I grew up in church when I was a child and called myself a Christian but I never knew what it truly meant. It wasn't until recently that I found out. I thought being a Christian was going to church EVERY TIME the doors were open, which happened to be around 6-7 times a week. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people that do that, but God showed me something different. I now go to church once a week. I have learned that being a christian is not about how many times you're in church. God doesn't take attendance. Personally, I believe you can be a Christian and never step foot in a church, because nothing we do can make God love us anymore, it's always been because of the grace of Jesus that we are allowed to be worthy enough. The man hanging on the cross next to Jesus didn't have to go to church, get baptized, and change his life before Jesus allowed him to enter Heaven. Going to church can be really good for you. It helps you with problems you may be facing or just to renew your spirit and help you feel God. I have personally found God outside of church, at the bus station. I find God the most when I am out serving him. Showing love to those who have never truly felt it. All you have to do is give them food and pray with them. I have also seen that the best way to show someone love is to listen! My husband met a guy Tuesday night at the bus station who was going through a really rough patch in his life. One of his parents just died, his girlfriend left him, and he has a warrant out for his arrest. He was very angry at first, tired of everyone there telling him it would be alright. He spent about 30 minutes to an hour talking to Jesse about his life. Finally, something in his heart broke and his was no longer angry, he accepted "everything was going to be alright". He told Jesse that all he wanted was for someone to vent to, and that's what Jesse was allowing him to do. It might not be as much as listening, it could be a smile! You never know what that person may be going through today. They could be behind you in Wal-Mart thinking about ending their life tonight. The simplest thing you can do, besides a smile, is the drive thru difference. I have done it many times and have had it done for me. Pay for the person behind you, that's all it is. Tell the cashier that you want to pay for their food and after it's done, drive off. You don't get credit for it or meet the person face-to-face. It's doing something for someone who can never pay you back! Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Unfortunately, today's society tells us something different. It's all about what YOU can GET, not what YOU can GIVE. The bible tells us in Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
True love, to me, is not about what you can get but what you can do for someone without anything in return. That goes for marriage as well (that may be another blog at a later time). I know nothing we can do in this life will get us brownie points with God, but I see it as being a Christian is also being a disciple. You need to spread the word and love of Jesus to everyone. Including those who have done you wrong. People are dying everyday never knowing about Jesus. They don't know about the hope and love we find in Jesus. They don't know that whatever they have done in life, no matter how bad it is, Jesus came so they can be free from those sins. That's why missions has been very heavy on my heart....some of those people have never even heard the name Jesus before. How amazing would that be to share that with someone? In America, pretty much everyone has heard about Him, but we have become a nation that feels we don't need him, because "we can do it on our own". Yes, that applies to some Christians as well. I have actually been told by a guy in our church that you can do the "God thing" but there's a time to cut it off. At the time we just started out being Christians and if we didn't know better we would have believed what he said. I would hate for someone to believe that. You can't just cut God out of your life whenever you see fit, is that truly following God? I know we get off track some times and lose focus on God, but purposely cutting him out when we feel it may get in the way of our job or life. What if God did that to us? What if he cut us off when he felt like it? I'm not saying God will do away with you if you cut him off all the time, but you can't be a lukewarm Christian. You're either walking with God or you're not.
No, Christians are not perfect, we mess up, we sometimes forget what we need to be doing, we say the wrong things, and it's because WE ARE HUMAN! We are no different than ANYONE else. We are not more holier than anyone else. Some christian's act like they are but I am here to tell them, in the words of Andy Stanley that you, every single one of you, including me, are "UNGODLY". If you are not God, you are ungodly. Being Godly is being perfect and no one in this entire world is perfect, so we are all ungodly. I am no better than a murderer, a prostitute, or a drug addict. There's nothing that separates us from other sinners, Jesus didn't just die for Christians, he died for the murderers, the rapist, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, etc. Truth is, we all need to learn that, as a society. We are all made the same way, nothing makes us different than anyone else. We all die! There's no amount of money that can stop death, you are going to die when God says so.
