8 Hardcore Reasons Why Christianity is the Toughest Religion

Image found on cebufinest.com/Paramount Pictures, The Ten Commandments

If you are like me, then you have a least a small fascination with understanding why others gravitate towards other religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, or atheism, etc. and also if you are like me you will soon realize that perhaps it is because Christianity really tests your flesh and makes no excuses. Here are the reasons:

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1. Forgiveness. What other religion will say you have to forgive your enemies or the ones who murdered your family member, or that spouse that cheated on you. Yep. You have to forgive them too and yourself. (Acts 26:18)
2. Lust ≠ Love.  Welcome to Christianity 101. Now, depending on your knowledge of the bible and theology in general, sex before marriage is not encouraged in this religion. If it happens(none of us are perfect) then you may now consider that person your spouse. No more hopping from shell to shell to fulfill your needs. (Galatians 5:16)
3. Caring for the Poor. Of course most religions are not completely set up to ignore the poor and needy. It just seems that Christianity as  whole believes in this one hundred percent…now do Christians actually believe and practice this is the bigger question. (Galatians 2:10)
4. Fellowship. I don’t like being around people all the time. Sorry. That is my personality type, but as a God fearing lady I am called to fellowship with others and when I do, I draw strength from them. As Christians we believe in community, not just society. (2 Corinthians 8)
5. Following the Ten Commandments. Hard isn’t it? All of those Thou Shalt Nots. But you know what? If it allows us to have our Sabbath days free to honor Him and reminds us to love others and not commit adultery then it can’t be all that bad. (Exodus 20:1-17)
6. Thou Shalt be Controversial. As a Christian you are Mr. and Mrs. Controversy by default. Because whatever God hates, we hate. What He loves, we love. End of story.
7. Believing He Exists—-In Three Persons. Ouch! Yeah, this is troubling especially for monotheists. We can believe in God, El Elyon all day long, but where does Christ and the Holy Spirit come in the picture? It takes philosophy and lots of prayer to get others to understand that God exists in three persons without seeming like we are polytheists.
8. Faith, Hope and Love When the World is Dark. If you are a Christian, you can easily let the world kick you down to the point you revert to old habits and addictions, but, Christianity is hard to follow because you are told to hold on fast to faith. No. Matter. What. (Luke 23:30)

See what I mean?

You have to literally be a Bible Warrior with a Spirit of Steel to make it out here in a world where it is super easy to be mean, lazy and selfish.

We are not called to that. We are called to be “the salt of the earth”(Matthew 5:13 NIV), “the beacon on a hill”(v.14).

Scared yet?

He’ll wash your sins white as snow; weekend highlights and more

Snow White and the Huntsman image from Justjared.com

This weekend was beautiful and extremely blessed. My husband and I had the opportunity to share the love of Christ with people. We took along a few friends from the church we visit and it is just so amazing how God can humble those we reach out to and even give us the words to speak. The Holy Spirit was certainly shining in everyone that day and I thank God for the opportunity.

Last night as I watched “Snow White and the Hunstsman” DVD, I realized the movie had a few spiritual insights that piggybacks our experience this weekend. Let me share them with you:

In the movie, Snow White(Kristen Stewart) is being sought after by the wicked queen Ravenna(Charlize Theron) for her heart. The queen needs Snow White’s heart to stay young forever and this is because Snow White is considered pure.

Snow White escapes and a Huntsman(Chris Hemsworth) is sent to capture her. However, something about Snow White gives him pause and he ends up training her for the battle that is ahead.

Here is the scenario again:

• A girl is locked away in her own home
• An evil queen wants her heart for youthful beauty
• The girl runs away-out of fear(she does not yet realize what she is)
• A huntsman tracks her down and trains her to fight the enemy.

Sometimes, the reason why the body of Christ do not get along is because we have our own agenda(we seek out our own pleasures) and we destroy each other before really getting to know and love one another. We treat others outside the fold the same way.

The huntsman decided to seek out Snow White because the queen promised she will bring his wife back. So that was his motivation. A selfish want. In the process he was literally going to hand over purity just to have his wife back.

But when he realized who Snow White truly was- he could not kill her. His motivation, his agenda changed completely. He had to do a higher will-something outside of his own wants so that Snow White could walk into her destiny.

