Those Crazy Christians

 Yet hallow the Lord Christ in your hearts, ever ready with a defense for everyone who is demanding from you an account concerning the expectation in you, but with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that, in what they are speaking against you as of evildoers, they may be mortified, who traduce your good behavior in Christ. 

1 Peter 3: 15-16, Concordant New Testament 

When was the last time your heavenly Father asked you to help Him?  When was the last time that God spoke to you and instructed you to do harm to those who were slandering His name?  For all the time I have spent in the scriptures, I have yet to come across a commandment from the Lord that instructs us to lay waste to those who speak badly of the Lord.  The closest I have come to this is scriptures that call on believers to be prepared with a response for those who speak wrongly of the Lord.  This is where many a believer, myself included, has fallen by the wayside.  As believers we all too often find ourselves in the predicament of conversations of the Lord and our faith.  I can recall being asked by someone why I believed the way I did and having it turn into a long argument.  Needless to say, this is NO way to introduce others to the wonder of Christ Jesus.  Is it any wonder why some believers have come to be known as "Crazy Christians?"  Like a disgraced scientist speaking false data, these believers are routinely shunned by those wanting to know more about Jesus.  The argument simply isn't worth it in the end.  For all of their good intentions, these people are not speaking Christ into others, but trying to force their own beliefs upon them.  Like I said, I've been there more times than I like to admit.  I've seen questions about my beliefs spiral into the harsh words of arguments.  I was that crazy Christian.  Lord help anyone who did not believe as I did.  They were blasphemers who needed to be shown the wrath of the Lord!  More often than not, I was the agent of that wrath.  I would MAKE them believe in Jesus!  Interestingly enough, the only converts I ever achieved using this approach were those itching for a good argument.  

If I should be speaking in the languages of men and of the messengers, yet should have no love, I have become resounding copper or a clanging cymbal. 

1 Corinthians 13: 1, Concordant New Testament 

I recall listening to a radio pastor one morning while driving to work and hearing the padre ask all who were listening, "When has God ever asked you to help Him?"  The sermon was on trusting in God, but it might as well have been a lesson on how we are to speak Jesus unto others.  Does God need our assistance when it comes to those who openly defile Him?  Not in the least.  One might ask the Egyptians of old that very same question.  So, what are we to do as Christians when we encounter such unbelievers?  Well, for one, we are to speak to them as Jesus would, in love.  Trust me, arguments among two people DO NOT produce the love of Christ.  There are definitely ways which believers can converse with those who are not in order to introduce them to Jesus.  I was introduced to the truth of Christ in me by having a conversation of local hiking trails.  No arguments needed.  There are definitely many opportunities to speak the love of Christ Jesus into those yearning to know more about Him.  In reality, when someone asks why you believe the way you do they are not looking to start a argument.  They are genuinely interested in knowing what you already know in your heart.  This is our opportunity to share Jesus with someone who needs Him.  What first drove you to seek out knowing more about Jesus?  For me it was not wanting to live my life in hopelessness anymore.  I wanted the hope that I had seen in the lives of my friends who were believers.  How much more will it be for those who are watching us?  How much more will they want what we already have?  

Love is never lapsing, yet, whether prophesies, they will be discarded, or languages, they will cease, or knowledge, it will be discarded. 

1 Corinthians 13: 8, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Scorched Earth

 

Today I went back to the place where I used to go

Today I saw that same old crowd I knew before

When they asked me what had happened I tried to tell them

Thanks to Calvary!  I don't come here anymore

Thanks To Calvary ~ Gaither singers 

The other day I was thinking of a few of the things that I have done in the past that somehow I no longer find attractive to my lifestyle today.  So, apparently drinking and hanging out in strip clubs is no longer profitable for me.  Yet, that's the way things used to be for me.  After all, I was a man and that was what men did.  Men also treated women with a somewhat sense of disrespect, made their own rules and tolerated disrespect from nobody.  Believe it or not, some years ago that was me.  I lived life on my terms.  Sure, I still believed in God, but He was not the central point of my life.  Back then, God was more or less a bystander as I did my own thing.  Following mainstream church theology, if there was a bad situation in my life, I heeded the advice from a few Christian friends and assumed that God was somehow angry with me for putting Him on the back burner for so long.  So, I would make the Lord a few promises of good behavior moving forward and continue on with life as I knew it.  That was my view of God, as the overseer of my life and not the reason for my life.  After all, God was in heaven looking down and I was here on earth free to live my life as best as I could to His standards.  If I stumbled, I'd vow to do better and then continue on with what I was doing.  In this way, I began to associate the difficult times in my life as Gods punishment for my own behavior.  Did I resent God for this?  Not really, but I did question Him that if He indeed loved me then why would He bring such constant hardships upon me.  It hadn't yet clicked in me that it was not God who was dragging me through the hardships in my life.  It was God who was yearning to save me from them.

Yet God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes. 

Romans 5: 8, Concordant New Testament

I remember that hike to this day.  My friend Dennis and I were slogging up the hill of a local park on one of our many hikes around Portland.  I'm not really sure what turned the conversation to God, but Dennis began speaking to me of a God of love and not of discipline and punishment.  This was a side of the Lord I had rarely, if ever, noticed.  The seed had been planted.  I now began to look upon the Lord with a different perspective.  God wasn't that overseer whose sole task it was to discipline me for not upholding His commandments.  The God I was slowly learning to see was a God of love and compassion for His children.  Indeed, His very nature is love {1 John 4:8}.  I realized in time that I also had been mistaken about the separation I had assumed there was between myself and the Lord.  There is no God in heaven and me on earth.  What there is now is Christ Jesus in me {Galatians 2:20}.  It was never the Lords desire to leave us to live alone without Him.  

Not long after my hike with my friend, I found myself once again dabbling in the ways that I used to do.  Yet, something felt different this time.  The desire for personal enjoyment was fading.  One night, as I stood at the door of another local strip club it finally hit me...this isn't who I am anymore.  Those same haunts I used to frequent no longer seemed as enticing to me.  Instead of expecting Gods punishment, I enjoyed His love and mercy in my life.  The other day a friend I once knew from the clubs I used to frequent called to ask me where I had been.  He hadn't seen me around the old scene for some time.  I told him that I had been busy with a few other things.  After I hung up I smiled...Thanks to Jesus...I don't go there anymore.  

