On Friday, Jesus was crucified.
He died.
He was buried.
BUT...
ON SUNDAY HE ROSE AGAIN!
Let this Resurrection day be your day of Victory!
Do you face depression?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face rejection?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face loneliness?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face disease?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face persecution?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face poverty?
That debt has been paid.
Do you face addiction?
That debt has been paid.
All of the hurts, pains, condemnation, disappointments, sins, and misfortunes of your life do not define you!
Today, only ONE thing defines you!
Today the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died, was buried, who defeated the enemy, and Rose Again...This is what defines you!
In that one moment in time Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice to give you the victory.
He bought the victory for all of mankind... past, present, and future.
In one Glorious instance his eyes opened and His burial garments fell to the ground.
The stone rolled away and the tomb door opened up.
Out stepped our Risen Savior as YOUR victor!
He won your victory at that moment!
He paid your debts Once and For All!
Accept it today!
Accept Him today!
He longs to share in this day of Victory with you and to give you the everlasting and abundant life that he lived, died, and Resurrected to give you!
You are not just a number or a name to Him.
He knows you personally and LONGS to live with you, inside of you, through you.
If you do not know Him or want to know Him again, then say this prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I believe that You ARE the Son of God.
I believe that you were crucified, died, defeated the enemy, and Rose Again!
I believe that You paid the debt for all of my sins!
I accept you as my Savior Today!
I Love You,
Amen!
After you have prayed this prayer then begin praying more prayers, and more prayers, and even more.
Get to know your Father, God.
He longs to spend time with you.
Talk with Him like He is your closest friend.
Believe me, He WILL become your closest friend.
Whether you just accepted Jesus as your savior, or you have known Him for a long time, Praise God because no matter what your circumstances appear to be, today IS your day of Victory!
The next time the enemy tries to remind you of your shortcomings your promises, the stresses of life, shout the Name of Jesus at him and stand firmly in the finished work that was paid for you on Calvary!
God Loves You So Much!
He sent His only Son to pay the sacrifice of all of your debts.
There is no greater love then to lay down your life for another.
That, my friends, is just a taste of how much our Daddy God loves YOU!
Today is your day of Victory!
Today Is The Resurrection Day!
As Always Remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Jesus at the Gay Bar?
Tonight I experienced something that most people would consider out of the ordinary.
I went to a local gay bar to watch a Gospel Drag Show!
Yes, you read that correctly, a gospel drag show.
All of the performances were set to gospel music with a couple of contemporary Christian songs thrown in.
You may be asking yourself some questions.
Were the performers making fun of Christians?
Was there anyone in the audience to actually watch the show?
Were they hostile toward Christianity?
Well, here is what I found:
The drag queens who performed treated their songs much less like a drag show and more like worship.
They worshiped God with their talent and their heart the best and purest way they knew how.
I saw one performer dance with joy and exuberance as she worshiped God during her song.
I saw another performer testify about how the show was not about her, but was all about Jesus, followed by a round of "Amens!" from the audience.
Speaking of the audience, how was the crowd?
By the end of the show the place was standing room only!
I watched people raise their hands in worship and clap along with the music as if they were sitting in an old time Pentecostal tent revival!
What amazed me the most about this experience tonight was seeing people from many backgrounds and faith traditions, many of whom were sipping on a drink from the bar, finding genuine excitement in old southern gospel songs.
They were worshiping God without the pretensions of church or the mask that so many typical church going Christians wear.
They were being themselves.
Many people were laughing.
Many were drinking.
At times some people were even tearing up, moved by the presence of God that was very real and very beautiful.
The drag queens and singers who performed were being themselves.
The audience members were being themselves.
There was no holier then thou attitudes about how worship should look a certain way or fit a certain mold.
There were real people, acting like real people, worshiping a real God, who loves them with a real love.
Do you know who loves real meetings like this?
The Real Jesus!
And, you can bet the farm that Jesus was at the gay bar tonight.
He was walking through the crowd, touching lives and healing wounds.
He was taking joy from the authentic worship from people who felt no need to pretend for acceptance.
He was laughing with those who laughed and crying with those who cried.
Jesus was loving the expression of worship from the drag queens as well because He saw it for what it was; pure worship from a true place of genuine love for our Savior.
Sure, there were people there who didn't worship freely and some who kept up walls of defense that didn't appear to be torn down.
