STOP! Don’t read another word until you go to my Facebook page (Bob Shanklin) and tell me your minds-eye impression of what you feel God looks like.
I’m sorry for that interruption but I felt this blog could change the way your minds-eye would look at Him.
For my first few years when I thought of God I thought of him as an old bearded man wearing a robe and living in the clouds.
The more I thought about that the more I realized that vision just didn’t work for me. I knew God was always by my side and if He was always by my side and the source of all knowledge why on earth would He wear a long white robe in my yard? In no time that long robe would be covered with sand-burs, Devil’s darning needles, and beggar’s lice. That doesn’t even count the sand and dirt. It was then I then realized there had to be something wrong with my vision.
All the artists and sculptures picture Him dressed in old Mid-Eastern garb, like you would see in Jesus’ time. But, this is over 2000 years later, that long white robe stuff just didn’t fit into today!
If I’m working in the yard in jeans, I picture Him beside me also in jeans! If I’m walking at the edge of the surf I picture Him in shorts! I know He is walking with me because when I look back over my shoulder I only see one set of barefoot prints. That’s because He is carrying me! Even when I picture Eternity there is no way that I picture Him in a long white robe.
When My Friend speaks to me he speaks in everyday American English. So, why should I expect Him to dress differently from my other friends?
In my mind’s eye, I picture Him as a middle age man. I feel He would be well shaven with possibly a well trimmed beard. Shaving and trimming are far easier today than the God depicted in artists visualizations of thousands of years ago.
I can picture Him possibly wearing a suit, never a $500 one, and NO tie. I’m sure it would be impossible to convince one with ALL knowledge to ever wear a tie!
As you can see, I picture God as a modern day friend. Someone you or I can feel comfortable with being in His presence.
After walking side by side with Him for my many years it’s very hard to think of Him as anything but a best friend. I’m sorry, try as I might I just can’t picture Him in that long white robe. In jeans? Yes.
Since I started thinking about this blog I have asked many others their thought on God’s looks. I have been surprised by the many responses. We all know there is but one God. But, each person feels that He isTHEIR God and each sees Him differently. I find each person’s vision differs. In describing Him, the description is always of my God, never our God. Their vision is much like their finger prints, no two are just alike.
Those of us that speak to Him as our Friend tend to have a more relaxed impression of Him. Maybe, that’s because we look upon Him as we would any good friend. I find myself speaking to Him as I would to you or any other friend. We talk as friends, with respect, but without “prayer talk”, just plain English.
I feel comfortable with my God and I feel my God feels comfortable with me.
Sandra said: “ He must look human, because we are created in His image”.
Now tell me how YOU see Him.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Love or Hate
I have been amazed by the number of people I have talked to that told me they hate themselves! Many of those I talked to have been young people! Peer pressure has been almost unbearable for many. Many are unhappy because their bodies look nothing like those they see on TV.
Many have expressed hate of their bodies or parts of their bodies. I have also found, you don’t have long to wait until they point out the part of their bodies they feel is unattractive, or sometimes in their own words “UGLY”. It seems as though they pride themselves in showing others what they feel is their “Bad points”.
People could learn much from that always berated used car salesman. You can bet your last dollar that man will not point out any bad features of any car you’re looking at! Like that salesman, only hunt out your good points, because each time you start thinking about those features that make you unhappy and then broadcast them to the world your negative thoughts of you are not only pulling yourself down but also the world around you. Would you ever consider buying a car from a person with YOUR attitude?
Life is nothing more than a selling field and you are not only the seller, but you are also the buyer!
Before we were born God chose who he wanted us to be. He chose our mother and our father. He chose our skin color. He chose the place where we were to be born. If you’re unhappy with you, DON’T Blame God. He gave us one more gift. He gave us “our free agency” (our right to mess-up)! He gave us the right to mess-up our bodies and also our lives! Much of what we don’t like about ourselves we did to ourselves!
Don’t get me wrong, God created few of us to be fashion models or supermen. But, each of us is a child of God. Each of us is one of God’s “chosen”. Each of us is God’s “special” people. Each of us is “important” in God’s eyes, or we wouldn’t be here today.
Now, we have to ask why if God thought we were special, chosen, and important, please tell me why we don’t have those same feelings about ourselves. Why do so many of us do things that show others we have less respect for ourselves and at times we actually do things we know are hurting ourselves?
