Halloween And Church Autumn Festivals: Different Name, Same Game

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." John 6:44

Here's an article that is sure to be controversial. Let me preface this by saying that I'm guilty in not actively dealing with this issue in the church when it arose in the past. I either ignored it or just left the church, because it raised a huge red flag for me. After avoiding attending church for quite a while, I began to think that maybe the Lord may have wanted me to remain at those churches... to use me in a way that would bring more focus to something that the majority of the church leadership and the congregation just didn't seem motivated to acknowledge. Maybe there was some deeply repressed conviction about recognizing Halloween (or celebrations trying to replace Halloween), or maybe a lot of people didn't, and still don't, take issue with it. Either way, there wasn't enough impetus to make a change before the Lord plopped me down in these congregations, and I wasn't about to make waves. So here I am, in this present day and age, attending a new church, and about to stir up conversation about something on which many people just don't want to focus.

The Halloween conversation is an easy one for many of us. I think that the majority of born again believers understand that light has no fellowship with darkness, so we don't celebrate the day. Still others hand out candy and tracts at the door. I understand their mindset... this is the one day when people come to YOU, so it's easy to hand out tracts to the unsaved. I don't think that logic is sound, because it gives us the excuse not to evangelize the world by actually leaving our house, but it, unfortunately, helps to reinforce the traditions of Halloween, especially for the little ones, by just our participation in the day. There's an old saying, "The end doesn't justify the means." But as is with many things, each person is convicted by the Holy Spirit concerning this issue at different stages of their life, and no two people are the same. So, I practice patience and grace, understanding that this is not a salvation issue. 

Now we get to the crux of this article. We come to those individuals or groups who attempt to redeem Halloween by giving it a new name, celebrating it on a different day, and adding Jesus to the mix. In my mind, that's counterintuitive, because you can't just add a Jesus sticker or wrap things up in a Jesus ribbon and take what is evil and now call it good. Halloween isn't suddenly redeemable because you've added the name of Jesus to it.

In Deuteronomy, God's people were instructed by God to tear down the Canaanite's altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn their Asherah poles, and cut down the carved images of their gods. The command was comprehensive, requiring the complete eradication of all pagan worship sites and the obliteration of the gods' names from the land. Remember, everything the enemy creates is just a poor counterfeit of God's creation. Question: Did God command them to repurpose anything? To melt down the idols and fashion instruments of worship for Him? Did he say to rededicate the alters to Him? Did God command them to rename the temples to honor Him? No. Why? Because God doesn't repurpose that which is an abomination to Him; those things that the enemy has created. God called for it's TOTAL ERADICATION! Now, we can't completely eradicate Halloween, since society is bound to it, but we can eradicate it from our own spiritual life. We're to tear it down, smash it, burn it, and cut it down in our own lives and to use it as a teaching point for our children and the Christian community at large. 

Instead, what do some of us do? We do the exact opposite. Nostalgia kicks in and we remember the Halloweens of the past, when we were younger, and then we ask ourselves how we can deprive our own children of this "innocent fun," especially when their friends are out trick or treating. We participate in celebrating a counterfeit Halloween (Autumn Harvest Festival) without actually celebrating the "real" Halloween. We attempt to make it more palatable by changing the name, changing the date (notice how it's always one week before Halloween), changing the outward appearance, and all the while, we're just redecorating and renaming those poles, idols, and pillars, and white washing those things that lay upon the alters of what we call Halloween traditions. We affix the name of Jesus onto everything, because that's one surefire way to make this all acceptable in God's eyes, which makes it acceptable in ours, or so we convince ourselves.  

Shall we play a game? Let's play a game of True or False!

Rebranding Halloween to "Autumn Harvest Festival" distinctly separates us from the worldly tradition of celebrating Halloween. FALSE. Renaming something doesn't make it less sinful. Fornication is fornication whether it's a one night stand or between two people who love each other. Love doesn't negate or redefine the sin of fornication. 

