Ever have great emotional highs? Where you’re like yes! I can do it! Everything’s going to be amazing! Only to then have such negative lows it’s almost like you had a bipolar personality switch. Like what was I thinking? This is terrible. I’m a failure. Why bother trying? And then you’re back to being hopeful before you sink down again just trying to remind yourself you can’t just sit there and take it all lying down. No, you must get up and try, right? But I’m so tired, do I have to? Can’t I just give up? And you pray, open Scripture, and look for signs on what you should do. Well, God doesn’t always answer in the moment and we’re left to figure out things for ourselves. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could call Him up and He’d tell us, “Oh yes, take that job, but it won’t work out a year from now. No worries though because if you wait about 5 months through unemployment, you’ll find your dream job after you meet the owner in a coffee shop.” Great, thanks God! Phew, now I know I don’t have to worry because you’ve got it all covered. Awesome right? Well, real life isn’t like that.
Three applicable Bible verses come to mind here. One is that God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). Good and bad things can happen to anyone, but sometimes this truth can be hard to endure. Naturally, we want to see the good triumph and our hearts don’t always want to love those who have wronged us. Maybe you’ve never wished harm on someone, but have you genuinely prayed for that tough person in your life? Have you gone out of your way to be nice to them when you’d rather avoid them? The world cannot experience God’s love and mercy if we don’t show them by extending His grace to them. Forgive seventy times seven. Again, easier said than done, but completely necessary if we truly want to be followers of Christ. Anyway, sometimes bad things happen to good people or good things happen to bad people. We don’t always have all the answers or the ones that we’d like. But we can know that God is still sovereign and will use all things for the good of them that love God. That much we do know, even if in the moment we can’t see it. The book of Ruth gives a prime example of this, when Naomi and Ruth are left desolate widows only for Ruth to end up marrying well-off, God-fearing, honest Boaz. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). In our instant-gratification society, it is harder to wait than ever! You get immediate feedback on social media when people like your post (if you’re on social media…), you get coffee (if you like that sort of thing) or (better yet) ice-cream in hundreds of different flavors, you can watch movies instantly on Netflix, and if you order from Amazon you can choose fast 2-day shipping. We’re used to getting things now and if we can’t, we go elsewhere. If we can. You can’t go anywhere when you’re stuck in traffic! However, I know that unless I have someone to talk to or a good book with me, I hate waiting in lines. I avoid them if possible. There’s a line? Forget it, I’ll just go elsewhere or come back later (with a book!). If I have to, I endure. Sometimes we have no choice. A lot of times we want answers or results now, but that’s not how life or God work. We have to wait. This is especially true of single people trying to find “the one.” You can’t rush into marriage just because you don’t want to be lonely! You need to make sure you’re compatible and dedicated to the Lord if you don’t want to end up divorced, which is all too common nowadays. If you are meant for marriage, it’ll happen. God knows what He’s doing. Blessed are those who believe without seeing (John 20:29). We like and want to know and see, not just trust and remain blind to what’s ahead. It’s like we have blindfolds on and instead of letting God lead us, we keep stopping and asking Him questions like “Are you sure this is the right way? Are you still there? Why are we going this way? Can I take the blindfold off and see where we’re going?” And God is there the whole time, guiding us in the way we should go, even if we stray and wander off the path. He’s waiting. He’s good. And yes, He wants us to TRUST Him! Again, easier said than done, but I’m learning! He’s shown me time and again He’s there, so I trust Him now more than ever. An atheist might think that with years and experience, people would give up the God “fairy-tale” and “crutch,” but time has only shown me just how much the devil and God have influence over and guess what? My faith is stronger than ever. My trust could still use some work, but God is most definitely real and in control. He knows what He’s doing, even when we don’t. Just because you feel He doesn’t answer your game of Marco Polo, God’s still in the pool and we’ve got to learn how to follow Him. While we’re still dog paddling, He wants us to walk on water. Scary, but keep going and keep trusting. He didn’t let Peter drown and He won’t let you go under either. Some people are scared to die. I never was; I was just scared of being left alone. Have you ever wondered how pain and grief work after you are “born again?” I did. At first. You see, I have not known major loss because most of my relatives are so far away. A few relatives have passed, but for me my strongest loss was my first dog. I wasn’t expecting it and was not prepared. It happened all of a sudden, within the course of 24 hours. Happy and playful one day, sick and then gone from my life the next. And that coincided with another loss in my life that I talk about in my testimony, but that’s another story. Anyway, I went as far as to tell one of my aunts that if my dog wasn’t in heaven then I didn’t want to go there! Now, I think the opposite. That even if nobody I know and love is there, God is enough and I want to be where HE is because I love Him more. So much so that I at first wondered if that would affect how I feel about death. What would happen now?
