MY RANT

                MY RANT-WARNING IF YOU DON’T LIKE THIS, TOO BAD, UNFRIEND ME OR DONT READ. I AM TIRED OF BEING WHO EVERYONE WANTS ME TO BE!    Being a  Christian doesn’t mean I have to do everything right.   I don’t have to make all the right decisions, I don’t have to make all the right choices, I don’t have to measure up to other peoples standards of what I should act like to be a proper Christian.  Ask yourself to consider walking a mile in someone elses shoes before you judge them based on their behavior.  Only Jesus knows our hearts.  I am so sick and tired of religious Christians who judge other Christians and non-Christians based on their performance.  And do so with the tag that  “I’m only speaking the truth in love” “God wanted me to tell you” and “I just wanted to help you in your walk”.  Behaving like this is to behave like a Pharisee.  Do you recall what Jesus thought of the Pharisees? He loved the Prostitutes and the tax collectors, but was disgusted by Pharisees.  Have you taken any time to think or care about the heart of the matter….LOVE, the love of God changes people. NOT YOU! So many people walk around with Christian titles and yet rarely live up to the biblical responsibility and accountability that comes with this position and can sometimes only be interested in your ability to perform and have “vision” and somehow forget about you. And as far as ministry in concerned sometimes the flock are those who should be served by the Shepard, not the other way around, look at Jesus as our example. You may tell yourself that your “helping” (really?) Never considering someone may be suffering and going through a tough time, so their behavior could be an indicator of a broken heart.  NOT because they don’t love Jesus, NOT because they are being punished for their sins, simply because we live in a fallen world. If you’ve never been tried by the fires of persecution and heartbreaking tribulation HURTING PEOPLE DO NOT WANT YOUR ADVICE. The last thing they need is religion or judgement, Or the 5 steps to being a better Christian. And they NEVER EVER need pat Christian statements and “Christianese” to help them. The bible reminds us to consider the fact that we shouldn’t try to take the spec out of our brothers eye, when we have a HUGE log in our own. Guess what I am a Christian and I’m ANGRY! Myself and my family have been through hell and back! And for the most part “the church” has abandoned and judged us without ever caring beyond what they could attain for themselves based on our giftings.  They have become the source of unending pain and anguish on top of what we were already going through. Did I mention I was angry? Jesus can handle my anger and my pain and in His grace and mercy my bad attitude right now. He knows my heart and those of my Husband and children. He is there for us when Christians who are supposed to be more above reproach treat us worse than our enemies. I am sick, sick, sick, and when I’m not sick I am tired. I am sick and tired of this, and God doesn’t care if I feel this way, He understands and loves me anyway.

To ponder upon...This Valentines Day By Melissa St. James

To ponder upon...This Valentines Day By Melissa St. James

The smell of sweet summer rain, the caress of the warm sun on your cheek after the rage of the tempest, the sweetness of a ripened fresh strawberry, the whisper of the wind rushing through the trees, the tiny fingers of a newborn babe, the bliss and passion of a tender kiss from the one you love.  None of these things would be as special if we had not experienced being without them, if we don’t know what it’s like to have the hard dry cracked dusty land of drought we could never experience the fullness of summer rain, if there were no dark storm clouds hiding the sun we could never appreciate its warmth, its glow, if we've never tasted what is bad, foul or sour we could never appreciate the pleasure of tasting something sweet.  If there were no stagnant, still, heavy days, we could never appreciate the power and the refreshing presence of the wind.  If there were no hope in death, nothing to expect when we are done with lives toil, when it ends, how could we appreciate the wonder, the miracle and fragility of the newness of life as it begins.  If we have never been lonely and longed for someone to desire us, to really love us, a kiss could never be as wonderfully pleasing or satisfying as it is.  In much the same way, if we were never dissatisfied we would never need God to satisfy us.  That which is truly wonderful and desired by us couldn’t be as wonderful if we had not ever gone without it.  It would just be ordinary.  Our deepest longings and desires can only be satisfied by the one who is the lover of our souls.  No person, no thing can ever satisfy all that He can.  He loves us with a love that we cannot comprehend, for it is a spiritual thing, an infinite thing that our finite minds cannot comprehend.  No person will be able to fulfill all of our needs no matter how great their intent.  We are a fallen people with a fallen nature and simply in our humanity we will fail despite our greatest efforts to fulfill someones needs.  God doesn’t allow it.  He loves us enough to not allow another person to be on the alter of our worship, though we can try and place them there.  God loves us enough to have us become dissatisfied, that He may satisfy us. This Valentines Day I am reminded what real true love is, it is Jesus.  Him and Him alone.  Jesus be my pursuer, my passion, my desire, my love.  So then in the overflow of your love will I love those who are dear to me.  So that my love will not be a selfish love, a self protecting love but a vulnerable love, because my trust is in you.  Amen