What would you do?

Have you ever heard that expression "If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"  Apparently, on Friday, these nine were targeted for their faith and found "guilty."

“The shooter was lining people up and asking if they were Christian,” she wrote. “If they said yes, then they were shot in the head. If they said no, or didn’t answer, they were shot in the legs." (New York Post)

As Steve and I pondered this last night, whether we would have stood up for Jesus, I questioned if these people made the right choice.  I mean, it's one thing to take a stand for what's right and for our faith when things are easy.  But when our lives are literally on the line:  would we have stood up, knowing our family was out there, waiting on us to return to them, waiting on us to keep teaching them, waiting on us to be Jesus to them?

Please don't get me wrong.  I admire these people.  Many of you may have seen the meme going around yesterday as to who the bravest person in the world was (the second one who stood after the first had been executed).  Many of you might quote the Bible Verses to me that is found in Matthew 10:32-33:  "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven."

But when push comes to shove, would I have stood?  Would I have unhesitatingly confessed Jesus as my Saviour?  I'm not sure.  Honestly, it's easy to say in the ease of the moment that nothing would keep me from loudly proclaiming Christ but...but...why does it take a shooting to make this so?  Why does it take a life-changing event for me to speak up, to let the world know I am His and He is mine?  Should not every moment of my life scream this out, volunteer it, and no one even have to ask?

I'd like to think had I been in this situation that I would have responded but in a different way.  I'd like to think that I--along with my fellow hostages--would refuse to be victims but rather have joined together to jump this person, to overpower him and stop his madness, and then?  Then I'd like to think the situation could have ended on a more positive note and that my fellow man and I would have later visited with this man and let him know that indeed we were believers of Christ, so much so that we felt the best way to not deny Him was to introduce this shooter to Him himself.  I'd like to think that as a Christian I would indeed stand for my faith, for my Jesus, and for my fellow man and fight.

Please don't get me wrong.  I am one of the biggest chickens out there.  But Christ in me is stronger than any army, any foe of the wicked.  My hope is that if I ever am in a situation of this sort that rational thought overcomes scary emotions and that my focus is on Christ and what He would be saying to me in that moment.  My hope is that my life will reflect His and that I too would not be afraid to declare Him as Lord.

Til The Storm Passes Over

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.   Psalm 5:11

Good morning!  Oh sure, there's a hurricane brewing in the East.  A storm system is sitting on my area and flooding and other possible devastating events are predicted for the weekend.  Throw in that school shooting where Christians were executed for their faith and some of you may ask "What is so good about today?"

Sigh.  I know, friends.  Life hurts.  It hurts a lot.  But I know where to seek shelter when the storms of life bitterly attack, one after another.  I know where to go when I need to hide, when I need to be reassured that better days are ahead.  I know where to place my faith and Whom to cry out to.  I think you do too, or you wouldn't read my blog so faithfully.  Let's take a moment or two now, and let's cry out to Jesus.  He's there.  He's listening.  And mostly, He's going to keep us.  Let's pray and then find one of your favorite praise songs to uplift to Him.  Rejoice in all things!

God?  So many of my friends and readers are going through rough times.  While some are preparing for the predicted storm that is approaching, others were blindsided by the ones that came without warning.  They didn't have time to stock up their faith in case it was getting low.  They didn't have the foreknowledge to protect their hearts against the currents that are now so viciously attacking their souls.  Oh Father!  Will You let us take refuge in You once again?  Will You spread Your protective wings about us as we nestle in to You for security?  Sometimes we feel so alone and so vulnerable.  Squeeze us tightly, and keep us close to Your bosom.  May we rest in You is my hope for this day, for this weekend, for this life.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen!

http://gaither.com/videos/til-storm-passes-live

Don't I Know You From Somewhere?

How do you realize there has been change in your life?  For instance, when you were in high school folks thought a certain way about you and then--somewhere down the road or when it's class reunion time--they see you after x amount of years and they say to you "You haven't changed a bit!" or "Wow! If I hadn't read your name tag I would have never recognized you!"  Have the years changed you or are you the same person you've always been?

II Corinthians 13:5 tells us to examine our selves.  Now, the former English teacher in me thinks that "our selves" should be one word.  However, I think this means we are to examine we--me is to examine me, you is to examine you.  Got it?  A lot of good it does me to tell you what's wrong with you and disregard the things I need to change in my own self.  Remember the story of the mote and the plank found in Matthew 7:3-5?  

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Next, how do we prove that we are different, that we are new creatures in Christ? That one's a little tougher, isn't it? Especially to those we grew up with or those that have known us since birth. Witnessing to family members is often the hardest sale one will make. Remember even Jesus Himself had trouble with this. Why, His own family thought he had lost His mind!

And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal.  When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses."  Mark 3:20-21

Thirdly, how do we know we are indeed living by faith and not just convinced we are saved when there are often doubts that arise to make us unsure?  That one is a little tougher for some--especially if they have been adamantly told that if they can't remember the exact time and moment that salvation happened then they probably aren't saved to begin with.  Hmn.  Guess I'll have to combat that with some more scripture!

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.     1 John 5:11‑13 

Friends, it doesn't have to be a mystery.  When we examine ourselves and see the evidence of Christ in our lives, when we prove that we aren't the same souls we used to be, and when we know that Jesus saved us in spite of what others may try to tell us, then we can rest assured that we are His children and not Satan's spawns.  Yes, there are going to be those who try to drag us back down and/or back to a place where they were more comfortable (perhaps) in knowing us, since it relieves them of the pressure of dealing with their own salvation issues.  After all, if our lives don't convince them that Jesus has changed us, then why would they see the need in themselves to seek Him for their own assurance?  Does that make sense?  If we are living a life that pleases God, the world is not going to embrace us.  They aren't going to want to accept us as His children because too often that makes them check up on their own selves and see what is lacking, see Who is lacking.  On the other hand, for those who have been delightfully excited to see the change Jesus made in us, then we can offer hope, renew faith, and encourage them to keep on with their own witnessing efforts so that the name of Jesus Christ is lifted up.

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, how I hope You can use my muddled thoughts and words to encourage those who may be questioning their lives today.  Too many times as young Christians, we are swayed by what others say we should be and how we should act.  Help us, I ask, to seek You, to read Your Word, and to allow You to teach us what we need to know to prove that You have saved us and we are Yours and haven't been misled in our trust.  Give us strong role models who have been examined by the trials of faith so that we may use their examples to--not to measure up to but...not to be our role models...Um, Lord?  Maybe give us folks to teach us through their lives how You have worked in them to make them the better people that are now versus who they used to be.  Grant us teachers and preachers who know You, You, The King of Glory, the Lover of our souls, and the Redeemer of man.  May we grow closer to You each moment of our lives is my earnest prayer, asked in the name of Jesus.  Amen.