Another interesting topic I researched and here's what i found guys:
"As Christians, the two things we can do to stand up for Christ are to live according to His Word and grow our own knowledge of Him. Christ said, “let your light shine before men…” (Matthew 5:16). This means that we should live and act in a way that supports the Gospel. We should also arm ourselves with knowledge, both of the Gospel (Ephesians 6:10-17) and of the world around us. 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” All we can do is live and teach as Christ would and let Him take care of the rest.
Critics of Christianity have become more and more vocal recently. This is partly because there are many people who do not believe in God or understand the truth about Him at all. Yet, the apparent swell in anti-Christians is also due to perception. As with many topics, those who truly despise Christianity are the loudest and most vocal of the non-believers. The vast majority of those who do not believe don’t really care enough to bother believers. The few angry, vocal, bitter unbelievers make enough noise to seem more numerous than they are.
The typical insult from the non-religious crowd is to refer to believers as “ignorant,” “stupid,” “brainwashed,” or otherwise suggest that those who have faith are less intelligent than those who do not. When a Christian puts up a good fight by standing up intelligently for his faith, the terms change to “bigot,” “extremist,” or “zealot.” When people who know that believer is kind and loving hear this, the loud-mouthed atheist starts to look like the fool that he or she is (Psalm 53:1). Most non-believers have not had personal reasons to see Christians negatively, but they sometimes hear so much from the loud anti-Christians that they just assume it is so. They need examples of Christ-like living to see the truth.
Of course, when someone claiming to be a Christian says or does something that is not Christlike, the angry, loud crowd is there to point them out as a typical religious hypocrite. This is something we have been warned to expect (Romans 1:28-30; Matthew 5:11). The best thing to do is to point out a passage of the Bible that speaks against what the person did. For example, a murderer is violating Exodus 20:13. Point out that just because a person says they are a Christian, and even if they think they are a Christian, does not mean that they are. Matthew 7:16,20 tell us that true Christians will be known by their actions, not merely by their profession. And, remind them that absolutely no one lives without sinning at all (Romans 3:23).
The important thing to remember is that no one, no matter how persuasive, can force anyone to believe anything they don’t want to believe. No matter what the evidence, no matter what the argument, people will believe what they want to believe (Luke 12:54-56). This is true for both sides, since the angry antiChristian types are some of the least tolerant people around. But conviction is not a Christian’s job. The Holy Spirit convicts people (John 14:16-17), and they choose whether or not to believe. What we can do is present ourselves in a way that is as Christ-like as possible. Most of the “beating up” that Christianity endures involves actions that are not in line with Biblical teachings, or arguments that are deliberately twisted. It is sad that there are many atheists who have read the entire Bible, word for word, looking for ammunition to throw at Christians, and that there are many Christians who have hardly read the Bible at all.
It’s hard for the angry crowd to accuse a Christian of being a hateful, cruel bigot when that person demonstrates a life of kindness, humility, and compassion. When a Christian can discuss, debate or debunk secular arguments accurately, the label of “ignorant” no longer fits. A Christian who has read the arguments of the secular crowd, and can politely point out their flaws, helps to deflate the stereotype pushed by the vocal atheists. Knowledge is the weapon, and it is invincible when we let Christ direct us in how to use it."
After this is said and done, ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT WE OVERLOOK ALL THE TIME WHEN WE GET IN OUR CHRISTIAN BUBBLE IS:
We should love our non-Christian neighbors, living honorably and graciously before them, being an example of godliness, sharing God's ways with them, and refusing to condemn them.
God said: For the whole law can be summed up in this one command:"Love your neighbor as yourself."
1Peter 1:12 says: "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
Guys let's be the best Jesus can make us, I am tired to be the best I can be, why? I can be the worst hypocrite in the world, yet Jesus is Truth, arm yourself with the Truth and what happens? Nothing but truth will come out of you, harsh to some, loving for others, maybe many will ignore you but the Father said in Matthew 10:33 "but whoever denies me before men, i also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."
God bless you all and hope this raises your eyebrows and makes you wonder, am I really one of these Christians? I know I am not, and I will work on every little aspect that I need to work on so that Jesus can fluently use me, barriers that I bestow upon myself need to be eliminated and I will. Are you ready for this challenge?
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Doing anything for all the wrong reason
Currently at Starbucks with Jonathan that had the favor to give me an article he read and this came to me, love the way the author phrased this:
" You may look upon me (Paul D. Washer) as a mature Christian who has learned many things, but i have been so wrong in so many ways, and thus has been my greatest error. I have always pressed hard to accomplish something, when I should have pressed hard just to be with Him! Yes, my dear young Christian, you can even waste your precious drops of life in the work of ministry and missions! Remember this: To confine to God to a quiet time is grotesque, to reduce discipleship to only obedience is pathetic, and to make ministry into something other than christ's life flowing through your intimate relationship with Him is to make it nothing more than a stupid work of the flesh."
