GOD'S NOT DEAD

Hey Everyone,

I hope that all is well with you and your family and that you had a wonderful weekend. This weekend, my daughter, Jessica and I went to see the film "GOD'S NOT DEAD". Going to the movies, really isn't my thing, I tend to wait for Netflix or DVD, but this time was different. It has become one of my goals to support Christian films in the hopes of more Christian films being produced for the general public, not just Christians. In all honesty, most people will not set foot inside of a church for whatever the reason, but they will go to the movies, and this is a great tool to use for evangelism, to spread the Gospel of THE GOOD NEWS of CHRIST JESUS.

There was a moment when I wondered if we would even be able to watch the film, there were technical difficulties, the digital film got stuck somehow and had to be reloaded, which took better of 30 minutes. The reward for our patience was a FREE ticket for a future movie of OUR CHOICE and OUR TIME. Hmmm! I could go see "Son of God" or wait until the "Heaven Is For Real" or "Left Behind" film is released.

When you find the time, I hope you will go and support this film with your box office dollars, you will not be disappointed. It was well written and thought out, it touches on every one of our emotions. If you haven't seen any of the previews, the premise of the film is about a College freshman who has to defend his belief in God before his Philosophy Professor and Class, thus "God's Not Dead".  Debate is not one of my strong points, takes to much time and effort to prove a point, LOL. Seriously though, when it comes to our FAITH IN CHRIST, we should all be able to stand and defend our belief, the reason for our faith and hope in Jesus.

1 Peter 3:15 Quietly trust yourself to Christ our Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. (TLB)

You know, I think that most of us at some time in our lives questioned whether or not God was real or exists, I've asked the question myself and it only led to depression. Religion without Relationship with Christ is DEAD, Jesus is more than religion. My depression came in my early twenties, my children were not born yet and I was thinking to myself, "is this it, is this all there is to life? do we live and die?" Don't get confused, I was a Christian and I knew that when I died I would be with Jesus for all eternity; it was the IN-BETWEEN time that had me all messed up, that's religion without relationship.

Today, I am grateful for the relationship that I have with my Father through Christ Jesus. He is the hope of Glory and truly all that I will ever need, because He is my provision, not that we don't need one another, I know that we do, He is working behind the scenes even in that.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, give a smile, give a hug, share an encouraging word, be kind, be loving, BE JESUS.

Continued Blessings to you and your family.

Who Are We Influencing?

Some of you may remember when Charles Barkley made the statement, "I am not a role model", a statement that became debatable on the Oprah Winfrey Show. There were differing opinions, but the fact of the matter is, whether you see yourself as a role model or not, you are influencing someone. Someone is alway watching you/me, be it right or be it wrong., it begins from infancy. We pattern ourself after other people, it's natural, it's how we learn. Who are we influencing?

1 Corinthians 11:1 

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ (KJV)

And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ's (NLT)

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (ESV)

Men are all mosaics of other men.
-Henry Drummond

Galatians 5:16 (NLT) So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

You know that old adage "Do as I say, not as I do", this needs no explanation; we've heard it and some of us may have even said it; seriously or jokingly. We as Christians have a responsibility, an obligation really; not only to Christ and ourselves, but to that individual that is a newbie/babe in the Lord, and that individual that is slipping or backsliding in the things of God, and to that individual that is literally LOST, no salvation, but they are seeking, searching for the answer to the emptiness in their lives. We the believers, are the only Christ that they will see and that is because Christ lives in us through Holy Spirit. It is our walk, our spiritual walk that will encourage them to follow us as we follow after Christ. Who are we influencing?

These are critical times, people are dying everyday, young and old; and their eternity is at stake, Heaven or Hell; Eternal Life or Eternal Damnation, IT DON'T GET NO MORE REAL THAN THAT. Our time here is short, if we lived to be 120, that is nothing compared to the oldest man ever, Methuselah (969 years old) and that's nothing compared to Eternity. Our life is but a vapor, it if fleeting and I desire for my life to demonstrate the Love of Christ. When you and I live in a way that brings Glory and Honor to God, we are actually lifting Jesus up before all men to see and then He will draw whosoever to Him. Who are we influencing?

"Ignorance ain't bliss when you standing in the fire."
-Beckah Shae

For many people "seeing is believing", SO LETS GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO SEE---SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT. They need to see us enduring life's trials and tribulations with the 'Joy of the Lord' they need to see us 'walking/living in the Peace of God', they need to see us 'Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and loving our neighbors as ourselves', they need to see us 'walking by faith and not by sight', they need to see us NOT condemning and judging others, but loving others through the righteousness and truth of Christ into the Kingdom of God. Who are we influencing?

James 1:22-23 (NLT) And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT) Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to Him.

Now, in no-way can any of us get "the big head" thinking that we did something so great that others are willing to imitate us as we imitate Christ. It's always-always about Christ; it's about what He is doing in the earth, through us, we can not follow after Christ without Him helping us to do so. He said it Himself, "apart from Me you can do nothing". Jesus is our Greatest example, he never sinned; we still come up short, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". My Pastor says it this way, "If we make a mistake/fall short; it should be short-lived". As Christians we Recognize, Repent, and Rectify; don't put off God's loving spiritual correction, if we know the right thing to do and don't do it, we give the enemy an open door into our lives; we give Satan permission to come into our lives and do what he wills. Who are we influencing?

We should all do some self examination---take inventory. What is our speech like? What are we listening to? What are we watching? Are we guarding our heart and mind? Whatever we CONSUME will CONSUME us; know what you're CONSUMING. It is my hope that this post does not come off as being harsh, it is spoken in the spirit of love. I saw the Kingdom of God because I was influenced by others that were being Salt and Light... I saw JESUS.

Everything we do or don't do matters.
-Andy Andrews

Many Blessing to you...