Good morning everyone. Grace and peace be with you.
My apologies for not posting yesterday, I overslept and then had to get to our appointment. (All went well.) Was going to catch up last night, however, that did not work out either, but the time did give me a couple of ideas.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
There are several thoughts and ideas about being a Christian. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are ‘bound’ by strict and no-fun rules. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are a pushover and weak. But, then there are those who know the Truth and want to share the correct version of what it means to be a Christian.
Fresh out of the Book of Karalee … What does it mean to be a Christian?
When I decided to follow Him, I decided to change my life from the disastrous path it was on and do something better. When I made the decision to follow Him, I knew that I had to change my language, I had to look out for the underdog, I had to be truthful and honest. In my early years…those were my thoughts on being a Christian. Pretty bare knuckle. Pretty simple.
To this day, that is the ‘basis’ of my Christian walk. When I made that choice to “Follow Him”, he did not come down and tell me everything I was doing wrong and condemn me; he gave me a big hung and said welcome to the family.
As time went on, different situations occurred, and He gave me choices to make. Some, I hit a homerun, others I struck out twice in one at bat and started a brawl because I failed so badly.
When I told my mother that I wanted to be baptized she asked me a string of questions to make sure I knew the commitment I was making. She was not trying to talk me out of it; she was trying to make sure I understood. I gave her my interpretation, and she agreed that I understood. She has watched me through all the stages of walk and corrected my boldness on many occasions because I was not being bold, I was trying to be the Holy One. (and easy trap that the enemy sets for us).
So, what does it mean to be a Christian?
Being a Christian means making the choice to do what is right, when everyone else likes the wrong choice. Being a Christian means to remaining calm when everyone else is screaming justice. Being a Christian means walking the holiest and trickiest of paths to pick the one flower that blooms so brightly. Being a Christian means not allowing your emotions to rule your mouth. (hard one for me). Being a Christian means seeing the peace that is present in the storm and trusting that He will provide. Being a Christian is knowing your Judas and treating them as Jesus did his.
That is all colorful and pretty, now … in normal words:
Being a Christian means you choose to use fewer vulgar words when talking. (Difficult place for me) Being a Christian means remaining calm when everything is falling apart around you. Yes, you can explode to release the buildup of emotions, but your explosion, if possible, should be in private and between you and God. Not the populace. Being a Christian means not calling people out in a public place so that they feel humiliated but talking to them in private like you would want. Being a Christian means that you will be degraded by others and revered by few. Being a Christian means that you are willing to stick up for the one who hurt you when someone is hurting them. Meaning, it does not mean what they did was right or righteous, but their judgement should come from God, not man, when it comes eternal salvation. We will all have to stand before Him one day, I cannot control what others do, but I can control how I respond. (Another difficulty spot). And … last but certainly not least; this came to me last night after a late shift, Jesus did not change the way he treated Judas even though he knew what was coming. He loved him. He welcomed him. He taught him. He did not call him out. The closest he came to calling him out was at the Last Supper and no one saw it, because he did not point his finger and call him a traitor or ungrateful. Without Judas, the cross would not have happened. Our personal Judas are what are helping form us into the Christian followers that He wants us to be. If we can unconditionally love and guide those who care nothing about us only themselves, then we are truly becoming more Christlike and building the kingdom one soul at a time.
One last thought, when you make the choice to become a Christian, and follow Him, your heart WANTS to do everything it can to earn those words, ‘well done good and faithful servant’. It’s not a dictatorship, but a free will offering.
Be blessed today my friends.
***May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. – Psalm 119:173
My apologies for not posting yesterday, I overslept and then had to get to our appointment. (All went well.) Was going to catch up last night, however, that did not work out either, but the time did give me a couple of ideas.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
There are several thoughts and ideas about being a Christian. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are ‘bound’ by strict and no-fun rules. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are a pushover and weak. But, then there are those who know the Truth and want to share the correct version of what it means to be a Christian.
Fresh out of the Book of Karalee … What does it mean to be a Christian?
When I decided to follow Him, I decided to change my life from the disastrous path it was on and do something better. When I made the decision to follow Him, I knew that I had to change my language, I had to look out for the underdog, I had to be truthful and honest. In my early years…those were my thoughts on being a Christian. Pretty bare knuckle. Pretty simple.
To this day, that is the ‘basis’ of my Christian walk. When I made that choice to “Follow Him”, he did not come down and tell me everything I was doing wrong and condemn me; he gave me a big hung and said welcome to the family.
As time went on, different situations occurred, and He gave me choices to make. Some, I hit a homerun, others I struck out twice in one at bat and started a brawl because I failed so badly.
When I told my mother that I wanted to be baptized she asked me a string of questions to make sure I knew the commitment I was making. She was not trying to talk me out of it; she was trying to make sure I understood. I gave her my interpretation, and she agreed that I understood. She has watched me through all the stages of walk and corrected my boldness on many occasions because I was not being bold, I was trying to be the Holy One. (and easy trap that the enemy sets for us).
So, what does it mean to be a Christian?
Being a Christian means making the choice to do what is right, when everyone else likes the wrong choice. Being a Christian means to remaining calm when everyone else is screaming justice. Being a Christian means walking the holiest and trickiest of paths to pick the one flower that blooms so brightly. Being a Christian means not allowing your emotions to rule your mouth. (hard one for me). Being a Christian means seeing the peace that is present in the storm and trusting that He will provide. Being a Christian is knowing your Judas and treating them as Jesus did his.