Many drink or do drugs that make them “feel good” for a short time. For each high a person knows in their heart that the high will always be followed by a low. That high is also followed by a person’s lowering of their respect for one’s self. Sometimes that high is at a terrible cost, I know I lost a son to a drunk driver.
If you smoke there is no way you can convince me that you have respect for your body or those around you! Please tell me how you feel that both your breath and your clothes smelling like a dirty ashtray can make you more attractive to those around you.
Many of the people I’ve talked to try to place the blame on others. So often I hear: “everyone else is doing it” or even “I wanted them to love me” or just “I wanted to be accepted”. Strangely I heard many of those same excuses from the prisoners during my prison ministry! You have to remember it is ALWAYS you who opens the window of opportunity for the disapproval of oneself to enter your thoughts. Quit concentrating on your bad points. Without you bringing them up I’m sure no one else would ever notice. Set a standard for yourself, then every month or so raise the bar.
God created you the way He wanted you to be. Don’t go through the rest of your life trying to mess-up His wonderful creation. Friendships were created to improve each person’s standards, not to lower them. We show our friendship by keeping our standards high; this gives our friends someone to look up to. Be someone they’re proud to know. Let them raise their standards to yours not lower your standards to theirs. Love or hate the choice is up to you.
Many have expressed hate of their bodies or parts of their bodies. I have also found, you don’t have long to wait until they point out the part of their bodies they feel is unattractive, or sometimes in their own words “UGLY”. It seems as though they pride themselves in showing others what they feel is their “Bad points”.
People could learn much from that always berated used car salesman. You can bet your last dollar that man will not point out any bad features of any car you’re looking at! Like that salesman, only hunt out your good points, because each time you start thinking about those features that make you unhappy and then broadcast them to the world your negative thoughts of you are not only pulling yourself down but also the world around you. Would you ever consider buying a car from a person with YOUR attitude?
Life is nothing more than a selling field and you are not only the seller, but you are also the buyer!
Before we were born God chose who he wanted us to be. He chose our mother and our father. He chose our skin color. He chose the place where we were to be born. If you’re unhappy with you, DON’T Blame God. He gave us one more gift. He gave us “our free agency” (our right to mess-up)! He gave us the right to mess-up our bodies and also our lives! Much of what we don’t like about ourselves we did to ourselves!
Don’t get me wrong, God created few of us to be fashion models or supermen. But, each of us is a child of God. Each of us is one of God’s “chosen”. Each of us is God’s “special” people. Each of us is “important” in God’s eyes, or we wouldn’t be here today.
Now, we have to ask why if God thought we were special, chosen, and important, please tell me why we don’t have those same feelings about ourselves. Why do so many of us do things that show others we have less respect for ourselves and at times we actually do things we know are hurting ourselves?
Many drink or do drugs that make them “feel good” for a short time. For each high a person knows in their heart that the high will always be followed by a low. That high is also followed by a person’s lowering of their respect for one’s self. Sometimes that high is at a terrible cost, I know I lost a son to a drunk driver.
If you smoke there is no way you can convince me that you have respect for your body or those around you! Please tell me how you feel that both your breath and your clothes smelling like a dirty ashtray can make you more attractive to those around you.
Many of the people I’ve talked to try to place the blame on others. So often I hear: “everyone else is doing it” or even “I wanted them to love me” or just “I wanted to be accepted”. Strangely I heard many of those same excuses from the prisoners during my prison ministry! You have to remember it is ALWAYS you who opens the window of opportunity for the disapproval of oneself to enter your thoughts. Quit concentrating on your bad points. Without you bringing them up I’m sure no one else would ever notice. Set a standard for yourself, then every month or so raise the bar.
God created you the way He wanted you to be. Don’t go through the rest of your life trying to mess-up His wonderful creation. Friendships were created to improve each person’s standards, not to lower them. We show our friendship by keeping our standards high; this gives our friends someone to look up to. Be someone they’re proud to know. Let them raise their standards to yours not lower your standards to theirs. Love or hate the choice is up to you.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Acceptance
You may wonder why an eighty-five year old man would all of a sudden come up with a blog. Actually I had no choice because for several weeks before I started this blog I was told by My Friend to start it. At first I just passed it off, but that voice was very persistent. It just kept telling me to start a blog. I had no idea of what a blog was, I had never even seen one. That voice kept saying start your blog!
