I  am accepted…

I am God’s child ~ John 1:12
As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ ~ John 15:15
I have been justified ~ Romans 5:1
I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit ~ 1 Corin. 6:17
I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God ~ 1 Corin. 6:19-20
I am a member of Christ’s body ~ 1 Corin. 12:27
I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child ~ Ephesians 1:3-8
I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins ~ Colossians 1:13-14
I am complete in Christ ~ Colossians 2:9-10
I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ ~ Hebrews 4:14-16

I am secure…

I am free from condemnation ~ Romans 8:1-2
I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances ~ Romans 8:28
I am free from any condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God ~ Romans 8:31-39
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God ~ 2 Corin. 1:21-22
I am hidden with Christ in God ~ Colossians 3:1-4
I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me ~ Philippians 1:6
I am a citizen of Heaven ~ Philippians 3:20
I have not been given the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me ~ 1 John 5:18

I am significant…

I am the branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life ~ John 15:5
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit ~ John 15:16
I am God’s temple ~ 1 Corin. 3:16
I am a minister of reconciliation for God ~ 2 Corin.5:17-21
I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm ~ Ephesians 2:6
I am God’s workmanship ~ Ephesians 2:10
I may approach God with freedom and confidence ~ Ephesians 3:12
I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me ~ Philippians 4:13

(borrowed from yokeup.net)

That’s what my daughter said to me as we sat together this morning waiting on the others who were getting ready for school. It had already rained all yesterday and through the night… and now it was still raining, and it isn’t expected to stop until tomorrow.

I looked her square in the eye and told her I love the rain… without the rain they’d be no water to drink, no showers, no trees, no plants, no life…

And I also told her that it reminded me of the the hardships we go through life… and how without them – we wouldn’t be able to be who we are.

People can complain all they want, but without the rain, we’d never be able to enjoy the sunny days ahead.

This is just a simple observation. Something I’ve learned in the Spirit of God. This message only pertains to Christians. I don’t think it will make sense to anyone else, though there will surely be Christians who won’t understand it as well – at least at first.

When we forgive someone – it is to our own benefit. It can help the one we are forgiving to move on and grow, but its hardly necessary. The person who has wronged us will go one whether we forgive them or not. Forgiveness allows us to let go of the anger and resentment that is present when we have been wronged.

Like wise, when we repent, it makes it easier for the person we are seeking forgiveness from, but its actually for the benefit of the person repenting. Its a milestone; a marker; it’s a point of learning where we consciously admit we were wrong and we humble ourselves while committing to change our ways.

In human relationship, forgiveness frees us of anger and resentment… but without repentance there is a barrier set between two people. It separates both parties.

When we sin against God – we know He is merciful and forgiving – but He requires repentance. Why does He require it? Because sin separates us from Him. Without it – no matter how much He loves us – if we don’t repent ( which is more than saying sorry. It’s actually changing our ways) we remain separated.

Forgiveness is easier than we believe… repentance – true repentance – is the harder of the two – and perhaps – the most import.

He who refuses to repent refuses to learn and to grow. Remember that.

You see – people want to believe that we need to hear repentance in order to forgive someone. Its what we are told from birth… I’m not forgiving you until you’ve said you’re sorry… but that is the way of the world… We should learn to repent not only to God but also to each other.

This article is in response to HeavenHotline’s Christian or Reality TV Video! I will have a video response soon, but this is my way of sorting out some of the ideas that come to mind when making this response. John (HeavenHotline’s real name) brought up an interesting point of view when he said that he felt like he was in a reality tv show that never ends… he noted reality tv is of the world, and that Christians are supposed to be separated from the world… but there are really two different things there… first of all – aside from the few well produced videos out of millions uploaded… Youtube is reality television. Its about people with everything from cheap web cams to high end consumer cameras loading videos of themselves talking about different topics. It always has been, and it will always be.

As for being a part of the world – he’s right – we aren’t supposed to be part of the world – but we are in the world and have to interact with the world. Its a challenge that we Christians face both off and online.

So what we have here is a cyber environment where we are able to interact with the world. We can share the Gospel as a preacher might preach a sermon, detached from any personal interaction – merely preaching to issues – or we can engage in the various sub communities within the Youtube community sharing the Gospel through our interactions…
There’s really no wrong way to share the Gospel, as Paul wrote so long as Christ is preached – he rejoiced… but depending on who one asks – we are told there are definitely wrong ways to share the Gospel.

Jesus is about truth… but the truth will always promote drama… as those who hate the truth will rebel against the messenger as well as the message. And in truth, Jesus depicts this in Matthew 10 verses 34-36

“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn” ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

The Sword is the Word of God – the truth… and the fact is when one speaks it it can cause a huge amount of drama… While that drama is to be expected, we ought not seek to stir drama just so that we can assure ourselves that we are speaking the truth.

I think sometimes the truth can be presented so softly that it doesn’t upset anyone because we make it so easy to slip out of its grip… and others there can be such a strong desire to force people to accept the truth that they aren’t given the opportunity to absorb and reflect upon it.

