Monday Comfort (Day 2)

Day 1: Sunday - Palm Sunday
Day 2: MONDAY
Day 3: Tuesday
Day 4: Wednesday
Day 5: Thursday
Day 6: Friday - Good Friday
Day 7: Saturday
Day 8: Easter Sunday!

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." - NLT

It's a Monday.  If you're not a morning person (and I'm not) Mondays can be the slowest point of the week.  Especially Monday mornings...

While my instincts want to complain and be grumpy that it's the beginning of a long long long (did I mention long) week, I'm taken-a-back by what Jesus says on the Sermon on the Mount.

We are the city on the hill.  We are supposed to be the light of the world.  We should be thankful and grateful that we have even woken up this morning.  There are people out there that did not wake up, that did not get the opportunity to bless someone else's day.  I mean come-on, there aren't too many better feelings than blessing others!

Every day just gives me another opportunity to do God's work and be the salt and light of the world.  So why am I grumpy about having to wake up at 6:40?  I have friends/co-workers that wake up at 5!

PLUS, I don't know about where you guys are waking up, but where I am, it's a ridiculously beautiful day.  "I got birds flying high, sun in the sky, breeze drifting on by...and I'm feeling GOOD."

Day 2 reflection: Work on becoming the salt of the earth and light of the world and be more appreciate with the fact that I've been giving another day to be God's workmanship.

Who Do We Think We Are? (Day 1 - Palm Sunday)

In an effort to get back to blogging on a semi-normal basis, I'm going to ATTEMPT to blog every day during the most important week in the Christian Calendar: Holy Week.

Day 1: TODAY - Palm Sunday
Day 2: Monday
Day 3: Tuesday
Day 4: Wednesday
Day 5: Thursday
Day 6: Friday - Good Friday
Day 7: Saturday
Day 8: Easter Sunday!

Matthew 21:9 - "The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is her who comes in the name of the Lord!"  Hosanna in the highest heaven!" - NIV

Jesus came into Jerusalem riding one of the humblest of animals: a donkey.

The King of kings, who could get anything he ever wanted came in one of the most humiliating ways.  Think about that for a second...

We come in with our degrees and expected lifestyle acting like people OWE us respect. We DESERVE respect because of who we are.  I mean don't you know who I am?

Don't you know who Jesus is!?  He came to serve.  Yea, he could've came on a white stallion but he didn't. Matthew 21:5.

That idea really makes you think.  Why do I do what I do?  Why am I a paralegal?  Why am I a person that tries to love others?  Is it because I want the recognition.  Because I want to get the respect that I feel like I deserve?  But wait...respect is the last thing I deserve.  So why am I constantly acting like I'm all that and a bag of skittles?  When my role model, my best friend, my savior, my GOD came here to serve.

Who do we think we are? to take the song title from Mr. John Legend.

Day 1 reflection:  Stop acting like I'm entitled to having respect; I should be doing what I'm doing because it's the right thing to do aka out of love.

I know who Jesus is and that's all he wants: love.

Watch Your Back

A fact that has been brought to my attention while reading the Word is that Jesus had 12 disciples and he chose these 12 disciples. Some of you might be looking at me incredibly weird right now saying "duh" but think about it.  Jesus had 12 disciples.  He had plenty of followers.  But there were only 12 that he called disciples.  If you're like me, sometimes you forget that he had a host of "friends" following him, but he chose 12 men to be his real friends.

Take a moment for that to sink it.

He had hundreds of followers.  Hundreds of people that "adored" him.  Hundreds of people that tried to watch him perform miracles and wanting to touch the hem of his garment.  And hundreds of people 3 years later shouted at the top of their lungs "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Wait...so what you are telling me is that those people that followed him.  That was always around him, supporting him during the good times were essentially the same people that turned their backs on him when times became rough?  Does that sound familiar to your life (well maybe not the hundreds but you get the point)?