I also believe that Christians shouldn't separate themselves from people that are not walking with God. IF YOU SHUN OUT EVERY PERSON THAT DOESN'T LIVE LIKE YOU, WHO WILL SHOW THEM GOD? All they will see is a stuck up "Christian"! I don't know how many times I have heard lately how people hate church, and it's for that very reason! I have been shunned away by Christians because I had piercings and I do have tattoos. I embrace my tattoos because I can reach people that others can't. I don't listen to just christian music and that opens doors as well. Just the other week there was a guy at the bus station that was waiting to get on, he wasn't open to talking to anyone, but I saw his shirt, which happened to be Fall Out Boy, that opened a conversation between me and him, we started talking about the band, skateboarding, and he was ok with talking to me, where as with someone else he wasn't comfortable talking to. If you can find a way to relate to someone, do it. Never think you're better than that person, because YOU ARE NOT. God is no respecter of any person!
All of my statements in here might not apply to your life. You might not be a christian and THAT'S OK! I am not here to push God on anyone. If you are not a christian or just starting out, I am here to love you and be here for you when you need me. That also applies to "old" Christians. If you need someone to talk to please send me an email, text, or phone call! I am always here to pray, talk, or just listen!!
I started out not knowing what to write, at all! I started to write something completely different, but that's not what God had in mind. God just told me to write and this is what he came up with. Maybe God is trying to change something in your life and this is why he told me to write this, I don't know. I hope you all enjoy it!
For the Glory of God,
Pamela Johnson
P.S. Sorry for grammatical\punctuation errors. My husband's not here to correct me :)
No, Christians are not perfect, we mess up, we sometimes forget what we need to be doing, we say the wrong things, and it's because WE ARE HUMAN! We are no different than ANYONE else. We are not more holier than anyone else. Some christian's act like they are but I am here to tell them, in the words of Andy Stanley that you, every single one of you, including me, are "UNGODLY". If you are not God, you are ungodly. Being Godly is being perfect and no one in this entire world is perfect, so we are all ungodly. I am no better than a murderer, a prostitute, or a drug addict. There's nothing that separates us from other sinners, Jesus didn't just die for Christians, he died for the murderers, the rapist, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, etc. Truth is, we all need to learn that, as a society. We are all made the same way, nothing makes us different than anyone else. We all die! There's no amount of money that can stop death, you are going to die when God says so.
I also believe that Christians shouldn't separate themselves from people that are not walking with God. IF YOU SHUN OUT EVERY PERSON THAT DOESN'T LIVE LIKE YOU, WHO WILL SHOW THEM GOD? All they will see is a stuck up "Christian"! I don't know how many times I have heard lately how people hate church, and it's for that very reason! I have been shunned away by Christians because I had piercings and I do have tattoos. I embrace my tattoos because I can reach people that others can't. I don't listen to just christian music and that opens doors as well. Just the other week there was a guy at the bus station that was waiting to get on, he wasn't open to talking to anyone, but I saw his shirt, which happened to be Fall Out Boy, that opened a conversation between me and him, we started talking about the band, skateboarding, and he was ok with talking to me, where as with someone else he wasn't comfortable talking to. If you can find a way to relate to someone, do it. Never think you're better than that person, because YOU ARE NOT. God is no respecter of any person!
All of my statements in here might not apply to your life. You might not be a christian and THAT'S OK! I am not here to push God on anyone. If you are not a christian or just starting out, I am here to love you and be here for you when you need me. That also applies to "old" Christians. If you need someone to talk to please send me an email, text, or phone call! I am always here to pray, talk, or just listen!!
I started out not knowing what to write, at all! I started to write something completely different, but that's not what God had in mind. God just told me to write and this is what he came up with. Maybe God is trying to change something in your life and this is why he told me to write this, I don't know. I hope you all enjoy it!
For the Glory of God,
Pamela Johnson
P.S. Sorry for grammatical\punctuation errors. My husband's not here to correct me :)