To get some idea of all of this lets back up a bit: for eight or nine years I worked with a group from my church helping with a prison ministry. I never considered what I was doing as preaching. I never quoted scriptures. I just told stories. My Friend told me to show love and listen to the hurts. I never once walked into the prison with written words. Just before I walked through the gates I would always ask My Father in Heaven to put words into my mouth that would be pleasing unto Him. Surprisingly I never found myself short on words although often the words from my mouth were as new to me as to those I was talking to.
Actually I had faith in God and I accepted whatever He gave me. I always thought of myself as My Father’s tool and not as one acting in an advisory capacity. If God is all knowing He certainly doesn’t need a mere mortal like me telling Him how to do things.
Now back to my story: a few weeks later, and the blogs turning point was when I was told “Let others teach using the scriptures, yours is to speak softly and use a gentle touch”. I’m sure by now you have noticed that sometimes my gentle touch has quite a wallop behind it.
It took me quite a while to start accepting things that My Friend told me. Sometimes I would take some time to analyze what I was told, (my excuse to stall, that never worked). Then one day the smart bulb lighted when I realized if you want to win an argument you don’t argue with God.
It would be like going to the library and checking out a published book, then telling the author to change a chapter in his already completed book. In other words: I believe everyone’s Book of Life has already been written. Yes-from the first capital letter of the first word of the first sentence to the last period after the last word of the last chapter. I believe my God has written and read my Book of Life from the beginning to the end. I accept it as written, I won’t try to analyze or rewrite my book. When My Father speaks I listen I’m not His adviser.
I do not believe every word spoken from the pulpit to be gospel. I’ve walked from a church service with questions and doubts. That is the reason that I started going to My Father, My Friend for answers. It took me a while to learn to listen and sometimes a little longer to accept those answers.
I now understand why this eighty-five was told to start this blog that you are reading today. Because I was told to do it! Sometimes that acceptance stuff is hard to learn. I assure you the time spent is not wasted for I have found acceptance and faith are basically the same.
To get some idea of all of this lets back up a bit: for eight or nine years I worked with a group from my church helping with a prison ministry. I never considered what I was doing as preaching. I never quoted scriptures. I just told stories. My Friend told me to show love and listen to the hurts. I never once walked into the prison with written words. Just before I walked through the gates I would always ask My Father in Heaven to put words into my mouth that would be pleasing unto Him. Surprisingly I never found myself short on words although often the words from my mouth were as new to me as to those I was talking to.
Actually I had faith in God and I accepted whatever He gave me. I always thought of myself as My Father’s tool and not as one acting in an advisory capacity. If God is all knowing He certainly doesn’t need a mere mortal like me telling Him how to do things.
Now back to my story: a few weeks later, and the blogs turning point was when I was told “Let others teach using the scriptures, yours is to speak softly and use a gentle touch”. I’m sure by now you have noticed that sometimes my gentle touch has quite a wallop behind it.
It took me quite a while to start accepting things that My Friend told me. Sometimes I would take some time to analyze what I was told, (my excuse to stall, that never worked). Then one day the smart bulb lighted when I realized if you want to win an argument you don’t argue with God.
It would be like going to the library and checking out a published book, then telling the author to change a chapter in his already completed book. In other words: I believe everyone’s Book of Life has already been written. Yes-from the first capital letter of the first word of the first sentence to the last period after the last word of the last chapter. I believe my God has written and read my Book of Life from the beginning to the end. I accept it as written, I won’t try to analyze or rewrite my book. When My Father speaks I listen I’m not His adviser.
I do not believe every word spoken from the pulpit to be gospel. I’ve walked from a church service with questions and doubts. That is the reason that I started going to My Father, My Friend for answers. It took me a while to learn to listen and sometimes a little longer to accept those answers.
I now understand why this eighty-five was told to start this blog that you are reading today. Because I was told to do it! Sometimes that acceptance stuff is hard to learn. I assure you the time spent is not wasted for I have found acceptance and faith are basically the same.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Beginning Again
Beginning again really had to start yesterday. It’s almost impossible to start anew if you have yesterday’s unhappiness blinding you from your future happiness. You have to let go!
It’s like the old story: if you keep trying to treat the symptoms you will find it hard to eliminate the true cause. It’s like taking pill after pill for repeated headaches when in your heart you know that the pill will only help you feel good for an hour or two and then that ache will return!