Once again Jesus is the perfect model to teach us that we really need to choose our friends carefully.  We need to watch who has our ears.  We have to guard our hearts.  We need people that will uplift us, not bring us down even if they don't fully explain what we are going through (as was the case with the disciples).  I'm not necessarily making the argument that you need exactly 12 friends, but I'm going to blunt with ya'll here: not everyone is your friend. As a matter of fact, not everyone is meant to be your friend.  It's up to you to discern those that are really your friend and those that are just your followers (or as I like to call them, acquaintances).

Lets be honest, out of those 12 friends Jesus chose one of them, Judas Iscariot, ended up stabbing him in the back.  Which, if we were to translate to our lives, we need to realize that those people that seem to have our backs might have some hidden agenda that will eventually come out and hurt us.  We need to be aware that we all have these sinful desires lurking inside of us and every once ina while it comes out.  But don't let your Judas ruin all your friendships forever.

Jesus didn't stop with the 12 disciples.  He narrowed the 12 down to 3. What I would argue were his "best friends," James, John, & Peter.  These were the three he took up with him to the mountain where the infamous "Transfiguration" happened.  None of the other friends saw him at the peak of his glory because quite frankly, they probably couldn't have handled it.

Even his best friends gave up on him for a time.  They weren't very confident when he was he was being crucified   So what does this tell us?  It tells us that people will let us down.  It's not wise to put all of our eggs into the basket.  But when it came down to it, the 12 disciples became the 12 Apostles and the 3 best friends all have major publication in the bible.  Peter's crazy self if found all around Acts as well as 1 & 2 Peter (where Paul sent a letter to him).  John is the author of the Gospel of John (not 1 & 2 John).  You guessed it, James is the author of James.

If you didn't feel like reading this entire thing and just want the bottom line here it is:

• We need to watch who has our ears; we need people around us that will uplift us.
• Not everyone that's around you is your friend.
• Even within your circle of friends, we should develop the inner circle

In essence: we just need to watch our backs and guard our hearts.

--MJA

Real Leadership

Who's the greatest?  Throughout the Gospel of Luke, Jesus' disciples had a quarrel about that question at least twice.  (Obviously Jesus was the greatest, but amongst the disciples was the question) In both situations, what is Jesus' response? "...for the least among all of you is the greatest." (9:48b)  Huh?  That's an interesting paradox.  But it fits into the upside down kingdom that Christ is establishing.  But still, that's a very ominous statement...

The second time this question arises, Jesus, since they didn't understand the first example, gives them a second analogy.  He says, "For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at table?"  This seems like the logical stopping point right? Well not for Jesus, he answers his rhetorical question, "But I am among you as one who serves." (22:27)

Jesus knows that the best way to make a point is to lead by example.  Jesus didn't come onto this earth with a mighty vengeance   No, he came through the lowliest of lowly people, times, and predicament   He didn't have a lot of money.  He never asked for anything from anyone.  He just served.  He just gave.  Gave with his life.

Jesus is the head.  But acted as the tail.  He is above.  But came from beneath.

One thing I'm slowly learning is that the things that this world cherishes, the Lord tells us to stay away from.  Money. Power. Greed. Influence.  That's not what being a disciple of Jesus is all about.

We are all leaders of something whether we recognize it or not.  The best leaders however, are the ones that put their constituents greater interests before their wants.  I urge everyone to reconsider how you lead.  Not only that, but to reconsider the motivation for said leadership.  Do you lead because it makes you feel important?  Or do you lead so that others may be drawn to the love of Christ through your actions.

I've said it before, and I am going to say is again, Jesus is the greatest man I know.  He set the bar extremely high for those of us that strive to be like him.

I like to think that I am a good leader.  But, my motivation isn't always in the right spots.  It's about the welfare of the whole, not the captain.

Another topsy-turvy Jesus example courtesy of the Luke!

Stay Blessed Everyone & Thanks For Reading!
--MJA

Righteous Anger

I don't know about you, but I grew up thinking that I shouldn't get angry.  Implanted in my brain was the idea that getting angry actually is a sign of weakness.  Not being able to control your beast mode of sorts was irresponsible; that the bible tells us not to get angry.