The lost out there do not know how loved they really are and that although we were all born in our sins, Jesus died for this very reason, so that he may wash them white as snow.

Have you helped someone walk into their God given destiny today? Simply sharing the good news of Christ or just being a living example is enough to get them onto the path.

Let’s do the higher calling and follow God’s will so that more of God’s creation, his people can truly become adopted into his fold and follow the destiny He has planned for them.

If you have found this post to be engaging or at least thoughtful and worthy to pass along, please love on us by Tweeting, G+, Facebook, email, etc. Thank you! 🙂

Shalom!

Dr. Ben Carson accused of being an Uncle Tom: The Bootstrappers vs. Bad Communities

Wikimedia.org

It took me some time to post up my thoughts on the Ben Carson news from last week.  I am not sure of the complex particulars, but gathered from news articles and a radio show recently, Ben Carson was accused of being an Uncle Tom. For those who don’t know who Dr. Ben Carson is, he is an American neurosurgeon who wrote the book I truly loved, “Gifted Hands”.

However, the Black community have been upset with Ben Carson for being a “token Black” of the GOP- apparently he has been sounding off on problems in the Black community. He says the moral fabric in those communities are broken down.

Carson commented to Fox, “They (critics) feel that if you look a certain way then you have to stay on the plantation. You know I’ve heard some people refer to me as an Uncle Tom. Well, obviously they don’t know what an Uncle Tom is because they need to read Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/im-no-uncle-tom-says-dr-benjamin-carson-92753/#jeIgZ0yEixodTs0v.99

Others claim that Ben Carson is a “pull your own self up by the bootstraps type of guy” and that it’s a farce to believe even he never needed help.

There are so many claims and so many different angles and philosophies  but there is something that the Boostrap people must realize and those residing in bad communities need to acknowledge. Both sides have major points to consider.

You must have boots to have bootstraps.

As much as I like and respect Dr. Ben Carson’s triumph(I even watched the Gifted Hands), however sometimes those who “have made it” forget that the downtrodden are not all criminals or have somehow done something wrong to land themselves in a poor spot. We are called to judge to correction, but it must be righteous and come from someone who is righteous.

A person has to have boots first, to have bootstraps- this means that  someone who has went to college, have their own car and home- still had to fill out an application first, or rely on transportation, and even learn a special subject from someone else before becoming what they are. We are not born knowing and able to do anything on our own.

Crime infested neighborhoods are a problem…

Now that I’ve said that, I see that Dr. Carson may have been trying to shed some light on whats in the dark. I have to be honest: Only in a crime infested community have I had items stolen, noisy neighbors, loud teens, and cursing flying everywhere it is not good at all. Sometimes, I barely received my mail(was it stolen, never delivered?) As my husband says, the ‘hood isn’t a place- it is a state of mind- not the ground or apartment buildings’ fault. So if Ben Carson had mentioned that Blacks need to get it together, I agree 1000%!

All talk, no action.

I am reminded in Scripture that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked”(Luke 12:48)

So when the radio host asked: “Ma’am, who do you think is responsible for cleaning communities?” The caller said a very shaky, but quiet answer: “Us?”

Wrong.

All of us.

If you have your Bible, please read the entire Luke 12 or find it here so you can see what I mean. Sure, it is up to the communities to clean up the act and help each other- Kudos to that. I believe in that.

But people with the money, the talent, and the resources can do more. MUCH more(some of these resourceful people reside in the communities!). It can be as simple as mentoring someone or encouraging a young child in reading, or helping a teen fill out a scholarship application.

Here’s the main idea: Whatever much God has placed inside of you, use it for His good. There are those who won’t take the truth or do right- so you go to those who want to do better and be better.

All thoughts welcome! 🙂

God Bless!

Transgender student sues baptist college: What is the real problem here?

According to WorldMag.com Domaine Javier is suing California Baptist University after they found out he was a male.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is that on the college application for Nursing School he checked off “female” knowing he’s anatomically he’s a man.

Now I will not get too deep in this post for many reasons, but I will say this. The school does accept students no matter what faith they have and they do not have to be Christians. The problem lies in…well…the lie.

Domaine probably felt he was a good student and he had lots of scholarships which have since been taken away. So why lie on an application? Many applications even for jobs will add “to the best of your knowledge, is this true?”-I’m paraphrasing. However, Javier knew he was a boy and on those grounds he lied.

