Christianity

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Go to Hell, Michigan

I’m sure you’re familiar with the expression “There must be a special kind of hell for ________.”

It’s a saying that we use when people are so mean, so evil that we think there’s no hope of redemption for them.

Did you know that hell is a part of our vernacular?

  • I’d go to hell and back for him/her.
  • Our world’s going to hell in a hand basket.
  • They’ve been through hell.
  • I’m trapped in a living hell.
  • Hell has no fury like a woman scorned.

The list goes on and on….

Seriously, I googled “colloquial expressions about hell” and found over 50! (Link below)

But my favorite use of hell is when we spell it out–for the children’s sake, of course.

“I told Bob he could go to h-e-double l.” 

Which leads me to wonder why the people of Hell, Michigan don’t use this phrase as a tourism tag line?

The forecast in Hell is...

The forecast in Hell is…

Go to Hell, Michigan today!

I find it ironic that a large majority of people claim to not believe in hell, and yet never question their vernacular.

This is a subject that needs to be discussed more.

As a Christian, I believe that hell is a real place.

I knew a boy years ago that joked around about partying in hell with the demons.

Trust me. There will be no party there. That’s one invitation you need to decline.

Why do we talk about hell so much?

I think it’s because, deep down, we all know sin is at the root of every evil committed.

Everyone’s looking for hope, for a reason to live beyond themselves.

Our early heritage of faith might be outlawed in courtrooms and classrooms, but it’s present in our vernacular.

It’s time to talk about the final destination.

For your investigation:

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hell

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Looking for the best

I had a bad dream last night. A girl was being bullied at school and no one stood up for her.

In the dream I could feel everything she was feeling.

I still feel it too.

From brenebrown.com

From brenebrown.com

I’m currently reading Rising Strong by Brené Brown. (A book review will follow when I’m finished.)

Dr. Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She’s done ground breaking studies in the areas of shame, guilt, and vulnerability.

The last chapter I read posed the following question:

“Do you believe others are doing the best they can?”

The rest of the chapter explores what Dr. Brown learned when both herself and research groups to answer the question.

My own answer shocked me because I try hard to be an optimistic person.

I often do not think others are doing the best they can.

It was an ouch moment, for sure. I sat there dumbfounded and reread the question again and again.

Am I really that critical? The harsh reality is that many times I am….

Like I mentioned earlier, the dream rattled me, and I was recovering from that shock when I got to Dr. Brown’s question.

Grappling with the meanness in areas such as bullying, racism, religion, politics, etc. is tough.

But at the end of the day, you can’t let that meanness lead to hopelessness.

There is a lot more light in the world than darkness. You don’t hear much about it, but it’s true.

Plus, as a Christian, I know there is hope for the meanest, most evil person in the world because of Jesus.

And then there’s all the times I fall.

I don’t set out to screw up and hurt the ones I love.

…I’m just doing the best that I can!

Ouch!

The moment when truth pierces through my hypocritical heart.

Lord, please forgive my double standards.

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Lessons from the War Room

I watched War Room yesterday. It is, by far, the best Kendrick Brothers film to date.

Here’s the description, taken from the official movie website:

Tony and Elizabeth Jordan have it all—great jobs, a beautiful daughter, and their dream house. But appearances can be deceiving. Tony and Elizabeth Jordan’s world is actually crumbling under the strain of a failing marriage. While Tony basks in his professional success and flirts with temptation, Elizabeth resigns herself to increasing bitterness. But their lives take an unexpected turn when Elizabeth meets her newest client, Miss Clara, and is challenged to establish a “war room” and a battle plan of prayer for her family. As Elizabeth tries to fight for her family, Tony’s hidden struggles come to light. Tony must decide if he will make amends to his family and prove Miss Clara’s wisdom that victories don’t come by accident.

Facebook/War Room

Facebook/War Room

Here are 5 lessons I learned by watching War Room:

  • I need to pray more.
    • As Christians, we’re told to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). I always have time to chat, but I find that God gets scraps of my attention.
  • I need to be more intentional.
    • It’s easy to get caught up in the “Dear Lord, please be with ______” kind of prayers. I need to be more specific as I pray, taking my time instead of sending up emergency flares.
  • I need to pray the Scriptures.
    • This is pretty self-explanatory, but I want to start praying scripture passages, especially as I get more intentional in my conversations with God.
  • I need to pray more with other Christians.
    • Praying with others is not only a part of “bearing each others burdens” (Gal. 6:2) but also an important part of connecting in faith about a specific request.
  • I need to praise God when my prayers are answered.
    • I don’t praise God enough when a prayer is answered. Not doing so is selfish and reveals an underlying attitude of ungratefulness.
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The confusion of neutrality

I was asked to share my thoughts on gender neutrality, so here I go.

