How Would You Describe Yourself?

Hi friends. I have a challenge for you. In a brief statement describe yourself any way you want so long as you do so thoughtfully and respectfully.  Can you do it?

 

As those of you who have known me for a long time know, I love Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and my Savior, and my King, and I don’t make any bones about it, either. 🙂 You should be who you are, and make no apologies for it IMO. I believe you should use your voice, say what you have to say, but do it respectfully and with love as much as you can, but never allow truth to be compromised in your presence. Be proud (but not arrogant) to be a Christian, and live your life with joy, and remember that your walk in Christ on a daily basis says more about you than any words you say. Actions count. If you don’t believe that read the book of James. it’s one of the best books for understanding Christian conduct, I think, though the whole Bible addresses it throughout.

 

I’m a patriot, and I don’t mind saying so, and when Hillary Clinton called me a “Deplorable” I swore to wear it like it’s a badge of honor! I’ve been called every hateful name in the book over the last eight years by people who know nothing about me, and tell me I’m a bigot because I believe in and worship God, freedom, carrying a gun, and in honoring our military, and believing that people, all people, should learn how and why someone should be responsible for themselves.

 

I admit that I have little to no patience with people who like to blame others for everything that goes wrong in their lives; who burn and trample the flag, who have no respect or consideration for the beliefs of others, and who think that they have the right to tell me what to think and how to live when they can’t even manage their own lives in a half-way decent and kind way.

 

I believe in the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and that keeping the Electoral College is crucial to keeping the integrity of our governmental system, and the elections we have. I hate what the liberal, cultural and progressive elites have done to our country and our system of education in which they’ve become propaganda merchants, instead of truth-tellers, and that the media (especially the liberal media) have become lap dogs for every lie, half-truth, and falsehood that’s put in front of them.

 

I’ll tell you that I’m far from perfect, and I’m prone to making mistakes and bad decisions, and I can be so stubborn, prideful, and self-righteous that I’m ashamed to call myself a Christian.  That’s when I’m so glad that I can go before God, confess my sins, and ask forgiveness.  The truth is that without Christ Jesus I’m not much, but with Him I have everything.

 

I don’t hate anyone.  I may not agree with some things people do, or with some things people think, because of my beliefs, but I couldn’t care less about what color skin people have, how they dress, where they come from, or what they practice, so long as they don’t try to push if off on me.  I think people, all people, should be held accountable for what they do, and that anybody that comes here should do so legally.  You want to come to America, then adopt our way of life, and assimilate and become an American.

 

That’s it.  Now how would you describe yourself?

Advertisement

What I’ve Learned From the Book of Philippians #3

Last time, I told you I’d be writing about “Joy” in this post, but little did I realize how much there is to write about this uniquely Christian word.  I call it a Christian word, right or wrong, because it’s a word that I don’t find addressed much in any real way in the secular world, not by atheists, cultural elites, or all those people who seem to think it’s okay to tell me how to live and what to say, but can’t stand it when I have the nerve to smile at them, and simply say, “NO.”

To be honest, I don’t know a whole lot of people who live with a sense of joy, and, sad to say, this includes many people who call themselves Christians.  I can see and hear the protests right now, but don’t try to tell me that every Christian you know lives with joy because we all know at least one whose face would break into shards of glass were they to smile.  You know it’s true and so do I.  🙂

To me, there’s nothing sadder or more depressing than to be around someone who says they love Christ Jesus, and that He’s living in their heart, and yet, all you hear from the minute they start talking is all about their latest illness, ache, and pain.  Their discontent and unhappiness about this or that person, place, event, or idea.  Complaint about any and everything seems to be all they can talk about . . . even in church.

As an aside, I’ll tell you the easiest way to dissuade these people from trying to ruin your worship and the awesome experience of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ is to wear them out, gently, by responding positively to every negative thing they say.  For example:

(I’ll call this woman, Gertrude, or if it’s a man, I’ll call him, Herman.  These are examples, folks, so please don’t take offense at my using a set of names that just came to me as I’m writing this.)

Gertrude: “I’ve been so sick this last week I just knew I was going to die (or something to that effect).”

You: “Praise the Lord He pulled you through.  Isn’t it wonderful how God can pull us through the worst of times, and look at how nice you look.  It truly is a time to be thankful to God, isn’t it?”

And so it goes . . .  The point being people who want to complain want someone who’s going to listen to their complaint, not someone who’s going to force them into thinking about how grateful they should be.   I’m not talking about the person who genuinely just needs to talk, but to those who are the habitual offenders.  The ones who constantly and consistently complain no matter what.  Call me mean, nasty, deceitful or a thousand other names, but when I go to church I want to worship God.  I want to honor and glorify Him, and isn’t that the reason why we’re going?

Now what has this to do with “Joy” you might be asking, and the answer is that “Joy” should be the expression of your heart to God for all that He is, and for all that He does in bestowing His many, many blessings upon us.  “Joy” is a far different thing than being happy because “Joy” is “in spite of” (Don’t ask me where I got that because I can’t remember, but I freely admit it’s not an original thought of mine.  I’ve read it somewhere before.)  It means that you choose “in spite of” rather than, “because of” and that’s a much greater thing, and I believe reveals something to the world and those around you that needs to be seen.

“Joy” is what the world needs to see, and what it should see when looking at the Christian life, and why shouldn’t they?  We have the most wonderful reason to be joyful, and to rejoice.  We have Jesus Christ.  We have the power of God living inside us, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternal life.  If that’s not enough to give us “Joy” on a daily basis, and the desire to share that “Joy” with everyone we meet, then I have to wonder what it is that’s going on in your life that you don’t feel and live with that sense of “Joy” in living your life in Christ.

Even in the midst of much sorrow, suffering, and tribulation, Paul never failed to live with “Joy” because he had what the Holy Spirit has given to each of us, but which we seldom acknowledge and seek to live out.  The inner-knowledge, and hope that springs eternally in being able to see beyond the moment we’re living in, and see and experience the glory we’ll share in living our lives forever with Him.

“The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, once scornfully said of Christians of his day, “I would believe in their salvation if they looked a little more like people who have been saved.  (The Speaker’s Quote Book by Roy B. Zuck, P. 215.)”  There’s a lot of truth in that, I believe, and sad, as I am to say it, I think the reason there aren’t more Christians is simply because of Christians who don’t live out their lives in a tangible and experiential way.  I believe another quote by Philip Brooks addresses this when he says, “The religion that makes a man look sick certainly won’t cure the world. (The Speaker’s Quote Book by Roy B. Zuck, P. 216.)”  Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not knocking Christianity, but rather our display of it, and our living it in front of other people.  Too many Christians are exhibiting the symptoms of hopelessness and despair and this brings me back to the issue of “Joy.”

Do you have “Joy?”  Are you experiencing the healing that comes from living joyfully?  Are you finding the strength, feeling the peace, that comes from knowing that the Holy Spirit gives knowing that your life is in Christ?

Well, I’ve said enough for the time being, but I’ll leave you with this last quote, and it’s one I’d like you to give some thought to.

“Joy is not a luxury or mere accessory in the Christian life.  It is the sign that we are really living in God’s wonderful love, and that love satisfies us ((The Speaker’s Quote Book by Roy B. Zuck, P. 216.)”

My question to you is does it?