Boy was I wrong!  The bible doesn't tel us not to get angry.  It just reminds us to be slow to anger. (Proverbs 14:29)  Quite Frankly, there are some things that ought to get us angry.  The injustices in the world, children being killed, women being gang raped in India (if you don't know what I'm talking about Google it).  These things should get our blooding bubbling.  Make us feel queasy at society because if you haven't noticed, society is on a highway to Hell with no turning back!

No my friends, getting angry is a natural feeling.  But let me offer some advice here: we need to watch HOW quickly we get angry and WHAT makes us angry.  If every little offense gets you whipped up ready to fight someone then you might have what we call an anger problem.

I'm going to make a premise here, that the Holy Spirit actually can convict us to get angry.  It can convict us to feel some type of way about an injustice and spring into action.  Martin Luther King Jr was angry at the injustices that was happening to black people.  All of those passionate speeches wouldn't have come if there wasn't some righteous anger.  The Holy Spirit also gives us the ability to discern the difference between righteous anger.  I'm under the full belief that if you angry because of an offense to yourself, then it's probably not righteous anger.  However, if you are angry on behalf of other people, your chances improve.  Jesus tells us in John 15:13 that, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." (NLT)

But it goes beyond that!  The difference between righteous anger and worldly anger can be summed up to one word: reason.  When we allow the worldly hate penetrate our hearts we tend to lose reason.  See with righteous anger, you won't lose reasoning.  With righteous anger, you see the offense, and you want to do everything possible to remedy said offense.  But here's the kicker: within reason.  MLK knew that he would probably have to die in order for true freedom to be accomplished.  So it was reasonable for him to not be afraid to go into Birmingham (which was affectionately known as Bomingham), Alabama to fight for those he loved.

The second way you know whether you are righteously angry can be boiled down to a second word: hate.  1 John 4:20 is very clear when it says : "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (NIV)  When you get to the point where you hate someone for what they did, you need to take a stepback.  You can dislike the sin that they are committing, but my friends, you cannot hate the person. Righteous Anger tells someone or a group of people, "I love you but what you are doing is wrong, it's hurting other people, and I can't let you do that anymore."

What better example of righteous anger than Jesus' anger.  All throughout the Synoptic Gospels the same story (in slightly different ways) is told of Jesus' Anger.  Let's take it from Mark 11: 15-17 (no particular reasoning in just choosing Mark)

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’" (NIV)

I'm going to end the blog with this.  Lets look at it this way.  Jesus went into the temple saw how various people were defacing it.  So he stopped all the activity and turned over the tables.  Why?  Because they turned the temple into something that it wasn't supposed to be.  You can't go into a house of prayer when there are marketers and livestock selling their goods.  He was righteously angry at what was going on.  But did you notice, he didn't tell the people that he hated them nor did he do anything beyond reason.  He didn't see red to steal an idea from Kevin Hart.  He did what he had to do and then moved on.  

That right there is righteous anger.  It's not the most popular thing in the world because even with righteous anger you will be scrutinized in the world.  However, you won't have any hate in your soul therefore you didn't sin.  Remember be slow to anger.  The world will always judge you.  So just remember to Do You Boo-Boo (sorry, another Kevin Hart reference. haha).  Be yourself and keep your head on your shoulders.

--MJA

Christian + Man = Paradox?

This post is strictly for the brothas.  Women, you can read it if you like, but it's about time I write something for men!

This is what the world tells us:

Christian + Man = A Paradox.

I mean how can a real baddd man. Be like Jesus?  Be a humble, meek, loving, man.  These values are completely different than what I grew up with.  A real man doesn't back down from nuthin!  A real man takes care of his family and himself.  A real man doesn't let no-one tell him nothin!  A real man does what he wants at all times.

Ok, maybe I'm going a little extreme.  But that's some of the values, albeit exaggerated  that I grew up with.  I grew up with the idea that I had to be Da Man.  Now don't get me wrong, I didn't learn that from my dad, but in the streets, in the schools that's what I saw.  I saw that we were graded upon how many girls numbers we had.  How many fights we've been into.  Basically, we were striving to be Samson (Judges 13-16)  Ya know, the things that are really important.  Just another typical story of an urban born boy.

