road and watched others have 'fun' because their fun would have disappointed my Jesus. I guess that could be considered sacrifice but compared to Christians in other nations who are giving up or risking their very lives it's nothing. Would I be willing to give up my life for Jesus if I was asked to?
Would I be willing to give up everything for Him like Job did? Or would I cling to earthly things that I love rather than sacrifice all for the One who sacrificed all for me?
My answer?
I would absolutely give it all. I know in the deepest part of everything I am, that I would give it all. If the work Jesus has for me requires that I be alone and he took my husband and children from me, then I, heartbroken as I'd be, would let them go because I know that no matter what, Jesus knows what's best for me. If I have to give up my house and my car and my business then that, too, would go. I can't think of a single thing on this earth that I would refuse to sacrifice for Jesus.
Because I love Him more. Because I am a follower, Not A Fan.
But as I continued to read that question became a little more tough to answer without really thinking about it.
Are you a follower of Jesus Christ?
That's the question. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ?
The first time I read it, I answered right away, "Of course I am."
But the more I read, the less sure I became. Am I a follower? Or am I a fan? Let me lay it out a little as the author did.
A sports fan goes to all the games, wears the jersey, the hat, the big foam finger, roots and cheers for his team. He has bumper stickers on his car, season tickets, and maybe a cell phone case with his team's logo on it. He's dedicated to his team.
But he sits in the stands. He's never on the field taking a beating, risking insult and injury for the game, protecting his teammates...making a sacrifice. He's safe up in the bleachers. He's all about his team while they're winning but what happens when they have a losing streak for 3 or 4 seasons? He quits spending money on season tickets and bumper stickers, stops talking about his team, maybe even switches allegiance to another team.
Now look at that from a Christian perspective: A fan goes to church pretty regularly, listens to Christian music, has a fish bumper sticker on his car, maybe wears a cross necklace. But what happens when things get hard, when life takes a turn for the difficult and God seems far away?
How many people let go of God because they don't have a REAL relationship with Him? How many people are really only fans of Jesus and not truly following Him?
Following Jesus requires sacrifice. What have you sacrificed for Jesus? That's a hard question for many people to answer. It's a hard one for me to answer and I'm still trying to figure it out. What have I sacrificed for Jesus?
I've lost a few friends because I refused to do things that would have compromised my values. I've taken the high road and watched others have 'fun' because their fun would have disappointed my Jesus. I guess that could be considered sacrifice but compared to Christians in other nations who are giving up or risking their very lives it's nothing. Would I be willing to give up my life for Jesus if I was asked to?
Would I be willing to give up everything for Him like Job did? Or would I cling to earthly things that I love rather than sacrifice all for the One who sacrificed all for me?
My answer?
I would absolutely give it all. I know in the deepest part of everything I am, that I would give it all. If the work Jesus has for me requires that I be alone and he took my husband and children from me, then I, heartbroken as I'd be, would let them go because I know that no matter what, Jesus knows what's best for me. If I have to give up my house and my car and my business then that, too, would go. I can't think of a single thing on this earth that I would refuse to sacrifice for Jesus.
Because I love Him more. Because I am a follower, Not A Fan.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Make him HEAR us!
I know that many of you are as weary of the goings on in our nation's capitol as I am. I hesitate to turn on the news now days because of what I'm likely going to see or hear. Our nation is on a slippery slope headed south and the people who are going to be hurt by it the worst are the conservative Christians. Our rights are being chipped away at an alarming rate and it terrifies me to think about the world my children will inherit.
Let's look at the numbers- According to a 2012 poll by the American Religious Identification Survey, 76% of American adults identify as Christian. That's a huge number of people. I'm sure that a portion of those people aren't sincere but let's for a minute imagine that they are. 3 out of 4 people say they are Christians in this nation. If every one of those people sent a letter to the White House demanding that President Obama stop pandering to the left and listen to the people who pay his bills, it might have an impact. If even half the proclaimed Christians in this country would stand up and shout, he would have no choice but to hear!
Right now the people who have his ear is the very liberal- and loud- minority. The LGBT groups, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, The Anti Gun super pac's who are lining his pockets. The reason he isn't hearing us is because for some reason Christians seem to think that we're not allowed to get angry, we're not aloud to shout or make ourselves heard! Well listen to this: In the book of Matthew, chapter 21:12-13 it says:
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.
13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.
Jesus himself got angry, made a whip, and made Himself heard in order to demand righteousness! He flipped tables over in his anger!