Some would say, “Why should it matter if a girl or boy applied? He got the scholarships.” I understand that. Totally get it. Education is universal and should be gender blind…

But right is right and wrong is wrong. He should have checked off male just to avoid all the drama that is now happening.

On to the other stuff. Javier being transgendered should not be shoved under the rug. It is significant in this case because “he concealed who he was”. If I have to lie about myself to get somewhere, I don’t need to be there. Or taken seriously.

Here’s another conundrum: Javier identifies more with female rather than male according to his lawyer. So in essence Javier was  being himself on the application.

God does not call us into confusion. We are to be who He called us to be- not lie to ourselves and on paper. People like Domaine Javier need God’s love as well as the Gospel Truth.

Are you bound by relation or by God?

 “He [Jesus]replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother”

Was Jesus being mean to his mother and father when he denied them in front of his disciples? I don’t think so, but Jesus was trying to make a very bold and finishing statement that our attachment and all of our love should be unto God and God only. Attachments to things of this world including family leads to very unhealthy outcomes. Yes, we are called to love each other, however Jesus came to speak on spiritual matters and the fact that we are only passing through and should not love others above God.

Some of you have friends and family who you would do anything for. Even though you are saved through the blood shed of Jesus at the Cross, there is a connection you have with them. But the hold of a family member is more powerful- why? You know each other, bound by blood and time and you see them more than you see God. This is dangerous territory. I know from experience because for a time and even in recent days, I’ve had to re-evaluate what family means to me. But there is a structure to my life that I try to adhere to more than family. And I am thankful for a praying, discerning husband.

Hierarchy:

God first

Then my husband

Then me, family, whoever else…

Once you see that the Father in heaven is your one and only;  sisters, brothers, and mothers, even cousins and grans should not be able to rock your ship. But they can and they do…because they know you. Like zombies, your blood draws them to that warm core and they know which buttons to push.

Jesus was on a serious mission. Worrying over family and who was his by earthly relation mattered not. How can one do the will of God with those kinds of attachments?

Deuteronomy reminds us: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength(6:5 NIV)

Who else are you pouring all your might into besides God?

14 Tough questions most christians struggle with answering

Image from Microsoft Office

There are some tough questions that we as Christians need to talk about and explore deeper. These questions can help us to grow and expand our reach to the lost. Below are a few questions that was brought up recently and a few I have encountered on message boards and chat rooms. I will not provide answers, but hopefully it would fuel a discussion.

1. How long should we keep helping someone? Is there a  limit to our giving?
2. How often should we fast? Do we have to fast at all?
3. What does it mean if prayer does not work?(e.g. the person didn’t get a job, get healed, etc.)
4. Being frutiful and multiplying is a Genesis concept. Should that be applicable today?
5. Are Christians schools the only best schools for Christian families?
6. Is there such a thing as a bad Christian?
7. Should we tithe at all? Have we missed the point?
8. Is Sunday truly the Sabbath day? Is there a mandate that states we are supposed to go to “church” and only on Sundays?
9. When natural disasters happen to foreign lands where God is not professed…did they deserve it? Was it truly an act of God?
10. Can a woman who aborts her child be forgiven? Are there truly circumstances where the child must be aborted?
11. What is a relevant church?
12. Does it matter what style of music the church plays?
13. How can we tell someone is a real Christian?
14. As an artist, writer, musician- Does all of my work have to be “Christian” by label?

As you can see, even if there is a clear answer to most of these questions, the clear answer more than likely will come from the individual’s thoughts and experiences. We can back up most answers with the Word of God and if so, where does most debate come from?

The source could be our fleshly ways. We think with our flesh because it is closest to us.

What are your thoughts on any of these questions?

It’s time to get disciplined, according to Foster’s ‘Celebration of Discipline’

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s time to get back to basics, Christians, and Richard J. Foster is here to celebrate as well as explain how we can all get back to our spiritual roots, which we all know are in place to bring us closer to the Lord and that is the foundation of the entire book.

First, Foster says he is profoundly struck by “the fact that God can take something so inadequate, so imperfect, so foolish as words on paper and use them to transform lives” (Foster, 1998, p.5: Celebration of Discipline). If you are thirsty to get back or to begin your spiritual walk with God there are three basic avenues to venture down and on these avenues are the disciplines.