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love.

1 John 4:8, Concordant New Testament

~Scott~ 

My Kind Of Christian

 Casper calls Jason "My kind of Christian: He walks the walk and his goal is not to convert me, but to be friends and to play music - at least I think that's his goal." 

Jim Henderson and Matt Casper ~ Jim and Casper Go To Church

I'd like to put it out there that I've been a Christian for far too long.  I was raised in the faith of believing in the deity of God and salvation through the work of Christ Jesus upon the cross.  That's just what I believe.  Am the best of Christians?  Probably not, but after all of these years I continue to try to be.  Through the years I have developed many a friendship with believers and non-believers alike.  I think it's a gene I inherited from my mother, that others are seemingly drawn to me for some reason.  She had that ability and she used it well to tell others of her faith and trust in the Lord.  Me?  Not so much.  Don't get me wrong, I still talk to others about God and Jesus, but some years ago I found that always talking about my faith seemed to be a conversation killer.  So, I compromised and saved those conversations for people I thought were interested in listening.  Granted, I may have sacrificed a few opportunities to tell of the Lord along the way, but I think I also saved a few friendships.  I mean, who wants to be known as that crazy Christian guy right?  I'd rather be known as the guy who's friendly and easy to get along with.  But what if I could be both?  I mean, who says that I can't be friendly AND have conversations about the Jesus I know when it's appropriate?  I'm down with that.  I lament the point we've come to where talking about Jesus is seen as somewhat taboo, but that's a conversation for another day.  My first introduction into the revelation of Christ in me actually came from a close friend on a casual hike we were sharing.  You can't get any more non-traditional or "less preachy" than that.  At the end of the day, that's how I want my conversations about Jesus to be.  

"No longer am I terming you slaves, for the slave is not aware of what his lord is doing.  Yet I have declared you friends, for all that I hear from My Father I make known to you."

John 15: 15, Concordant New Testament

Not too long ago, I caused a commotion during our weekly Zoom conference call/pseudo Sunday sermon when I vigorously attempted to defend a point I was making.  In the end, some feelers were hurt and I came away not with the grace of Jesus but mad and upset.  NOT a good thing.  Obviously, these are the conversations I want to stay away from.  I prefer conversations where two people can talk good naturedly about this and that, and if that conversation leads to Jesus then so much the better.  I believe that the policy of apologetics in Christianity has served its purpose and should be phased out completely.  Those conversations only serve to alienate those we are trying to engage in conversation.  I prefer a personal one on one conversation like the one my friend and I shared when I first discovered the truth of Christ in me.  This is genuine, authentic Christianity.  These are the conversations Jesus had with the people of His time.  Why is it that we would do anything less?  Jesus never called us to defend His words at the expense of alienating others.  That wasn't His plan.  Everywhere you look in scripture, it is Jesus who is having conversations with others.  Was Jesus a apologist?  Was He a up and coming pastor needing to convert as many as He could?  No, Jesus shared the Father with any and all who were willing to listen.  That is where we've lost our way.  

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love. 

1 John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Alone

"Lo!  The hour is coming and has come, that you should be scattered, each to his own, and you may be leaving Me alone.  And I am not alone, for the Father is with Me.  These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have affliction, but courage!  I have conquered the world."

John 16: 32-33, Concordant New Testament

I have to admit, I'm a fan of a few of the survival television series that have popped up over the past few years.  These competitions usually pit a small group of ordinary people against the pitfalls of mother nature.  These participants are left on their own in some remote location, forcing them to fend for themselves be it by hunting, fishing and/or gathering.  To make matters even more interesting, sometimes the participants are allowed only certain items into their environment.  I've often wondered just how many professed die-hard hunters would actually survive a week in such conditions.  I've done a bit of hunting and fishing myself, yet I feel that I would be out of my league on this one.  Have you ever felt truly alone?  I know I have.  There has been many a time and circumstance in my life where I have felt as if I was fighting the battle on my own.  I've also heard many a confession from those I know of how alone they felt as they endured a stressful situation.  A coworker who battled a covid infection recently shared with me that as he recovered in the hospital, even in the presence of all of those doctors and medical staff, that he felt as if he was alone and that nobody could help him.  I can say from personal experience that feeling like this is not a good place to be.  All too often, it leads to depression and feelings of low self worth.  Yet do we really need to feel this way?  When we agonize over being alone...are we truly alone?  Are there times in our lives when even God has abandoned us?  Remember, it is God who has promised that He would NEVER leave us {Deut 31:6, 1 John 4:8}.  Still, I continue to hear many a Christian profess that they are wise as they proclaim that our heavenly Father abandoned Jesus on that cross.  I beg to differ.  

At me first defense no one came along with me, but all forsook me.  May it not be reckoned against them!  Yet the Lord stood beside me, and He invigorates me, that through me the heralding may be fully discharged, and all the nations should hear; and I am rescued out of the mouth of the lion.

2 Timothy 4: 16-17, Concordant New Testament

For the novice fans, I will let you in on a little secret about those survival shows.  It might look like they are indeed alone, but they're not.  Out of the cameras view are producers and camera operators documenting the action.  Why do I mention this?  No, I'm not trying to spoil future episodes but to illustrate a point.  The television viewer does not see the support staff off camera as the episode airs.  But trust me, they're there.  Along those same lines, in our own times of feeling alone and abandoned, we are never really alone.  We can take heart of the words of the apostle Paul as he tells of his times in a Roman prison.  Paul tells of how he was abandoned by his friends during this time.  Left to face his fate alone.  But he wasn't alone.  As Paul tells it, it is the Lord who never abandoned him in his time of need {2 Timothy 4:17}.  Indeed, we have more than a few examples of how the Lord has protected His children.  From the great flood to three men in a furnace and Daniel in the lions den.  The Lord God has made a habit of fighting for and defending His children.  When we feel alone at our lowest point, it is our heavenly Father who is behind the scenes working each and every situation we face unto His desired outcome.  Of this we can be assured.  But what of those who will claim that it is God who abandoned His one and only Son on a Roman cross?  I see no scriptural evidence of this.  What I do see is Jesus on that cross coming to the realization that something has changed.  He no longer feels the union life He has had with the Father.  Jesus now feels...alone.  Unsure of this feeling, He reacts, ""Eloi! Eloi! Lema sabachthani?"  Jesus cries out, "My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Of course, God had never forsaken His one and only Son.  He has also never forsaken His children He loves.  There are times when we feel alone and forsaken, but God is always there behind the scenes.  