The outward appearance (Christianizing everything) totally changes the nature of the event. FALSE. The traditions and customs may be slightly altered, but they're just two sides of the same coin. Pagan is pagan. Demonic is demonic. Putting a Jesus twist on it doesn't make it acceptable. You can't redeem a pagan or demonic holiday. 

Choosing the week before Halloween is proof that this event is totally separate from Halloween. FALSE. In an effort to avoid the appearance of evil, the church has moved the date of the event, hoping to distance themselves from even the appearance that they're celebrating Halloween. It's good for those Christians who want to appear as if they abhor the holiday, because it gives them the opportunity to take their children out trick or treating the next week. So they can participate in both events. Be honest, now. How many of you who are born again believers are planning on taking your children out for some "harmless trick or treating?" As long as they're not wearing anything that would be considered "evil," of course. Compromise upon compromise. I can claim that because I did the same thing when my children were young. 

The church keeps a lot of the culture of Halloween intact, and only changes the outward appearance to try to reflect a more Christian culture. TRUE, but like the old saying goes, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig." 

Other examples of how the Christian events are like the worldly celebration of Halloween are: 

• The haunted hay ride (worldly) becomes just the hay ride (church). 
• The Trick or Treat bags (worldly) become just Treat bags (church). 
• The candy handed out house by house (worldly) is, instead, handed out station by station at the event (church). 
• Face masks and costumes (worldly) are substituted with face painting (church). Pumpkin carving (worldly) becomes pumpkin painting (church). 
• Haunted house or fun house (worldly) becomes candy land (church).

I went to a church that held annual Autumn Festivals, and they encouraged children to wear costumes. They even had a costume contest! One church even had a Trunk or Treat event in their own parking lot! When we offer, or attend, these Autumn Harvest events, are we really separating ourselves from Halloween if we're just participating in slightly altered versions of the day in which the world takes part? These events are primarily geared toward entertaining children. You know, the ones who are expected to go out into the world trick or treating. Aren't we supposed to be bringing them up in the way of the Lord so that they won't depart from it, or is it our task to raise children who are used to being compromised Christians?

I also need to ask... who are we hoping to attract? I've said this before and I'll say it again. If a church body uses worldly methods to attract worldly people, you'll end up with a worldly church. If you compromise on Halloween (even if you change the name and date), then any new people coming into the church as a result of that event (which, for the most part, are few to none) is an opportunity for the enemy to introduce other worldly influences. What I'm saying is that if you crack the door open for the enemy in this little, what seems to be insignificant, area in the church, then other things begin creeping in, because once that door has been opened, it's very difficult to close it again. Suddenly a conservative church starts becoming a little more liberal in order to appease those compromised Christians who came walking through that cracked door. However unlikely you think that is, compromise enters the church at a snail's pace at first, without much fanfare. Once it has a firm foot in the church, it grows, and when it's finally noticed, it's difficult to correct.  

Let's not get there. Let's not crack that door open. Let's not attract the compromised believer who will look for other ways to fulfill their compromised ideas of how to reshape the church into something that becomes comfortable. We're a peculiar people. We seem to forget that it's the Father who draws people to Jesus through the Holy Spirit, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." So why are we using worldly means to try to do the work of God? Are our ways better than His? It has never worked out for God's children when they made the decision to take control back from God. Let's not do that. 

We're not called to fit in. We're not called to be like the world, in their thinking and behavior. We're strangers and aliens in this world. We're citizens of Heaven. Sometimes the decisions we make goes against the flow, and many people, including myself, have, in the past, avoided making those choices or remained quiet while we saw sin in the church. We can all come up with excuses not to say anything. "I'm the new guy. I shouldn't make waves." "They'll label me as someone who has a divisive spirit." "They'll call me rebellious or difficult." They'll say, "If you refuse to follow the direction of this church, then maybe you should find another church." You know what? I'm beyond caring what the church says when it comes to issues like this. I choose to speak instead of remaining silent, and to let the Lord handle the fallout. I'm not leaving the church, this time. I'm choosing to stand my ground and weather the storm, because the Lord has brought me to a church where He wants me to fellowship for the time being. That doesn't mean that we'll all be of one mind when it comes to Halloween or anything else for that matter. As long as we're of one mind when it comes to Jesus, that's the most important thing. 