We live in a broken world, full of pain and suffering because of sin. Often, like Paul, we find our hearts willing but our flesh weak and we too fall into sin. We too must pick up our cross daily and die to ourselves more and more each day so that Christ can live through us. Nobody is perfect though. And nobody is invincible. We’re all human and still vulnerable to this life’s ups and downs. However, Christians experience grief differently. In death, we still have a hope of eternal life and a trust in God that all things will work out for the best. When life strikes us down, we know that one day there will be no more pain and no more tears. While we live though, there will still be pain, trials, and tears. None of that false prosperity gospel or “name-it-and-claim-it” mumbo jumbo. Stuff happens and we deal with it as best we can. God is not our personal genie. Well, they say be careful what you wish for and maybe that’s applicable here. Not that I wished for anything, but they also say God works in mysterious ways. In double in case I doubted it? Within days or even a week or 2 of each other (I don’t remember exactly…), I got an answer to my question. The first was when I found and held a sick baby blue jay as it died in my hands. Don’t worry, I had gloves on. And maybe you’re not an animal-lover, but I am. Since childhood and I’d venture maybe even from within my mother’s womb! It was sad and I definitely cried. Then my sweet guinea pig got sick and passed some time during the night. A deeper loss than the bird I’d only known for maybe less than an hour or 2. I loved my guinea pig like I loved my first dog. Your pet is like your child. Or maybe I just say that because I don’t have children and I would hope you would value your children more than your pets! But really, I’m just saying they’re like family. However, the major difference I found was that this grief was not lingering like it had been with my dog. I enjoyed the time I had with them, and trust God knows why things happen. I know they sometimes just happen without reasonable explanations or logic and we don’t always understand why. In life maybe we never will. I can’t tell you why, though I can guess a few things. What I will say is that while I was sad, it was not the same. Now I can turn to God and pray even in the midst of my sadness. I can also be sad temporarily without getting bogged down in hopelessness and grief. It’s okay to be sad. Jesus wept for Jerusalem and when Lazarus died, even though he resurrected him right after! Sometimes in life, we are going to cry whether we are believers or not. God is truly close to the broken-hearted and He has my heart above all else. He helps us get through it all and gives us a hope for the future. If you’re depressed, your mind is usually stuck in the past. If you’re anxious, you’re usually worried about the future. Though sometimes it’s hard to just live and be in the present, try. Also, if you’re focused on yourself, that sometimes does not allow you to see or help others around you. You stay stuck in whatever negative cycle of thinking you’re in and it’s hard to get out of that mindset. If you focus on doing something positive for at least one or more people around you, it’s something you can feel good about. Something that can lead to more positive changes and getting out of that mire and boldly into the world again. The answer isn’t simple psychology though. It’s God. Who knows where I would be without Him. I thank God every day for what He’s given me and allowed me to experience. He can help you use “mistakes” as learning opportunities. He sometimes orchestrates things in which you don’t always see His hand until after. He is the one that changes our hearts, gives us hope, renews our strength, and comforts us in times of sorrow. If you don’t have that, I hope you seek and find Him one day. God is patient, but we don’t have forever. Things would’ve been a lot easier if I’d found Him sooner, but then I wouldn’t be me and maybe wouldn’t have appreciated it as much. Our experiences shape us. All we can do now is keep learning and becoming better versions of ourselves. That can be a difficult task on your own, but with the grace of God, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Whatever you’ve been through, whatever your struggle may be, keep on keeping on and my hope is that one day you encounter God if you haven’t already. He’s not a miracle band-aid that instantly cures all your ails and worries, but He’ll help you through it and give you a peace, not as the world gives, but one that helps you find joy in the midst of your suffering. Nothing and no one can take that away. Don’t let the devil rob you of that joy with his lies. He came to steal, kill, and destroy. Do you listen to him or to God? Do you listen to God or to man? Don’t worry about what people think, but about what God thinks. Is your heart right with Him? If not, what will it take to make things right? We can’t do it on our own, so repent and ask Him for help. He knows what we need. If you want to try it alone, be my guest. However, that’s doing it the hard way and like the Bible says, what good is it to gain the whole world if you lose your soul? We have free will, but God is the best choice anybody alive can make. If nothing else, that I can guarantee! If you’re not convinced, all I can do is pray and hope you change your mind someday. Sometimes we put all our eggs into one basket, and when they don’t hatch or dreams break, we find we’d misplaced our hope. We all have talents and work to get where we are if we want to “be somebody.” Having a career is important to many people, but in the end on our death beds it will not be what is most important. It is not what God cares about. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? Did we help share with others around us what God has done for us? Or did we just live for ourselves and our own private ambitions? Did we just want to make a name for ourselves? Make our families proud? Be called a fancy title like “doctor?” If we wanted to help people, what kind of help did we give and will it matter in the long run?