But then, I grow up and run into this man called Jesus.  Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus was a smooth operator.  When those Pharisees and Sadducces tried to trick him, Jesus basically told them: "nahhh man,  you can try to trick me, but I'm smarter than youuu."  But here's the kicker, most of the times Jesus did a marvelous, miraculous miracle  he told the healed not to tell anyone what happened (of course they did it anyway).  He was meek in the sense that he wasn't looking for a fight.  He was looking to love people and save them.  He wasn't a Macho Macho Man in the earthly sense however, he fought and died for what he believed in.  The hardest thing for me to wrap my head around is the fact that Jesus was humble and selfless.  He did the will of his father regardless how much it hurt him.  Not my will but thy will be done right?

So how does this translate to the 2012 man?  It's hard.  It's hard to be a man in this day and age.  For me personally, it's hard to be a man of color in this day and age.  I have people around me that all they care about is money.  I have my fellow men of color in the hiphop genre that talk about 1 of 3 things 95% of the time: sex, drugs, or money.  I have the pressure from women to be different...to be different that all my bros that are leaving their women because they can't handle the responsibility   I got my bros that have absolutely no respect for other women while just seeing them as a trophy to obtain.

And ya know, if I'm going to be completely honest, I bought into that lifestyle for a little while.

Thenn, I have the church, (which is mostly filled with Holy Ghost Women) trying to tell me to break from the norm.  Trying to tell me get involved in the church because the kids need more (black) male influences. And don't get me wrong, theres nothing wrong with that, but there's an inherited problem...Where are all my Christian Men at??

You want to know what a real man is?

A real man is a man that loves, protects, and cherishes the ones he cares about.  He doesn't walk out on his responsibilities just because it got tough.  Sure, Jesus complained about the pain and agony he was in.  But when it all was said and done, he got the job done.

A real man knows how to exhibit self control.  Yea there's a lot of temptation out there.  Ya got pretty ladies dressing in skimpy dresses and outfits just begging to be holla'd at.  But ya know, I got to say this: There are things more important than sex.  There's a thing called love (which I, personally am still on the look-out for). I know its tough...but as a man, we gotta be man enough to control that urge inside of us and keep yo' zipper up!

A real man endures.  He doesn't give up.  Regardless if he has the entire world mocking him.  Regardless if he has people calling him a liar, a cheater, a deceiver   He knows in his heart of hearts, that he's doing the right thing.  They mocked Jesus, called him a hypocrite, called him the "King of Jews" and you know what Jesus said to that? "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."(John 18:37)  I am defined by what the Father sees of me, not by a statistic.  Not by a news article.  Not by a blog.  I am a child of the most high God.  What he views of me is what's important. Real Talk!

Finally, a real man submits.  He knows when he needs help.  He isn't afraid to call for back up.  He's prideful enough to not give up, but he's humble enough to ask for help.  And I don't just mean spiritually.  But I mean physically.  We need the help & support of other men because the world (including the women around us) just do not understand what we go through.  The struggles, the issues that we have.

A real man steps up to the plate.  The church needs us men.  Ladies, I love ya'll, but the church is yearning for men of God to step up.  I get tired, I got annoyed, I get heart broken when I survey the congregation and its over a 2-1 ratio between women and men.  I feel like I'm at Messiah College all over again!  Yes, statistically  there are more women in the world than men.  But I promise you that the world's population is 66% women while 33% men.  So why is it like that (sometimes even worse that that) in our churches? We need to step up and take our places, our roles in the church more seriously.  Women, I love you, you are doing a great job. BUT, we, as men, need to step up and take some responsibility   Not just over our kids, not just over our stuff, but over other people's issues.  It's not about me me me...It's about learning about me and figuring out how I can help you and then helping you!