If Bob identifies as Sally, it’s wrong to not allow Sally into the ladies room. It’s also wrong to not call him a her.

The confusion and tension around these issues is palpable.

Universities now have whole departments dedicated to educating students on gender diversity. The University of Tennessee’s department made headlines for encouraging the use of gender neutral pronouns.

This year at registration, Harvard asked students to give their names and the pronouns they want to be identified by. This is to aid professors and create inclusivity in the classroom. Students at the University of Vermont have the same options.

You can even be considered “genderqueer” which is a term that indicates you fluctuate between masculinity and femininity.

Online dating sites and Facebook allows users to customize their genders. There are over 50 options to choose from.

Yes, many feel that gender is not limited or confined to sex. Gender is a continuum and each individual falls somewhere within the spectrum.

Parents are joining the war for gender neutrality by asking Target to remove gender signage. Little Jimmy wants to play with Barbies and Little Susie wants to play with Nerf guns.

I did a lot of reading for today’s post. My brain is about to explode….

I find it hard enough to be a heterosexual female in today’s world and if you read yesterday’s post, you know that it’s an even bigger challenge to still be a virgin.

Now I have to ask my friends for their name and preferred pronoun.

I could think John Doe is a cute guy one day and the next day he’s wearing a skirt.

There are no absolutes anymore.

All of these changes are supposed to make life easier for everyone, so why does it get more confusing by the day?

Gender is a subject that can never be made neutral–no matter how many pronouns we add.

For your consideration:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/gender-neutral-pronouns-when-they-doesnt-identify-as-either-male-or-female/2014/10/27/41965f5e-5ac0-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html

http://wjhl.com/2015/09/02/ramsey-threatens-action-after-ut-post-on-gender-neutral-pronouns/

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2015/09/01/lawmaker-senate-should-investigate-ut-pronouns-post/71529306/

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/09/03/harvard-allows-students-register-with-gender-neutral-pronouns/IM40t3nOzXT8kcvN40RHeO/story.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/education/edlife/a-university-recognizes-a-third-gender-neutral.html?_r=1

https://corporate.target.com/article/2015/08/gender-based-signs-corporate

http://time.com/3990442/target-gender-based-signs/

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Pray for the real victims

The Ashley Madison scandal is blowing up the internet.

It’s not the guilty parties (the website or the hackers or the account holders) that I’m concerned about.

The spouses and children suffering in silence need our help.

Their entire world has been ripped apart. Maybe they saw it coming, but I’m betting they didn’t…

Husbands or wives are in shock. Kids, both young and old, don’t understand.

And what about the singles who were on the site?

They had families too.

Maybe even a boyfriend, girlfriend, or fiancé?

I know that leaders and celebrities are held to a higher standard, but we’re so focused on examining their flaws that we’re ignoring the countless, nameless victims involved.

When this scandal dies down, which it will, these victims will still be suffering.

Fallen celebrities merely represent the true heart of our modern culture.

Isn’t time to address the real problems?

Adultery and pornography are destroying the American family.

These two evils are considered “normal” now.

Until scandals happen….

Why is everyone so shocked? Have you watched TV recently? Listened to the radio?

Our culture worships sexual promiscuity and unfaithfulness while glossing over painful truths.

Marriages are ruined. Children’s hearts are shattered.

This is our new reality, folks, and it sucks. A lot of people are hurting because our culture bought into a lie.

Lord,

I’m sorry so many people were hurt because of a lie.

I pray for those hurt who are Christians. Guide them down the path of forgiveness. Whisper words of encouragement in their ears.

I pray for those who are not Christians. Please comfort them. Speak words of peace to them. I pray they find hope by coming to know you.

Amen.

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The order of things

It’s disturbing to me the hills people are willing to die on.

A few weeks a go a lion was killed and everyone was outraged.