If we, the Christian majority, are to take our nation back, we must make ourselves be heard! We must stand up and fight for what we know is right. Jesus wouldn't stand back and silently watch while these things happened in front of Him and neither should we. Simply voting is not enough. We must stand up and make our national representatives hear us. They are there to REPRESENT us...not tell us what to do! We hired them, we pay their bills, we are the employers and they are the employees! If they don't do their job, we need to fire them!
Join with me in a letter writing campaign to the White House- The People's House (the one we've recently been kicked out of because the president doesn't want to cut frivolous spending) and demand to be heard. Call the White House switchboard. Be respectful because we are representing Christ but even Christ got angry.
President Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20500
Switchboard number: 202-456-1414
Stand with me and WRITE!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Christmas EVERY day!
A new year has come, the holiday decorations have been packed away for another year and the house has been cleaned up and put back in order.
But Christmas is still here. That's my New Year's Resolution. I said I wasn't going to have resolutions this year but I've changed my mind. I want to live with those feelings of celebrating my Savior and being generous and giving all year because I truly believe that's how God calls us to live- not just at Christmas time.
Jesus is everyday and should be celebrated and loved and shared every single day of the year! Why pack Him away with the holiday decorations? This year I'm not and I hope you'll join me in this effort.
My heart has been moved for the people of Asia- India specifically. My heart aches for the people there and I'm even praying about going there someday on a mission trip. A friend of mine is married to a pastor who goes to India every year so maybe I'll be able to join his team someday. What a blessing that would be! Join me in prayer for this if you will. But until the time when God paves the way, I want to do what I can from here.
So I've joined with Gospel For Asia to raise funds for Asian families in need. 100%- let me repeat that because so few charities do this- 100% of the funds you send go to their intended purpose. Those funds are not used for overhead or to line someone's pockets! How fantastic is that! 100%
That's why I've chosen Gospel for Asia because I wanted me donated dollars to count- every single one of them!
Please join me here: Christmas EVERY Day to raise money to send the word of God to Asia. And not just the word of God (that's the most important part) but things these wonderful people need to rise up out of poverty and reach out to others in their community. Things like water filters to clean the water they drink. Livestock- water buffalo, sheep, chickens, goats- that they can raise and harvest for cheese, eggs, milk, and meat to feed their families as well as to sell for income. It's a hand up, not a hand out! Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. What an amazing program! Please join with me in this goal. Send Jesus to Asia!
Christmas EVERY Day
But Christmas is still here. That's my New Year's Resolution. I said I wasn't going to have resolutions this year but I've changed my mind. I want to live with those feelings of celebrating my Savior and being generous and giving all year because I truly believe that's how God calls us to live- not just at Christmas time.
Jesus is everyday and should be celebrated and loved and shared every single day of the year! Why pack Him away with the holiday decorations? This year I'm not and I hope you'll join me in this effort.
My heart has been moved for the people of Asia- India specifically. My heart aches for the people there and I'm even praying about going there someday on a mission trip. A friend of mine is married to a pastor who goes to India every year so maybe I'll be able to join his team someday. What a blessing that would be! Join me in prayer for this if you will. But until the time when God paves the way, I want to do what I can from here.
So I've joined with Gospel For Asia to raise funds for Asian families in need. 100%- let me repeat that because so few charities do this- 100% of the funds you send go to their intended purpose. Those funds are not used for overhead or to line someone's pockets! How fantastic is that! 100%
That's why I've chosen Gospel for Asia because I wanted me donated dollars to count- every single one of them!
Please join me here: Christmas EVERY Day to raise money to send the word of God to Asia. And not just the word of God (that's the most important part) but things these wonderful people need to rise up out of poverty and reach out to others in their community. Things like water filters to clean the water they drink. Livestock- water buffalo, sheep, chickens, goats- that they can raise and harvest for cheese, eggs, milk, and meat to feed their families as well as to sell for income. It's a hand up, not a hand out! Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. What an amazing program! Please join with me in this goal. Send Jesus to Asia!
Christmas EVERY Day
Friday, December 28, 2012
Another year....
Hello readers :) Sorry for the absence and hopefully I'll be able to be back on more regular now that the Holiday season has passed. Speaking of holidays, I've learned so much this holiday season and I want to post some of my feelings and thoughts here tonight.
When I was growing up, Christmas was a time of family togetherness coupled with fun traditions and gifts. Some years had more gifts than others but I remember the thought was always the same- We're celebrating the birth of our Savior! One Christmas, the one that always comes to mind when anyone asks me about my most memorable Christmas, still stands out as my favorite and probably always will.