It is not a paradox to be a Christian Man.  I repeat it's not a paradox!  Jesus was a man's Man.  He got his business done even to the death.  He rarely whined and complained, but handled his responsibility   He didn't shoot up those that he didn't agree with.  He didn't give people black eyes cuz they were lookin at his girl (metaphorically speaking).  He defended himself with words.  Made people look like fools.  When it all came down to it, he accepted his duty in this life.  He submitted to the authority of his Father, he loved and took care of those around him, and he, unlike David, exhibited self-control like none other.

Now let me be honest, I'm not perfect. I don't do all these things well. When I write this blog, I have a mirror in front of my face. But what I do know is that:

Jesus is the Greatest Man I Know.

Just...Empty Me.

I went to a bible study today with my pops and I particularly enjoy this bible study because the pastor legitimately does an exegetically (verse-by-verse) rendering the scriptures.  Currently they are working their way through Paul's letters and tonight we focused on Phillippians chapter 2 in the entirety.  Now, this was my first time reading any part of Phillippians in my known memory but when I read the first part of the chapter I was hit...hit hard.

Phillippians chapter 2 focuses on the church in Phillipi and how they should treat each other (as most of Paul's letters were about).  This specific chapter focused on humility   It focused on imitating Christ's Humility.  Now I know the phrase that the person who says that they are humble usually isn't   But, I honestly thought I had the humility part down.  I mean, as a man, as a young man,, as a young black man, I have my family, my community telling me to take pride in who I am.  As a former choir director, I would have constant people coming up to me telling me how good of a job I have and etc.  And anytime something like that would happen, I would always say that it's not me, it's alll the Lord. I would consistently iterate that I am nothing but God's willing vessel.  With that mindset, I was golden.  I felt good.  I felt like I wasn't taking too much or basically any credit.

But then, during the bible study.  I was hit...

In Phillippians 2:3, Paul says: "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves." Wow...regard others as better that yourselves.

That got me thinking, how often am I lifting up other people.  I find myself too often worrying about getting my own, at times puffing my esteem, my ego up at the expense of others and here the Bible is telling me to view people as being better than me.  That's what real humility is.  When you look around your house, your church, your workplace, your school and you see the talents and abilities that other people have.  Or you see how other people may not have had the same opportunities you had or else they might even be better than you! When you look at life, when you look at your brother  when you look at your sister that way.  It changes how to treat people, how you value people, how you looove people.

Paul continues with the next verse by saying  "Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others."  We all have our own ambitions.  We all have our own aspirations.  Which is fine.  But we need to look at how our dreams, how our ambitions work with the Kingdom.  When it all comes down to it, we need to help each other.  Love your neighbor as yourself right!  I'm not saying throw away your entire career, but I am asking you why is that your career?  If you are doing EVERYTHING to the Glory of God, then when it all comes down it, you are looking into the interests of others.

Am I really doing that?  All this focus on me...me...me.  How am I really furthering the Kingdom when I'm worried about myself?

And thennn Paul really hit the nail on the coffin when he brought Jesus into this.  I mean, look at Jesus, he was/is God.  He legitimately humbled himself as a human, felt all the pain and the suffering that we do and then some.  And why did he do it?  To advance the kingdom.  "Not my will but thy will be done."  Completely humbling.

If you keep on reading the chapter, Paul talks about Jesus and how he "...emptied himself, taking the form of a slave...and became obedient to the point of death."  Whoa.  And when I read that, I immediately thought of the song Empty Me.  Empty Me was one of the last songs I directed for the United Voices of Praise (Messiah College Gospel Choir).  And the chorus goes:

Empty Me;

Empty Me, yea.

Fill, won't You fill me.

With You.

And I desperately want that.  I want more. I want more. I want more of you Jesus.  Teach me how to put the interests of others before me.  Teach me how to look at your creation as better than myself.  I need it.  I'm making this my prayer.

The final thing I'm going to say is that, there's another song that instantly popped up in my head.  It's from my newly-found favorite contemporary artist Matthew West.  For anyone that's reading this blog, I want you to consider this song.  Listen to it, and try to decipher how it makes you feel.  I know how it makes me feel...