My whole career (if you can call it that) has been a miracle by itself. I am more on the reserved/shy/introvert side and I had a hard time from the beginning. While there has been plenty of joy, there have also been MANY tears. What comes easy to some is harder for others. For me, I’ve struggled through various obstacles and I definitely would not have made it by myself without God’s help. Because of shame and fear, I’ve hidden my struggles. However, I now see everything is really a testament to the glory of God, without whom I really could not have done anything. While I’ve had supportive people to help me each step of the way, I’ve also had naysayers on my path. I was told by more than one person, one pretty high up in the rank at my college, that I wasn’t very good at what I did and maybe I should pick a different career. That hurt. I cried the whole rest of that day. I was almost at the end of my program and to hear that was a harsh blow and completely shook any confidence I had gained. Well, I decided to take a year off and work to gain more experience. I even took some classes and got an internship. I met an amazing and encouraging lady there who automatically dubbed me her new best friend (mine is God now but if you’re reading this, I love you!). Anyway, when I was afraid of going back she told me to go for it and trust in the Lord. Well, the first job I got was not a good fit at all. Completely opposite personalities and work styles, not a good mix. I didn’t even hear it directly from them, but I got called to their boss’ office one day and they said they were letting me go and again said something similar to re-thinking my career. Thankfully, because this was only a part-time job with very little hours, I had already gotten another part-time job elsewhere about a week before that. With more time now, I worked more hours there and closer to home and everything (even that first job) helped teach me things that I carried with me. Once the year was up, then came decision time. I had an anxiety-filled 3 full days of wondering what I should do, pour more time, effort, and money into going back to finish what I had started or settle with the job I had and go from there? In the end, I decided to go back because if I didn’t I’d always wonder whether I could have made it, and if I failed then at least I could say that I tried. I prayed to God to help me. Well, God put some wonderful people to work with me that year and I made it. I had a wonderful experience and everything previously had helped prepare me for it. I got my credential with God’s help. Then, still not feeling completely ready and deciding I needed more experience before trying to go at it on my own, I decided to take a different but related job. A step up from my first job in terms of what I could do, and I did this for the next six months. I was planning on applying for a job on my own when in that second to last month, I got hit with 2 negative reports within a week of each other. I was sad. I thought things had been going pretty well and yet almost toward the end and this happens? Should I then apply for jobs after all or wait yet another year and gain more experience? How did I feel about it all? Going out on my own? Scared. This was another blow to my confidence and I decided maybe it was a sign from God to wait. However, with the 3 strikes and you’re out rule, I was also taking a risk. I’d only been doing this for 6 months. Could I last another year at this job? I put my trust in God and said if He wanted me to, I could do it, but I knew that at any moment I could get that third strike and it would be over. So I prayed every day to please let things go relatively well. Relatively being the key term because if they went well, would I truly be learning anything? If it was relatively well, then it would be problems I could handle with His help. I leaned on God that year like I never had before, and guess what? He carried me through for a whole year on that tightrope and didn’t let me fall. He even put a new mentor in my life that helped guide me with her experience and knowledge. There were good days and no so good days and I made plenty of mistakes, but thankfully kept learning from them. And by the end of that year, when I was applying, a specific type of job popped up that wasn’t there the year before. One that I had specialized in and there was a demand for, but not enough people that had the credentials for it. I applied to one, only to hear back from somewhere else that that position had been filled but would I like to work for them? I was surprised, as this was one of the places I had not had a good experience at and I told them as much. Yet, they were still interested and after an interview and job offer, I didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and accepted. I put in two years here before God decided I was needed elsewhere. So much time, effort, and dedication… I love what I do and while I know I’m not “the best,” I put my heart into my work and I try. My enemy is time. There’s never enough of it to do everything I would like. Extra hours are not enough and I am drained after work, but I have learned so much already and I’ll keep learning and trying and working hard. Sometimes things don’t come easily, but God is good to those who wait. And even if He chose not to help me make it this far, I would be happy to follow Him regardless. I put my faith and trust in Him and trust that everything will work out for the best. It already has. What more should I expect when He has shown me time and again that I need to learn to lean on Him? His ways are higher than ours, so he might not have the same plans for me as I do or even as the world would. Even Paul knew he had everything he needed when he and Silas were in jail and singing praises to the Lord. The world thinking them accursed, but they knew God was with them. I may not always know what the future holds, but I know that I can trust my God who knows what He’s doing and works everything according to His purposes. In the trials, we must endure. Abraham was not granted a child until his old age, the Israelites wandered in the desert 40 years before reaching the Promised Land, and the widowed Ruth lost it all only to finally marry Boaz. Need I mention the book of Job? We can lose it all, maybe it’s a test like in the book of Job, but our treasure should be God above all else. Only then will we know true joy in spite of all types of circumstances. Without Him, we can do nothing. God, show me where you want me to go and I’ll try my best to follow. Maybe He wants me to focus more of my time on Him, and like He says, everything else will follow. We can’t serve both God and money. Only one can be our master. So what do we love more? Him or our career? God must be glorified in all things and if He is not, then maybe that’s not His will for us. Where can we truly live out our faith in ways that benefit others? How can we make the best use of our talents without burying them? My hope is that we all find our true calling (whether it is a ministry that doesn’t pay or a job that does) and if some of us need a little more guidance in this area then that God will lead us where He wants us and can serve Him and others best. Amen. In my life, God has shown me and keeps showing me how I need to rely more on Him and stop trusting in myself. He is the one that gives it all, and I am grateful. Sometimes things don’t come easily, but God is good to those who wait. Put your faith and trust in Him and trust that everything will work out for the best, for the good of them that love God. Even Paul knew he had everything he needed when he and Silas were in jail and singing praises to the Lord. The world thought them accursed, but they knew God was with them.
The following is a 10 minute testimony by Christian artist David Meece. He wrote a song that was translated into over 200 different languages, but he didn’t do it by himself. If he hadn’t become a singer, he could’ve become a stand-up comedian because he tells the whole story peppered with humor and it leaves you wanting more. Unless you’re super exhausted, you definitely won’t fall asleep here! Anyway, things are always better when we do things WITH God instead of trying to rely on ourselves. We Were the Reason Testimony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCOTxMnnqEc Here is the song: We Are the Reason by David Meece https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaUzSa3eYCA This originally started as an email to someone and then I thought hey, some these words could not only encourage this one person but maybe others as well. Believers should be helping to build up the body of Christ. Hence, this newly-edited post. And if we make mistakes, then like the Bible says, we can encourage and correct each other using the Word. Anyway, sometimes it's hard to live in a world that promotes things that are contrary to the gospel. As a "babe" in Christ, it can be especially hard not to look back when you've set your hand to the plow, so to speak. People might call you radical and blow you off, but you're not alone. Know that many people out there have been touched by God's love and the fact that it radically changes so many people and connects us all is one of the beautiful things about being followers of Christ. Once you've felt it, there's just no going back. You can't help but want to know more about this God that loves you and saved you and you want to share that love with others. People just don't understand because they don’t know Him. I wish the world were ready to hear, but the gate is still narrow. Even so, out of the 99, that lost sheep is worth looking for. Even if you help just one person, it's worth it. Keep being you, even as you keep growing in Christ. We all are still growing, and it's by the grace of God we've gotten this far in our journeys.
