What Would Jesus Do?

          This post is going to be slightly different. I haven't ever done something like this, but I read a blog today, where I could see the overall picture, but there were some points that could easily be misunderstood and taken out of context.  I know that it is trying to convey that Jesus was and is radical, but I want to take a little different perspective on it. I want to write this one on the same topic, and dig into the other blog a little bit, to get another view, and then you can make your own decision. You may read the other article here if you would like: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mick-mooney/wwjd-what-would-jesus-do-_b_6010114.html 

           I want to dissect this a little bit. The article starts with a mom giving her son a W.W.J.D. bracelet. I remember having those bracelets growing up. If you think of it as following the 10 Commandments it's an easy reminder and such. My parents raised me to love and be kind to everyone, even those without friends. As a child that's exactly what I did. I remember being in elementary school and stuff and I would try and find those without friends and be there friend, it left me without many friends, but you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Don't assume someone is a dork, rough around the edges, without getting to know their story and how they live their life. We want to be salt and light.

                             photo cred: google

          This story goes on to say that the boy became friends with prostitutes, buying more drinks for those who are already drunk, turning tables at the church store, chasing out the pastor, and showing up at an abortion clinic with a sign saying: "You who are without sin, throw the first stone!" - which is out of the Bible. Some of those things, yes Jesus did do, and some are an interpretation of what one thinks He would do.
       
          Yes, Jesus was friends with prostitutes and sinners. If you look in John 8: 1-11 (NIV) you will see the story the article is referring to. Here is a quick summary. The Pharisees bring in a woman who is caught in adultery and say she should be stoned,  according to the Law in the Old Testament. The Pharisee's continue to question Him and then Jesus says in verse 7, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw the first stone." Boom! End of story right? No. Turns out everyone left except Jesus- as He is without sin. Here is what Jesus then did in verses 10-11 " Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no on condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you.' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'" Did you read that right…He doesn't condemn her but says, LEAVE YOUR LIFE OF SIN.  That means, yes we are called to love, intact the greatest commandments deal with LOVE.  Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. Ant the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" In other words, Love God and Love People. That does not mean to compromise though. Jesus remains pure and holy. Yes we're human and do fall, but we can strive not to fall. The fact that Jesus loves us and will forgive us doesn't give us a "free pass" to "just keep sinning, just keep sinning." We want to strive to be more like Christ…who is perfect and Holy. I'm not saying we have to be perfect, but shouldn't we strive to be more like Him in all that we do?

         Here is my thought on how the abortion thing was handled in this article. I wrote a poem ( awhile back) on the abortion issue, and it isn't for people who have already had an abortion (when it's posted you'll see why), but for people who are thinking about having one. It's a poem to help make them think about it in a different way. It brings in something they may not be thinking about while trying to make a decision. It's not to make a person feel bad, if they have had one. I want to post it someday, but know there will probably be some "haters" as it's a real touchy topic. So be expecting that sometime in the future…not sure when though. We don't want to condemn those who have but love them. You can have your opinion that they shouldn't have done it, but you want to love them. Whether they like it or not, they will feel the loss at some point. It's a secret hurt as people usually don't know about it. There are ways to heal and be there for one another. The song "Lucy" by Skillet is a powerful song on this topic, and even goes into the healing process as well as the movie "October Baby."

         One part that really got me going, was the whole part where this guy bought people who were already drunk more drinks. I personally choose not to drink, but I'm not going to judge you if you do. Ok, it is not a sin to drink, but drunkenness most often leads to sin. Ephesians 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." I did an exegesis on this verse in college which was around 30 pages, but I learned a lot. Humans tend to try and fill themselves up with different things, instead of the Spirit. We must be filled with the Spirit instead of going to things of this world to fill us up. The verse can be taken in different ways, and if you're interested in reading the exegesis (way to long to blog…maybe I'll post some of it someday…idk) you can e-mail me (e-mail on the blog). ** It's been brought up since writing this that the point of the other article was that Jesus was hanging out with sinners. Yes, go to all kinds of people, try and be a light, but do it in a non-compromising way.


       So about "trashing" the temple.  This is what Matthew 21:12-13 says, "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money chargers and the benches of those selling doves. 'It is written,' He said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'" Here a place that is supposed to be a place of worship is becoming just a market place which it isn't supposed to be. Having a bookstore at church is not a bad thing, what is being sold at the bookstores are meant to help you and others grow in the faith and be encouraged. There are also things, being sold to help advertise you're faith such as t.v. shirts, bumper stickers, etc…which can be conversation starter's that may lead to church, or a deeper conversation about faith. There are cafe's and coffee shops at different churches where people can build community before and after church-beacuse we are also the church (it's not just a building).  Do you go to church just for the coffee or the food? Yet if it's just a social thing and there's no growth or application, we need to pause and check our heart and motives. Meaning, if you're only going to church to hang out with friends, talk to people, etc…you can do that anywhere. Yes, there are social things at church and they aren't bad, but is it just about hanging out or are they part of a growing experience? It can also change from a purely social thing, to actually wanting to grow, and going to be fed. For example, when I first moved here, I didn't have any friends. I wanted to make friends and grow in my faith. I started going to 923 (pre-923) so I could learn and grow in my faith as well as make friends. I was excited for the lesson each week, but the friends were driving me. Now I am looking forward to the message each week and what I'm going to learn, as well as seeing friends and having fruitful discussions with them.