When I made the video called ‘Fair Warning to All Christians’ – I literally cried throughout the process. The harsh words of the song reminds us of the nature of the flesh – which acts with vengeance and demonstrates an unmerciful position one might have against his enemy… yet the scriptures God gave me while building the video speak of mercy – and what will happen to us if we refuse to show mercy. The point is, the scripture I presented was speaking to me first – before I presented it to anyone else.

Much to my amazement, however, it seemed as if most of the people who watched the video didn’t take the time to allow the scriptures to speak to them. Instead, they viewed it as something meant for someone else… and this is a huge problem I see with many of us in the Youtube Christian community. We are great at finding scriptures to support our attacks at others. We are wonderful when it comes to throwing each other under the bus with the flick of a verse… but one thing we lack so often is the ability to first minister to ourselves with the scripture we intend to bring forth to our adversaries. If we did this, I think that we would find that everything we did here on youtube would have a more loving attitude behind it.

We should make sure that we reflect on the Bible verses we are using – reflect upon the arguments we are presenting – reflect on how we will be affecting people who have claimed the name of Christ – before we make the videos we plan to present to those who we are going to interact with.

While its true that there are many different parts of the body that do different works for different purposes… all part of the body are supposed to be of Christ… that means we can’t water down the truth – but we also can’t use it as an excuse to be unChristlike either… I believe if we are of Christ, and we are allowing our messages speak to us first – then we will be able to maintain the balance that we see displayed by the Apostles… after all – there is only one Jesus… and the Apostles are the best examples we have of sinners turned to saints through being born again believers… and while they often faced drama because of the truth – they never stirred it up anymore than that which truth created.

I’ve been trying not to post videos on the blog – but I really want to share this one with all the Christians out there. God bless you!

Jesus is the Only Man (son of man) I put my faith in. Why is it any mercy and grace shown towards the so-called Yokimites is a sin in your eyes? You obviously know I am not a so-called Yokimite because you suggest I’m kissing up to them… obviously you know I am not one of them… yet you will now marry me to them simply because I seek to see the good in them? How much does one love Jesus? as much as one loves the unlovable. You have become so jaded against them its thrown your perspective out of whack.

They profess Jesus Christ… You profess Christ. it starts there. The Lord? will show you how to love anyone if you only ask… especially a fellow believer. Now maybe Yokeup doesn’t think you’re a real Christian, maybe you don’t think he is a real Christian… maybe neither of you think I am a real Christian – but the bottom line is this – it doesn’t matter what you think, what Jeff thinks, or what I think about a fellow believer in the end… we are all here to serve Jesus… and we are known by our fruit…

I believe there is more than one way to preach the Gospel just as there is more than one part to the body – but there is only One Gospel… regardless of how it is preached… Now I don’t know what Gospel you’re reading but the Gospel I follow tells us to love one another and forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ… there are no exceptions to the clause… whether its its this Christian or that Christian… so right off the bat, I hope you know – I forgive you of the anger and hatred you are harboring inside against me… just as I forgave Jeff… just as I forgave myself for my role in it all – Just as Jesus forgives us. I understand that Satan is doing all he can to make sure that the fires of drama are kept burning, but those fires will never go out unless we let Jesus take the reigns…

You’ve said the fall will be hard and painful, But where exactly will I fall from? Are you talking about how people will eventually get angry with me and say something derogatory against me as you have? Is that the fall you’re so worried about – because I’m not. I’m only interested in trying to follow Christ – if I get hurt I get hurt – and thats ok – it isn’t about me – it isn’t about this Christian or that Christian – it isn’t even about you and your anger – its about Jesus Christ and His Way.

You say I’ve put my faith in men and that it’s the only thing I am soo proud to display.

To this I ask: Are you insane? I don’t have faith in any man other than Jesus Christ… Are you so jaded that you have decided to slander anyone who isn’t spitting in the face of those you hate? The only thing I am so proud to display? Have you noticed the banner on my channel? It reads Happy Jesus Day… how can I promote Jesus if I refuse to do as He told me too? I can’t – thus, love and forgiveness rules the day.

You say I am far from what you would consider to be a reliable brother or friend… I wonder what you mean by reliable? Do you mean I have not been reliable in towing your party line against the people you love to hate? Indeed – of that I am guilty! You and I don’t seem to agree concerning what a brother and friend should do in times of strife and disagreement… you seem to think that your hatred and anger is justified… but it isn’t. You haven’t turned the other cheek, you haven’t loved your enemy – instead – you’ve made sure that you can keep the fire burning! How sad is it that you refuse to rise above the pettiness of it all and love those you deem unlovable within the body of people who claim Christ as their savior? Your grudge is like a cancer to your heart… and your illness is obvious to all.

Frankly – I refuse to succumb to the illness any longer… Jesus is my Lord and Savior and He has called us to love, forgive, show patience, and mercy… and with that said – you should know I am not going to argue with you about this…

If you can’t see the obvious differences between the Yokimites and me then you are truly polarized… I don’t have an iron cross coming in the mail – I don’t have a Yokimite membership card… but we do believe in the same Lord Jesus Christ even if we don’t share the same viewpoints – and I hope the same can be said for you and I. I think before you assume you’ve got the big picture you first understand the small ones… what would Jesus do? I’ll tell you what I think He would do… He would shun all of us for our behaviors against each other…