Think you’re too unworthy and God can’t possibly use you? Sometimes God uses people the world wouldn’t have thought possible. Keith Green for example started off as a regular musician (and apparently used psychedelic drugs) before he found Christ and became so zealous for the Lord. How can the world see the amazing transformations Jesus brings about in people and not believe? I think Paul has one of the best testimonies in the Bible. A hateful Pharisee dutifully following Judaic law, choosing to persecute and murder followers of "the Way," only to meet Jesus and become one of the most zealous Christians that ever lived? That doesn't happen for no reason! And then people sometimes think Christians have to be perfect, but even Peter made mistakes. He told Jesus he shouldn't suffer/die (where Jesus afterward said "get behind me Satan”), Paul rebuked him when he stopped eating with the Gentiles when other Jews came around, he cut off the soldier's ear that Jesus then healed, and he even denied Jesus 3 times and was still forgiven. We're all flawed, we all fall (sometimes unfortunately into the same sins...), but like Paul said, we all should be striving for holiness as if we were in a race and heaven is the finish line. The flesh may be weak, but the Holy Spirit can help strengthen and guide us. Now here’s a topic that can be very uncomfortable for Christians, especially when we put ourselves under the microscope and examine whether we are actually following Christ or are focused on our own desires and wanting to “be liked” by the people around us. Sometimes we compromise, thinking maybe just a little will not do any harm, but a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Give the devil an inch, and he’ll take a mile. No matter how small or insignificant, a little compromise here can lead to things you wouldn’t have thought possible before. It’s even taught in psychology as the “foot in the door effect” where a salesperson gets you to agree to something small like letting him talk to you for a few minutes and then you’re inviting him in and he’s showing you samples until you bought something you never had any intent of purchasing and didn’t really need. Sin a little now and you’ll only want more. You may regret it later, yet you keep coming back. I saw a comment online that is appropriate here, “Sin keeps you longer than you’d like to stay, and takes you further than you’d like to go.” Wise words that definitely have application in my own life, as I imagine they do in the lives of many.
Humans don’t always like to examine themselves, and many find it easier to point the finger at others. The ones that do point out the sins of others (hopefully lovingly, with gentleness) are often told not to judge others. It is not judging when you are not condemning someone, but pointing out their error according to Scripture which we can use to correct one another. The Word is a two-edged sword that convicts us. You can correct me just as I can correct you when we look to what God says about it rather than believing a way that seems right to man but leads to death. Some Christians like to think that “Jesus is love” and so he approves of everything and nobody goes to Hell. Well, sad to say, but that’s not how it works. People that think this probably are either not reading their Bible at all, or if they are then not in its entirety because they are cherry-picking verses they like. Taking Scripture verses out of context to support what they believe, imposing their own beliefs onto it, rather than letting Scripture speak for itself and teach us what to believe because God said it and His ways are better than ours. God is holy and tells us we should be holy just as He is. That is the goal. We are far from it and will only obtain it in death as His gift, not because of anything we do. We are not supposed to be friends with the world, but instead expose darkness and preach the gospel so that all may be brought to repentance and saved. He does not want anyone to perish. It is us that lose sight of Him and deviate from His narrow road. God doesn’t change. Just because Jesus “hung out with sinners and prostitutes” doesn’t mean he condoned their behavior. He was there to save them and always told them to “go and sin no more.” A Christian blog stated, “The Christ that told the woman at the well all about her sin and forgave her is the same Christ who appeared to Moses and said take off your shoes because you are standing on holy ground.” We too are still sinners and were lost in sin before He rescued us. He expects believers to repent and be born again. It’s not easy, but we are to take up our cross daily and follow him. The world will hate us because it hated him first, and no one is greater than his master. Don’t start plowing only to look back. The world offers many enticements, lust of the eyes and flesh, but it will all be gone one day. Stay away from sin and seek friendship with Christ, not the world. Seek God’s approval, not the world’s. Do not make idols for yourselves by loving the world or things in the world when we are to love God above all things. And when God said to love your neighbor as yourself, that means just as you would save yourself from falling in a pit, you are to warn your neighbor so they don’t fall in too. It is not love if we let everybody fall in without warning them. We must also be careful lest we fall. “In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them” (Proverbs 22:5). So avoid situations that would tempt you or put snares in your walk with the Lord and keep proclaiming the salvation through Christ that the world so desperately needs. The judgment day keeps approaching and none of us wants to be found a lukewarm friend of the world bearing no fruit. So let us “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). If you are interested, here’s a link to the short blog article I got the Christ quote above from: https://pulpitandpen.org/2015/07/14/living-in-laodicea-evangelicals-and-friendship-with-the-world/ Okay, big elephant in the room. I have to talk about it because it is so heavily portrayed in the media and often times is heavily biased and critical. So many people stereotype and have such strong hatred towards each other and I have to ask, why? Can I try to play mediator and have both sides hear me out? Please refrain from jumping to conclusions and read through what I have to say, then you can think about whether or not you agree and go from there.