     Yes, I know Jesus lived a radical life and we should to. We need to go against the grain and not conform to the ways of the world. Which brings me right back to my "blog" verse; Romans 12:2 " Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -His good, pleasing and perfect will." We live in this world, but don't have to be of it. Also, we don't want to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble and we want to lead others to Christ. The Bible even talks about not getting in situations etc, where it may cause someone to stumble. You may think what you're doing is harmless, but what if it caused someone to stumble? What if an unbeliever thinks, Oh cool, these guys are cool and just like me. I guess I'll become a Christian because I can get into heaven but keep doing what I'm doing. Let me tell you, it's not always fun being different, but we don't want to conform to the world. People are drawn to differences too, and want to know what makes us different. Here is a link to a chapter of a book that deals with not conforming http://www.standingfirminthefaith.com/Book/Chap13.shtml .  Here one of many verses about not causing your brother or sister to stumble. Romans 14:13 " Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." So yes, trying not to conform can be very difficult sometimes. It may mean not doing this or that, maybe you'll lose friends along the way but…"I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul"- TobyMac. Which comes from Matthew 16:25-26 " For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul." The things of this world will come to pass, but God will always stay the same. Let's strive to be more like Him and live boldy for Him, be intentional and #beknown.
 
       One of my favorite movies is called To Save a Life. I probably have mentioned this before but one of my favorite parts of the movie is when Jake- Mr. Popular, full of himself, basketball star, who's world has just been rocked…and is about to get more rocked…starts going to church. He's at church and this is before he decides to be saved, but he's observing how people are acting and such and says this, "What's the point of all this if you're not going to let it change you." - Ponder that.
     

 The last thing I want to leave you with is a statement from DC Talk, a popular Christian band in predominately the 90's. Now all three guys are still making music. TobyMac, Michael Tait (current lead singer of Newsboys) and Kevin Max (current lead singer of Audio Adrenaline). This is an intro to one of their songs of their Jesus Freak album, which is very powerful. 

"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians. Who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelieving." - DC Talk

-Jalynn (Jessica Lynn)
   

   

Stop Whining and Rejoice!

**So I've been working on a post most of the week now. Earlier this week, I almost finished it after school, refreshed my page (it saves automatically) and it didn't save:( So now I have to go back and re-write what I had written. I'm hoping it comes out better than it was now…looking on the bright side. But the other night at 923, the lesson kind of hit hard…so I wanted to briefly share…briefly being the key word.

***The post I've been working on will be up shortly =)


          My church is currently going through The Story! The blog I'm working on doing introduces The Story again and a little more in depth. Anyways we were on a chapter 6 which is titled The Wandering. At 923, the young adults meeting Kevin was teaching on this, and how it relates to our age group.
   
         I will say I missed some of the beginning of the lesson because I had to take a breath and try and change my attitude. I've had an extremely stressful few weeks and I had like reached my breaking point, and I had to lead that night. So I took a few minutes for myself, and after, I listened to the lesson from the back (because I didn't want to walk to the front in the middle of it)…and it hit me like a ton of bricks, when I finally got in for the lesson. My friend I was texting was telling me to get in there…and then I was just frozen with how much applied to me. I asked him, if he knew what Kevin was going to be talking about…like specifics, and he said he didn't…so that was all pretty awesome.

       Kevin was talking about how we all go through times of wandering. Those times are often filled with questions of the unknown. We may know where we're going but not how to get there, we may be searching for direction etc. I remember when I was about to graduate college and wondering where I'd get a job, would I get a job? If I got the job in Arizona, would I actually take it and move back there? And then when I got here and less than a week before we were going to open, found out the school couldn't open. There was another whole basket of questions and unknowns. When my brother was sick in the hospital all those CHRISTmas's ago. We didn't know if he would make it. It was a very scary time for us…and I remember feeling numb to it at times, hoping it was just a dream. Through all the trials I just mentioned…and many more…the LORD has provided. Kevin gave us this Scripture:

   "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles."
                                                                                                  - Psalm 34:17 (NIV)

      When I think about it, that verse is so true in my life. God has always provided…even when it's not immediate or exactly the way I'd hoped it to be. But like Kevin said, we get insecure because we don't know the future. Then today ironically my roommate Claire (Kevin's fiancé) and I were girl talking and talking about faith. One thing that completely applies to this is the human's need for security. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit, they lost everything, and gained a lot of negative feelings and such that we were never intended to have. They were filled with insecurity and hid, and then want to security. This applied to this lesson well, because when we're in a time of wandering…we want security. The great thing is, even when life is uncertain, we can be secure in Christ!
     