The Inward Disciplines
• Meditation
• Prayer
• Fasting
• Study
The Outward Disciplines
• Simplicity
• Solitude
• Submission
• Service
The Corporate Disciplines
• Confession
• Worship
• Guidance
• Celebration

The Inward Disciplines follow a certain order. Meditation will lead to prayer, from prayer to deeper connection through fasting and finally you are lead to study. However and whatever the order, it forms a loop. You need all of these to grow closer to the Lord.
The Outward Disciplines follows from the Inward. If you have the Inward, the outward should follow. Yet the author does not leave us in the dark with what he means. For instance, as Christians we must learn to live the life of simplicity. What does this entail? Does it mean to not have much or anything at all?

To live a life of simplicity you should:
• Buy things more for their usefulness rather than status.
• Reject anything that produces addictions in you
• Give things away
• Refuse to be propagandized to buy more gadgets- and more(92)

Solitude, submission and service also flow from this format. Not catering to wild needs and living simply, drives the clutter from where God needs you.
Next, the Corporate Disciplines are what we tend to do in fellowship with each other. We are to confess to the brothers and sisters we trust, be free to worship as one, be proper guides to help others as God leads us and finally we are to live a life of celebration.
Celebration seems most important as God enjoys our praise to Him. However I highly recommend this book for anyone yearning for a closer relationship with the Lord and growing in your walk with him.

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‘Two and Half Men’ actor and the divide between legal and moral law

Image from wikipedia.org

 

Two and Half Men star, Angus T. Jones, has become a pop culture media topic this week since he has recently told the world he is going the way of God and denounced his show as “filth”- see more at “Two and  Half Men Star”.

The Bottom Line

Needless to say a number of fans, television hosts, and others are highly upset. Think about it: A very popular show which Charlie Sheen just left and now Angus too? Because of this, according to the CBS news article,, Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory are now number one for prime time television. At least I’m assuming this is one of the reasons.

To Christians, however, this is wonderful news. Angus is now one of the moral thinking; “saved” individuals welcomed into our family our God.

But did he do the right thing? What is the hoopla all about?

It boils down to money.

And…money.

I am not familiar with entertainment contracts, but I do what a contract is, and it seems that walking out of a show that pays you under contract and then belittling it in public is against all kinds of legal/ethical codes.

What does Scripture Say?

But- and there is always a but somewhere, what does God have to say in the Scriptures about following government authorities and laws? Do we follow God or man when it concerns our Christian walk?

According to Richard J. Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, “Understanding the cross-life of Jesus, Paul says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities”(Romans 13:1)(p. 120)

But then Acts 5:29 says, “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you have killed by hanging him on a tree”

Whoa. Powerful words there. As usual, while reading bible verses, it helps to read everything in context to see what is actually happening. In Acts 5 The apostles were being persecuted and had to appear before the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin were elders of Israel and Peter and the apostles had to respond hotly when the Sanhedrin told them they shouldn’t teach in Jesus’ name.

There is another powerful Scripture concerning human authorities. 1 Peter 2:13,14 “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to king as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong…” NIV

The Scripture goes on to mention that we are to live as free men, but not free enough to be doing evil, we are still servants of the Lord(vv. 15-17)

So, there seems to be some balance here. In relation to Angus and his contract, that contract is part of a governing authority instituted and established by men who made it to keep up the law and legal codes, so in that aspect it is good to adhere to. Yet, if it is a show that degrades women, and full of extra filth- as children of the Lord we must do everything we can to flee from such immoralities.

What Angus did was take a stand for what he believed in and wanted to flee from evil. The world says he is brainwashed…

But aren’t we all to some degree?