I have to start by addressing the side that’s been the most hurt by this issue. If you are gay (or lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, whatever you identify as), whatever you may have been told, God loves you. If you have had a negative experience with anyone claiming to follow Christ hating on you, then I’m sorry you experienced that. No one deserves that. As Keith Green said once, “going to church doesn’t make you any more Christian than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger.” Now to the people, Christian or not, that are inclined to be prejudiced. Why? I honestly do not understand how anyone can hate an entire group of people over something like race or sexual orientation. That’s like hating someone because you think their nose is too big. It’s ridiculous. I know someone who had those hateful inclinations and we’d always have long conversations about why it was not good to stereotype. I went so far standing up against prejudice as to suggest that someone close to them would turn out to be what they claimed to hate just to teach them a lesson. Then I would challenge them to think about how they would feel if it happened to be me that fit into that category. Would they then hate me even though nothing else about me would change? That doesn’t make any sense! More complicated when it’s someone close to you right? Then why judge other people based on that criteria? How do people generalize things and discard everyone like that rather than judge the individual based on their actions? If a man is black or white, he can be either a good citizen or a criminal, but that doesn’t automatically make all people of the same skin color the same thing. A person, gay or straight, can be a nice person or a jerk. Homosexuality is no different from any other sin. Why do so many people like to single homosexuality out as if it is the worst thing in the world? Have you ever lied? Argued with your parents? Taken the Lord’s name in vain (saying “OMG” counts)? Loved ANYTHING more than God? These are just a few common sins. God hates all sins. He loves the people as we are to love them, not their sins. And we’ve ALL sinned. Anyone who says the Bible is discriminating and not inclusive against the LGBT community is not counting the parts that speak against all other sins. For example, that all sexual immorality is wrong, such as fornication. Someone might say it’s okay if the two people love each other. However, would you say the same thing if it was your husband or wife that was cheating on you with another? Do you have a friend or family member that smokes? You love them, but they’re harming their bodies and blackening their lungs, inching closer to death, just for the momentary pleasure that the nicotine gives them. It’s sad, but you don’t hate them do you? That is what it is like to sin. You get momentary pleasure to the detriment of your soul while God looks on in sadness, willing you to quit but knowing you have to be the one to do it. He won’t force you. Nobody can help an alcoholic that doesn’t want to quit. You have to want it. He wants you to want Him. If He didn’t, God would’ve made a bunch of robots to worship him. That’s no fun. He gave us free will, not to do whatever we want and end up in the pit, but to love and choose Him. Now, Christians, can you really expect the world to follow after a God they don’t believe in? Why would anyone think, “Hmm, you know I don’t think God is real but I love his rules and I’m going to live by them.” I’ve never met anyone like that, have you? Do you think they’re going to want to follow a God who they see as hateful based on our behavior? We are to be the light and salt of the world. Like salt on wounds, the truth can make people uncomfortable and even hurt in that moment, but we are to do it in a loving and gentle way. Only then might people go, “What a nice group of people. Maybe this Jesus is worth looking into.” Personally, I never got how a person who claims to follow Christ could tell someone they are going to Hell. We’re not God. Only God knows their hearts and futures, and whether He will lead them to the truth. Condemning people for things you may have even once done yourself is NOT helpful. God is the judge, not us. The only thing we are called to do is to speak the truth by sharing the gospel of hope we have in Jesus, use the Word to correct each other, and plant that seeds that only God can make grow. Back to the gay community, I agree that being gay is not a choice. You can’t help how you feel. Some people like chocolate, I like vanilla. Either way, all our behavior involves choices (how we act, what we watch or listen to, etc) and choosing to follow that lifestyle is not what God wants for you. Jesus hung out with prostitutes, as the Pharisees accused, because God came to save sinners. He forgave them and said go and sin no more. You cannot change what you like, but you can change what you do about it. No, I don’t recommend “conversion therapy.” The only one who can change your orientation is God if He chooses, but maybe He wants you in that orientation to help others? Some people claim to have been liberated of those desires, praise God. Others either find a unique partner of the opposite sex that finally attracts them while nobody else does or ever has, or some choose to live chaste lives for God. Pray about it and if God doesn’t take it away, you can still show you love Him more. He’s worth more than your fleshly desires. You may not be familiar with the Bible passages, but if you are interested in learning more, while there are clear-cut passages against homosexuality (among other sins listed), I think Romans 1:18-34 is interesting because it gives a short explanation of why God might leave people to their sins and the consequences of choosing to live a life apart from God. Perhaps it is one of those things that carries on through various generations? A few may have been raped or molested as children, or not had a father or mother figure (nor had the best role model if they did) and they might subconsciously identify more with whoever raised them and have a distaste and distrust of those that hurt them by either not being a part of their lives or by doing something damaging while they were supposed to be taking care of them. In these cases, it makes sense that someone would choose to go for the safe, comfortable route as we are all shaped by our past experiences. For those that had otherwise “average-joe” up-bringings and can think of no other reason these feelings surfaced, again, maybe the generational thing applies here? I don’t know. I know I’ve always loved the color blue, but I can’t tell you why. I got the blue piggy bank when we were little and made my dad get the pink one for my brother. When my dad tried to tell me pink was for girls, I said I liked blue, but not to worry because “pigs are pink” and