Then, after taking a few bottles of pills, you realize you have two choices left. You have to find a stronger pill and continue to treat the symptom or you have to go to the doctor and find a way to treat the headache’s cause.
Beginning again is similar to that headache. Many times I have talked to people that have tried to start their lives over only to find that a short time later they felt themselves back in the same old rut.
Unless you search out the cause of your unhappiness, and sometimes you find it hard to admit that YOU are the cause, your trying to begin again is just a fruitless exercise. The land of beginning again has many new residents but far fewer long term folks.
If you have messed up your life and now you feel guilty, ask for God’s forgiveness. If you feel you have more on your plate than you can handle, turn to that Friend by your side and hand it to Him. I’m sure He is better equipped to handle major problems than any of us.
Did I hear you ask “How do you know anyone is by my side”? It’s called FAITH. Believe me I know He is there! You must learn to believe in Him. I know you can’t see Him. You can’t reach out and touch Him.
I know He is there. I have staked my life on Him being there and He has never failed me!
Each new day in our life opens up new learning experiences and new blessings. The day we miss out on the learning and overlook our blessings is a day wasted and those days are too precious to waste. God puts many good things in each of our lives each day. Ask Him to open each of our hearts so we don’t miss a thing.
Everyone messes up, some of us many times. God lets us do many of these things as learning tools. Then He has given us many ways to be forgiven for our mess ups.
I find no place in the Bible that tells me my life will be easy. I’m sure most of us have had a major tragedy in our lives. Many of us have had several. We must remember, all of those past happenings are history. They are things we can’t change! We have to learn that we can’t let those unhappy moments of yesterday blind us from our tomorrows, our starting again. There is no way we can go back and live in yesterday!
At the gateway to the land of beginning again you will notice a large dumpster. Before we enter the gate we have to make some changes. That dumpster is the place we leave the parts of our lives we want to change. It’s the place we deposit all of our excess baggage that keeps pulling us down. It’s the true key to our new beginning. We have to give up all of those old habits that made us so unhappy in the first place. We can’t start a new life if we continue to carry all of those hang-ups that made us want to start over in the first place. You’ll find some of those old habits hard to change.
God will always help you start over but you must remember that God also gave each of us “our free agency” (our right to mess up our lives) and YOU must be willing to change or it’s just the same old same old. There is no way we can say a prayer and then just sit back and expect God to do all the work! We have to show God we are willing to do our part. In my years I have noticed that the prayers most answered are the prayers in which we are willing to help. With each expected answer to our prayers to change our lives we have to show our willingness to change. Remember no place did it say it would be easy.
In her poem “The Land of Beginning Again” author Louise Tarkington wrote; I wish that there were some wonderful place in the land of beginning again. Where all of our mistakes and all of our heartaches and all of our poor selfish grief could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door and never be put on again.
It’s like the old story: if you keep trying to treat the symptoms you will find it hard to eliminate the true cause. It’s like taking pill after pill for repeated headaches when in your heart you know that the pill will only help you feel good for an hour or two and then that ache will return!
Then, after taking a few bottles of pills, you realize you have two choices left. You have to find a stronger pill and continue to treat the symptom or you have to go to the doctor and find a way to treat the headache’s cause.
Beginning again is similar to that headache. Many times I have talked to people that have tried to start their lives over only to find that a short time later they felt themselves back in the same old rut.
Unless you search out the cause of your unhappiness, and sometimes you find it hard to admit that YOU are the cause, your trying to begin again is just a fruitless exercise. The land of beginning again has many new residents but far fewer long term folks.
If you have messed up your life and now you feel guilty, ask for God’s forgiveness. If you feel you have more on your plate than you can handle, turn to that Friend by your side and hand it to Him. I’m sure He is better equipped to handle major problems than any of us.
Did I hear you ask “How do you know anyone is by my side”? It’s called FAITH. Believe me I know He is there! You must learn to believe in Him. I know you can’t see Him. You can’t reach out and touch Him.
I know He is there. I have staked my life on Him being there and He has never failed me!
Each new day in our life opens up new learning experiences and new blessings. The day we miss out on the learning and overlook our blessings is a day wasted and those days are too precious to waste. God puts many good things in each of our lives each day. Ask Him to open each of our hearts so we don’t miss a thing.
Everyone messes up, some of us many times. God lets us do many of these things as learning tools. Then He has given us many ways to be forgiven for our mess ups.