So I'll end with this. Halloween is Halloween, whether you celebrate it on October 31st or you change the name and celebrate it the week before October 31st. Calling something "Autumn Harvest Festival" doesn't redefine Halloween tradition and culture. Different name, same game. That's my take on it, anyway.

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

My Personal Journey In Finding Healing From Church Hurt

If you're a regular visitor to my website, you'll know that I wrote an article about my experience with church hurt. If you haven't read it, you can find it HERE.

I've been dealing with the pain and deep sorrow of church hurt for quite some time. I've searched for fellowship, and I seriously contemplated re-visiting those red-flag churches I left, just to see if things had changed, but after mulling it over in my mind, visiting their websites, and reviewing their other online material, I came to the conclusion that none of them had changed (in fact, some of them were worse), and therefore weren't worth visiting again. The Lord had told me about a year ago that I needed to stop fighting Him and that I needed to find fellowship, but I couldn't find any non-denominational churches that didn't raise serious red flags. What was I to do? I sought God, but still... nothing. How could I obey God, if I had nowhere to go?

Of course, the church hurt spilled over into other areas of my life and the hurt I experienced from unbelievers seemed to spill over into the church hurt issue, each poisoning the other. For years I've been saying that I trusted no one but God, but I was deceiving myself, because even that relationship was somewhat strained because I was cutting myself off from the rest of the body... the other pieces of the living temple of God, so, in a sense, I was cutting myself off from a part of Him. People inside and outside the church had stabbed me in the back, marginalized me, overlooked me, spread lies about me, and some were even able to hurt me deeply, including former pastors. What hurt the most was that although I could deal with those things to some degree when the unsaved did that to me, I couldn't bear those same behaviors from those who called themselves, "Christian." So to protect my heart, I erected a few walls in strategic areas of my life, walls that no one could breach. I was done grieving, and I was now in "safe" mode. 

So I spent over a decade half-heartedly visiting churches and trying to ignore the red flags, but you can only ignore the red flags for so long until you become convinced that just by being there, you're enabling the red flag behavior, so you leave. There's a song by the group For King and Country called "God only Knows." Some of the lyrics say, "God only knows what you've been through. God only knows what they say about you. God only knows how it's killing you, but there's a kind of love that God only knows." There's another part of the song that says, "For the lonely, for the ashamed, the misunderstood and the one to blame, Lord if we could start over, we could start over, we could start over.... And that's where I was... grieving... wanting to start over in a full gospel church with a congregation that wasn't perfect, but was striving to be like Jesus every day. Not faking it, but living like true born again believers, doing their best to live a life that was pleasing to God; doing their best to walk in the spirit, however imperfect, but living a life in submission to Jesus and being led by the Holy Spirit. 

So what does this have to do with my personal journey in finding healing from church hurt? Well, just as unexpected as it was for God to reach out to me all those decades ago and call me to salvation through a television show, I was unexpectedly introduced to a local church through a post on Facebook. It was a local church one town over. I checked out their Facebook page, their old YouTube videos, and their website. I stepped out in faith, as difficult as that was after all the missteps and negative experiences in many of the nondenominal churches I had attended in the past decade or so, and I contacted this church, asking if they were a non-denominational church. The answer was yes, and I was told that it was a conservative church. I decided to take the opportunity to visit the church, and there I was two weeks later. 

You know the feeling you have when you're visiting a new church? The questions... What will my experience be like? Will they be awkwardly friendly or genuinely friendly? What will the worship be like? Am I going to feel like a stranger from the moment I enter to the moment I make my way out the door? Will the congregation be divided into their cliques? Will anyone acknowledge my presence? How do the people worship there?

Well, as I said before, I had done a little online prep work...lol. I knew what the outside of the church and the sanctuary looked like. The location was so convenient that I had no excuse about having to jump through hoops to get there. The night before, I had no concerns. The next morning, I had no doubts or concerns as I got up and got ready to go. The drive there was peaceful. I walked up to the church entrance with a sense of peace. What I didn't know until later, was that the Holy Spirit was already welcoming me into that church from the very moment I saw that initial Facebook post. That's the only way I can explain the peace I felt from the get-go. 