Now about the ninth hour Jesus exclaims with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi! Eloi! Lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God! My God!  Why didst Thou forsake Me?

Matthew 27: 46, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Unpopular Church

 "So no, I'm not too big on religion...and not very fond of politics or economics either...and why should I be?  They are the man-created trinity of terrors that ravages the earth and deceives the ones I care about.  What mental turmoil and anxiety does any human face that is not related to one of those three?" 

William P Young ~ The Shack 

If you've been reading my posts for any period of time, then you probably know that my views on Jesus are the round peg that rarely fit into the square hole of the Christian religious system.  Some may even question my beliefs.  Don't get me wrong, I believe in God and in Christ Jesus as my Lord and savior.  Yet something happened along the way, and it was revealed to me that I could have a loving relationship with Jesus.  After all, this should be the aim of every believer, right?  Jesus did not come to Lord over us like a overseer, but to be in union with He and the Father {John 17:21}.  This should bring excitement to every believer, yet I look at the church and I see discontent.  This week I was saddened by the news that a local group of faith leaders called Lift Every Voice Oregon had signed onto a initiative that would seriously curtail the second amendment rights of every Oregonian.  Now, wherever you might stand on the gun control issue, I would argue that the church is absolutely the wrong way to get your message across.  Nonetheless, these local pastors, priests and pulpit pounders have suddenly interjected themselves into the halls of Oregon politics.  No matter the outcome of this ballot initiative, there will be those who come away with a very critical view of the mainstream church.  There will be many who claim that it's not the churches job to meddle in the politics of the world, and I agree.  This is but one instance of negative publicity which the mainstream church has brought upon itself lately.  This from a institution which is supposed to resist the impulses of the world {1 John 4:6}.  Yet we see the meddling of the church in almost every sector of our society from government to public policy.  It's as if the church is walking that fine line between the beliefs and teachings of the Lord and the world around us.  In my opinion, that line has become increasingly blurred over time.  

For ritual clean and undefiled with the Father is this; to be visiting the bereaved and widowed in their affliction, to be keeping oneself unspotted from the world 

James 1: 27, Concordant New Testament

As if the actions of our local so called faith leaders was not enough, this week we were told of yet another in the long line of church leaders who had been charged with inappropriate behavior with a child.  And people wonder why the mainstream church is unpopular.  People wonder why Christians are often demonized by those outside the church.  I want to be clear here, when I speak of the mainstream church, I am not speaking of the believers who make up the body of Christ.  No, when I speak of the mainstream church I am speaking of what it has become.  I am speaking to what WE have made it into.  That's right, every time we hear of the misdeeds of the mainstream church, it's not the building which has erred, but the individual.  I am firm believer that this monster which we have created is as far from the true intent of the Lord as they can be.  That in no way means the body of believers is far from the Lord, but the church system as we know it.  I believe that we were not meant to be lorded over by  overseers masquerading as Gods chosen.  It's all bunk, the praise and worship rock bands, the politically oriented sermons and the outdated theology that is the Sunday morning tithe.  If I were tasked with restoring the image of the mainstream church my very first decision would be to eliminate the church system.  For it is this system which, in my opinion, has bastardized the true intent of the body of Christ coming together in worship.  Why is it that so many, believers and non-believers alike, enjoyed the openness of home groups?  Because they were free of the restraints of the mainstream church service.  When we as the body of Christ are free and open in our gathering and worship of Him without the traditions of the church system, we can continue to grow in the Father as He intended.    

Now all those who believe also were in the same place and had all things in common.  And they disposed of the acquisitions and the properties, and divided them to all, forasmuch as some would have had need.  besides persevering day by day with one accord in the sanctuary, besides breaking bread home by home, they partook of nourishment with exultation and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor for the whole people.  Now the Lord added those being saved day by day in the same place. 

Acts 2: 44-47, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Dead Zone

 

What, then, shall we declare?  That we may be persisting in sin that grace should be increasing?  May it not be coming to that!  We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it? 

Romans 6: 1-2, Concordant New Testament 

One of the greatest moments in the life of many believers is that moment where they come to accept Christ Jesus into their lives.  Up until that point they had been living a wayward life unsure of their future.  Questions like eternal life and salvation often brought a nervous reaction.  When asked about God, they were not sure what to expect from Him after living on the other side of the fence for so long.  Was there really forgiveness for their sin?  Was God really prepared to bestow His mercy and grace on someone who had, by all accounts, lived a life in bad behavior?  Unfortunately, the sell job of convincing people that God awaits them with open arms has fallen on the mainstream church.  The very same people who proclaim that we are all but sinners saved by the Lords grace are the same characters who will tell those supposed sinners that their sins can be forgiven.  Does anyone else see an issue with this line of thinking?  The truth is, God is more than willing to accept any and all of His children, wayward or not, into His presence.  There is no litmus test to prove our worth to God.  He who knows us better than we know ourselves already knows we are more than worthy.  After all, He created us {Genesis 1:27}.  For someone who has been told repeatedly that they are a dirty sinner, the prospect of having those sins wiped clean is a very welcoming thought.  No longer will they need to live under the bondage of bad behavior.  Or do we?  I remember making the decision to follow Jesus and immediately knowing that what God had promised  was true.  That Christ had died that my sins would be forgiven.  That Jesus had bore the burden of sins  punishment in my place {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  I could finally be free of the guilt I had been carrying.  My sins were put to death by Christ Jesus at the cross.  Or were they?  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to sin once for time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament

It didn't take me long after my acceptance of Jesus into my life where I realized that although my sins had been forgiven, from my human perspective, those bad behaviors I so wanted to leave in the dust would all too often come knocking once again.  What's with that?  Perhaps the apostle Paul could share some insight into what we all too often see as sins triumphant return gig.  In the words of Paul, "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?"{Romans 6:2}.  Can anyone see what's going on here?  Yes, we see sin as still having a place in our life.  However, Paul asks the question, if you have indeed died to sin...how is it that you can continue to see it?  The answer to this might be as simple as our faith in our belief.  Do we trust God at His word that He has removed sin from our life?  Do we trust that the death of Christ Jesus on the cross paid the debt that we ourselves owed?  I have read the scriptures, and I have not yet come across a passage that proclaims that the death of Jesus has been nullified.  That sin is alive and well once again.  The death of Christ on the cross plays a critical role in all of this.  For without it, He would not have become sin, and sin would have survived to this day.  By faith we understand that through Christ Jesus not only are our sins forgiven, but we are now dead to it.  And how can someone who has died continue in sin?  

In Whom we are having the deliverance through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses in accord with the riches of His grace.  

Ephesians 1: 7, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Just One Of The Guys

 

Not that which is entering into the mouth is contaminating a man, but that which is going out of the mouth, this is contaminating a man. 

Matthew 15: 11, Concordant New Testament 

It seems that I have something in common with former (and hopefully future) President Donald Trump.  During his 2016 campaign, Trump ruffled more than a few feathers when he engaged in some salty words in reference to females during a interview.  Now, most people already know that Donald Trump is a man who tells it like it is.  Trump would refer to this interview as "locker room talk."  Indeed, many of us have been in that situation when, surrounded by the guys, we engage in some talk we probably wouldn't proclaim outside of the presence of our homies.  I get it.  You see, I've been there as well.  I've been in those situations where banter leads to language most likely not befitting a believer.  Had I given up my faith?  Nope.  If anything, I had forgotten the man that I really am.  I know that I might get some pushback from more than a few people, but I know that Donald Trump is not defined by those words that he used back then.  That's not who he is.  Now, some select liberal leaning media would argue that Trump is a misogynistic hater, but according to their ratings nobody listens to them anyway.  Why do I hold this belief? Because I have seen Donald Trump at his best.  I have seen him in his moments where he stands on his faith.  I, also, am not defined by some of the language which I have engaged in over the years.  That is not the man that I am.  The man that I am has been presented to me by the words of the apostle Paul.  For it is Paul who has proclaimed the truth of my real identity.  The truth that it is Christ Jesus who resides in me {Galatians 2:20}.  This is the man that I am.  One in Christ {John 17:21}.  It is during those moments where I engaged in questionable language that it seems that I had forgotten who it is that I am.  I didn't give up on God, brush aside my faith or turn from my beliefs.  I simply forgot what had been revealed to me.  The man that I am had not changed.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament

There has been a lot of people, believers included, who claim that behaviors which I myself and Donald Trump have engaged in are a abomination, a punishable offense.  Really?  Let us once again refer to the words of Paul where he proclaims that we no longer "Regard anyone according to the flesh" {2 Corinthians 5:16}.  Do I still deserve to be punished?  How about we take a look at what Paul had to say about sin?  As Paul put it, we should "Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin" {Romans 6:11}.  Still think that I need to be punished for my transgressions?  Consider the words of the prophet Isaiah concerning Jesus.  For it is Jesus Himself who bore our punishment, and it is by Christ Jesus by which we are saved {Isaiah 53:5}.  Still think that I need to be punished?  If you do then there might be a few pews open for you in your local institutional church organization.  For it is the church which continues to pound home the agenda of sin and punishment.  This is not the God I serve.  The God I serve is a nature of love {1 John 4:8}.  Not that God "has" a nature of love, but that He "Is" love.  God loves me enough that He threw all of my transgressions on the shoulders of His only Son that He and He alone would bear weight of them {2 Corinthians 5:21}.  When I forget the revelation of the man that I am, it does nothing to take away what Jesus has already done for me.  Christ is the man that I am. 

So that we, from now on, are acquainted with no one according to the flesh.  Yet even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, nevertheless now we know Him so no longer. 

2 Corinthians 5: 16, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

When We Were Kings

 

When I was a minor, I spoke as a minor, I was disposed as a minor, I took account of things as a minor.  Yet when I have become a man, I have dispatched that which is a minor's.

1 Corinthians 13: 11, Concordant New Testament

I heard Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson proclaim in one of his recent podcasts recently that...we all die eventually.  Now, this wasn't breaking news for me, but it made me stop and think of what brought me to the point in my life where I am at.  The situations, events and decisions which helped to make me into the man I have become.  Yet before I became a man I was formed in the seemingly carefree days of my youth.  It never fails, each summer I think back to days spent at the lake swimming with my friends.  Of nights where we would be awake until all hours playing and doing what we did.  Indeed, many an elder would shake their fist and proclaim to us, "What would your parents think?"  Well, I can say from first hand experience that my mother was glad for the choices of friends that I made.  It is these friendships which have withstood the test of time despite being separated by state borders,  In my heart, those days we spent in the pursuit of happiness were some of the most memorable of my life.  When I see kids these days and the antics they continue to engage in I can smile and think back to those days where my friends and I were doing exactly the same thing.  Although technology and the years have made being young different than I remember, the days of youth have remained unchanged throughout time.  When I hear someone proclaim that all flesh eventually dies, I recall those days.  

That we may by no means still be minors, surging hither and thither and being carried about by every wind of teaching, by human caprice, by craftiness with a view to the systematizing of the deception. 