I sit here now and I wonder, what are we here on earth for? Why more of us, humans, are created every year? Yes we procreate, we multiply, reproduce, whatever scientific name or definition you can name it, yet who is the one that allows life to be real in the first place? Are we here for a simple way that the earth works like some think or are we here to just follow the so called course of life? Even Evolution? Oh man honestly (and I am speaking as I think so excuse my silly phrases) are we that ignorant? Are we so blind that we based must of our lives into Maslow's hierarchy of needs? (the pyramid of so called human motivational needs? for those who don't know what it is, look it up, it is a through explanation of how a human being needs to have a bunch of factors in order to have a so called "regular or normal life"). Hold on a second, I encourage you guys to go to this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mazlow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg
What's the one thing that is missing in the so called human life? Maslow's theory is followed by the world in every level, it does have a point however, did anybody stop to notice that God, Jesus Christ, the One that fills and fulfills every need we may have, the one that died for OUR SINS, NOT HIS! (yes, sometimes we are so full of pride that we stop and fill our little thoughts thinking we even deserve to be alive?! Are we that important??) HE HAD, HAS, AND WILL NEVER HAVE sin in Him, yet He is not included in the most followed theory of human life? He isn't! Did you guys see him in that pyramid? Exactly! So i stop to think, where is this world headed by following something that has no Savior included? Yes, I am sorry if I am being harsh, as a matter of fact I am not (quote that i said I would speak my exact thoughts as they came), I will not conform to this world's apologies, I will not sit here watching my non-Christian family go more days without me being something in their lives more than prayer, i will not allow more of my friend circle to go days without knowing that I am alive, but not because I deserve it (like I once thought) but because HE LOVES ME I am here now speaking about the GREATEST being ever known to man, yes man, the one who sinned, not the Son of Man that died for us, and carried OUR sin! How can we dedicate our lives to just living like some songs say "one day at a time" and not notice that even the slightest microscopic particle that makes up the light that we see when we open our eyes is being controlled for every single person that is waking up at the same instant in the world by the same God? Honestly, I do not walk the walk, I struggle, I sin, I am a man, but I am forgiven, I am redeemed, I know my Savior is my God who is not in the rules of this world because HE IS NOT FROM THIS WORLD, and guess what guys? NEITHER ARE WE! we are created to His image yes we are, but we have to come to a point where we say, "ok, today I am going to live this day (not MY day cause it's not ours) for YOU Jesus, tomorrow (repeat the same thing), and the next (likewise) until it becomes a clear fact that we are nothing, that we are saved by HIS grace, not ours, oh and then we have the nerve to argue with Him when something does not go our way? Making me laugh when I get disgusted why? I am one of those who argues, one of those that says "why God" one of those that says but "I want it, what's wrong with it?" Guess again?? IT IS GOD'S WAY, He knows the outcome to every situation and He is so good that He gave us freedom to act and choose, but always OUR way is the wrong way, why? Cause HE is not included in the human equation, we tend to leave Him out to satisfy what? Yea we just went back to Maslow's needs I'm sorry but I want to open my eyes, and your eyes when you read this.
Guys we need one thing, JESUS CHRIST, He and only He will give us the needs we actually need, when He knows they are really needed, He will even spoil us at times, but even those blessings have a purpose in our lives, which ultimately have a higher purpose? YES! I finally got to the greatest news huh? HEAVEN! We will all be there one day thanks to Maslow, opsss excuse my language, yes, exactly, thanks to Jesus, the One who gave it all, we sometimes think "oh I'm giving my all" think again! ARE YOU REALLY? or are you leaving some dirt under the sofa, behind the bed? Please do not let the world influence you more than it already has for those years that you haven't had a relationship with our Lord Jesus, and now that we do make it count every second, life is not pocket-enabled, meaning that you can't put a minute or two in your pocket and use them whenever you want, so use them wisely, and make sure that every minute has Jesus on it, why? it is only the best choice we can ever make and then our purpose, our ministry, our calling, our great commission, ourselves guys! will be the way He wants it to be which is the best and the only way it should, it is His world, His ways, His path, FOLLOW IT, stop blocking it trying to live YOUR life and live it FOR HIM. Seek Him and everything will be filled, hello? God never promises something that He will not deliver, so do as He says LITERALLY and He will manifest yourself in your life.
I apologize again for being harsh on myself and all those who read my note, but then again, I am not! :) Jesus is someone that we can't (not shouldn't) CANT take lightly, our cellphones, computers, lives, friends, family, NOTHING is more important, yes we sin, yes we have flaws, we fall, but always have in mind that our Jesus is forgiving, so go to Him all the time ok?? thank you guys.