Of course, who really knows, besides God, who's walls fell and who's didn't?
I even heard a few laughs from the back during worship.
But, whether some people allowed God to minister to them or not, they were there.
They stayed for the show.
And, Jesus met them there, right where they were, in a drag show in Birmingham, Alabama.
He planted seeds and began tearing down walls of hurt and rejection.
Isn't that the beautiful way that Jesus works so many times?
Even 2000 years later He is still hanging out with the outcasts who are having some drinks and being too loud and raucous.
It should come as no surprise that Jesus was hanging out at the gay bar tonight.
He always hangs out with the folks that the Religious Establishment typically judges instead of loves.
God has built His church on people like this.
He is very fond of us outcasts!
What does all this mean?
The lesson here is very simple but very important.
God does not want us to act like a different person in front of Him.
He doesn't want us to hide behind a facade.
After all, we can never actually hide from Him anyway!
Our Papa God loves us and wants to be part of our lives even when we don't think we are Holy.
Guess what.
We will never be Holy enough to be in God's presence on our own.
That's where Jesus steps in.
Because we can never attain perfect righteousness on our own, Jesus paid the ultimate price as the spotless sacrifice for us so that we could get rid of our masks and pretensions and approach the thrown of God with Confidence!
We are saved through the work that Christ did on Calvary!
Our Salvation was bought and paid for that first Easter.
Our Righteousness was given to us that day.
Our Healing was given to us that day.
Our Hope, our Joy, our Freedom to prosper mentally, physically, and spiritually was all given to us freely, as a gift, the moment that Jesus died and resurrected 2000 years ago!
I urge you today to take off your mask and be real with God.
Accept His promises for you and worship Him with the gifts you have!
Just like the drag queens I saw tonight, give God your talent.
Give God your praise.
Give God your worship in the purest way you know how from the most genuine part of yourself!
This is how you find peace.
Worship Him without that facade of perfection and know that He loves you right where you are!
Accept that you are saved by His Grace, not your works!
Once you decide to be honest and real in His presence, you can truly Surrender to Him and Trust Him to do the work in your life that He desires to do.
This real surrender builds a real relationship that leads to your real peace!
God has a destiny for you!
God has a purpose for you!
God has promises for you!
Take off your mask and let Him work on your heart so that He can give you His Joy that is your strength.
As always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
I went to a local gay bar to watch a Gospel Drag Show!
Yes, you read that correctly, a gospel drag show.
All of the performances were set to gospel music with a couple of contemporary Christian songs thrown in.
You may be asking yourself some questions.
Were the performers making fun of Christians?
Was there anyone in the audience to actually watch the show?
Were they hostile toward Christianity?
Well, here is what I found:
The drag queens who performed treated their songs much less like a drag show and more like worship.
They worshiped God with their talent and their heart the best and purest way they knew how.
I saw one performer dance with joy and exuberance as she worshiped God during her song.
I saw another performer testify about how the show was not about her, but was all about Jesus, followed by a round of "Amens!" from the audience.
Speaking of the audience, how was the crowd?
By the end of the show the place was standing room only!
I watched people raise their hands in worship and clap along with the music as if they were sitting in an old time Pentecostal tent revival!
What amazed me the most about this experience tonight was seeing people from many backgrounds and faith traditions, many of whom were sipping on a drink from the bar, finding genuine excitement in old southern gospel songs.
They were worshiping God without the pretensions of church or the mask that so many typical church going Christians wear.
They were being themselves.
Many people were laughing.
Many were drinking.
At times some people were even tearing up, moved by the presence of God that was very real and very beautiful.
The drag queens and singers who performed were being themselves.
The audience members were being themselves.
There was no holier then thou attitudes about how worship should look a certain way or fit a certain mold.
There were real people, acting like real people, worshiping a real God, who loves them with a real love.
Do you know who loves real meetings like this?
The Real Jesus!
And, you can bet the farm that Jesus was at the gay bar tonight.
He was walking through the crowd, touching lives and healing wounds.
He was taking joy from the authentic worship from people who felt no need to pretend for acceptance.
He was laughing with those who laughed and crying with those who cried.
Jesus was loving the expression of worship from the drag queens as well because He saw it for what it was; pure worship from a true place of genuine love for our Savior.
Sure, there were people there who didn't worship freely and some who kept up walls of defense that didn't appear to be torn down.
Of course, who really knows, besides God, who's walls fell and who's didn't?