When I entered the church, a gentleman, who I found out later was the pastor, met me with a handshake, a warm welcome, and a genuine look of gladness to see me when I walked in the front door. Usually when I visited a church, I'd get a generic hello (and maybe a handshake, but most likely not) from an usher who would just hold the door open for me. This was different. I actually felt that I was welcomed there and that they wanted to share the love of Jesus with me. After a genuine welcome from another gentleman as well, I walked into the sanctuary and chose a seat in the pews where I wouldn't be isolating myself from the congregation, but at the same time not positioning myself where I'd make myself the focal point... you know... the new guy. This whole time I'm feeling peaceful, not at all feeling like I'm out of place. I just told myself at that point to just convince myself that I'd been going there for a year or so... that this was my church, but to tell you the truth, I didn't have to psyche myself up like that, because I wasn't feeling anything negative about being in a new place with a group of strangers. I felt like I belonged... like this was my family.

The sanctuary was lit with regular lighting, not dark like many other churches. The lighting on the alter was just the same, not the purple and pink concert stage lighting like some of the other churches I'd been to. The worship team was two guys on guitars and one playing electronic drums. The worship wasn't what I was used to. It wasn't loud and blaring like a concert, but personal, like they were part of the congregation, not trying to command attention. Where normally I'd emotionally separate myself from everyone and just observe the entire service, I actually became part of the service. That's just one more sign that the Lord was already lowering my defenses.

We had a guest speaker (I'll give a shoutout to Noah Proudfoot), who shared a good message. This will come into play at the end of this article as I connect the dots, so keep sharp...lol. The scripture for the sermon was Ps. 63:1-11. The message was about God having a history of meeting people in the wilderness, and that when things are tough, it's not a sign that God's love has diminished. That whatever we go though, we need to meditate on God and His promises. We may go through the wilderness at times, but God will never leave or forsake us. Christ alone is enough for us and His timing is always perfect. I thought it was a good sermon. 

I decided to forgo the after service meal (I have particular dietary needs) and I walked toward the door. The pastor was there, as was one of the other men in the church, and I had a conversation with them at the door. There were a few times when I answered their question or made a comment, and they looked at each other. I began to think that this was more than just a question and answer thing... like they were interviewing me...lol. I didn't take it personally, in fact I though it was a little humorous. I think they were just trying figure me out and to gauge how I would possibly fit in with that church family. Long story short, after the conversation, the pastor and I talked about meeting over coffee so he could learn a little more about me and so he could tell me more about the church. 

Later that week, we met for coffee and discussed quite a few things, among which were some of my experiences in the other churches that I had attended. I shared with him that the feeling I had been experiencing up to and including the church service on Sunday was still with me. An easy, calm, gentle feeling of belonging and that I was where God wanted me to be. I could tell by the expression on his face that he was deeply touched by that. 

I haven't felt like this since I was part of my first church family, when I was a new born again believer. It was a small church with no frills. The congregation was like a small family. Now, with this new church, it's like I've traveled full circle, back to the beginning, and I'm glad for that. I had walked through this dry season for so many years until this very point... until coming to this very church. 

The next week, I attended the Saturday Men's Breakfast (with no trepidation) and met a lot of other men from the church (it's going to take me so long to remember their names...lol). I participated in the discussion as if I'd always been part of the group, at which time I was honest with all of them, telling them that although I seemed jovial and friendly, I may seem distant at times, keeping them at arm's length, because of my experiences in the past. I told them I admitted that I was damaged goods, and I knew that keeping people at arm's length wasn't how I should be behaving, but it was where I was right now. Also, no hugging. They seemed to understand and seemed willing to give me my space. 