Why Hollywood Bashes Christianity at Every Step

Here are my uneducated opinions as to why Christianity is one of the top religions that gets super dissed in public:

• Bad history. Simple. Christians have persecuted folks all throughout history.
• Hypocrites. The world is full of them, but Christians have proven to be just as bad, if not worse than the average nonbeliever. Therefore when someone says they are Christian, a roll of the eyes is in order.
• The Holy Scriptures. A comedian once said no one wants to come to Christ because the bible literally puts foot to tail. There is no get out of jail free cards and God’s law stands above man’s law.
• It is a way of life. Angus is learning now that being a Christian is like studying Kung-Fu. It is a lifestyle. It is not something you just say you are, it permeates your entire being and extends outward. Anyone can study literature at home and accept anything outside the home, but to follow our Lord Jesus Christ means we have to be consistent in our daily walk. It is how you feel, what you know, how you act, and what you do.  This is why Christ is attacked even now. Other religions can pretty much get away with it because they are “relative”, “cool”, and not too domineering. But to follow Christ, you have follow Him and mean it.

So, I could be wrong with these reasons- but they are only based on observations. I will be totally honest. I used to watch Two and Half Men every night. The cast are funny, talented people, hands down. But eventually it began to drone on in nastiness and I’m left wondering, why did I ever start watching this mess?

Ugh.

To God be the Glory.

 

Is Jesus awakening the muslim world? He sure is in these true accounts…

Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? by Tom Doyle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christ is showing himself to Muslims and it happens to be a wakeup call for every believer. In Tom Doyle’s latest book, “Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?” He explores stories told by real Muslims of how they encountered Jesus in their dreams and visions. Beware though; this book is more than just case studies of how they met Jesus. It is a powerful tool for Christians.

In each chapter, there is a situation, a need, and a dream. For example, there is a Muslim wife who is ignored by her husband and she finds comfort in using Skype to chat with other Christians. As she begins to learn more about Jesus, He appears in her dreams- and something else does too. In the end she asks one question: Can a person worship Jesus in the bathroom? Another account, which is by far the saddest, is about Fatima, who called herself “Rania” online. She grew up in a purely Muslim home and found herself in love with Jesus Christ and she became an outspoken follower online. She is soon found out…

Then there is the woman named Dina who could not stop herself from shouting “Christians are all going to hell!” She is one tough lady until someone very close to her meets Jesus. There are more startling accounts within the pages of this book and it is hard to put down as you follow sincere converts to the Lord Christ and you can feel the passion, the fire they have for Jesus Christ, no matter what.
In fact, “each of their story is really His story…to us, the dreams and visions are supernatural experiences but to Jesus, I suspect He’s just doing His business here on earth as He always has”(Doyle, 2012, p.16: Dreams and Visions)

Here’s something else I’d like to point out too: Doyle makes sure to pause between a set of stories to enlighten us to some political, religious, or biblical information pertinent to the stories and to the Christian faith. The revelation of God is being revealed and believers are afraid to minister to and disciple Muslims because of post 9/11, lack of knowledge, the media, and perhaps our own selfishness. It is time to do what we are called to do and that is simply to plant the seeds of faith in everyone.

This is what made the book highly informative and enjoyable- it is a clarion call to readers.

*Disclaimer: This book was received for my unbiased review from Thomas Nelson Publishers

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“A Knock at Midnight”, soul stirring sermons from Dr. King

A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. by Clayborne Carson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I browsed the African American section at the local library for a soul stirring nonfiction book, I didn’t know the tips of my my finger would land on “A Knock at Midnight” inspirations from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sermons. It is a small book, however these sermons, which were transcribed from audio reveals how clearly, how methodically, and how serious King was about peace. I can honestly say I never fully grasped how spiritual and how intelligent King was until after I read this book.

One of his sermons, called “A Knock at Midnight” is about the parable in Luke 11:5-6 where a lonely traveler knocks at someone’s door around the midnight hour to ask for food for a friend. What would you do? Dr. King says, “It is also midnight within the moral order. At midnight colors lose their distinctiveness and become a sullen shade of gray. Moral principles have lost their distinctiveness. For modern man, absolute right and wrong are a matter of what the majority is doing. Right and wrong are relative to likes and dislikes…”(Carson & Holloran, 1998, p.67: A Knock at Midnight)

Dr. King saw clearly into the future and I enjoyed reading his insights on what is happening in this world today although these messages are from his time. You can hear his voice in these sermons-no kidding. It was such an eye opener for me. The book even includes congragation outbursts in italics and that made it all the more real.

If you’d like to know more about this wonderful man whose dream was to bring everyone together in unity with nonviolence, then please read this book.

It’s time we answer the knock at midnight and get back to our real values.

*Find this book in the Encouraging Reads Section.

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