Killing an innocent lion? How cruel!

Around the same time, Planned Parenthood was exposed for chopping up fetuses and selling them to the highest bidder.

Crickets. It wasn’t even a trending topic on social media…

Our ideas about what’s right and what’s wrong are so convoluted. Endangered species are protected; people get so excited when their young are born. The definition of when a baby becomes a person, however, is always up for debate.

How long does it take for a person to become so calloused toward human life that they forget we all start out as babies?

We pass countless laws to protect animals, but the laws that protect unborn children are vague.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not an animal person. Some would say that makes me biased.

This discussion, though, has nothing to do with my like or dislike of animals.

We shouldn’t mistreat animals, killing them at will, and stop caring about the ecosystem.

But I’m a little tired of the animal shelter commercials that say, “They have no voice. They don’t understand. They are hurting. Please consider adoption.”

And yet we hear about children who are abused and neglected and think, “I don’t have the resources to adopt or help children, but I have ten dogs.”

The lives of babies, of children, are much more important.

I’ve heard many stories about parents who will give up all parental rights during a divorce if they can keep the pets.

I can’t even imagine how those children felt. My parents left me for selfish reasons, yes, but to know they chose Fido over you?

Wow.

We need to get our priorities straight as a nation. Animals are never more important than people.

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An incomprehensible love

I read an article once that said many Christians feel uncomfortable when questionable people attend church. You’ve probably read or heard something similar before too.

Homeless people, prostitutes, druggies, murderers, pedophiles….

Even reading that list probably made some of you cringe just a little.

But Jesus died for us all. He didn’t say, “Unless your past was questionable. That’s where I draw the line.”

If a questionable past can keep you out of Heaven, I’m already disqualified.

All of us deserve hell. We just can’t measure up to God’s righteousness by ourselves.

And that’s why God–from the foundations of the earth–had the plan of salvation ready to go.

God, creator of the world, knew BEFORE IT HAPPENED that man–his most special creation–would screw up.

Then he created us anyway.

Why?

Because He is a God of love and wanted a people to lavish that love upon.

This fact still blows me away!

God has ALWAYS loved you. He loved you BEFORE you were ever loveable. He loved you even when He KNEW mankind was going to say, “Buzz off! I’ve got this under control.”  

It’s a love that’s beyond comprehension.

Why is the church not sharing this wonderful news?

God's loveBecause we can’t run around telling people Jesus loves them just as they are. There are conditions you know!

So the church continues to avoid homeless people, prostitutes, druggies, murderers, pedophiles….

And don’t even pull the “So your saying that we should all just do whatever we want? That’s greasy grace” card.

It’s a tired argument that needs to die.

I’m simply stating the fact that a behavior modification program, which has never worked (just ask the children of Israel) is not the same as the transforming power of grace.

The “bad” people we try desperately to avoid need Jesus.

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No spirtual hermits allowed!

That’s it! I’m disconnecting from social media and going off the grid! This world is ridiculous.

Being a hermit sounds like a great alternative to the craziness.

Why bother trying? Nothing will change.

blog 3Unless…..

I start seeing myself as a world changer, a warrior, a follower of Christ who is here to spread the gospel.

Notice that the early church didn’t run and hide when faced with adversity. They were bold. Not stupid, mind you, but bold. When they had to scatter because of persecution, the church grew.

Kind of ironic, isn’t it? That’s not what you’d expect.

Look at the church today in China and the Middle East. The body of Christ is growing exponentially! They are being persecuted and martyred every day.

Their persecutors can’t figure it out: Why can’t we defeat these Christians? Nothing we do can stop them….

And yet, in North America, Christians start crying like a bunch of babies when things don’t work out.

blog 2 Can you believe the government is being so mean? This used to be a Christian nation. Now all I can do is post mean things on Facebook about those wicked unbelievers.

And then we lay on the floor like a toddler and pitch a fit.

Wow. I bet all of those sinful wretches want to be Christians now. You really showed them how strong faith can be in the life of a believer.

blog 1Throwing a temper tantrum changes nothing. It never does.

Read the Bible.

Jesus was hated by the world and He told us we would be hated too.

The disciples told us things would get really hard before Jesus came back.

What are you expecting?

Is your faith only strong when things are going great? Is it really that wishy-washy?

If so, I wouldn’t call that faith at all.