Ephesians 4: 14, Concordant New Testament

It isn't coincidence that I quoted Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame.  For anyone who is familiar with the Robertsons knows that Phils boys, despite being well into manhood, continue in their search for anything fun and/or amusing.  Maybe it's the desire not to want the days of our youth to end, perhaps it's the redneck way of life.  Whatever it is, we've all known grown men and women who seemingly have not gotten the message that they had grown up.  What's with that?  What would the apostle Paul say of such things?  Well, in his youth Paul was quite the Jewish firebrand.  Raised in the faith and taught to tow the church line no matter what.  It was this zealous belief by which Paul would later proclaim himself "chief" of all sinners {1 Timothy 1:15}.  But we know that this isn't at all how Paul turned out in later years.  For on that road to Damascus, he was introduced to the Man he had been persecuting.  Paul realized that being a man was less about tradition and more about the realization of who we are.  It was this realization that led me to my own discovery of the man that I am.  In reality I haven't changed all that much.  Sure, I look different, but I remain the same as I have always been.  The discovery I made was the truth which Paul spoke of in Galatians.  That my one true identity lies with Christ Jesus who lives in me {Galatians 2:20}.  I am not defined by those days of my youth.  The days we thought would never end.  When we were young.  When life was new.  When we were kings in our own right.  

~Scott~ 

The Angry Americans

 

If anyone should be saying that, "I am loving God," and should be hating his brother, he is a liar, for he who is not loving his brother whom he has seen can not be loving God whom he has not seen. 

1 John 4: 20, Concordant New Testament 

I've come to notice over the past few months that the hostility level of many people has become more pronounced.  It seems that every word of disagreement, every gesture is a invitation for a argument...or worse.  When did we become so hostile towards one another?  Can we simply play this behavior off as "Being human?"  I don't think so.  Remember that we were created in the image of our heavenly Father {Genesis 1:27}.  So is this the behavior of the Lord?  If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you.  No, I believe that this angry behavior has little to do with how we were created yet more to do with how we remember who it is that we are.  Once we understand this, then we can work on the consequences of forgetting who we are.  The apostle Paul has introduced us to the idea of who we truly are inside.  Paul assures us that it is Christ Jesus who now lives in us {Galatians 2:20}.  This is the person we truly are, not the angry man/woman we may at times feel that we are.  However, when we forget about this reality, all that's left is to believe what we see around us.  If we see the anger of those around us, we will somehow believe that they are angry people.  We've forgotten where we came from.  It's not long before we ourselves react to the anger of those around us and become someone we were never intended to be.  Did God intend for us to be his angry children?  I doubt it.  Many a Christian will point to Old Testament judgements and claim that God Himself is a angry and jealous God.  Is that the true nature of our heavenly Father?  No.  John reveals to us the true nature of our Lord in his writings.  He assures us that the one true nature of God...is love {1 John 4:8}.  When we see the anger, resentment and angst around us, we are not seeing ourselves in the way which God sees us.  For when God looks upon His children, He sees Himself in us (Well, He sees His Son in us, but we understand that when we have seen Christ we have seen the Father as well).  

For the anger of man is not working the righteousness of God

James 1: 20, Concordant New Testament 

Not too long ago, I noticed something interesting about my interactions with angry people.  More often than not, I was confronted with a single word...I.  I'm angry.  I feel disrespected.  I feel hurt.  Get the picture?  If you have been reading from the beginning you may have noticed the error in this line of thinking.  If Christ is indeed in us where, then, does "I" fit in?  If there is now union between myself and Jesus, where is the "I?"  I'll tell you where...I no longer exist.  That's right, that proud, singular thinking rascal we once were was put to death a the cross and replaced by Christ Jesus.  There is no longer a I.  In my vocation it has been to my advantage to reduce the stress level of many a situation I come across when dealing with the public.  One thing I've noticed is that when I train myself to see those around me as they truly are everything changes.  If I see myself as having Christ in me, then this is the identity of others around me as well.  Now, they may not realize who they are, but that doesn't mean that I cannot see Jesus in them.  This knowledge has gone a long way to deescalating more than a few sticky situations which I have faced.  Instead of the angry person in front of me, I chose to see someone who needed desperately to see who it is they really were.  I recall a interaction I had one morning with a angry older gentleman who I noticed was carrying a bible in his hands.  Seizing upon this like a vulture, I asked the man if he knew who he was.  Now disarmed from his anger, the man listened as I referred him to the words of Paul.  A few moments after that, he thanked me for bringing his attention to this new revelation.  Now, I'm not saying that every interaction I've had ended positively, But I left assured of the man that I am and the person they were as well.  When we have this revelation, anger is easier to deal with.  

There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except the One who calls Himself the I AM {Ex 3:14} and says, "I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside Me" {Isa 45:5}.  

Norman P. Grubb ~ No Independent Self 

~Scott~ 

Find Your Happiness

 

Wherefore I delight in infirmities, in outrages, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake, for, whenever I may be weak, then I am powerful. 

2 Corinthians 12: 10, Concordant New Testament

So, what is it that makes you happy in life?  Is it your family?  Your job?  A hobby?  Most people usually find something in their life where they find happiness and/or purpose.  For me it's the gym.  Of course, it wasn't always that way, but a few years ago I discovered that I could spend productive time there, and I enjoyed it.  I have a friend who enjoys fishing and the outdoors.  He's currently on a one month summer vacation in the outdoors of Minnesota and having the time of his life.  Another happy customer.  Yet this isn't the case for everyone.  There are plenty of unhappy people out there.  You may have run into a few of them out on the road or in a store somewhere.  A outfit known as the General Social Survey recently conducted a survey on people's general happiness and they discovered something amazing.  It seems that young adults under the age of 35, who are single and non-religious report the highest levels of unhappiness in our post covid-19 world.  This got me thinking, are they trying to group unhappiness with non-believers?  Are they attempting to say that the Christian life is a happy bed of roses?  Well, if they were the apostle Paul might have a few words for them.  For it is Paul who calls on us to rejoice in infirmities, persecutions and distress.  Why?  Because when we are weak for Christ's sake, then we are strong.  The battle is not ours, but belongs to Christ Jesus.  This does not mean that we will have a wonderful, happy and joyful life as believers.  Far from it.  On the contrary, scripture is filled with the warnings that the life of those who live in the Lord will come with difficulty {John 16:33}.  Ask any believer and I can guarantee that they will regale you with stories of just how their lives have been not so happy at times.  I've had my own share of difficult times as well.  Do these hard times prevent me from finding happiness when I can?  Absolutely not.  It is my belief that our own happiness is a state of mind, and that if we find ourselves unhappy one day we might just find our happiness the next.  Yet, it seems that the survey didn't take this into account.  