      Going back to the verse, God promises to deliver us. "God's gonna throw us the ladder, we need to chose to grab it."- Kevin. We always complain about what we don't have, and are not thankful with what we do have. Even though what we have is a blessing…it's like…God, I really want this though… We need to CHOOSE JOY and be grateful for what He has done and is doing in our lives. We can also learn a lot in these times of wandering.

       Let's bring it to The Story now. So the Israelites have a Point A and a Point B. Their Point A was Egypt, and there Point B is the Promise Land…in between was a time of wandering, and in that time God had a plan and the Israelites had to trust. Many chose to complain and whine, while very few trusted the Lord- two specifically…Joshua and Caleb. Now to relate it to us from a faith perspective. Our Point A is being in slavery and bondage to sin. Our Point B is being delivered from sin and having eternal life in Christ. That is the big picture. In my case, I've already accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, but there are still Point A's and B's in life…and times of wandering or waiting.

       In fact, I've been in a wandering/waiting period. I'm not going to go into details on it, but it was really stressing me out. I guess I can be impatient and easily flooded with fear and doubt…when things are not set in stone. In fact, the other week I was worrying so much that I literally worried myself sick. It's something I really need to work on just trusting God in times of uncertainty and wandering. My mom was telling me just earlier that day to choose my attitude and I can still have a good attitude from this. I was trying to here and there and then Kevin said the exact same thing at 923 and the lesson just completely hit me hard. I was like, "Ok God, I know what I need to do." Let go, Let God and as Kevin said, "Choose your tude!"

      Then he tied it in greatly with some activities. The first was writing a letter to your future self, for when you're in a time of wandering. Since that is my current life, I did mine a little different. I wrote a letter to myself about my current state and things I'm thankful for. I was taking forever…the time for this activity and the next (which I'll tell about in a bit) ended and I was still writing my letter to myself. My friend Emily joined me and we had a fantastic talk. That girl is so fun and easy to talk to. Before we knew it, all the tables and chairs we're going up around us. I decided that night I would choose a better attitude, even if I'm frustrated. It was a very wonderful exercise and my friend and I want to do it more often, just letter's of encouragement to yourself and or other friends.  She wrote a list of ideas for different times you could write letter's for. I took a picture of it because I wanted to remember it and post it here.

        The second activity from that night, I never got to do at church, but I still wanted to do it. Let me tell you about it and I encourage you to do it as well! There are many organizations where you can send letter's and stuff to those in need. We looked at two. One is called Send Kids the World www.sendkidstheworld.com .  It is an organization with a list of children who have life-threatening illnesses.  It has a list of children, bio's for many, basic info, and addresses where you can send a letter. The other organization is called Operation Gratitude www.operationgratitude.com .  Here you can write letters to those serving and laying down their lives for our freedom and our country. This website has a lot more than just sending letters, they have care packages you can help with and stuff as well.  At our church we have a phrase: THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN ME. That is so true. Yes, we may be wandering or we may not be at this point, but there are others who are, and God has called us to a life of love. 

      "Jesus replied, ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  

          - Matthew 22:  37-38

       I didn't get to write my letter Thursday night, so this morning (Saturday) I wrote it. The letter I decided today was to a sick child. It was hard trying to pick who to write to and knowing me, I'll probably end up writing to more than one eventually. I prayed before, as I started thinking…what do you say, in a situation like this…especially if there isn't a lot of info on the child's interests.  I wanted to focus on the fact that this person is loved and how brave they are. Christian artist Moriah Peter's keeps popping up, and she has a song called "BRAVE." I listened to it, and wanted to share it with the girl I'm writing to. So I mentioned it as well as her popular song "You Carry Me." I really like the song "Brave" so I'm going to share it here, as well as a picture I did at the top of my letter with the message of BRAVE & LOVE.

       That night after group, I stopped at Walmart to get a few things and I came across a flip calendar with verses and Christian sayings. I wanted to share a picture of the one from Friday morning. The funny thing is, Thursday night, I let go in a way. I wasn't 100% happy at the situation but, I was choosing a good attitude and working on trust.  The next day (Friday) it seems like as soon as I let go and was going to chose my attitude the wait was over. God is good. So no matter what season we are in let's stop our whining and REJOICE in what the Lord has given us. 

p.s. I'm going to attach both songs!!!

                                      

     

                                      

Confession: I had the worst time getting to a post office with my work location and hours, and then I was moving, so and everything is packed or something, so I'm going to rewrite the letter. I've felt guilty of not sending it yet, so I put it off but i'm on a vacation now, but will get to it- I just have to find the CD…b/c I don't think I can buy it at Target…but my goal is sent by CHRISTmas =) (2015)