I attended church again the following day (Sunday) and said hello to some of the guys that I already met at the Men's Breakfast. In fact, one of the guys from the breakfast came over to shake my hand and he came in for a hug. I physically pushed him away from me and just said, with a slight smile, "No hugs." He said, and I'll paraphrase, "We'll get you." Little does he know that it's not just those walls keeping me from hugging anyone. LOL. There's another issue at play that no one is yet aware of. So it makes me smile to know that he thinks this has everything to do with what I shared with him and the other the guys, when that's only part of the reason why I don't hug... lol. Everyone gets one gentle reminder, though, and he's had his... lol. 

My heart has been heavy for so long, that I'm just now appreciating all that God is doing to change that. I told my daughter that all the hard, cold walls around my heart seem to be warming up and softening. The edges aren't so sharp. The walls are still there, but they're being transformed by God. My flesh wanted to stop what God was doing and harden those walls again, but that momentary thought was discarded when I knew I'd be wrong in resisting the Lord. The walls are going to come down, and I trust that God is going to do it in a way where He'll gently place my running feet down on the ground so it's not so much of a huge transition. I never would have said this before, but after attending the church for a second week (and I did go in for an after service meal this time), I'm looking forward to going to church; to getting to know the men in the church and hopefully forming some type of friendship with a few of them. My trust issues have prevented me from developing a healthy relationship with anyone, and I'm hoping that the Lord continues healing my heart so that maybe, just maybe, I might find a friend to fellowship with inside and outside of church. 

Side note: My daughter's client list had her working on Sundays, so she couldn't attend church services with me. I told her that maybe the Lord would work something out so she could come with me on Sundays. Well, it didn't take long, because days later, her client list was updated, which freed up her weekends, so now she'll be able to come to church with me!!! Praise God!!! It means so much for me to know that she'll be able to start attending church again and maybe even make a friend or two there so she can have some fellowship as well. You don't know the joy it brings to my heart to know she'll be attending church services with me. I'm praying she'll have a good experience upon her initial visit, just as I did. 

Am I completely healed from all that church hurt? No, not yet, but I feel God working on it. The Holy Spirit has some work to do, but He's the perfect One to do it, so I have trust that He'll do what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, and when it needs to be done, and eventually God will bring me out of the other end of this valley I've been in for so very, very long. Each wall I've built protects a different part of my heart, so I look forward to God taking down those walls one at a time and leading me forward, bringing me healing, until the next one comes down and he does the same. Then the next, and then the next, until they've all been torn down. After that, I'm sure He'll reveal other things in my life that need to be dealt with, because we're all a work in progress. Our striving for perfection doesn't end until we're with Him. 

Remember what I said about that sermon from Noah Proudfoot that I told you to keep in mind until the end of the article? The sermon about God having a history of meeting people in the wilderness, and that when things are tough, it's not a sign that God's love has diminished? That whatever we go though, we need to meditate on God and His promises? That we may go through the wilderness at times, but God will never leave or forsake us? That Christ alone is enough for us and His timing is always perfect. Tell me that the sermon he gave wasn't God speaking to me. The perfect sermon, at the perfect time. I was in my wilderness all that time, and although I often pushed him aside, God never forsook me. More than a decade of wandering in the wilderness, and Christ alone was enough for me for all that time. Year after year of searching, sometimes thinking that I had nowhere to go, but God keeps His promises, even if it's not in our own timing. Wow! What a wonderful confirmation that is for me. That sermon was a reflection of what I had just gone through. I think this time I will cry... to the Lord. You know, a lot of times it's just words, until you go though the experience yourself, then it becomes real, which is something we discussed at the Men's Breakfast. My wilderness experience, the sermon, the Men's Breakfast... all dots connecting to bring me confirmation that my wilderness experience was at an end. 

I had no idea where the Lord was leading me all these years, but I see where He's led me to today, and I look forward to what He plans to do in my life for the time that I have remaining here on this earth. It's going to be one adventure until I'm absent from the body, or the Lord returns! Whichever comes first. Here's hoping I can accomplish more for Him in the time I have remaining than I've accomplished for Him in my life up until now. Now THAT's an awesome hope and a great goal to have!!!

