Don't miss the point

The Gospel has been distorted over the years & it has resorted to being about rules and restrictions rather than a relationship. The plot has been lost. The point has been missed.

There are still so many Christians out there that are racist, homophobes & extremely judgmental about the way other people live their lives! These people definitely DON’T show the love of Christ. They make un-believers reject Jesus! They even make some Christians want to reject being a “Christian.” I know I don’t want to be associated with any of that.

People can get so focused on things that don’t matter…it’s not about any of that!!! Don’t miss the point! Jesus didn’t die on the cross for you to be able to go around pointing the finger & deciding who goes to heaven & who doesn’t, who is worthy & who isn’t…that’s not your job. He died on the cross to set us free from the sin that holds us captive. He died on the cross to carry our heavy burdens so that we don’t have to. He died on the cross to show how much God loves each & every one of us…UNCONDITIONALLY, and it’s way more than you or I can fully comprehend.

The Gospel is supposed to give hope…In the book I recently read, Love Wins, the author makes a good point when he tells the story of a son dying and a Christian woman asks the mum “was he a Christian?” when the mum says “no” the Christian woman responds with “so there is no hope then” …WHAT!?!?!.... What kind of love is that??

THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT HOPE…what kind of hope does that give the mother who just lost her child?!  What about that statement would make that mother WANT to know Jesus during her time of suffering? Or ever? 

That “Christian” woman just pointed this poor mother in the complete opposite direction of the one thing that could help her through it…Jesus.

Who is she to say that woman’s child didn’t go home to be with his father, that loves him unconditionally, that sent his son to die for him, that created him & knows him inside & out?

“You don’t have to DO anything; God has already done it through Jesus.” Rob Bell

God offers a free gift of eternal life through Jesus, we cannot earn by our own efforts, works or good deeds. Only God can judge that…not us, ever

We get accepted by Gods Grace…by His mercy, that’s it!!!!

You don’t HAVE to go to Church, you don’t HAVE to read the bible, you don’t HAVE to live your life a certain way, and we are all given a choice. But God instructs that we do because we will be in our sweet spot, where he designed us to be. Sin is crippling, He instructs us to live a certain way so that we can have a FREE life. Discipline brings freedom. Christ brings freedom.

The point of Church, fellowship & bible study is to draw closer to God because it’s there that you learn what His character is like, you learn that God IS love, God IS good & He IS great. It is there that you are supposed to get fed so that you can go out and feed others.

When we realize life is not about us & we are indeed a part of a bigger story, we start to get a different perspective. God is always present no matter where you are, it’s just up to us to seek Him & open our eyes to see the blessings that He puts in front of us everyday. It’s up to us to lean into Him and rest in His strength & not try to do it on our own. Seek & you shall find.  

Jesus’ message isn’t about getting somewhere else… or HOW to get to heaven, it’s about bringing that somewhere else here, bringing heaven to earth…It’s about living life in Him abundantly NOW, growing yourself as a person to be more like Jesus, caring for others, showing compassion, helping people, putting others first, going above and beyond…but not because you HAVE to, but because you WANT to… because you know that Jesus loves you unconditionally… it brings that out in you. When you realize that, you can’t help but love others the same way He loves you- be a mirror and reflect Gods love to others.