Bold
What should I tell you? Do you want to read a story of happiness and joy? Do I give you suspense and action? What would attract the most people to this website? Romance? How about a revealing. I am not here to entertain people but I will try my best to keep it interesting because I want you to learn. When the crowds around Jesus were getting rather large, He dropped a truth bomb on them.
Matthew 8:18-22
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
The people didn't cross that lake with Jesus because the cost was just too much for them and the 12 remained 12. I'm not here for money or to build a Church to hold hundreds. That's not my purpose or my calling. I'm here to show the truth in Christ. From my own observations 90% of all professing Christians don't know the basics of Christ. They know His words but never heard His message. I'm going to push you to face things in a way that will hurt just as cleaning a wound hurts. A clean wound heals clean. Hold strong here because here are a few things I do know that will hurt you.
When you watch so called "Christian" TV and they have that phone number on the screen, just change the channel they are only there to steal. They don't love you.
When you see a book offering you "Prosperity Now" turn it backwards hiding the cover and find yourself a Bible. Prosperity in knowing God is our goal. Jesus told us to sell our possessions and give the money to the poor. God would provide our needs.
If anyone tells you "(subject) is the Key", they are only giving you half truth ignore them because they really don't know. Read up for yourself and you will find that Christ is the Key and anything else is just a component.
When a preacher yells out "By His stripes we are Healed!" while praying for the sick, you gather your family and leave, they don't know the Word of God. They are lying to you only trying to keep you in that seat. Read this - We are Healed. Don't tell me they are filled with good intentions. Good intentions will not open the gates of Heaven.
Come to church seeking guidance and to give praise to God. Don't come for healing. Don't come to pray for finances. Don't come seeking a new house or relationship. Don't come just for God to give you things.
The altar wasn't built to be taken from. It was built for offerings to be given.
When people tell you God hates the sin not the sinner they do not know God at all. God hates sinners because sinners willingly ignore Him and continue to sin.
Psalms 5:4-6
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.
This is a song from the book of Psalms of King David. Don't think this isn't God or King David's idea of God. This is God and it's right there in the Bible. The only chance you have as a sinner is the saving grace of Christ. I recently read in a book where a pastor described the gift of Jesus and I love it. It's went something like this:
Before you and me stands a giant dam 10,000 miles tall and 10,000 miles wide holding all the anger of our pure hearted God for us. A giant crack forms and all the wrath of God comes crashing towards us. Just then a gulf in the ground forms and takes in all that was intended for us. As Christ prepared for the cross He asked God for this cup to be passed from Him. That cup was filled with God's punishment for man. Jesus took all that upon Himself and while on the cross, as the last of God's wrath came onto Jesus He said; "It is Finished."
God does not unconditionally love. Jesus unconditionally forgives. This makes it possible for you to get to Heaven, because of the Grace of Jesus Christ- our only Savior.
Do you want to know what Jesus teaches us? Are you willing to do what Jesus asks us? I don't speak to the wind because the wind does not regard what I say. I do speak to you.
Bunny Slippers
Christian do not expect the road that Christ walks will accommodate your bunny slippers, you'll need combat boots.
Jesus came for the lost.
He comes for the one that runs away.
He comes for the one fighting against belief.
He comes for the one lost in a field of depression.
He comes for the one stuck in the muck of helplessness.
He comes for the one mislead into lies disguised as truths.
He fights for righteousness on your behalf.
He is calling out your name.
Now Reply.
The death of…
There is a day coming when all you know is going to change and tears will fall upon the Earth.
A son will pass away and a daughter will be placed into the ground.
A father will have went to work one last time never to come home.
A mother will have kissed her kids moments before fading into eternity.
The day that many fear will finally catch us and with no remorse...swallow us whole.
Who's Tears will then fall onto the Earth?
Walk up to those people in your life that you love so dearly and tell them goodbye. For when death comes... you will not have time.
Inevitable, Unavoidable, No Escape, No Hiding, and No Running. Certain. No living thing on this planet is spared. No creature great or small.
How do you see that life you are leaving behind? Perhaps it's a good life, one to be proud of. You made many friends and you helped many people. You worked hard in the church and made nearly every Sunday service. You swayed with the music and raised your hand to the words. But did you do what God wanted you to do? All those times you felt the urge to jump, did you jump? Every time you felt the movement of God's Holy Spirit on your soul did you listen? How do you see the life, of those that love you, carry on? Did you provide them with a solid foundation for life beyond your death?
Romans 8:38
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Christ is the foundation of life and it's by His grace and forgiveness we will find peace. Don't be afraid of death for yourself or someone for with a solid foundation of Christ they are secure. If you know that you or someone else is lacking the faith then death is something to fear. Don't think that you need to be in a church to find the love that is so freely offered to you. He is there with you and has always been there holding back the tides from swallowing you. Confess your sins, confess your weakness, adore Him and accept what He offers you and acknowledge His death and resurrection . Come with arms wide open for that is the only way to embrace Christ.
…Echo…
If you listen to Christian radio or many of the songs we sing in church you may find that often we sings songs to lift "our" spirits to God. Singing songs of God bring us out troubled times and tunes of us being carried by Christ. Beautiful songs that let us know that we are so blessed to have a Father with such indescribable compassion for us. What concerns me is that there are very few songs that portray our love for Jesus Christ and our passion for God. Perhaps it's because that the people that could write such a song are just extremely busy spreading the truth of Christ.
Be an echo to Christ.
When you feel the love of God in your life ECHO your love back.
When you have the grace of Christ ECHO it to others.
When you feel the weight of life lifting off you ECHO glory to God.
When you understand that you are not what you once was ECHO in praise.
Christ I love you with more than I am. When I am in the mud I'll be the one standing for you. When I am in the fire I will be running with your fire in with me. When I come against a wall I will be pushing and I know when I look up you will be pushing too. I will race into the dark places because I know you are lighting my path. When a shadow falls watch the sword you have given me pierce the dark. My passion for you Christ is only echoed by you.
Don't stop with one echo because the best Echos are those that strong and powerful and carry on forever and ever.