I find no place in the Bible that tells me my life will be easy. I’m sure most of us have had a major tragedy in our lives. Many of us have had several. We must remember, all of those past happenings are history. They are things we can’t change! We have to learn that we can’t let those unhappy moments of yesterday blind us from our tomorrows, our starting again. There is no way we can go back and live in yesterday!
At the gateway to the land of beginning again you will notice a large dumpster. Before we enter the gate we have to make some changes. That dumpster is the place we leave the parts of our lives we want to change. It’s the place we deposit all of our excess baggage that keeps pulling us down. It’s the true key to our new beginning. We have to give up all of those old habits that made us so unhappy in the first place. We can’t start a new life if we continue to carry all of those hang-ups that made us want to start over in the first place. You’ll find some of those old habits hard to change.
God will always help you start over but you must remember that God also gave each of us “our free agency” (our right to mess up our lives) and YOU must be willing to change or it’s just the same old same old. There is no way we can say a prayer and then just sit back and expect God to do all the work! We have to show God we are willing to do our part. In my years I have noticed that the prayers most answered are the prayers in which we are willing to help. With each expected answer to our prayers to change our lives we have to show our willingness to change. Remember no place did it say it would be easy.
In her poem “The Land of Beginning Again” author Louise Tarkington wrote; I wish that there were some wonderful place in the land of beginning again. Where all of our mistakes and all of our heartaches and all of our poor selfish grief could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door and never be put on again.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
God Knows You
God knows you, but do you know God? Do you talk with Him (not pray) many times a day? When He talks with you do you hear Him? Do you want to hear Him? Do you feel He is there for your convenience, not you for His? When you talk to Him do you feel He needs your advice? When He tells you something you don’t want to hear do you try to talk over Him? Do you TRULY believe in God? How’s that for questions? It seems that many times when we think of God we find ourselves with more questions than answers.
Many times as I walked from church I found myself pondering many new questions but having few new answers. It’s hard for me to walk from a place of learning with more questions than when I entered. Why are there so many different interpretations of that one book, the Bible? It really puts a scare in me when someone tells me; theirs is the “true church”.
In many of today’s churches I have found the mighty dollar is almost as important as the teaching of religion. In the big TV churches you will find them on their knees asking for money as often as in prayer. Their overhead is so great that the money they keep asking for is really their life blood. That money is the blood that pays for their lavish productions that keep people watching. That great program is planned to the second. Their rating is as important to them as teaching the gospel.
As sad as it seems, that same dollar keeps the doors open in all of our churches. So many times the church boards are more interested in the churches spread sheet as they are in the number of souls saved. Today’s church is big business.
Often the business of fellowshipping, loving, and counseling is left up to you and me. Many of the old ideas of families together in church have gone by the way side. It seems as though there is too little time and so much to do and see. Even though today’s church is much more of a professional production and all crammed into a fixed number of minutes little time is left for “that old time religion”.
After walking out of church doors Sunday after Sunday with many unanswered questions I concluded I had to find a better way to find answers to my questions. What better way for me to get those answers than go to the source?
My next question was how, or could, I receive my answers from God? I thought up many reasons that God would not answer my personal questions. But, all of those reasons didn’t answer one question. Then my answer came into my heart! My answer was “Ask and you shall receive”!
As answers sometimes do, I found a new question. My next thought was HOW do I ask? I wondered; Do I have to bow my head in prayer each time I have a question? I thought that could be hard to do if I was driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour! It was then I thought about My Friend who was always by my side. I always talked to him as I would to another friend. Why should it be different with my questions?
Surprisingly, I never used “prayer talk”, or knelt in prayer, or used “church talk” when I talk with Him. I receive my everyday answers from Him as I would from you. I have explained my important answers in an earlier blog.
He has let me know many times that I am His friend and that He is watching over me. That doesn’t mean He will not let me mess up but even then I know He is always at my side. Of course I know Him! He is right here at my side!
Many times as I walked from church I found myself pondering many new questions but having few new answers. It’s hard for me to walk from a place of learning with more questions than when I entered. Why are there so many different interpretations of that one book, the Bible? It really puts a scare in me when someone tells me; theirs is the “true church”.
In many of today’s churches I have found the mighty dollar is almost as important as the teaching of religion. In the big TV churches you will find them on their knees asking for money as often as in prayer. Their overhead is so great that the money they keep asking for is really their life blood. That money is the blood that pays for their lavish productions that keep people watching. That great program is planned to the second. Their rating is as important to them as teaching the gospel.