my brother wouldn’t mind right? He didn’t care at the time and I still have that blue piggy bank to this day. Sometimes, you can’t help what you like or explain it, but that doesn’t always mean it’s good. A daredevil might be an adrenaline-junkie and entertain crowds, but they risk their lives and get injured or can die in the middle of a stunt, which I would not call a good thing. Don’t risk your life for passing pleasure. I don’t want to see you get hurt and neither does God. Am I your enemy because I choose to share the truth with you? I hope not. If I see you about to fall into a hole, I think it’s more loving to warn you about the hole than to let you fall in. What more can I say? Everyone makes their choices and yes, God will respect your choice even if you reject Him. I just hope you’ll consider what I’ve said and maybe learn more about what God actually says rather than trust what biased people may have said about Him. I may be biased, but it’s out of love, not hate. I’m not “homophobic,” what is there to be afraid of? I have friends that are LGBT. And if any are reading this, I hope you still consider me your friend that cares about you despite our differences in worldviews. Orientation doesn’t change my feelings of love and friendship towards anyone. I used to support “gay rights” on a social justice level, but I was ignorant of what the Bible actually said on homosexuality. I want everyone to be saved. I don’t support hate speech or bullying, and sympathize with your struggles. If anyone would like to talk with me about their experiences, either to clue me in on how your experiences match or differ from what you’ve found in Scripture or from others, feel free. I’m listening. I can’t guarantee I’ll have answers, but I won’t reject you as a person for feelings you can’t control. It is the Holy Spirit which convicts, cleanses, and renews us. We can’t do it on our own. It will never be the same on our own and we won’t do it as well as when we are with God. None of us can continue to live in sin when we follow Christ, and if you have not come to the Lord yet, then I do not expect people to leave their chosen lifestyles for no reason. If you want secular reasons to stop, they won’t be as good as God’s, but one reason is to prevent Aids so you won’t die like Freddie Mercury of the band Queen. Maybe you think it’s worth the risk, but don’t live an afterlife of regret when you could’ve done something about it. While there’s plenty more I could say, I will leave it at that. Since lately the subject of being transgender has come to the forefront of public discourse due to media influence and such, if you’re interested, the following is an article specifically about transgenderism from a loving Christian perspective. 5 Things Every Christian Must Know About the Transgender Debate https://www.thegoodbook.com/blog/news/2017/07/28/transgender-debate/ Scripture is one reason I stayed away from Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life.” I started to read it, only to find when I looked up the passages supposedly quoted in the footnotes, he had used multiple Bible versions including paraphrase versions that should not say what they claim. It was changing Scripture to promote “positive” messages. No wonder the world loves his book! We are not to twist Scripture and add or take away from it as these versions do. I only later found out he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing when I saw him lie on 3 different topics. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, he boldly said 2-faced lies and outright denied he had said anything to the contrary. When speaking to the Christians, he said he did not believe in gay marriage and called Christians to support prop 8, but when he was being interviewed by Larry King he lied and said he never said or endorsed such a thing. He’s in it for the money people. If you didn’t know that already, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news L Please don’t shoot the messenger as we do have to expose these things. Sure, we correct believers, but he outright lied 3 times on major issues that involve the salvation of the millions of people who may be following or watching him. While we should pray for him, I cannot help but think he’s not really a believer. If you don’t believe me, just watch him purposefully contradict himself based on his audience and let his words and actions speak for themselves. The moral here is to be careful who you put your trust in and test everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWidYLWx_js Apart from the title, I won’t say much here, but let Scripture speak for itself.
“In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:26-28). “and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:18-20) (see also parallel verses in Mark 13:11 and Luke 12:11-12). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil” (Matthew 6:25-34). “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). I am not a “King James Only” advocate. I believe God’s Word is preserved and translated for all nations and that means it cannot only be inspired in English. That would mean only the Anglo-Saxons are saved and that is NOT correct. God calls and saves people from every tongue, tribe, nation, and people group (Revelation 7:9). That being said, when I study Scripture, the main 3 I like to compare are the King James Version, New American Bible Revised Edition (Catholic), and English Standard Version. At home, I use the NAB and I’ve been taking it to church where one pastor uses the KJV and the other the ESV. So far, while there are slightly different words or sentence structures, the overall meaning is the same. However, we must also be careful as not all Bible translations are the same or good to use if you want what is closest to the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. The Spanish Latin American Bible, for example, is another story. I read multiple passages in there that do NOT match and would stay away from that one if you happen to have one. Even the Spanish Pauline version was better. Don’t always go for the “easy to understand” ones that paraphrase things wrongly (like “The Message”).
Music can connect us to each other in ways that other mediums sometimes cannot. So many people can relate to song lyrics because we each go through our own struggles and someone else puts it into words that we can’t always express ourselves. Sometimes it helps knowing someone else out there in this crazy world went through the same thing or just gets it when the others around you don’t. Music can keep you productive when played in the background while you study, cook, clean, work… Sometimes it’s not even the lyrics but just the catchy beat that uplifts you after an exhausting or hectic day. Whatever your reason for listening, music is wonderful and definitely appreciated around the world.
