Fighting an Image

I have been on both sides of the coin, the judged individual who was living a life of sin and saw the "church" as my judge and have been on the other side of the coin in which now I see the church being judged and ridiculed and honestly feel like a minority in this beautiful America that was founded on God, and a protestant religion. 

As a Christian, or Christ Follower you are under a microscope to live up to the teachings of Jesus Christ and walk a straight line or else you bring damnation and a bad taste into that unchurched, or de-churched or lost person who is watching you intently and waiting for you to mess up or make a mistake.

They don't see you as an individual who is struggling to live right, or who is under grace or who is under the potter's hand being molded to become a better person, no,  they just see you through their convicted, judgmental eyes, looking to see that you are no better than them. 

Well I have news for you. I am no better than you. I am a sinner. I am only saved by grace and my savior went to the cross to die for my sins and through him and only through him can I live authentic, abundant life and when I say through him, I mean being in fellowship with him.  I am on a journey to find that perfect person, that perfect life, that perfection but I know that I will not see it until I am in heaven and Christ makes me perfect there. Until then I can only strive and do my best. 

I seek Christ to help me to become better and I seek HIM to forgive me when I mess up, no I am not perfect, but one day I will be. 

I am living my life to try to be a light to others, to extend Christ's mercy to others and to love others so that this sad, oppressed world can get maybe a glimpse of who Jesus is and I say glimpse because I know that I am not perfect, but I love, I hope and I pray for you.  I am thankful for his grace, I don't think one can live soley on grace.I do think there is some action on our part to strive to be better, and to read our Bible and take the whole Bible in stride, not just parts of it, but all of it. I do think we are required to strive and try, but with God all things are possible and he can and will help each one who desires him. 

My prayer for you is to find him, not find some religion or some church or group but Jesus Christ. 

My prayer is that you can have an intimate relationship with him who can change your life and make you new !! 

My prayer is that we can extend grace, love and acceptance to others as such has been given to us by Jesus Christ.