Whom, not perceiving, you are loving; in Whom, not seeing at present, yet believing, you are exulting with joy unspeakable and glorious, being requitted with the consummation of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

1 Peter 1: 8-9, Concordant New Testament 

When a friend first introduced me to the article in the Christian Post which the results of the General Social Survey were discussed I presented to him one simple question.  What is it that makes these people happy?  Once we find that, then we can get to the core of the issue.  Now, I'll be the first one to admit that covid-19 screwed everything up.  Far too many people are still trying to make their way back both economically and socially.  So, it's understandable that there might be a segment of people out there who remain unhappy as we transition at the speed of a glacier flow out of the Democrat pandemic scare.  I'll admit that during the worst of the covid nonsense I was not much of a happy camper some days.  The gym was closed and everyone had to wear those damn masks.  Life was not good!  Can anyone relate to this?  So, it does not surprise me that there are still those who feel unhappy in some way.  Does this have anything to do with being religious?  I can't answer that.  However, I do know that religion is not the answer to being happy.  According to this article, apparently avoiding religion is not a remedy for happiness either.  So once again I present the question for anyone who will listen.  What is it that makes you happy?  There was a commercial making the rounds on television recently that invited the viewer to "Find your happiness!"  I couldn't agree more.  Don't depend on religion to make you happy.  Find your happiness!  Do not look upon others to make you happy...find your happiness!  While living the Christian life is no guarantee of happiness, living in the comfort of knowing my life is in Christ Jesus makes me happy indeed {Galatians 2:20}.  Find your happiness.  

"Let not your heart be disturbed.  Believe in God, and believe in Me"

John 14: 1, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

What Jesus Said

 

"For wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also" 

Matthew 6: 21, Concordant New Testament

I received a message this week from a friend about the downfall, in sorts, of prosperity gospel preacher Creflo Dollar.  Dollar is the lead pastor and teacher of World Changers Church International in Georgia declared in a recent sermon that his own teachings on tithing were "not correct."  This is a major admission from a man who once asked his congregation to tithe so that he could afford a new corporate jet.  However, Dollar insists that he refuses to apologize to his congregation for his years of false teachings.  Can you imagine someone in this man's congregation, struggling to make ends meet, yet giving in to the teaching from the pulpit that they need to give until it hurts?  I know a bit about this subject because I have been in those pews when the pastor has called upon the church to give more for one cause or another.  Be it building repairs or an upcoming mission trip, the call for more tithes has been heeded by many a congregation.  All in the name of the Lord.  But what does Jesus say when approached by this issue?  What is Jesus' take on tithing?  Well, it's funny, because I've spent a some time in the New Testament and the very words of Jesus and I have not come across anything resembling the words of Creflo Dollar.  Many a pastor has often referred to the prophet Malachi in their push for more tithes {Mal 3:10}.  Here, the prophet commands the Israelites to "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse."  Yet, what many Christians don't understand was that this was done not to support a cash bleeding mega church congregation, but the Levite priesthood who forsook employment that they would devote their time to teaching the scriptures.  That's right, back in the day priests were not employed for six figure incomes.  Therefore, the offerings of the people were used to provide for the priests.  Malachi recognized that the people of Israel had been "Robbing" the Levites of what they needed to survive.  Unfortunately, through the years, many a ambitious pastor has misled congregations into believing that the tithes and offerings of the church were strictly tied to their own blessings of the Lord as well.  But what did Jesus say?  

"Yet take heed not to be doing your righteousness in front of men, in order to be gazed at by them, otherwise surely you have no wages with your Father who is in the heavens.  Whenever, then, you may be doing alms, you should not be trumpeting in front of you, even as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they should be glorified by men.  Verily, I am saying to you, they are collecting their wages!  Yet you, doing alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in hiding, and your Father, who is observing in hiding, will be paying you." 

Matthew 6: 1-4, Concordant New Testament.  

So, what were the thoughts of Jesus on the subject of tithing?  For this is where we need to begin.  Well, it was Jesus who proclaimed that a poor widows few coins given in the temple far outweighed the large donations given by the rich {Mark 12:41-44}.  Why?  Because she had given of what she had, while the rich had given some out of their fortunes.  Jesus was attempting to illustrate here that true giving comes from the heart and not from obligation.  The sort of obligation a pastor might employ when he asks his congregation to give more or risk not being blessed by the Lord.  Jesus was never big on tithing to build newer and better temples or to send He and His disciples on mission trips.  This was never what Jesus proclaimed.  This is what false teachers like Creflo Dollar proclaim.  The teachings of Jesus instruct us not to covet money and possessions {Matt 6:24, Matt 10:42, Luke 12:33}.  To Jesus, it isn't about how much you have.  On the contrary, Jesus speaks to what we give.  In His sermon on the mount, Jesus speaks to not trusting in the value of our possessions {Matt 6: 25-30}.  Which of us, when we pass from this life, will take our possessions with us?  This is why Jesus speaks to giving coming from the heart {Matt 6:21}.  The true heart of the giver is also one who has a true heart for Jesus.  Knowing that all which they have is not from their own volition, but is a gift from the Father.  

Now whoever may be having a livelihood in this world, and may be beholding his brother having need, and should be locking his compassions from him - how is the love of God remaining in him?  