I even heard a few laughs from the back during worship.
But, whether some people allowed God to minister to them or not, they were there.
They stayed for the show.
And, Jesus met them there, right where they were, in a drag show in Birmingham, Alabama.
He planted seeds and began tearing down walls of hurt and rejection.
Isn't that the beautiful way that Jesus works so many times?
Even 2000 years later He is still hanging out with the outcasts who are having some drinks and being too loud and raucous.
It should come as no surprise that Jesus was hanging out at the gay bar tonight.
He always hangs out with the folks that the Religious Establishment typically judges instead of loves.
God has built His church on people like this.
He is very fond of us outcasts!
What does all this mean?
The lesson here is very simple but very important.
God does not want us to act like a different person in front of Him.
He doesn't want us to hide behind a facade.
After all, we can never actually hide from Him anyway!
Our Papa God loves us and wants to be part of our lives even when we don't think we are Holy.
Guess what.
We will never be Holy enough to be in God's presence on our own.
That's where Jesus steps in.
Because we can never attain perfect righteousness on our own, Jesus paid the ultimate price as the spotless sacrifice for us so that we could get rid of our masks and pretensions and approach the thrown of God with Confidence!
We are saved through the work that Christ did on Calvary!
Our Salvation was bought and paid for that first Easter.
Our Righteousness was given to us that day.
Our Healing was given to us that day.
Our Hope, our Joy, our Freedom to prosper mentally, physically, and spiritually was all given to us freely, as a gift, the moment that Jesus died and resurrected 2000 years ago!
I urge you today to take off your mask and be real with God.
Accept His promises for you and worship Him with the gifts you have!
Just like the drag queens I saw tonight, give God your talent.
Give God your praise.
Give God your worship in the purest way you know how from the most genuine part of yourself!
This is how you find peace.
Worship Him without that facade of perfection and know that He loves you right where you are!
Accept that you are saved by His Grace, not your works!
Once you decide to be honest and real in His presence, you can truly Surrender to Him and Trust Him to do the work in your life that He desires to do.
This real surrender builds a real relationship that leads to your real peace!
God has a destiny for you!
God has a purpose for you!
God has promises for you!
Take off your mask and let Him work on your heart so that He can give you His Joy that is your strength.
As always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
Friday, February 15, 2013
Your Victory
Through Christ our punishment has already been paid!
The price for all of our sins, our faults, our short comings, our disappointments, and our poor decisions has been paid!
Jesus stepped in as our intermediary and took our place.
We are found innocent today in the eyes of God, my friends, because Jesus took our place and took our punishment.
He took the death penalty so that we can have LIFE!
Just like in court, we will not be tried twice for the same crime.
So, today, when the enemy starts reminding you of all of your failures and mistakes, take a stand!
Take a stand as the FREE Man, the FREE Woman, or the FREE Transgendered Person that you are through CHRIST and His Finished Work!
The price has been paid!
The pardon has been given you!
Through Jesus We Are Free!
This, my friends, is Your Victory!
As Always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
The price for all of our sins, our faults, our short comings, our disappointments, and our poor decisions has been paid!
Jesus stepped in as our intermediary and took our place.
We are found innocent today in the eyes of God, my friends, because Jesus took our place and took our punishment.
He took the death penalty so that we can have LIFE!
Just like in court, we will not be tried twice for the same crime.
So, today, when the enemy starts reminding you of all of your failures and mistakes, take a stand!
Take a stand as the FREE Man, the FREE Woman, or the FREE Transgendered Person that you are through CHRIST and His Finished Work!
The price has been paid!
The pardon has been given you!
Through Jesus We Are Free!
This, my friends, is Your Victory!
As Always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Blessing for 2013
I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your prayers and support of this blog and ministry.
Words cannot express how much your e-mails, comments, Facebook messages, tweets, prayer requests, and praise reports mean to me.
This past year has seen tremendous growth for Radical Hope Ministries and has laid the foundation for what God has planned for us in 2013.
Please read this blessing below.
This is my heart felt prayer for each of you in this coming year:
May you find peace each day knowing that God Loves You deeply and without ANY conditions.
May you learn to better understand how to accept His love for yourself and the power that He has placed within you.
May you exhibit His great undying love for you by showing it to everyone else that He brings in your path.
May you live each moment in the Promises that God has given you for Good Health and Healing, Freedom From Depression and Addiction, and Prosperity Over Lack and Poverty.