Love God.Love People

--MJA

Truth Is I'm Tired

I know that I said I wasn't going to blog for a while, but this has entered into my heart like a fire.  Like a raging, rushing river.  I'm just disgusted.  Epically Disgusted at what I've seen.  What I've read.  What I've heard.  We...are killing each other.  We are drawing people away from the Truth.

If I was to sum my Christian beliefs in a 4 Point Sermon, I would say:

1. Jesus Lived

2. Jesus Died

3. Jesus Rose

4. He's Coming

Am I missing anything?  Did I omit anything?  Where's my talk about the hatred of homosexuals?  Where is my debate about Abortion?  Where's my controversial decision to pray in schools?  Oh wait, that's not there.  You know why?  Because when it alll comes down to it, those ideas aren't that important.  The important things in my life all circle around those 4 ideals.

Firstly, I believe that Jesus lived on this earth.  He was the living example of how all humans should be, both male and female.  He was perfect in all ways, never sinning.  And you know what is the most important thing that he taught in his ministry?  To LOVE.  Jesus ate and drank with prostitutes and tax collectors (whom at that time were perceived as some of the most vile people).  He reprimanded the "religious" because they held all God's statutes but forgot about God's creation.  They didn't love each other or the others.

Secondly, I believe that Jesus Died on the Cross.  He died on the cross Just for me.  But wait, it wasn't just for me.  He died on the cross for everyone.  The Jew and the Gentile.  The Greek and the Hebrew. The Westerner and the Easterner.  The believer and the non-believer.  I know I've said this before, but Jesus died the worst death possible for the time he lived, crucifixion   And He did it when everyone deserted him, mocked him, and forsake him.  But he still Loved everyone!  When the robber on the side of him proclaimed him to be the Son of God he told him that the robber would go to heaven.  While he was up there giving his life, he thought of me...he thought of us.

Thirdly, I believe that Jesus Rose from the grave.  Why did He rise?  So that all those people that mocked him, would see who He really was.  He rose so that the unbeliever would believe.  I picture it as Jesus telling everyone, "I'm not dead!  Wake Up! I'm right in front of your face!"  He also rose again to combat the devil.  To tell the devil that this isn't your kingdom.  It's mine!  You think you can kill my savior?  You don't have any chance!

Most importantly, I believe that he is coming back!  It is my motivation to do what I do.  To say what I say.  No one knows when that day comes, but it is coming ya'll.

So what am I angry about?  I am angry that the "believers" aren't acting like it.  We seemingly don't have the urgency that we should.  Keep in mind that I am saying the "we believers" in a general tone because if one of us is failing, it looks bad on all of us!  We are too busy occupying ourselves with the politics of the body, politics of the mind.  We are killing ourselves....we are killing everyone.  I'm not even talking about a Physical death.  I'm talking about a spiritual death.

For me, you will never see me get into a heated debate about the "controversial" topics.  I personally am against abortion except in extreme cases.  I do believe that homosexuality is a sin.  It is a sin along with drukenness, audultry, gluttony and a host of other things.  When it comes down to it, I honestly don't care about the "controversial" topics. If I met a woman who had an abortion or a person that is attracted to the same-sex I wouldn't care.  I'm not going to turn away and judge somebody for their past.  I'm going to do what I'm commanded to do.  To love them.  To show them Christ's love through mine actions, through my words.

Wake up people!  We are driving generations (especially mine) from the Church in astronomical numbers.  I read in a recent book that ina a recent survey, 91% of young adults who are nonbelievers call christians judgmental.  Whoa.  Aren't we the ones that believe in Jesus.  And isn't Jesus the one that said on numerous occasions that He didn't come to condemn the world?  Why are we going around condemning everyone?  Why are we going around judging everyone?  What's up with dat! (For more information check out my pervious blog post "No Condemnation"

It's hard for me to find a church family as a believer because I go in alot of places and I feel a disconnect.  And it's not necessarily from the congregation, but it's also some times from the pastoral staff!  We are called to spread the Gospel.  To shed light on the world. Ahhhhhhh!!!

