You are not alone...

If you have read my introduction, you know that I have survived much. 

Before I don't think that I believed I had survived it.  It's sort of the difference between surviving a car accident with a broken arm versus surviving it with a traumatic brain injury. You live either way, but it's a matter of the quality of life.

But worse than the abuse and the guilt and the fear was the loneliness.

The feeling that you don't belong.  That there is something different and wrong about you.  The fear that someone would take a look at you and know. 

The need to hide the sadness and the fear behind happy smiles and good grades. Sleep and alcohol.  Pills and drugs. 

You think that no one understands....
And sometimes they don't.   They can't....

I didn't get out of bed, not because I'm lazy, but because I can't pretend one more day.

I drink, drug, party, sex not because I enjoy it, but because for an hour the voices in my head are silent.  Or I cut myself because it's the pain I can control that distracts me from the pain I can't control.

If you've never felt overwhelming depression, panic, anxiety, fear, paranoia, delusions, you can't understand it.  You may doubt it is real or think it's over exaggerated.

IT'S REAL!!!
IT REALLY HURTS THIS MUCH!!
I'M DYING INSIDE!!!

But..there is an answer.  God can heal.  Tell someone!!  Preacher, Teacher, Mom, Dad, a Crises Counselor. Tell someone!! If that doesn't work, TELL SOMEONE ELSE.

Then you can begin to exchange Satan's LIES for God's Truth.  It's not a short journey or an easy journey, but I promise you can have peace and joy and happiness.

How do we reach the world with the Gospel?

Showing people a bible will not get them to heaven.  The book stores are filled with bibles and yet our culture continues to deteriorate.











Getting people into a church will get them on a pew, but not necessarily into heaven.  Again many churches as well as many prisons and rehabs.  I know you've never heard this, but going to church no more makes a person a Christian that being in a hen house makes a person a chicken.




I don't believe simply telling them about Jesus is the most effective way to get people to heaven.  Many churches, many televangelists.

But the only way to get them in to the kingdom of God is to show them Jesus.

People followed Jesus. His reputation as a teacher and healer preceded Him.  Even those who denied his Godhood know there was "something" about Him.

That is because Jesus was the express image of God the Father.  The attributes of Jesus are the attributes of God.  Jesus loved people.  He wept when people mourned.  He celebrated at a wedding.  He was a carpenter--He worked hard.  He spent time speaking with the Father.  He met physical as well as spiritual needs.  He preached in a way that everyone from scholar to slave could understand.  He spoke in pictures (parables) that people could connect with.  He was easy to connect with...approachable.  He is God, but the lowly task of washing feet was not beneath Him.  He points us to God.

Who are we?

We are Christian.  Followers of Christ.  The hands and feet of Jesus.  And like Jesus reflects the attributes of God, we are to reflect the attribute of Jesus. 

Read the attributes again.  How many of them do I reflect?  Does my reputation precede me--in a good way?

Our success in pointing people to Christ will be directly proportional to the degree we reflect Christ in our daily lives. Do I need to make myself more "user friendly"--not by compromise---but by letting love of God and everyone else drive our every decision.  When talking about things of God do I use lofty words or plain English.  Do people draw near or run away from you?

Jesus is coming back.  We must operate as though it may be tomorrow.  It may be.  Watch for the bridegroom.  Look to the heavens.

The Gospel

The pictorial gospel.  It seems so simple.  Maybe that's why it appears as foolishness to those of the world.

 1 Corinthians 1:18
 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we always want to add something else to the Gospel.  It may be our belief that you can not get "something" for nothing. 

Through technological and scientific advances we know more about our world than those in biblical times could even have imagined.  We have become very wise.

1 Corinthians 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

THE GOSPEL

We have a problem:

Romans 5:12
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
That comes complete with penalty:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,

1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

But God through Jesus provided a way out:

Matthew 1:23
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

John 1:14
   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 5:17-19

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
¹⁸ Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. ¹⁹ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

All we have to do is say YES!!
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:23
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 11:29
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
John 10:28
And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

John 17:3
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

And we're guaranteed a future:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Hope to see you in the air one day. <3
 

 

 

 

Freedom in Christ

Why when we have been made free in Christ would we didn't choose to be put into bondage again. Man seems intent on injecting himself into God's plan of redemption. Making some act on our part essential to salvation. It's the blood of Jesus and the right sign over the church. The blood of Christ plus the plus the right hair length ,dress length; is it pastor, brother, preacher or Reverend. It's the blood of Jesus plus music or no music; covered head or uncovered head; republican or democrat . Don't misunderstand me. The response of our devotion to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will direct our behaviors. However, our salvation is based on nothing but our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus' harshest criticism was never to the lost but only to those in religious authority who bound people under unnecessary burdens while usually themselves obeying strictly the letter of the law while ignoring the spirit and intent of the law.

This is near to my heart.  I have been in legalistic churches.  I been to church with people who were wonderful on Sunday and not so much on Monday.  Heck, I've appeared together on Sunday and drunk Friday and Saturday night. 

Our lives are the only Bible some people will read.  Will you be the one person who turns someone toward Christ or away from Him.

Oh and does your Facebook comments reflect the heart of Jesus?  I'm just saying.  Don't be condemned by what you approve of.

Scriptures on Freedom
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)


READ ROMANS...

"Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind" (Rom. 14:5).

"Stop passing judgment on one another" (Rom 14:13).