Even so, some years ago I did the unthinkable to the world and gave up secular music. I was called radical, crazy, extremist, a fanatic, and some people just gave me strange, incredulous, or worried looks or comments. No, I didn’t join a cult and I wasn’t brainwashed. No need to be concerned. I just started really listening to what I had been only hearing before. Not just the catchy tunes or beats, but what were the lyrics actually saying and promoting? Were these artists being good role models or were they dancing and dressing inappropriately in their videos and concerts? Whether it was true or not, some artists were claiming to have literally sold their souls, be possessed by “spirits” on stage, or outright worship and follow Satan. True or not, not something a Christian should align themselves with in any way. Light can have no fellowship with darkness. Did I then think okay, I’ll just sort through all the music, lyrics, videos, artists and weed out the bad ones? Sure, I considered that before going cold-turkey. However, I asked myself why I wanted to listen to any of it? Just because it sounded good? Songs often can and do get stuck in your head even when you’re not currently listening to them. What kinds of things was I putting into my head? Am I saying all secular music is bad? No. In fact, some “old-school” music generally seems nicer than what’s out there today and certain songs can bring about some nostalgia when they come on the speakers at my local Goodwill or somebody happens to be playing one. As for the rest however, why listen to songs that, if they don’t promote promiscuity or getting drunk, they make you focus on negative things? Even many love songs are about break-ups. I wanted my focus to be on God, not the world. I wanted to praise God more and focus on good things, not bad ones. Secular movies and TV shows are another story, but God’s working on it. He really had me cut a lot of that out of my life as well and my life is better for it. Now I’m more selective, but still have a ways to go. Generally, even if the world doesn’t get it, at least Christians who still listen to secular music can usually respect that choice. Now, here’s where it can get controversial amongst Christians. Some take it even further and reject certain types of music, such as rock or rap altogether. Here is where I think it is up to each believer to read their Bible and go with their conscience. The Bible says to test all things and hold onto the good while avoiding evil. If you believe it is wrong, then don’t listen. I don’t think it is something to divide over when we are to avoid petty quarrels. However, I do take it seriously enough that I believe it is like eating meat sacrifice to idols. It was important enough for Paul to discuss in Acts chapters 8 through 11. Go through and read it if you haven’t already. And while it is permissible to do certain things, that doesn’t mean we should as we should always be thinking of others. Don’t put stumbling blocks down for others. That being said, the following is for people that are looking for more than just K-Love. Even with the songs on this radio-station, be careful as not all are doctrinally sound and some are just from more wolves in sheep’s clothing looking to make money with generic lyrics that the world loves. Many have itching ears for “positive” and “encouraging” things, such as the false prosperity gospel, but will not listen to things that call them sinners in need of repentance. Love is good, but it’s not all about love. Especially when there is no mention of God and just the generic term “love” that could be defined any which way by all sorts of listeners. Where is the message calling us all to repentance? Songs that convict us with Scripture, calling out our sin or hypocrisy, and keeping our mind and focus on the Lord’s work? Provoking us to good deeds (as fruit of our faith, not as prerequisites for salvation) and not just paying lip service with our hearts far from him. Songs asking us and reminding us, what are we currently doing for God? Where is the fruit of our faith and repentance? The world shall know us by our fruits, but if we produce no fruit, they will not know we are Jesus’ disciples. That’s what’s missing in a lot of contemporary “Christian” music, and it is no wonder because the companies are now owned by secular recording studios that produce the music of the world. The believers have become yoked with unbelievers, and that has produced some bad fruit. Any good fruit is purely the work of God, who allows His message to flourish from human lips in spite of our sinful world. The psalms are full of poetry praising God and they say sing to the Lord a new song (even though there is nothing new under the sun). God just doesn’t like hypocrisy. Anyway, I happen to love rock. From the moment I discovered it and on, old-school classic rock to modern day alternative rock. I couldn’t get enough of it. Well, when I first gave up secular music I thought all that was out there was church music and K-Love. Not much variety there and definitely no rock. However, I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that I found a bunch of songs from older artists online that had even more powerful lyrics and music than what’s out there today. These songs actually talked about sin (sometimes specifically naming the sin), not being a friend to the ways of the world, judgment and the end times, being the salt and lights in the world. Truly Scripturally-based, and yet stuff you don’t hear on the radio today! All we hear today is about love, and some don’t even name who they are talking about so it could be a romantic partner people can substitute in there instead of God or Jesus. They could be singing to an “unknown” New Age, even female god for all you know if they don’t call Him Father and name Jesus. But what about the past? Back then, they had some fluff in there as well, but in general many of their songs seemed more meaningful. The musical styles also varied whereas a lot of today’s sound musically similar and repetitive. Not that I don’t like a few of the modern songs too. I do. Originals sometimes, but other times while I find the originals to be “meh,” I feel like they sing them better at my church than they sound on the radio. Like they sound more sincere and heartfelt. However, don’t trust me as sometimes there is a way that seems right to man but that leads to death. I don’t wish to lead anyone onto a path that seems right but isn’t. I just can’t help but think that if a Christian rock or rap song leads a soul to God then it cannot concretely be “of the devil” because a house divided would fall. While I don’t personally like most rap, I think it speaks to a lot of people out there and can lead them to Christ. I think I’ve heard a few sincere-sounding ones. However, I personally love rock and when I found Christian rock that was passionate and meaningful, I thanked God He let me find it. Whether it is like a nicotine patch for smokers who quit, or actually a “good” thing, it has helped me in my journey with Christ. Is it something I think I’ll need or be into forever? Who knows. All I know is that at this point, I listen to many of these songs because I want to be constantly praising and thinking of God, the body of Christ, and how I can better love and serve my neighbor. I will caution that even in the past, not all songs were or are doctrinally sound. Again, read your Bible and test all things. I don’t like every single song