As sad as it seems, that same dollar keeps the doors open in all of our churches. So many times the church boards are more interested in the churches spread sheet as they are in the number of souls saved. Today’s church is big business.
Often the business of fellowshipping, loving, and counseling is left up to you and me. Many of the old ideas of families together in church have gone by the way side. It seems as though there is too little time and so much to do and see. Even though today’s church is much more of a professional production and all crammed into a fixed number of minutes little time is left for “that old time religion”.
After walking out of church doors Sunday after Sunday with many unanswered questions I concluded I had to find a better way to find answers to my questions. What better way for me to get those answers than go to the source?
My next question was how, or could, I receive my answers from God? I thought up many reasons that God would not answer my personal questions. But, all of those reasons didn’t answer one question. Then my answer came into my heart! My answer was “Ask and you shall receive”!
As answers sometimes do, I found a new question. My next thought was HOW do I ask? I wondered; Do I have to bow my head in prayer each time I have a question? I thought that could be hard to do if I was driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour! It was then I thought about My Friend who was always by my side. I always talked to him as I would to another friend. Why should it be different with my questions?
Surprisingly, I never used “prayer talk”, or knelt in prayer, or used “church talk” when I talk with Him. I receive my everyday answers from Him as I would from you. I have explained my important answers in an earlier blog.
He has let me know many times that I am His friend and that He is watching over me. That doesn’t mean He will not let me mess up but even then I know He is always at my side. Of course I know Him! He is right here at my side!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Christian Double Standard
In many of today’s Christian churches we have no need to look very far to find an abundance of segregation! No, I’m not talking about the black and white segregation, although I still hear some of that behind cupped hands. I’ve heard words like: it wouldn’t happen in MY church, I’m not against gays but, I really feel our church should not put up with THAT kind of people! Yes if you listen occasionally you’ll still hear words like that even in MY church or YOUR church. In those instances I sincerely hope you are only a listener and never a repeater. Those really aren’t the types of segregation that I planned to talk about in this blog.
The segregation I planned to talk about is none of the above. This is about how differently those that have a lot and those that have almost nothing are looked upon in most churches. I’m sure in most churches they try to help those in need, but quite often that need is misinterpreted. Many pastors will tell the members of their congregation that if anyone has problems or needs to come to them for help. After receiving a few dollars, some clothing, or some food many churches will feel that they have done their part. Actually they have just put a band-aid on the hurt, that hurt is still there it’s just harder to see. If we just treat the symptom and don’t treat the cause that symptom will just keep coming back. Some deep hurts take months or years to heal, that would require many band-aids.
Just recently I heard this from a minister; “People can’t expect me to care more for them than they care for themselves.” I feel that man had a valid point. It is impossible to help a person that is unwilling to help themself.
Often after that token help you’ll find that same pastor and family “buttering up” to the families who week after week put the most in the collection plate. In some churches occasionally the ones that are in the most need are denied the sacrament because they are told “they’re not worthy”. I ask My Friend about that and He told me that everyone is worthy to take the sacrament; that it was a tool of faith. Could you see Jesus telling any of those at the Last Supper that they were unworthy?
Years ago as I sat in a church, I had the pastor point a finger at me, then he called me by name and then he told me if I didn’t change my ways I was going to Hell. I was sitting in the midst of the congregation with no way out, I was a teenager at the time and I considered dropping to my hands and knees and crawling out. I stayed until that service was over and as I walked out through that church door that Sunday, I knew I was not headed for Hell, I was headed for a new church!
My own Christian belief is somewhat different than a lot of church teachings. I believe you are the church, I am the church. Then, what is that building we go to on Sunday? That’s where we go to fellowship and possibly learn a few things about the Bible. But, to me the fellowshipping and the exchanging of many hugs with my friends and the friends I’ve yet to meet is the highlight of my week.
Next to the fellowshipping, to me, it is the music ministry. On many Sundays I find the music touches my heart as much as or more than the pastoral message from the pulpit. As the music opens my heart there have been many times my Father in Heaven has told me of his needs or the needs of others around me. A thought just touched me; the music is always harmony, what better place could My Friend choose to put a message in my heart.