Daddy got laid off from his job just before Christmas so Mom explained to us that Christmas would be very small. And since my birthday is just a few days before Christmas, that meant that my birthday was small that year too- but as vivid as Christmas is in my memory, I have no memory of my birthday that year.
Mom decided to make our gifts that year and set out making matching dresses for us 4 girls and rag dolls. She got busy sewing while we were at school and out playing so we wouldn't see. A couple weeks before Christmas, Mom and Daddy took us to the playground at the school and while playing, Mom fell and tore her shoulder up. She was in a sling, her arm immobile for weeks so the sewing came to a grinding halt.
Well, Christmas morning we were awakened by the sound of someone pounding on our front door. The 4 of us girls raced to the door and pulled it open only to find no one there...and a great big wooden crate on the porch. "Santa" had brought Christmas to our house by way of the local Firemen. Inside that crate was Christmas dinner and gifts for all of us girls. In addition to those gifts, were the wonderful rag dolls that my aunt had come over and helped my mom finish. Mine is pictured below. I still have her and cherish the memory of that amazing Christmas. A year when we expected nothing and God blessed us with everything through a most unexpected source.
When I was growing up, Christmas was a time of family togetherness coupled with fun traditions and gifts. Some years had more gifts than others but I remember the thought was always the same- We're celebrating the birth of our Savior! One Christmas, the one that always comes to mind when anyone asks me about my most memorable Christmas, still stands out as my favorite and probably always will.
Daddy got laid off from his job just before Christmas so Mom explained to us that Christmas would be very small. And since my birthday is just a few days before Christmas, that meant that my birthday was small that year too- but as vivid as Christmas is in my memory, I have no memory of my birthday that year.
Mom decided to make our gifts that year and set out making matching dresses for us 4 girls and rag dolls. She got busy sewing while we were at school and out playing so we wouldn't see. A couple weeks before Christmas, Mom and Daddy took us to the playground at the school and while playing, Mom fell and tore her shoulder up. She was in a sling, her arm immobile for weeks so the sewing came to a grinding halt.
Well, Christmas morning we were awakened by the sound of someone pounding on our front door. The 4 of us girls raced to the door and pulled it open only to find no one there...and a great big wooden crate on the porch. "Santa" had brought Christmas to our house by way of the local Firemen. Inside that crate was Christmas dinner and gifts for all of us girls. In addition to those gifts, were the wonderful rag dolls that my aunt had come over and helped my mom finish. Mine is pictured below. I still have her and cherish the memory of that amazing Christmas. A year when we expected nothing and God blessed us with everything through a most unexpected source.
This year, I've paid closer attention to the way people act during this time of year. I saw people throw themselves completely into the preparations, going all out with decorations and food and gifts but leaving out the most important part- Jesus.
I saw people buy a few gifts, decorate a little, attend church, but otherwise behave the way they always behave.
I saw others buy tons of gifts and give them all away to families in need, Decorate their homes and invite the less fortunate in to share a hot meal while sharing the love of Jesus with them too!
I've also seen others not buying gifts, decorating, sending cards, or celebrating at all but quietly, secretly, giving to those in need, sharing Jesus at Christmas time just as they do all year long.
Which one do I want to be? Which path is God calling me to walk down? Maybe one of these, maybe a combination of a couple of them, or maybe a path completely different. All I know for sure at this point is that God is calling me for a higher purpose. He wants to use me to share His word, to do His work, to be His hands and feet. He doesn't NEED me...but He WANTS me! What an amazing God we serve! I know that my God could save the world on His own without my help, without anything from me at all...but He wants to bless me by allowing me to serve Him by serving others! WOW!
Another year has come and gone, another birthday behind me. In reading my Bible everyday, I've learned so much about my amazing God. I love Him so much. I adore Him and long to be with Him. I pray daily for Jesus to return because I'm impatient for it but I know that His time is far greater than mine. He knows there are still people whose hearts will turn when they hear the Good News so He waits.
What is God calling you to do? What path is He leading you down this next year? Will you listen or turn your back and run the other way like Jonah?
Part of what God is calling me to do is to raise funds for hurting people in Asia. People who've never hear His name. People who have no idea what Christmas is. People who struggle each and every day to feed their children and more often than not go to sleep each night hungry. My heart is heavy and burdened for the people of India specifically. What a beautiful people they are, some of the most strikingly beautiful people I've ever seen, but so lost. They NEED a savior! And what better way to show them their Savior than to provide Him along with their everyday needs?
Go here to donate- if the Lord moves on your heart to do so- and help me send sewing machines to Asia!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!! May God's blessings pour out on you.
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