May you give of your Time, Energy, Prayers, and Finances Freely and Joyously to what God calls you to do and may that gift return to you Multiplied and Blessed.
I pray that everyone who reads this blog in the coming year will be touched by it and truly understand that through Jesus Christ you really can do ALL things!
May you remember with every breath you take and at each passing minute of every day that you are not alone.
May you know deep down in your spirit that Your Daddy God, Your Savior Jesus, and Your Comforter the Holy Spirit are With You and will Never Leave You.
May you feel their presence in a greater and more tangible way then ever before.
In the name of the Lord God Almighty and through the power of the Blood of Jesus Christ I declare it so,
Amen
Have a wonderful and safe 2013!
I look forward to hearing from you!
As Always, Remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Wait, Don't Panic!
In this Season of Great Joy there can also be times of Great Panic!
How do you balance extremely busy schedules with the desire to stay sane and get enough sleep?
How do you deal with loneliness and grief among shiny happy faces and Santa's ringing bells at the mall?
How do you find Peace in these days celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace when inside, underneath your festive mask, you are dealing with real hurts, worries, and anxiety?
How do you keep from panicking???
Hit the pause button.
Take a moment to just stop.
Pause for a bit.
Then, Pray.
Ask God, your loving Father, to show you what your priorities should be.
Ask Him to help you feel what you need to feel so that you can face your hurts honestly instead of pushing them down.
Ask Him to heal you of those hurts and give Him the worries and anxieties that are weighing you down.
Tell Him that you love Him, and honor Him.
Tell Him that you surrender everything to Him!
Our Awesome and Amazing Father God will wrap you in His loving arms and shelter you from the rushing time table of the season while He leads you gently in each step that you should take.
After you have paused and prayed, sit quietly in His presence and listen.
Allow Him to tug at your spirit and quicken to you your next move.
He will give you the healing you need.
He will bring up His joy that has been lying dormant in the depths of your soul.
He will strengthen you.
Finally, after you have Paused and Prayed, Pursue His plans for you.
These plans may differ from your own preset plans and responsibilities.
That is okay!
Trust Him and go with it!
Instead of letting your calendar or your emotions dictate what you will be doing between now and Christmas, allow God, who knows what is best for us all, to gently lead and guide you.
"All things work together for good to those who love the Lord."
Romans 8:28
Remember that the purpose of this blessed time of year is not to stress over gifts, or parties, or relationships, or outfits, or money, or anything else.
The Purpose of Christmas is to Remember, and Celebrate; to Thank our Heavenly Father for Loving Us So Much that He would send His Son Jesus here to Earth to live and to die and to resurrect from the grave for us!
He Gave Us Salvation not just from our sins but from ALL the cares of this world!
So, don't let those cares weigh you down.
Give yourself a break today to stop and seek God about what things He would have you do to enjoy this beautiful Christmas time.
Then, allow yourself the flexibility to change your plans accordingly.
By surrendering everything to God, especially your time, you will find that you have more quality time to actually enjoy the many events you take in.
You never know how many people you may help just by being in line with God's plan for you this Holiday Season.
Remember, there is no need to panic!
Just pause, pray, and pursue.
As Always, Remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
How do you balance extremely busy schedules with the desire to stay sane and get enough sleep?
How do you deal with loneliness and grief among shiny happy faces and Santa's ringing bells at the mall?
How do you find Peace in these days celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace when inside, underneath your festive mask, you are dealing with real hurts, worries, and anxiety?
How do you keep from panicking???
Hit the pause button.
Take a moment to just stop.
Pause for a bit.
Then, Pray.
Ask God, your loving Father, to show you what your priorities should be.
Ask Him to help you feel what you need to feel so that you can face your hurts honestly instead of pushing them down.
Ask Him to heal you of those hurts and give Him the worries and anxieties that are weighing you down.
Tell Him that you love Him, and honor Him.
Tell Him that you surrender everything to Him!
Our Awesome and Amazing Father God will wrap you in His loving arms and shelter you from the rushing time table of the season while He leads you gently in each step that you should take.
After you have paused and prayed, sit quietly in His presence and listen.
Allow Him to tug at your spirit and quicken to you your next move.
He will give you the healing you need.
He will bring up His joy that has been lying dormant in the depths of your soul.
He will strengthen you.
Finally, after you have Paused and Prayed, Pursue His plans for you.
