The Only Reason

"WE ARE LIBERATED AND EMPOWERED BY AN INTIMATE LIFE WITH HIM. IT IS THEN WE CAN TRULY LAY OUR LIVES DOWN FULLY TO BE LIVING SEGMENTS OF THE HIGHWAY THAT LEADS TO CHRIST."


Many people are estranged from God because of all the false teachings they have been ingrained with. In our country, most people really have heard about Jesus and they do not want to hear anymore. Why is that? It is sad that Christians overall have gained such a bad reputation over time.

In the past when someone would point out their mistrust of Christians, I would write it off as an attack from the Devil. Now I realize that even that attitude was pride and an excuse to not face the fact that maybe I really have misrepresented God to others.

The main purpose of the church to lead others to really know Christ as a person with feelings, a personality, and a massive heart that can love like no other. This makes Him Divine, yet His qualities are much like ours. After all, He purposefully created us in His image in order that we can relate to Him and Him to us. We are also called to live in way that show others that He is trustworthy. That He can be counted on.

And this is the only reason I started this blog. I feel like so many have been led astray in truly grasping the essence of who God is, how He feels and operates. Many have a negative opinion of God because of the family environments they grew up in. Their fathers were not around or were abusive, so how are those individuals supposed to understand that their heavenly Father is loving, kind, and stable?

And my question has been this, "Has the church and is the church really doing her job in teaching the whole truth about who He really is? Why are people leaving the church with these ingrained concepts that God is conditional instead of unconditional?" My motive is not to bash the church, but to somehow "speak out" as to God's heart for the church and how He is bringing change. The only way we can be agents of change is to look upon Jesus ...to keep watching Him...to know Him and to ask Him to reveal Himself to us as He really is. It is then we are enable to represent Him in truth and grace.

To be perfectly honest, I can see how my perception of the Heavenly Father has been way out of line. Even in this season, I have battled with the "fear" of a God who operates on the reward and punishment system. We have been out of "church" as we have always known it for 9 months. I have struggled with guilt. Also, I have spoken out about my frustrations and I admit at times I have not chosen the healthiest ways to do that. So here comes the guilt after I asked for forgiveness. I have struggled with the thought of, "How is God going to punish me for this?"

Why have I had this view of God for so many years? Where did I pick this up? And how many others out there struggle with these same things? I do not totally blame the church as I am sure there have been other factors that have contributed to my perceptions of God. However, in the season away from church as I have always known it, I have truly been getting to know my Lord in a different light.I am seeing a much more gentle Saviour. And the strangest thing is that I thought I knew a lot about His tenderness.

The only reason I want to write on this blog is because I want to point others to Jesus and to help them know Who He really is. Just as John the Baptist proclaimed as he pointed to Christ, "Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world." Prepare ye the way of the Lord!"

How are we going to prepare the way for the Lord to come and show up in our lives and the lives of others? We have to change. We have to search and seek to find out Who He really is. It is finding out this very thing that we are set free from all the wrong mindsets we have had about Him. We are liberated and empowered by an intimate life with Him. It is then we can truly lay our own lives down fully to be living segments of the highway that leads to Christ.

Having an unhealthy and distorted fear of God hinders us because we are worried about how we will be rewarded and punished. We become performers instead of lovers. We become timid instead of bold. It is for freedom that Christ sets us free. How many of us church goers are in bondage and do not realize it? I know I have been and I realize God is changing a lot in me.

Another question I have had and even asked myself is this, "Am I too prideful to even consider that some of the things I have always thought and have believed could really be wrong? And would I really be willing to seek God myself to find out? Or do I just continue to stubbornly refuse to search out the possibility that I am wrong in an area of belief because of what I have learned from leaders and teachers?"

So many people who do not know Christ are turned off by our arrogance. And we think we are so humble. We clothe ourselves in our tidy spiritual attire and think we are reflecting Jesus. People are weary of our facades and can see straight through it all. We live in a society where trust in running dry. How can we regain trust in others? By stripping down! That is what Jesus did. He was stripped of His own clothing, His skin, His dignity and honor. He was REAL!

I know I said in my last post that I would share Jesus from the gospels and how He really lived. I think people are tired of reading Bible verses too. They connect it to our arrogance and how we try to cram our verses down their throats. So I seek a way to write about Jesus where we can really see Him for Who He really is.

So until next time, I will be searching, digging, gazing upon my Lord....my only reason for caring about these ramblings!!