That is all colorful and pretty, now … in normal words:
Being a Christian means you choose to use fewer vulgar words when talking. (Difficult place for me) Being a Christian means remaining calm when everything is falling apart around you. Yes, you can explode to release the buildup of emotions, but your explosion, if possible, should be in private and between you and God. Not the populace. Being a Christian means not calling people out in a public place so that they feel humiliated but talking to them in private like you would want. Being a Christian means that you will be degraded by others and revered by few. Being a Christian means that you are willing to stick up for the one who hurt you when someone is hurting them. Meaning, it does not mean what they did was right or righteous, but their judgement should come from God, not man, when it comes eternal salvation. We will all have to stand before Him one day, I cannot control what others do, but I can control how I respond. (Another difficulty spot). And … last but certainly not least; this came to me last night after a late shift, Jesus did not change the way he treated Judas even though he knew what was coming. He loved him. He welcomed him. He taught him. He did not call him out. The closest he came to calling him out was at the Last Supper and no one saw it, because he did not point his finger and call him a traitor or ungrateful. Without Judas, the cross would not have happened. Our personal Judas are what are helping form us into the Christian followers that He wants us to be. If we can unconditionally love and guide those who care nothing about us only themselves, then we are truly becoming more Christlike and building the kingdom one soul at a time.
One last thought, when you make the choice to become a Christian, and follow Him, your heart WANTS to do everything it can to earn those words, ‘well done good and faithful servant’. It’s not a dictatorship, but a free will offering.
Be blessed today my friends.
***May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. – Psalm 119:173
Good morning everyone. Grace and peace be with you.
My apologies for not posting yesterday, I overslept and then had to get to our appointment. (All went well.) Was going to catch up last night, however, that did not work out either, but the time did give me a couple of ideas.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
There are several thoughts and ideas about being a Christian. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are ‘bound’ by strict and no-fun rules. Some feel that if you are a Christian, you are a pushover and weak. But, then there are those who know the Truth and want to share the correct version of what it means to be a Christian.
Fresh out of the Book of Karalee … What does it mean to be a Christian?
When I decided to follow Him, I decided to change my life from the disastrous path it was on and do something better. When I made the decision to follow Him, I knew that I had to change my language, I had to look out for the underdog, I had to be truthful and honest. In my early years…those were my thoughts on being a Christian. Pretty bare knuckle. Pretty simple.
To this day, that is the ‘basis’ of my Christian walk. When I made that choice to “Follow Him”, he did not come down and tell me everything I was doing wrong and condemn me; he gave me a big hung and said welcome to the family.
As time went on, different situations occurred, and He gave me choices to make. Some, I hit a homerun, others I struck out twice in one at bat and started a brawl because I failed so badly.
When I told my mother that I wanted to be baptized she asked me a string of questions to make sure I knew the commitment I was making. She was not trying to talk me out of it; she was trying to make sure I understood. I gave her my interpretation, and she agreed that I understood. She has watched me through all the stages of walk and corrected my boldness on many occasions because I was not being bold, I was trying to be the Holy One. (and easy trap that the enemy sets for us).
So, what does it mean to be a Christian?
Being a Christian means making the choice to do what is right, when everyone else likes the wrong choice. Being a Christian means to remaining calm when everyone else is screaming justice. Being a Christian means walking the holiest and trickiest of paths to pick the one flower that blooms so brightly. Being a Christian means not allowing your emotions to rule your mouth. (hard one for me). Being a Christian means seeing the peace that is present in the storm and trusting that He will provide. Being a Christian is knowing your Judas and treating them as Jesus did his.
That is all colorful and pretty, now … in normal words:
Being a Christian means you choose to use fewer vulgar words when talking. (Difficult place for me) Being a Christian means remaining calm when everything is falling apart around you. Yes, you can explode to release the buildup of emotions, but your explosion, if possible, should be in private and between you and God. Not the populace. Being a Christian means not calling people out in a public place so that they feel humiliated but talking to them in private like you would want. Being a Christian means that you will be degraded by others and revered by few. Being a Christian means that you are willing to stick up for the one who hurt you when someone is hurting them. Meaning, it does not mean what they did was right or righteous, but their judgement should come from God, not man, when it comes eternal salvation. We will all have to stand before Him one day, I cannot control what others do, but I can control how I respond. (Another difficulty spot). And … last but certainly not least; this came to me last night after a late shift, Jesus did not change the way he treated Judas even though he knew what was coming. He loved him. He welcomed him. He taught him. He did not call him out. The closest he came to calling him out was at the Last Supper and no one saw it, because he did not point his finger and call him a traitor or ungrateful. Without Judas, the cross would not have happened. Our personal Judas are what are helping form us into the Christian followers that He wants us to be. If we can unconditionally love and guide those who care nothing about us only themselves, then we are truly becoming more Christlike and building the kingdom one soul at a time.
One last thought, when you make the choice to become a Christian, and follow Him, your heart WANTS to do everything it can to earn those words, ‘well done good and faithful servant’. It’s not a dictatorship, but a free will offering.
Be blessed today my friends.
***May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. – Psalm 119:173
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