These plans may differ from your own preset plans and responsibilities.
That is okay!
Trust Him and go with it!
Instead of letting your calendar or your emotions dictate what you will be doing between now and Christmas, allow God, who knows what is best for us all, to gently lead and guide you.
"All things work together for good to those who love the Lord."
Romans 8:28
Remember that the purpose of this blessed time of year is not to stress over gifts, or parties, or relationships, or outfits, or money, or anything else.
The Purpose of Christmas is to Remember, and Celebrate; to Thank our Heavenly Father for Loving Us So Much that He would send His Son Jesus here to Earth to live and to die and to resurrect from the grave for us!
He Gave Us Salvation not just from our sins but from ALL the cares of this world!
So, don't let those cares weigh you down.
Give yourself a break today to stop and seek God about what things He would have you do to enjoy this beautiful Christmas time.
Then, allow yourself the flexibility to change your plans accordingly.
By surrendering everything to God, especially your time, you will find that you have more quality time to actually enjoy the many events you take in.
You never know how many people you may help just by being in line with God's plan for you this Holiday Season.
Remember, there is no need to panic!
Just pause, pray, and pursue.
As Always, Remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A House Divided
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."- Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is often credited for this quote but did you know that he was himself quoting someone else?
President Lincoln, in referring to the United States before the civil war, quoted Jesus Christ (Mark 3:25) to prove a point that the Union could not exist as half slave and half free.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."
Mr. Lincoln gave this address as part of a campaign speech for the U.S. Senate in 1858.
In today's eyes we can look back on slavery and see what a horrible injustice the entire institution was and how much harm it did to every victim as well as the nation as a whole.
During 1858, however, the country was torn apart on the issue.
Entire Christian denominations split over the issue with some preachers heralding the scriptures that seemingly speak to allowing slavery while others pointed to scriptures that shined a light on the horrific practice of owning another human being.
The issue divided families, friendships, churches, and eventually the entire United States of America.
War became the only solution that many saw that would allow them to cling to their own deeply held, traditionally rooted, and "scripturally based" positions on slavery.
Brother fought against brother.
State fought against state.
Christian fought against Christian.
On April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, shots rang out beginning the Civil War and bringing about the deadliest war in US History.
It is estimated that 750,000 soldiers were killed during the civil war.
It was Insanity.
Today, over 150 years later, we find ourselves involved in another war; a culture war.
Today the issue of equality in the Church and society as a whole for Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered people divides families, friendships, churches, and yes, the entire United States of America.
We watch in the news as Christian denominations split over the issue.
Good Christian leaders, trusted men and women in the Body of Christ, take positions that are deeply held, rooted in their traditions, and based in scripture.
Christian brothers are fighting Christian brothers, valiantly displaying their pride and ego instead of reason and prayer.
Increasingly the image of the Church is becoming one of hate and intolerance instead of love and grace.
We may never know how many young men and women we have lost during this war.
Everyday the casualties mount as another child of God is wounded and falls victim to hopelessness, depression, addiction, spiritual despair, and too often, even physical death.
Whether intentional or not, the message the majority of young GLBT Americans hear from the Church is one of ridicule and despair; of infighting and condemnation.
The divided Body of Christ is so involved in fighting the culture war, so focused on making sure that their side is winning, that they are forgetting to actually love their neighbor.
I say this not to point a finger at anyone, but out of my own conviction.
There have been too many times that I have chosen to fight, to take up my sword, and use my words against another believer instead of reaching out in love.
It is time that we as Christians throw off the messages of division and focus on our common ground.
We have within our grasp the greatest tool the world has ever known.
It is the Good News that we were once taught in Sunday School.
It is the Grace that Saves Any Whosoever that Believes.
It is the Unconditional Love, the Agape Love, of our Heavenly Father!
What we all as Christians have in common at the end of the day, no matter where you fall on the issue of equality for GLBT people, is that we are ALL Prodigal Sons and Daughter being welcomed back home by our Loving Father who sees us from afar.
He runs to us and places His finest robes on our shoulders and rings on our fingers.
He prepares a feast for us all at His table and says, "Come and Dine!"
This is our common ground!
The answer to ending the insanity that is this tragic and deadly culture war is to communicate with each other out of love from the points that we have in common instead of dividing over our differences.
Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
I hope that you will join me in praying for all of our Christian brothers and sisters; for all of the leaders in the Church, and for those who agree and disagree with you on the issue of GLBT equality.
Loving each other from the place of our common ground will open the door to healing in our Body of Believers.
Moreover, by answering this challenge from Jesus, living the greatest commandment, we will break the cycle and keep history from once again repeating itself.
This blog is a part of a Synchroblog regarding the discussion of the cultural debate about homosexuality and Christianity.
Many bloggers are writing about this issue today and I encourage you to take some time and read what all the others have to say.
Follow this link to read other blogs on this issue: http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/sanity
Also, I encourage all of my reader's to read Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays vs. Christians Debate, a book written by Justin Lee, the founder of the Gay Christian Network.
Follow this link to read more about Torn: http://www.tornbook.com/
I look forward to hearing your feedback in the coming days.
As always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
Abraham Lincoln is often credited for this quote but did you know that he was himself quoting someone else?
President Lincoln, in referring to the United States before the civil war, quoted Jesus Christ (Mark 3:25) to prove a point that the Union could not exist as half slave and half free.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South."
Mr. Lincoln gave this address as part of a campaign speech for the U.S. Senate in 1858.
In today's eyes we can look back on slavery and see what a horrible injustice the entire institution was and how much harm it did to every victim as well as the nation as a whole.
During 1858, however, the country was torn apart on the issue.
Entire Christian denominations split over the issue with some preachers heralding the scriptures that seemingly speak to allowing slavery while others pointed to scriptures that shined a light on the horrific practice of owning another human being.
The issue divided families, friendships, churches, and eventually the entire United States of America.
War became the only solution that many saw that would allow them to cling to their own deeply held, traditionally rooted, and "scripturally based" positions on slavery.
Brother fought against brother.
State fought against state.
Christian fought against Christian.
On April 12, 1861 at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, shots rang out beginning the Civil War and bringing about the deadliest war in US History.
It is estimated that 750,000 soldiers were killed during the civil war.
It was Insanity.
Today, over 150 years later, we find ourselves involved in another war; a culture war.
Today the issue of equality in the Church and society as a whole for Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered people divides families, friendships, churches, and yes, the entire United States of America.
We watch in the news as Christian denominations split over the issue.
Good Christian leaders, trusted men and women in the Body of Christ, take positions that are deeply held, rooted in their traditions, and based in scripture.
Christian brothers are fighting Christian brothers, valiantly displaying their pride and ego instead of reason and prayer.
Increasingly the image of the Church is becoming one of hate and intolerance instead of love and grace.
We may never know how many young men and women we have lost during this war.
Everyday the casualties mount as another child of God is wounded and falls victim to hopelessness, depression, addiction, spiritual despair, and too often, even physical death.
Whether intentional or not, the message the majority of young GLBT Americans hear from the Church is one of ridicule and despair; of infighting and condemnation.
The divided Body of Christ is so involved in fighting the culture war, so focused on making sure that their side is winning, that they are forgetting to actually love their neighbor.
I say this not to point a finger at anyone, but out of my own conviction.
There have been too many times that I have chosen to fight, to take up my sword, and use my words against another believer instead of reaching out in love.
It is time that we as Christians throw off the messages of division and focus on our common ground.
We have within our grasp the greatest tool the world has ever known.
It is the Good News that we were once taught in Sunday School.
It is the Grace that Saves Any Whosoever that Believes.
It is the Unconditional Love, the Agape Love, of our Heavenly Father!
What we all as Christians have in common at the end of the day, no matter where you fall on the issue of equality for GLBT people, is that we are ALL Prodigal Sons and Daughter being welcomed back home by our Loving Father who sees us from afar.
He runs to us and places His finest robes on our shoulders and rings on our fingers.
He prepares a feast for us all at His table and says, "Come and Dine!"
This is our common ground!
The answer to ending the insanity that is this tragic and deadly culture war is to communicate with each other out of love from the points that we have in common instead of dividing over our differences.
Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
I hope that you will join me in praying for all of our Christian brothers and sisters; for all of the leaders in the Church, and for those who agree and disagree with you on the issue of GLBT equality.
Loving each other from the place of our common ground will open the door to healing in our Body of Believers.
Moreover, by answering this challenge from Jesus, living the greatest commandment, we will break the cycle and keep history from once again repeating itself.
This blog is a part of a Synchroblog regarding the discussion of the cultural debate about homosexuality and Christianity.