" You may look upon me (Paul D. Washer) as a mature Christian who has learned many things, but i have been so wrong in so many ways, and thus has been my greatest error. I have always pressed hard to accomplish something, when I should have pressed hard just to be with Him! Yes, my dear young Christian, you can even waste your precious drops of life in the work of ministry and missions! Remember this: To confine to God to a quiet time is grotesque, to reduce discipleship to only obedience is pathetic, and to make ministry into something other than christ's life flowing through your intimate relationship with Him is to make it nothing more than a stupid work of the flesh."
I sit here now and I wonder, what are we here on earth for? Why more of us, humans, are created every year? Yes we procreate, we multiply, reproduce, whatever scientific name or definition you can name it, yet who is the one that allows life to be real in the first place? Are we here for a simple way that the earth works like some think or are we here to just follow the so called course of life? Even Evolution? Oh man honestly (and I am speaking as I think so excuse my silly phrases) are we that ignorant? Are we so blind that we based must of our lives into Maslow's hierarchy of needs? (the pyramid of so called human motivational needs? for those who don't know what it is, look it up, it is a through explanation of how a human being needs to have a bunch of factors in order to have a so called "regular or normal life"). Hold on a second, I encourage you guys to go to this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mazlow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg
What's the one thing that is missing in the so called human life? Maslow's theory is followed by the world in every level, it does have a point however, did anybody stop to notice that God, Jesus Christ, the One that fills and fulfills every need we may have, the one that died for OUR SINS, NOT HIS! (yes, sometimes we are so full of pride that we stop and fill our little thoughts thinking we even deserve to be alive?! Are we that important??) HE HAD, HAS, AND WILL NEVER HAVE sin in Him, yet He is not included in the most followed theory of human life? He isn't! Did you guys see him in that pyramid? Exactly! So i stop to think, where is this world headed by following something that has no Savior included? Yes, I am sorry if I am being harsh, as a matter of fact I am not (quote that i said I would speak my exact thoughts as they came), I will not conform to this world's apologies, I will not sit here watching my non-Christian family go more days without me being something in their lives more than prayer, i will not allow more of my friend circle to go days without knowing that I am alive, but not because I deserve it (like I once thought) but because HE LOVES ME I am here now speaking about the GREATEST being ever known to man, yes man, the one who sinned, not the Son of Man that died for us, and carried OUR sin! How can we dedicate our lives to just living like some songs say "one day at a time" and not notice that even the slightest microscopic particle that makes up the light that we see when we open our eyes is being controlled for every single person that is waking up at the same instant in the world by the same God? Honestly, I do not walk the walk, I struggle, I sin, I am a man, but I am forgiven, I am redeemed, I know my Savior is my God who is not in the rules of this world because HE IS NOT FROM THIS WORLD, and guess what guys? NEITHER ARE WE! we are created to His image yes we are, but we have to come to a point where we say, "ok, today I am going to live this day (not MY day cause it's not ours) for YOU Jesus, tomorrow (repeat the same thing), and the next (likewise) until it becomes a clear fact that we are nothing, that we are saved by HIS grace, not ours, oh and then we have the nerve to argue with Him when something does not go our way? Making me laugh when I get disgusted why? I am one of those who argues, one of those that says "why God" one of those that says but "I want it, what's wrong with it?" Guess again?? IT IS GOD'S WAY, He knows the outcome to every situation and He is so good that He gave us freedom to act and choose, but always OUR way is the wrong way, why? Cause HE is not included in the human equation, we tend to leave Him out to satisfy what? Yea we just went back to Maslow's needs I'm sorry but I want to open my eyes, and your eyes when you read this.
Guys we need one thing, JESUS CHRIST, He and only He will give us the needs we actually need, when He knows they are really needed, He will even spoil us at times, but even those blessings have a purpose in our lives, which ultimately have a higher purpose? YES! I finally got to the greatest news huh? HEAVEN! We will all be there one day thanks to Maslow, opsss excuse my language, yes, exactly, thanks to Jesus, the One who gave it all, we sometimes think "oh I'm giving my all" think again! ARE YOU REALLY? or are you leaving some dirt under the sofa, behind the bed? Please do not let the world influence you more than it already has for those years that you haven't had a relationship with our Lord Jesus, and now that we do make it count every second, life is not pocket-enabled, meaning that you can't put a minute or two in your pocket and use them whenever you want, so use them wisely, and make sure that every minute has Jesus on it, why? it is only the best choice we can ever make and then our purpose, our ministry, our calling, our great commission, ourselves guys! will be the way He wants it to be which is the best and the only way it should, it is His world, His ways, His path, FOLLOW IT, stop blocking it trying to live YOUR life and live it FOR HIM. Seek Him and everything will be filled, hello? God never promises something that He will not deliver, so do as He says LITERALLY and He will manifest yourself in your life.
I apologize again for being harsh on myself and all those who read my note, but then again, I am not! :) Jesus is someone that we can't (not shouldn't) CANT take lightly, our cellphones, computers, lives, friends, family, NOTHING is more important, yes we sin, yes we have flaws, we fall, but always have in mind that our Jesus is forgiving, so go to Him all the time ok?? thank you guys.
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