Category Archives: christian

Does God Love Me?

17 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by in christian, whosoever

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“But the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.  It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless.”  C.S. Lewis

Does God Love Me?

The answer to that question is absolutely, without reservation or doubt.

There is nothing any human can do to entice God to love him or her more than He already does.  Likewise, there is nothing any human can or cannot do to make God love him or her less than He already does.  Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.  At a point before you were born, before you heard of God, before you loved anyone, Jesus Christ died for you on the cross.  This scripture not only implies but clearly states that God loved you before you loved Him.  He loved you before you existed or did anything good or bad, positive or negative.  So even if this is difficult or awkward for you, just for a moment choose to accept the fact that God loves YOU; right now, right here, in your current state.

Since you now know God loves YOU, not just everyone but YOU specifically, the next question is do you have a relationship with Him?  This part is YOUR choice.  God will pursue you, ruthlessly trying to love you, but a relationship with Him is impossible until you say you accept His love.

How do you accept His love?  John 3:36 says “Whosoever believes in the Son of God (God’s sacrifice of love) has eternal life, but whosoever rejects the Son of God will not see eternal life.  The often quoted John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  So to accept God’s love, you accept His Son Jesus Christ and his sacrifice of love on the cross.

Now you know God loves you and how to enter into a relationship with Him.  But still you are cautious or doubtful because maybe relationships are not your strong suit.  Perhaps some relationships have ended badly for you.  Perhaps someone has told you because of something in your life or lifestyle you cannot have a relationship with God.

Because of things you have read, been told or taught you have this recording playing in your head that says “God will never accept me because of this or that.”  The bible repeatedly says WHOSOEVER.  But your heart screams, you do not understand I had an abortion … God says you are whosoever; I had a baby out of wedlock … you are whosoever; I was abused as a child and no one wants used goods … you are whosoever; I am a prostitute … you are  whosoever; I am gay … you are whosoever; I am an alcoholic … you are whosoever; I am an addict … you are whosoever; I am a self-injurer … you are whosoever; I attempted suicide … you are whosoever; I killed someone … you are whosoever; I have been an unfaithful spouse … you are whosoever; I committed a crime … you are whosoever.

When you say “but you do not understand, I _______________ (you fill in the blank)” or better yet, fill in the blank with what you find the most disgusting, vile, repulsive of all human behavior … and YES even that person is a WHOSOEVER.  There is NOTHING you can put in that blank that has the power to keep God from lovingly looking at you and saying you are WHOSOEVER … you are MY CHILD … I want YOU to be part of MY family.

Some will say those are strong words; how do you know that.  You cannot possibly know what God thinks.  What I do know, and the Bible (Romans 8:38) supports is that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.  The only thing that can prevent a relationship with God from materializing is not accepting His love, not accepting His Son’s death on the cross as complete and total payment for your sins. Short of that, you qualify as whosoever. So replace what you have been defined as in the past with the truth … say and begin to believe I AM WHOSOEVER.

Many people are frustrated because they try to find favor with God based solely on what they do or don’t do.  They attempt to follow a list of spiritual laws or rituals.  The truth is these things will produce one of two things; at best, if you are honest, you will suffer defeat … at worst, if you are deceitful, you will be a hypocrite.

I suppose the reality, especially for a ragamuffin like me, is that it can be hard to comprehend and believe that through grace we are already accepted.

So the answer to the original question is without a doubt or reservation, God relentlessly, compassionately, inexhaustibly loves YOU!

They will know we are Christians by …

15 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by in christian, servant

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I had a conversation this week that would have made me angry if it were not so tragic and heartbreaking. I have heard this or very similar conversations many times … Paraphrased it goes something like this … an individual finds a faith based, mainstream church … Begins attending … Begins to make close, heartfelt relationships … Time passes … Friendships are made … Tithes are paid … Prayers are prayed … Attendance is regular … Bible studies are attended … Individual is faithful and serious about God and wants to become more involved in the church and ministry out reaches of said church … Wants to be allowed to do things like sing in the choir, help feed the homeless, volunteer time in the food pantry.  So this person goes to church leadership to determine how one becomes more involved … Only to be told they CANNOT until they are SAVED. The leader of the church bases this lack of Salvation on one thing and one thing only … This individual asking to become a servant is part of the gay community.

Now if this were a non-gay individual living with a girlfriend or boyfriend outside of marriage would their lack of Salvation be assumed and a disqualifying factor … In fact it would not and is not … This is evident in the congregation population … If this individual was a divorced person or an unfaithful spouse would their lack of Salvation be assumed and a disqualifying factor … In fact it would not and is not … This is also evident in the congregation population.  But because a person is gay they are not saved and cannot be a servant to others.  PS you cannot become a member either, but we will gladly continue to accept your 10% tithe and offering.

So now this individual is made to feel unworthy … Is made to feel less than … Is made to feel unwanted … Like Grace is for everyone, EXCEPT those who are gay. Consequently this individual no longer has a church home … A faith based safety net … and somehow we are supposed to drink the Kool-Aid and believe Jesus Christ is ok with this? That Jesus died on the cross for this? That Jesus looks down from heaven and looks at His Father and says I am so proud of my people who are called by my name … they are EXCLUDING all those for whom my death was not sufficient … NOT!!!

How can people who identify as Christians get this SO wrong? How can other Christians be so SILENT?  How can people be so comfortable showing such a distorted reflection of Christ?

Many of these very same Christians want to know why individuals are leaving the church or showing no interest in getting to know Christ … Honestly I want nothing to do with their Christ either … In fact rather than stating I am a Christian … I now say I believe Jesus Christ was and is EXACTLY who He claimed to be and is exactly who He continues to claim He is … I am not a Christian … I am a Christ follower … I strive daily to be more Christ like and introduce more people to my best friend and Savior … But I want NO part of being a Christian by their definition … On that point let me be crystal clear.