No more!  No more of it!  No more woman being turned away from the church because you found out she had an abortion.  No more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender men and women being turned away from the hospital because you feel like their sin is too great.  REALITY CHECK!  ALL sin kills.  The wages of sin is death people. As Pastor Woody said: "STOP ALL THIS HATIN'" Chill with the judgin and start focusing on the lovin'.  In theory, for the Christians, the Word should've changed you life.  Well......act like it! GAH!

We are in a war people.  The Devil is trying to tell everyone that us CHristians are judemental.  That we hate homosexuals.  That we are overly political.  But let me tell you that the devil is a LIAR!  Let's act like it!

Love

Love

Love

It's Time For A Wake Up Call

Calling all Christians!  Stand up!  Not Xtians, not christians, but Christians!  Oh you are standing?  I see you but I don't see you.  That's the problem.  We have a lot christians but no Christians.  But I mean, what does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be a Christ-follower?  Does that mean I have to go to church?  Does that mean I have to be good/nice?  Sure, those things are nice, but there is an easier way to answer that: to be a Christian is to do simply one thing: to love.

I'm getting sick and tired of these "christians" out there.  If you allow me to speak bluntly, I'm tired of these people that say they are following the Lord's name, but aren't showing it.  Yes, Faith (belief) is what saves us. (Romans 5:1)  Yes, it really is that simple.  But when we believe in Jesus, when we follow him, we no longer bear our selves anymore.  We take on the name, the reputation of our Messiah.  And let me tell you, we have abused that privilege.  It is a true fact that we all have sinned.  It is a fact that we are all going to continue to sin.  But, there should be something different about you.  There should be something different about you.  How you walk, talk, not sulk (you like that?) people should see something in you.

But seriously, what does it mean to be a Christian?  It means to love.  To do everything in love.  Not lust, not anger, not spite, not hate, but love.  Why?  Because love never fails.  I'm tired of us that take advantage of the act that God did for us.  Let's go away from what he did personally in our lives.  But, have you ever stopped to think the magnitude of what the Lord did?  Wow.  God gave his only begotten son to not only die, but be crucified.  Which, at that time was the pinnacle, the worst death that could be given.  It's a slow, and agonizing public death.  And the only thing, God asked for, is for us to love.  Love God and love people. (Luke 10:25-28)

Why is that so hard?  I want to hate you.  I want you to pay for what you did to me.  What you did hurt me.  It scarred me for life!  But I can't....If I do, I lose.  I lose by hurting myself and hurting those around me.  It's easy to hate, it's incredibly difficult to love.  I'm that man in the mirror.  I'm that man that doesn't show God's grace, God's compassion in my everyday life.  I'm that christian.  And I'm sick and tired of it.

We did nothing, absolutely nothing, to deserve God's grace.  The wages (earnings) of sin (aka us) is DEATH (Romans 6:23).  Why aren't we living like we believe in that verse! When i see my brotha or sista hurting, I should not hesitate at all to help him/her.  But I do.  Because I'm selfish.  I only care about myself.  If I expend all my energy helping you, I'll have nothing left for myself.

My Christians, we need to get serious.  This is a wake-up call!  Stop taking this gift for granted.  We say we follow Christ, but do we really?  When someone trashes our reputation, do we turn the other cheek?  Are we trusting God will provide thus not envying our neighbor?

In reality, people should be able to tell you are a Christian without knowing your full name.  In reality, they don't.  Too many of us christians, are doing the exact opposite of what Jesus told us.  We are talking bad about our bosses, spreading rumors about our exes, trying to get with every pretty thing that moves on this earth with lust.   Come on people!

Yes, I do believe in the Triune God: God the Father, Son, Holy Ghost are all God.  Yes I believe that Jesus lived on this earth, was crucified, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and is coming back again.  But people don't see what I believe.  My friends, actions do indeed speak louder than words.  In all things, I'm supposed to do in love.