"Make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification" (Rom 14:19).

Keep personal convictions between you and God (Rom 14:22)

 

 

 

I love my church.  I want to invite everyone around the world to Whites Ferry Road Church in West Monroe, Louisiana.  It's worth the airfare.

 

A word of caution though. 

 

(There are sinners at my church)

 

They are everywhere.  Maybe that's why I felt so at home there.  Because our leadership believes, teaches and practices that we are all sinner and in need of a savior.  What's keeping you from coming to church? Coming to Christ? 

 

Is it your past..sins...hurts...?



God is bigger than that.  Let us tell you how to get peace and healing through Jesus Christ.

Is it your present...situations..sins..habits...?

God is bigger than that.  He sent his Son Jesus to die for us "while we were yet sinners" (Rom 5:8) and enemies (Rom 5:10). 

Are you waiting to get your "act together"?  Do you keep "messing up"?

God sent Jesus for that.  If we could get our "act together" and live holy on our own, we would not need the blood of Jesus.  He knows us better than we know ourselves and sees our hearts desiring to be closer to Him so much more than he sees our flaws. 

What about the future...?

You'll still mess up.  Just as you wouldn't throw your loved ones away for a "mess up", neither will God ever throw you away.  You were purchased with too great a cost.  And the blood of Jesus will cover as many sins as you lay before the cross. There is POWER in the blood of Jesus.  And your future in heaven with God, Jesus and your forever family has already been bought and paid for. 

All you need to do is put your faith in the work of Jesus and lay all your past, present and future in the hands of God.  And then tell everyone you know about the God of second chances; the God who heals and delivers; the God whose love you do not have to earn and can not lose; the God who says "I will give My only Son to save you" before the creation of the world; the God who can not lie and who keeps His promises. 

Do you believe what you what you believe? Part II

I'm gonna keep it simple. 

Due to events of my childhood, I have had a hard time believing in and accepting God's love.  I do better these days.  Most days.  I know now that God will never leave or forsake us.  We are not fatherless, orphaned or abandoned. 

 

If you stuggle holding on to feeling loved and cherished, listen to the words of this song.  Put it on your phone, iphone, ipad, ipod, kindle, laptop and desktop.  Listen to it when you feel alone to remind you that there are no orphans of God.

 



Jesus eyes

 Have you seen them before? Or someone like them? What do you imagine their story is?

 

ABUSE?                               DRUGS?

MURDER?                           PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS?

 

Do you move to the other side of the street?  Clutch your purse or your children a little closer? Or do you try to see past the exterior and see something more?

Can you see this little boy who wanted to be a fireman when he grew up, not an addict?

The little girl before the voices that she couldn't get away from? Before the bad people got to them? Before the RAGE...SADNESS...HOPELESSNESS.....?

 

Can you tell them that Jesus loves them?  That no matter where they've been, that Jesus died for them. That they can have PEACE...JOY....HOPE....?

 

Can you see them with Jesus eyes??

 

Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³ To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified



 

Do you believe what you believe?

Faith means nothing if it costs nothing.

Let's examine our "beliefs" and what they could mean in practical application.

2 Peter 3:9-The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Wait a minute...ALL!!??

Let's give that a little thought.  Do we really believe that God wants everyone to come to repentance?

What about Jeffrey Dahmer?  Read this article if you have a chance.
The Christian Chronicle: Did 'jailhouse religion' save Jeffrey Dahmer?

I believe that Jeffrey Dahmer's eternal destination is not my concern.  But don't some people deserve to go to hell. 
Murders, you know like Paul.  Maybe not a great example.

Adulterers, uuhhmm like David, uuhhmm a man after God's heart (Acts 13:22).

Ok..Ok.. but what about people who swear and curse at the mention of Jesus--denying to even know him, like Peter--upon whose confession the Church is built (Matt 16:18). 

Really looking into the people God chose, the people in the lineage of Jesus and the people Jesus associated with shows a pretty dysfunctional group.

Some were judgemental, selfish, alcoholics, murders, prostitutes, anger issues, and a host of other "hurts, habits and hangups".

It is not God's wish that any sinner should perish.  And we're all sinners (Romans 3:23).  BIG SINS little sins.  All sin worthy of death and hell. (Romans 6:23).  I'm glad that blood of Jesus covers all sins. 

Why I want a Tattoo...

This is the tattoo I'm getting.  Some friends wanted to know why I wanted a tattoo.  More specifically, the wanted to know why I would do something God forbids. (Leviticus 19:28
"'Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.).

I was reminded of two scriptures before I give my personal reasons.

1 Corinthians 6:12(NKJV)

¹² All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 10:23(NKJV)

²³ All things are lawful for me,^[a] but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me,^[b] but not all things edify

I believe that my actions are governed by two laws.  Love God. Love Everyone else. 
I have to be conscious of even my most innocent actions that may cause someone to stumble.

With that said, I want the gospel tattoo on my left inside wrist.  When I meet anyone and everyone, I'll be declaring my allegiance.  Unapologetically. Unequivocally. Out loud and on purpose.  I'll be opening myself to judgement from Christians and the world alike. People will know what I claim and watch to see what I do.  It's human nature. 

I declare that Jesus is my Savior and it's as permanent as this tattoo.  I also believe that something go to heaven with you.  Jesus still had his scars when he rose.  Maybe I'll have my tattoo in heaven.