Many bloggers are writing about this issue today and I encourage you to take some time and read what all the others have to say.
Follow this link to read other blogs on this issue: http://gcnjustin.tumblr.com/sanity
Also, I encourage all of my reader's to read Torn: Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays vs. Christians Debate, a book written by Justin Lee, the founder of the Gay Christian Network.
Follow this link to read more about Torn: http://www.tornbook.com/
I look forward to hearing your feedback in the coming days.
As always, remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until next time,
SavedByGrace
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Beautiful Ashes
Have you ever used a wood burning fireplace?
As beautiful as the fire is when it is lit, the pile of ashes that are left behind are very dirty.
Long after the flame has gone out, they remain only as a reminder of the glistening glow that once illumined them.
Have you ever felt like everything has disintegrated into a pile of soot and ashes?
Maybe the flame has relinquished long ago and you feel like there just isn't much of you left to catch fire.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone!
There have been several times in my life when I felt the same way.
Thankfully, God looks at those ashes of our fears and failures, mistakes and misfortunes, trials and tribulations, and He sees something entirely different.
He sees Beauty!
Romans 8:28 says, "ALL things work together for Good for them who love God..." (KJV)
What might seem useless and ugly to you appears as a beautiful life full of promise and possibilities to God.
He looks into the dried up ashes and sees a flame that is ready to ignite and burn brightly once again!
There have been so many times in my life when my future looked dim.
It seemed like the destiny I had envisioned was over.
It is in those darkest times that I found myself genuinely vulnerable before God.
Being vulnerable is not comfortable.
It doesn't come naturally in human nature to put yourself out there.
We go through pain staking lengths just to raise walls around our heart on a daily basis.
That is our defense mechanism.
I have learned that in those times when I feel raw emotionally that God does His greatest work!
After my mom passed away with Lung Cancer I was at this place of brokenness.
It was a time of crushing sadness and heartache.
I felt utterly destroyed.
Some times I was numb with pain and other times I was raging with anger.
Like a child who cries for his mommy I reached my hands up toward Heaven in surrender and cried for mine.
I laid my life simply and honestly before God and said,
"Please help me. Only you can!"
"Please help me. Only you can!"
And.....He did.
The God who created all of the universe reached down His hands to meet mine.
He came to where I was hurting and held me like a loving father comforting his troubled son.
He came to where I was hurting and held me like a loving father comforting his troubled son.
Over time, when I grew stronger, He picked me up.
As my strength grew He walked with me, carrying me when I could not take a step on my own.
In the months that followed, the presence of God became tangible in my life.
I learned that He was not a judge sitting on high waiting to punish me for my misdeeds.
God became my loving Papa who was gently healing and strengthening me.
My entire vision of God was changing as I stayed vulnerable and allowed Him to work in my life.
I began to speak with Him in conversation throughout my day and night, not just in prayer or at church.
I learned that He was not a judge sitting on high waiting to punish me for my misdeeds.
God became my loving Papa who was gently healing and strengthening me.
My entire vision of God was changing as I stayed vulnerable and allowed Him to work in my life.
I began to speak with Him in conversation throughout my day and night, not just in prayer or at church.
I traded my weakness for His strength day after day.
It was during this period of healing that I started this blog.
The seeds for what has become Radical Hope Ministries were planted at a time when I could not see hope for myself, much less for others.
But, God Saw Hope.
God Gave Me Hope.
God Sees Hope in YOU!
God Sees Hope in YOU!
When my walls were down, when I was vulnerable before God, He gave me His Strength.
I had nothing to offer Him but He offered me Hope, Peace, Joy, and Healing!
1 Corinthians 12:9 says it best, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my Strength is made Perfect in Weakness."
If you are at this place in your life now or ever find yourself here, remember:
When you are weak, He is strong!
I challenge you to pray to God in your own words, as humbly and honestly as you can.
Tell Him how you feel.
Be genuinely vulnerable with Him.
Let down your walls and allow God to be your papa, not your judge.
God is Love.
He longs to have this loving relationship with you!
Let down your walls and allow God to be your papa, not your judge.
God is Love.
He longs to have this loving relationship with you!
Trust Him to reach down and hold you.
Trust Him to pick you up.
Trust Him to carry you and walk with you.
You have no idea how beautiful your ashes are.
What you see as a life in ruins may be a ministry to others of Radical Hope!
As always remember,
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
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