One knock on Christians is that we are hypocrites.  And you know what, we absolutely are.  I am a hypocrite, I do believe that I should love all people, but I fail to do so.  I do believe that sex should be after marriage, but I personally failed to do so.  I do believe that Jesus is coming back again, but I fail to act like it.  But, the difference between me and an unbeliever is that I'm redeemed.  Yes, I fell.  I fell, I fell, and I will continue to fall, but every single time I will get back up.  I'm keeping mine eyes on the mark.  And I won't stop until I get there.  So, I'm not running away from that tag.  I am a hypocrite.  I will continue to be a hypocrite, but hopefully, over time, I will become a loving hypocrite.

With that being said:

Parents, It's time to start loving your kids.  Men it's time to start appreciating the fairer gender!  Women, its time to start loving your men!  It's time for the real Christians to stand up!  Take your spot in the world.  Let Jesus shine in your hearts.  Let the Gospel ooze from your pores.  Let the great commandment flow in your veins so that when you donate your blood, the reciever will jump up for joy because he/she felt Jesus' love in your blood! (A lil too much?  Ook)

But in all seriousness, we, Christians need to take our place in society.  We need to stand up and show the unbelievers what true love is.  No disrespect to my non-Christian readers.  But I really do believe that Jesus is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6). So, I better live like I believe it, ya heard me!

Too Much? Maybe? Nah!

I've noticed one thing about myself.  I have this inept ability to feel others pain.  If you don't have that gift, you'll never truly understand how it feels.  With the gift comes the price: when those you see hurting or in bad situations don't want your help.  When all you can do is sit on the sidelines watching...waiting...and praying....hoping that their situation gets better or at least they will talk to you about it so you can comfort them.

I also have the God given gift to read people.  That can be entirely annoying when I don't want to read people or better yet the situation.  I cannot just simply be ina situation without my brain working 132423 mph. I observe everything from what words are said, how people are positioned, what's being worn, how many times a smile is given, but most importantly I look at the eyes.  I loooooove looking at eyes.  Especially blue eyes, there's just something about blue eyes. But, I digress (as usual).

The point is, God made me this way.  I love people.  I don't necessarily love being around people all the time, but when someone is hurting, I want to be the guy they look to.  That's especially true for my future wife out there/ nearer future girlfriend (there I go digressing again).

How do I handle being rejected?  Or even worse, pouring out all of this love onto someone but not even getting the occasional "How are You" back from them without me pressing them (which generally means it isn't genuine).  Well first off, I complain, and complain, and complain.  But after a while I get tired of complaining to my friends (which I'm doin less and less) and to God.  Eventually I just accept it and move on.  I'm in the process of doing that with some people in my life.  I can try to be there for you, I can put my emotions on the line, but you have to WANT it.

Where am I going with this?  This is kinda the same concept that we as Christians come to accept in Christ.  Christ cares about us.  Unconditionally, which is much more than I can do.  And most of the times we don't return that caring. I mean really, how many of us asks God, "Yo, how you doin?" Nooo, its not in our human nature.  But still, Christ loves the Church.  As Christians we are called to live like Jesus. Jesus is our example and the greatest commandment is to Love God, however the second one is to Love People (Matthew 22:36-40). 

Jesus can and does love us at all times.  But, in order us to fully feel that love, we have to want it.  If we don't accept him to be our Lord and Savior, you may feel the love of Christ but you won't feel the LOVE of Christ.  The love gives you peace when everything around you is ridiculous.  That LOVE gives you unspeakable joy.  It's the greatest love of all.  People say that the only human love that is unconditional is a mother's love to her child.  Well I'm here to tell you that Jesus' love is even greater than that.

So what have I weened from this situation?  I'm never going to stop caring about you.  There may come a point where I stop calling/texting/checking up on you as often as I do. But, that doesn't mean I don't care about you.  If anyone comes up to me and tells me that they are broken, I will stop everything I am doing to do whatever it takes to attempt to make you feel better.  I am aware that there are going to be times that my attempts may not be great enough, but what I do know is that I have a Friend in Jesus and I have the greatest power in the world: the power of Prayer. And that my friends, is all I ever need.