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

Sometimes It's A Step And Sometimes It's A Leap

I've reached a point in my life where I'm actually looking for ways to step out in faith in areas where, in the past, I felt uncomfortable entering. I don't know if it's age or the stretching of my faith, but I'm more willing to step out in faith in areas in which I have no knowledge or experience.

My daughter knows me. If it's a challenge, I'm more apt to take it, just to see where it leads me, even if I don't have any experience in dealing with that particular situation. It oftentimes frustrates my daughter, because I'll sometimes walk into a situation in blissful ignorance, having no idea what I'm getting into or what the end results will be...lol. It's my deep belief that there's so much growth to be had in our relationship with God when we take steps or leaps of faith, trusting that God has already prepared the blessings and provisions for us when we get to where He wants us to go.

Yes, there are times where failure is at the finish line, and those are the times when I learn much. On the other hand, there are times where I succeed, and the blessings are unexpected and transform my relationship with the Lord. Every challenge is an opportunity to advance my relationship with the Lord, win or lose, since even the losses can be placed in the "win" category, because everything brings glory to God and strengthens that relationship between me and Him. The way I look at it, I may have lost, but the Lord was with me the whole time and He held me in His hand the entire way.

I'm what you would could call a "fill in the gap" type of born again believer. I don't hold to one ministry or another, so I'm not tied down to a particular ministry in the church. I fill in where the Lord needs me, so I'm a more flexible and available servant of the Lord. He leads me and plunks me down where He needs someone to fill in the gap. I'm one of the "Here I am, Lord, send me" crowd. That's one of the reasons why I don't think I'd ever be an effective ministry leader in my local church. That's not who God made me to be. I'm not knocking anyone who is called to serve in a particular ministry in the church, I'm just saying that God created me to serve Him in a particular way, and, to me, it doesn't quite fit in with the normal way the church operates, but that's okay, because God made me and others with a unique purpose, and that's to serve Him in any way and at any time He wants me to.

I have my own personal ministry that I take care of (Tribulation Harvest), and that's more of an extra-church type of ministry, a ministry that operates outside the normal church structure, so that's the ministry on which I focus. It's an outreach ministry not only to evangelize here and now, but to evangelize even after I've been taken from this earth in the Rapture. THAT's my main focus, and with that being a ministry outside the church, I'm able to be used in other ways within the church body by God. 

I encourage everyone to take stock of how active you are in your local church and in the community. If you've had trepidations about stepping out in faith to volunteer in a ministry in the church, I say take that step of faith (for some it's a leap, and I completely understand) and see where it leads you. Through volunteering, your fellowship will grow and I promise that your relationship with the Lord will grow as you give of yourself to serve Him through serving others. Months after making that decision, you'll be able to look back and see how much you've grown, which may encourage you to take more steps, or even a huge leap, in faith as you work to advance the kingdom of God, both in your community and around the world. Whatever you do, remember that it's all for Him. We're called to serve Jesus and use whatever gifts He's given us to bless others in His name. To Jesus be the glory and honor forever and ever! Amen!!!

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

Church Hurt And Red Flags: Why It's Creating A Mediocre Church Environment

Church hurt is a real thing and is experienced by so many born again believers who serve the Lord with an open heart. I know, because I've experienced it many times, and I'm living with the consequences. When you're a new born again believer, you may suffer the disappointment, discouragement, and pain resulting from the way others treat you, but then you bounce back, do your best to forgive whoever hurt you, and move on. Unfortunately, when you're deeply wounded often enough... when you become so weary of grieving so deeply in your heart... you tend to create defenses to protect yourself emotionally so you can prevent yourself from ever being hurt that deeply in the future. That means you begin limiting how emotionally close you get to someone and you begin pulling back on how much of your personal life that you actually reveal to others. You may start questioning people's motives and second guessing their commitment to developing a true friendship with you. You may unintentionally start distancing yourself emotionally and physically from the church body as a way of limiting your own pain and suffering. That's when "church hurt" starts affecting your relationships and your participation in ministry work. Your church attendance suffers because you begin asking yourself why you're attending church if, when you walk through the doors, you automatically start grieving inside instead of walking in with a joyful heart. At this point, the joy of serving the Lord in a church setting seems to drain from you. Personally, it was at this point when I stopped attending church services.

