I wrote What If I'm the One to Start A Revolution? 5 years ago. I felt then as I do now that God has one more great awakening in store for America. In the recent months I have begun to feel this great sense of urgency. Not because of our new president but because of how far the message of the American church has strayed from who God truly is.
I have been brokenhearted at how some churches have become so focused on money and trivial issues that they forget that it's about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the Gospel?
It's the Good News. It's that Jesus Christ came to earth; lived, walked talked, breathed among us; was killed so that we might have life in abundance and so that the relationship with God that was severed by sin was restored with His Blood; He rose again as He promised; He ascended to Heaven, and He is sitting right now at the right hand of God the Father talking to God on our behalf.
The gospel is NOT we bash you because of the color of your skin. The gospel is NOT religious persecution. The gospel is NOT taking away women's rights. The gospel is not normalizing sexual assault. The gospel is NOT rejecting people because of their sexual orientation. The gospel is NOT being mean-spirited or just plain hate-filled. Where hate abides love cannot abide. God is love and if you are full of hate He cannot abide (but that is another post for another time)
Jesus gives us Christians one mandate;
And He gave us the perfect blueprint. Himself. Never once did Jesus bash, put down, condemn, alienate or be unloving to ANYONE especially not his disciples. Not even to Judas who He KNEW was going to betray Him. He never forced Himself or His message on anyone. He never guilted or shamed anyone into salvation. He gave them the CHOICE.
Choice is God's greatest gift to us. If they chose Him great and if they didn't He left them be but He still loved them because He knew that the way He lived His life was much more important and impactful then the words He spoke.
I'm positive that if Jesus were to visit some of our churches today we might be surprised at the reception we'd receive. (See the Cleansing of the Temple)
Holy Discontent
Bill Hybels* gave a talk and has a book on this concept of Holy Discontent. It is something that bothers you so greatly in your soul that it forces you to act.
I have reached that point. I have always been discontented by the way "people of God" beat and abuse and misinform other people about who God is especially young people. I've been a Christian almost all my life and even I have experienced the hurtfulness of this. I'm speaking from experience. This election cycle and the viciousness of the hate that is spewing from people, especially those who claim to know God has pushed me to the point where I can no longer sit by and not say anything.
What we all fail to realize is that the only difference between a believer and a non-believer is the acceptance of Jesus Christ. We are still all sinners. We still all fall short. We still all need the grace of God. We do not instantly become better than someone else because we accept Christ. We just become saved by Grace.
It is time for all of us who know who God is and worship Him to stop sitting on the sidelines and stand up for what is right.
I'm tired of being a poor representative of Jesus. We cannot really believe that God is pleased with the way we as Christians have responded to what is going on in our world?
The time has come to stand up and fight for the Gospel and who Jesus is. We've gotten too comfortable. If you don't stand up that is ok. God does not need you or me to make sure that His message of love is preached but He sure would like you to be involved.
I ended my last message on revolution saying,
"So if I'm supposed to be starting my revolution, why am I still sitting down?"
Well, I'm no longer "sitting". I'm in the fight. Through prayer. Through writing this blog. Through speaking up when it is necessary and right now it is very necessary. Man's voice should NEVER be louder than God's voice. Through living my life in a loving and respectful way. Through worship. Through taking a stand when I see injustice.
I have been brokenhearted at how some churches have become so focused on money and trivial issues that they forget that it's about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the Gospel?
It's the Good News. It's that Jesus Christ came to earth; lived, walked talked, breathed among us; was killed so that we might have life in abundance and so that the relationship with God that was severed by sin was restored with His Blood; He rose again as He promised; He ascended to Heaven, and He is sitting right now at the right hand of God the Father talking to God on our behalf.
The gospel is NOT we bash you because of the color of your skin. The gospel is NOT religious persecution. The gospel is NOT taking away women's rights. The gospel is not normalizing sexual assault. The gospel is NOT rejecting people because of their sexual orientation. The gospel is NOT being mean-spirited or just plain hate-filled. Where hate abides love cannot abide. God is love and if you are full of hate He cannot abide (but that is another post for another time)
Jesus gives us Christians one mandate;
Choice is God's greatest gift to us. If they chose Him great and if they didn't He left them be but He still loved them because He knew that the way He lived His life was much more important and impactful then the words He spoke.
I'm positive that if Jesus were to visit some of our churches today we might be surprised at the reception we'd receive. (See the Cleansing of the Temple)
Holy Discontent
Bill Hybels* gave a talk and has a book on this concept of Holy Discontent. It is something that bothers you so greatly in your soul that it forces you to act.
I have reached that point. I have always been discontented by the way "people of God" beat and abuse and misinform other people about who God is especially young people. I've been a Christian almost all my life and even I have experienced the hurtfulness of this. I'm speaking from experience. This election cycle and the viciousness of the hate that is spewing from people, especially those who claim to know God has pushed me to the point where I can no longer sit by and not say anything.
What we all fail to realize is that the only difference between a believer and a non-believer is the acceptance of Jesus Christ. We are still all sinners. We still all fall short. We still all need the grace of God. We do not instantly become better than someone else because we accept Christ. We just become saved by Grace.
It is time for all of us who know who God is and worship Him to stop sitting on the sidelines and stand up for what is right.
I'm tired of being a poor representative of Jesus. We cannot really believe that God is pleased with the way we as Christians have responded to what is going on in our world?
The time has come to stand up and fight for the Gospel and who Jesus is. We've gotten too comfortable. If you don't stand up that is ok. God does not need you or me to make sure that His message of love is preached but He sure would like you to be involved.
I ended my last message on revolution saying,
"So if I'm supposed to be starting my revolution, why am I still sitting down?"
Well, I'm no longer "sitting". I'm in the fight. Through prayer. Through writing this blog. Through speaking up when it is necessary and right now it is very necessary. Man's voice should NEVER be louder than God's voice. Through living my life in a loving and respectful way. Through worship. Through taking a stand when I see injustice.
When I stand before God and He asks me, "What were you doing when people were dying, being killed and being persecuted and you had the ability to offer hope and healing and unity?" I want to have an answer.
The Revolution is Now.
The Unlikely Missionary
DHW
*This post does not reflect the views of anyone but me.
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