1 John 3: 17, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Freedom We Find

 

For freedom Christ frees us!  Stand firm, then, and be not again enthralled with the yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5: 1, Concordant New Testament 

Nobody would have thought that over two hundred years ago that a rag tag band of disgruntled colonists would rise up, proclaim "Hell no" to a tyrannical king and forge what has endured as one of the greatest nations ever to be born.  Yet that is exactly what happened in these United States.  In fact, more than a few people have noticed the overbearing of the current administration and compared it to the shackles which we freed ourselves of all those years ago.  I don't know about that, but I do know that at times our very freedom which has been earned with the blood of so many is at risk once again.  But this is simply speaking politically and to society as we know it.  Is this the only freedom which we will ever know?  The apostle Paul proclaims that for freedom Christ Jesus has freed us {Galatians 5:1}.  What freedom is this?  Well, it is the freedom in Christ which I have come to know and enjoy.  But what is it that I have been freed from?  For one, I have been freed from a future condemned {Ephesians 2:8-9}.  I have also been freed from the shackles of sin which enslaved me for far too many years {Romans 6:6}.  This is freedom in Christ.  But there's more.  What Christ Jesus has provided not only for me, but for all of Gods children, is freedom from a broken religious system.  As Christians we've all been there, feeling that tug of guilt to be sure we were in Gods house each and every Sunday morning.  How have been told from a early age that if we behave right, if we obey the rules which the church sets forth, that we too can enjoy a future with Jesus.  Salvation...with conditions.  When I first read the words of Paul in Ephesians 2 something stirred in my heart.  For here was Paul telling me that it is through the grace of the Father by which I am saved, and not due to which rules I choose to follow.  So began my journey into freedom in Christ.  When I think back at all I have toiled in my own quest for freedom and acceptance in the eyes of my heavenly Father I have no regrets.  For this is the journey He chose me to follow.  

For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting.

Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament

Who is it that does not desire to be free?  To be free to think and do as they wish?  That same desire to be free which two hundred years ago fueled the rise of a brand new nation also permeates the thoughts of many a Christian today longing to be free of the entrapments of a man-made religion.  To be free of the sin which they have been accused of since they were young enough to remember.  The other day, a good friend reminded us of the consequence of desiring freedom and yet not achieving it.  It is because of this fact that many churches worldwide are bleeding membership.  There is no freedom in religion.  That freedom we desire only comes from knowing Christ Jesus and the freedom only He can offer us.  It is not Jesus who demands we pay a certain tithe.  It has never been Jesus who required us to follow certain rules in order to know Him.  This all came about from organized religion.  Through organized religion, Jesus took a backseat.  In His place we instituted rules and regulations which needed to be followed before one could even know Christ.  Of course, that's all bunk!  Paul reminds us that it has never been about what we give, but about what the Father has given us.  What He has given to us has been described as the greatest gift ever.  The gift of Christ Jesus.  The gift of freedom.  In this case, freedom is never earned, but realized.  For I would never have known of the freedom which I have in Jesus were He not revealed in me {Galatians 2:20}.  Sadly, far too many believers have yet to notice  this revelation of the Father.  It is the same revelation by which Paul himself came to know Jesus {Galatians 1:15-16}.  As we celebrate another year of the freedom of our nation, let us pray that the Father will reveal in us He who brings true freedom.  

"Let it then be known to you, men, brethren that through this One is being announced to you the pardon of sins, and from all from which you could not be justified in the law of Moses, in this One everyone who is believing is being justified." 

Acts 13: 38-39, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

What I Say

 

But, to be sure, I am deeming all to be a forfeit because of the superiority of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, because of whom I forfeited all, and am deeming it to be refuse, that I should be gaining Christ

Philippians 3: 8, Concordant New Testament

Many who have read these writings of mine will know that I have been in the process of wrapping my understanding around the knowing that is Christ in me.  I feel that I have come to a decent understanding of just who I am not only as a man but as One with Christ Jesus.  The apostle Paul, who many recognize as one of the lone voices speaking to the knowing of Christ Jesus in me, speaks not only of his own revelation {Galatians 1:15-16}, but of the reality which is Christ {Galatians 2:20}.  To be sure, I have spent many a hour in the writings of Paul as he describes not only his own revelation, but his confident knowing of Christ Jesus in his life.  He deemed all he had gained lost, choosing to gain only Christ {Philippians 3:8}.  However, I discovered something interesting about the writings of Paul along the way.  For a man who was confident of Christ Jesus in himself, Paul continued in referring to himself as "I."  For instance, in his base verse in Galatians, Paul refers to himself as "I HAVE" been crucified with Christ.  What does that tell us?  Is Paul reneging on his own devotion to the knowing of Christ in him?  Are his words just that, words?  I think not.  This is a big part of the email exchange I had with a friend the other day.  For I had noticed that Paul had continued in his supposed reference to himself as being independent...or had he?  What if, I asked my friend, what if Paul was so confident in his own knowing of Christ Jesus in him that he used the word "I" in confidence to speak of his union with Jesus?  Knowing that the old man (Saul, Paul) had been put to death and all that remained was Christ.  Knowing that when speaking to this knowledge, he could proclaim with confidence...I am One in Him!  For me, perhaps it would have been simpler if Paul had denoted his indwelling Christ by claiming "we?"  Not really.  See, if he were to step out and refer to Christ in him as We, that would denote two separate identities.  That wouldn't fly when describing Christ in him.  For there was no longer Paul...all that remains is Christ.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living: no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God.  Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me. 

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament

Through my journey into knowing Christ in me, the reference to "I" has been seen as somewhat sacrilegious.  Uttered only by those who were as of yet unsure of their own union in Christ Jesus.  But what about Paul?  Paul, for sure, knew more than anyone the man he was in Christ.  Yet Paul continued to refer to himself as I.  Was this a misstep on his part?  I don't think so.  I believe that Paul was well assured of the union he himself had with the Lord.  We are assured of this throughout his writings.  Paul speaks passionately of his confidence in knowing that Christ Jesus lived in him.  All else was lost, all that remained was Jesus.  And he, Paul, was Jesus in union.  Now, imagine that you are Paul, and that you have that assurance that you are one with Christ.  How do you now refer to yourself for others?  Now, I propose that it would have been much easier if Paul had simply referred to the union of himself and Jesus as Christ...but that's not what he did here.  Paul, perhaps referring back to old habits, continued to refer to himself as I.  Or, which is my theory, Paul was so convinced of his knowing of Christ in him that the word I came to designate his union with the Lord Jesus.  Therefore, when he continues to refer to himself as I, he is referring to the Union life he now has in Jesus.  I feel that there is a pretty solid foundation to see this as being true.  I don't believe that Paul was trying to trip people up with his use of the word I.  On the contrary, I believe that he was demonstrating his own confidence of his union with Christ Jesus.  At least that's what I say.  