Many Christians will say that none of us are perfect. "We're all patients in need of a hospital," they'll say. "Church is for the wounded and the hurt." "If you're looking for a perfect church, you won't find it because we all fall short of perfection." "Those who are 'church hurt' need to grow up and realize that things like this happen, and they need to deal with it." 

You know what I say? I say that settling for less brings a mediocracy to the the church experience and is what's leading to the decline of church participation by those who are striving to serve the Lord with their whole heart. It's easy to excuse away the sins of others in order to deflect the opinions of those who may have a less than favorable view of the church, but it's not benefitting the church. Excusing sin for the sole reason that "we're not perfect" isn't helping anyone. Many churches are in their own bubble and refuse any criticism or genuine concern from those in the congregation who are having issues "getting on board" with the way things are done, even if what's being done is not biblical.

Many "church hurt" Christians want to serve the Lord with their whole heart, but they find themselves hindered in a church setting because so many people are satisfied with having their physical and emotional needs met by a music ministry that feeds their fleshly desires rather than truly worshiping God. I've recently been listening to Christian music from the 70's and 80's, and it is so different from what we hear today. Much of Christian music back then was focused on truly praising and worshiping God. It wasn't about feeding our flesh with feel-good songs that put the main focus on us while pretending to be singing about the Lord. Back then, we didn't need the colorful stage lights, the fog machines, a huge band, stage props, etc... all the things they use now to attract people. You know what we had? White stage lights. A cross, a small music ministry, and lights on in the sanctuary so we could actually see each other. What we didn't have was a worldly concert-like atmosphere that reflected more of the world than heaven. The more complex and worldly the worship service becomes, the more you turn off the true worshipers of God. The more the music is focused on me, myself, and I, the less the congregation comes humbly before God and, instead, becomes focused on a church experience that feeds their flesh. If it looks like a worldly concert, then it's most likely a crowd-centered worship service and not a Christ-centered one. 

Christians not only have to deal with churches who offer up a concert-like worship service, they also experience other things that push them out of the church. When you have cliques that exclude others, when people are told that if they don't participate in a particular church activity, that they can't truly consider themselves a part of the church family, when the pastor is more concerned about statistics and having their ego stroked instead of meeting the needs of their congregation, when other Christians stab you in the back, marginalize you, lie to your face, break their word, leave you high and dry without an ounce of regret, violate their promise of confidentiality, etc... there's a major problem. To explain that away by just saying that none of us is perfect and that we should just overlook it because we have our own flaws, means that we should be quiet, settle for the status quo, and be happy with it. So I guess that means...

• You broke confidentiality? You told others what I specifically, more than once, asked you not to repeat? That's okay. None of us are perfect. That definitely won't stop me from confiding in you in the future. 
• We were supposed to meet at the coffee shop for fellowship and you left me hanging for two hours without ever showing up? You didn't answer my texts? You didn't bother to call to apologize or at least attempt to give me a valid excuse? No worries. In fact, I want you to continue to disappoint me by breaking every single plan we make without any prior notice. I'll just show up and waste my time and effort while I wait for someone who will never show up. That definitely won't create trust issues and won't negatively affect my relationship with you.
• You marginalize me when we're around your clique and treat me like I'm a third wheel? Like I'm just an afterthought? Sure, I'll be your beta male and not complain. After all, I'm blessed to even have your attention every once in a while.
• You aggressively argue with me over spiritual matters instead of discussing them calmly? You're exactly the person with whom I eagerly desire to sharpen swords. I enjoy it when you scream at me all the time and attempt to belittle me, or when you twist and misquote scripture to agree with your own world view. That'll strengthen our friendship.
• You want to come to church and have an open discussion with your children about your after service plans while we're all in the middle of worship while they're busy focusing on their electronic devices instead of participating? Don't worry about affecting my worship with your discussion. Sure, I could move. Why inconvenience you? Don't trouble yourself to act appropriately or require you to display some sense of reverence when worshiping the Creator of the universe. Your discussion is obviously more important than everyone else's worship time, so please, carry on.
• You want to be the social butterfly who's distracting everyone by constantly turning around to see who's entering the service? Your animated arm waves, bible waves, mouthing words with facial expressions... they don't distract of disturb anyone. Keep doing it. We know how you like to be the center of attention, and we're all imperfect after all, so we can just overlook your attention seeking behavior.
• Hey, you gossiped about me without first talking with me and getting all the facts? You passed around a story based on one side of the discussion and developed preconceived conclusions without first knowing if what you were thinking and saying was fact? No problem. You're a flawed individual, and I can overlook that, even if it negatively affects my reputation and the church's perception of me. They now all believe in a lie... a distorted version of who I truly am. I'm chill with that. 