I’m not sitting there every Sunday to have my pastor trying to scare Hell out of me. I’m not there to have the pastor judge me. I’m there to receive love from my friends and to try to return some of that love. I’m there to feel good about myself when I walk out.
On some special days I feel a message, sent directly to me, but coming through the pastor’s lips but most often I find that My Friend speaks directly to me.
That building we walk into on Sunday should be a place for fellowshipping and love. It should be a place of healing. It should be a place to recharge our inner spirit to prepare us for the coming week. It should never be a place for negative thoughts. It should be the place for hugs. For with that hug each will walk out that day carrying just a little love from the other person’s heart.
The Christian religion should never be a religion of segregation of any type. No Christian should ever let the sign of the dollar blind them from the sign of the cross. We can’t allow our church to direct all of its efforts to those who are already there and not bothering with those still searching. If you find your church taking the easy way by concentrating on us and not bothering with the others that’s not the Christian way, it’s just another form of segregation. It’s not God’s way!
We have to remember blame is a two-way street. We, you and me, have to accept some of the blame for the direction our churches are heading. We get out only what we put in, and to get anything out of it at all, WE have to put ourselves out there.
The segregation I planned to talk about is none of the above. This is about how differently those that have a lot and those that have almost nothing are looked upon in most churches. I’m sure in most churches they try to help those in need, but quite often that need is misinterpreted. Many pastors will tell the members of their congregation that if anyone has problems or needs to come to them for help. After receiving a few dollars, some clothing, or some food many churches will feel that they have done their part. Actually they have just put a band-aid on the hurt, that hurt is still there it’s just harder to see. If we just treat the symptom and don’t treat the cause that symptom will just keep coming back. Some deep hurts take months or years to heal, that would require many band-aids.
Just recently I heard this from a minister; “People can’t expect me to care more for them than they care for themselves.” I feel that man had a valid point. It is impossible to help a person that is unwilling to help themself.
Often after that token help you’ll find that same pastor and family “buttering up” to the families who week after week put the most in the collection plate. In some churches occasionally the ones that are in the most need are denied the sacrament because they are told “they’re not worthy”. I ask My Friend about that and He told me that everyone is worthy to take the sacrament; that it was a tool of faith. Could you see Jesus telling any of those at the Last Supper that they were unworthy?
Years ago as I sat in a church, I had the pastor point a finger at me, then he called me by name and then he told me if I didn’t change my ways I was going to Hell. I was sitting in the midst of the congregation with no way out, I was a teenager at the time and I considered dropping to my hands and knees and crawling out. I stayed until that service was over and as I walked out through that church door that Sunday, I knew I was not headed for Hell, I was headed for a new church!
My own Christian belief is somewhat different than a lot of church teachings. I believe you are the church, I am the church. Then, what is that building we go to on Sunday? That’s where we go to fellowship and possibly learn a few things about the Bible. But, to me the fellowshipping and the exchanging of many hugs with my friends and the friends I’ve yet to meet is the highlight of my week.
Next to the fellowshipping, to me, it is the music ministry. On many Sundays I find the music touches my heart as much as or more than the pastoral message from the pulpit. As the music opens my heart there have been many times my Father in Heaven has told me of his needs or the needs of others around me. A thought just touched me; the music is always harmony, what better place could My Friend choose to put a message in my heart.
I’m not sitting there every Sunday to have my pastor trying to scare Hell out of me. I’m not there to have the pastor judge me. I’m there to receive love from my friends and to try to return some of that love. I’m there to feel good about myself when I walk out.
On some special days I feel a message, sent directly to me, but coming through the pastor’s lips but most often I find that My Friend speaks directly to me.
That building we walk into on Sunday should be a place for fellowshipping and love. It should be a place of healing. It should be a place to recharge our inner spirit to prepare us for the coming week. It should never be a place for negative thoughts. It should be the place for hugs. For with that hug each will walk out that day carrying just a little love from the other person’s heart.
The Christian religion should never be a religion of segregation of any type. No Christian should ever let the sign of the dollar blind them from the sign of the cross. We can’t allow our church to direct all of its efforts to those who are already there and not bothering with those still searching. If you find your church taking the easy way by concentrating on us and not bothering with the others that’s not the Christian way, it’s just another form of segregation. It’s not God’s way!
We have to remember blame is a two-way street. We, you and me, have to accept some of the blame for the direction our churches are heading. We get out only what we put in, and to get anything out of it at all, WE have to put ourselves out there.
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