~Scott~ 

The Color Wars

 In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek.  There is no slave nor yet free, There is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament

It has become common practice in our political climate that should someone disagree with personality or policy that said person must certainly be a racist.  If someone disagrees with a female then most assuredly they are a misogynist.  This is done to silence opinions, pure and simple.  However, this is not a post on politics and the like, but on how it is that our tendency has been to keep others in a constant state of submission.  I'm referring to our treatment of those whose skin color and/or ethnicity drive us to feel that they are somewhat inferior.  African Americans are lazy.  Orientals are smart and studious.  These are all stereotypes which we have laid at the feet of those who are different than ourselves.  Of course, even we have faced the pain of stereotypes as well.  For most of my life, my weight has been a stereotype to me.  People refer to me as larger, often creating crafty nicknames to emphasize my size.  I get it.  I admit to being offended on occasion, but recently I've come to see myself in another way.  I've come to see myself in a way that transcends the larger person which others have seen over the years.  You see, when I look at myself in the mirror these days I don't see the same large person I've become used to.  No, when I look into the mirror these days...I see only Jesus.  This isn't some attempt to hype up my own belief of Christ in me, but a revelation of how I truly see myself.  Some time ago I pondered the question of how the Lord Jesus saw me.  I had come to the realization that He was indeed in me, but I wanted to know how He saw me when He looked upon me.  It took some time, but I finally got my answer.  Jesus sees me in the same way that God sees me, as one of His precious children.  All that bunk about ethnicity, body composition and skin color is but stereotypes invented by man to describe others around them.  That is not what defines us.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.

Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament

A friend of mine brought up a very important point the other day.  There is no "I."  I do not exist.  Now, this might be a bit difficult for others to wrap their own understanding around, but when His revelation comes it is an eye opener.  For when we take away the individual, all we are left with is Christ.  And how is it that we can retain that individuality when all which we will ever have is from God?  It is God who created us in His image {Genesis 1:27}.  It is God who breathed into us His breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  We live and exist, because of the love and grace of the Lord.  It is God who created MAN in His own image.  God did not go about separating His creation by race and skin color.  We ourselves have done just that.  When God looks upon you He sees you as you really are, His precious child.  So, the next time you think of the color wars and how they have torn apart the very fabric of our world, remember that this is something which we have done to ourselves.  Once we begin to see those around us as they truly are, all of that junk about ethnicity and being different falls by the wayside.  We do well to remember the words of the apostle Paul.  There is no Jew or Greek.  No male nor female.  No slave nor free.  There is only Christ.  

To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory.

Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Brothers In The Fight

 

"When I get home people'll ask me, 'Hey Hoot, why do ya do it man?  Why?  You just some kind of war junkie?  I won't say a goddamn word.  Why?  They won't understand.  They won't understand why we do it.  They won't understand that it's about the men next to you, that's all it is.

Master Seargent Norm "Hoot" Hooten, 1SFOD-D 

It's a common phrase we hear a lot these days.  Life is tough.  In fact, in order to make it, you need to be tougher.  As a Christian, I've come to realize through the years that just because I'm a believer in Jesus in no way means that my life is going to be easy peazy lemon squeezy.  In fact, we're never promised that rose garden in our lives.  As believers, we're told that life will bring us it's share of problems {John 16:33}.  So what are we as believers to do when the world seems to be throwing everything it has at us?  Well, first we need to ascertain the root of the issue.  Is God somehow upset with us and using our life circumstances as punishment?  If you are someone who subscribes to the traditional mainstream church theology, then you might believe this to be quite true.  However, if we trust in scripture we know that the very true nature of our Lord is one of love {1 John 4:8}.  Are we to believe that God loves us enough to backhand us every now and then?  Many Christians might adhere to the belief that God, acting like a human parent, would at times use His tough love in order to get us in line.  I see this as more church theology speak.  However, if we listen to the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians, we learn that the root of our troubles here on earth might just be from a source we have come to know all too well.  For our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with spiritual forces of evil in the heavens {Ephesians 6:12}.  Yes, the very same one who presented to us his lies in the garden also continues his trend in our day to day lives as well.  It would seem that Satan, our accuser, is a very busy dude.  Don't get me wrong, when it comes to making bad choices and giving into the wiles of the accuser, we humans win the prize every time.  But there is another way.  What if we were to approach life from the standpoint of KNOWING that there will be conflict?  What if, knowing this, we prepared ourselves beforehand by understanding that our Lord, who never changes, is the one safe refuge we have in this life?  Seems to me we might therefore save ourselves some trouble.  

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.  Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, NKJV 

A good friend of mine recently offered an apology for enticing me into a situation.  I was quick to remind him that the choice to engage in said situation was mine and mine alone.  With all of the negativity in the world around us, it is paramount to our well being that we have by our side a few brothers in the faith who stand on the battlefield with us.  I am blessed to have such brothers on my team.  Yes, there have certainly been times where they have said things to me that were uncomfortable for me to hear in the moment, but it has never been out of malicious intent.  Rather, much of my spiritual growth in the Lord can be attributed to this loyal band of Christian brothers I have come to know and love.  My own realization of the verification of the words of Paul and the indwelling Christ in me was also introduced to me by one of these men.  I know that whatever the case, I can always count on them to give it to me straight with no BS involved.  How blessed is the man who has a circle of friends such as this in his life.  Each one knowing in his heart that it is not God who is angry and punishing their brother in the Lord.  Each one knowing that together they can withstand the attack of the accuser.  We are...brothers in the fight.  

In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~