from every group, sometimes only a couple. The first ones maybe almost all. Don’t trust me, trust The Word that speaks truth and always pay attention to the lyrics and whether they speak actual truth or not. Stick with what you know and have if you like. However, if you are either currently only into secular music, are curious as to what this “crazy chick” is now listening to, or are looking for more than K-Love, then the following are some artists you might consider looking into. My favorites are in bold and runners-up in italics. I’ve also made things easier by featuring them in various playlists on my YouTube channel so you don’t actually have to look up anything but SeekJesus15 X on YouTube. If you’re into punk rock, definitely the Altar Boys and The Lifesavors (with an “o” not an “e”). Mike Stand from the Altar Boys also did some solo projects which were pretty nice. Undercover is pretty good too. If you want some softer rock but good messages, try David Meece, Steve Camp, or Joe English. If you want things you can dance to, try Kenny Marks or Larry Norman (not the best Christian example, but at least a few noteworthy songs). Want some good messages and more piano in your rock? Keith Green (he was passionate and seemed like a good Christian example when he was alive). If you’re into the harder rock, maybe try Daniel Band (I like many of their songs but not all), Petra (I only like maybe a dozen or so of their songs), or Jerusalem (I only like a few of their songs…). I don’t really like the super heavy metal types so if you want that look elsewhere. They exist, but I don’t find them “good” or even nice to listen to (jarring). You may disagree, but that’s my opinion. Classic rock? You could try Scott Springer, Forerunner, Allies, Halo, or White Heart. Softer rock? Maybe try Stephen Curtis Chapman’s first 3 albums (First Hand, More to This Life, and Real Life Conversations – For the Sake of the Call is pretty nice too but it’s 90s, not the same as the 80s stuff), Randy Stonehill, or Crossfire. Somewhere in the middle? There’s Rick Cua, Scott Wesley Brown, or Russ Taff. Miss the 80s? There’s also David Martin, Morgan Cryar, Randy Matthews, Rick Crawford, David Edwards, and Larry Bryant. If you like the blues, there’s Darrell Mansfield. If you like southern, country style rock try Brent Lamb. If you’re into 80s pop, try Farrell & Farrell or Mickey & Becki. Other mostly 80s you might be interested in: David & the Giants, Servant, Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart, Connie Scott (her Hold On CD), Don Francisco, Michael Card, Denny Correll, Michael James Murphy, Geoff Moore & The Distance, DeGarmo & Key, Barry McGuire, Roby Duke, Dion DiMucci, Crossfire, Benny Hester, Steve Fry, Chris Christian, Tim Sheppard, Paul Smith, Michael O’Brien, Phillip Sandifer (Constant CD & Keeping the Dream Alive), Sacred Fire, Sweet Comfort Band, Lenny LeBlanc, Wayne Watson, Gary Chapman, and so on. Miss the 50s? Like the blues or swing? Try The Lifters. Miss the 60s? Try Out of Darkness (psychedelic type), Sons of Thunder, The Crossbeats, The Envoys, The Pilgrims (early Beatles-type), The Joystrings. Miss the 70s? Try Chuck Girard, Dan Peek, The Imperials, The Archers, Steve Archer, Tim Sheppard, or Brush Arbor. If you’re looking for satire and don’t mind controversial lyrics: Steve Taylor. Be VERY careful with his lyrics though. I had to ask myself whether I liked a song based on the beat or what it was saying, and whether or not it would be beneficial to have a particular lyric in my head or not (satire states the opposite of what would be said in a more straight-forward song, like sarcasm, so again, be careful, test it, and only hold onto what is good). Speak Spanish and like older styles of music too? Try: Pueblo de Dios, Eduardo Santoro, Charlie Bustos, Marcelo Patrono, La Tierra Prometida, Vox Dei (a bit harder-rock), Libertad Divina (more modern cumbias), La Roca (there’s 2, one from Argentina and the other from El Salvador, both with some nice songs), Mexico 80, Generacion de Jesus, and El Rapto. For even more Spanish old-school styles try: Grupo Jaspe, Los Freddys de Cristo, Los Ex Pasteles Verdes, Enrique Gomez, Javier Morin Rodriguez, Josmar Flores, Eusebio Ramirez y su Grupo Fortaleza, Pedro Parvina, Oscar Ruiz, Oscar Medina, Gustavo Lima, Adrian Juniors, Pablo Patricio Rojo, and Polo Negrete. If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do, Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored Guest, And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best. And you would keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there; That serving Him in your home is joy beyond compare. But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door, With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor? Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in, Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been? Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard- And wish you hadn't uttered that last, loud, hasty word? Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out? Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about? And I wonder- If the Savior spent a day or two with you, Would you go right on doing the things you always do? Would you keep right on saying the things you always say? Would life for you continue as it does from day to day? Would your family conversation keep up it's usual pace? And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace? Would you sing the songs you always sing and read the books you read, And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed? Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd planned to go, Or would you, maybe change your plans for just a day or so? Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends, Or would you hope they'd stay away until His visit ends? Would you be glad for Him to stay forever on and on, Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone? It would be interesting to know the things that you would do, If Jesus came in person to spend a day or two with you. - Author unknown A lady went to a pastor and said... I won't be attending church anymore...
He said, may I ask why?? She said, I see people on their cell phones during the service, some are gossiping, some just ain't living right, they are all just hypocrites... The pastor got silent, and he said, OK... But can I ask you to do something for me before you make your final decision? She said, what's that? He said, take a glass of water and walk around the church 2 times and don't let any water fall out the glass. She said, yes I can do that! She came back and said it's done. He asked her 3 questions: 1. Did you see anybody on their phone? 2. Did you see anybody gossiping? 3. Was anybody living wrong? She said, I didn't see anything because I was so focused on this glass, so the water wouldn't fall. He told her, when you come to church, you should be just that focused on God , so that YOU don't fall. THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID "FOLLOW ME,"!!! He did not say follow Christians. Don't let your relationship with God be determined by how others relate with God. Let it be determined by how focused you are with God. |
DisclaimerWhile I love open discussions, not all internet users are kind. I'd like to build people up, not have others cut people down. Therefore, no comments, but feel free to email me if there's something you'd like to share with me. Archives
July 2020
Categories |