I once knew a pastor who, when I told him I was leaving his church because I had gone as far as I could there, and I needed more meat in order to grow, replied to me by saying that he had been praying for the Lord to remove the dead branches from the church. Yep. Because I wanted to grow and mature in my walk with the Lord and draw closer to him, I was a dead branch to this pastor. He wounded me deeply, and it took years to heal that wound. It's one of those experiences that you don't forget, and that can lead to the "church hurt" mentality if it occurs often enough.

I had another pastor that I called on the phone, desperately requesting to meet with him to talk and pray, because the enemy was attacking me, and I knew I wasn't strong enough to fend him off, knowing that I was going to fall to great sin. I thought that the counsel and prayer of another brother, my pastor, would help encourage and strengthen me, but the pastor's response was that he had a lot to deal with at the moment. He promised to get back to me, but he never called. I fell into sin that affected me for years afterwards. Years later, when I mentioned this situation to that very same pastor in an email, he said he didn't remember the incident and then invited me back to his church. How can you forget someone calling you, telling you he's about to fall into sin, practically begging to talk with you, and then not remember that? It's mind boggling. Then to suggest I go back to his church??? Talk about a double whammy! His situational awareness gave me pause. He showed no remorse about dropping the ball. He failed me miserably, and I knew I could never trust him again. 

I had another pastor who told the congregation that if they didn't participate in bi-weekly groups, they couldn't truly consider themselves part of that church family. What does that sound like to you? Coercion? Someone focused on numbers instead of the needs of the congregation? The next week, obviously after one or more people had complained, the pastor sent someone out to explain that it wasn't coercion (yes, he used that word), but just a strong encouragement to join in the bi-weekly groups. That walk-back to his original comment, and the fact that he didn't have the strength of character to personally address it himself in front of the congregation, but instead sent someone else out to walk-back that comment, was a major red flag and was the final red flag that made me walk away from that church. 

I had another pastor who preached a sermon on not having one foot in heaven and one on earth. How we shouldn't be double minded, living our lives seeking God and seeking the pleasures of this world as well. Normally you would think, that's a great message! Well, I had left the church for a while, but thought I'd return. It was my first visit to the church, at a midweek service (which tends to be less formal), and I didn't feel it was my place, as someone new, to say anything when they began discussing the planning of a Trunk or Treat event. One of the church leaders mentioned the church's lack of participation and asked people to sign up for it because he was bewildered as to why they weren't getting many volunteers. That should have been a hint to the church leadership that many in the church weren't onboard with this, and it was the perfect opportunity for a regular member, in this less formal setting, to raise their hand and express their objection to holding such an event, but no one said anything. Talk about not practicing what they preach!!!

At one point, I opted to try a home church instead of a corporate church, but all the "officers" of the home church were the members of that family. The family dynamics were strange as well, with tension that was palatable throughout the entire "service" every week. My daughter left the home church first, because it eventually made her too uncomfortable to continue. I left shortly after that. I guess a huge red flag for me was when the mother of the pastor couldn't attend home service that Sunday, so church was cancelled. Why? Because she didn't want to miss anything exciting that was going to happen. That logic didn't make any sense to me. He's cancelling service because his mother didn't want to miss any huge moving of God, which, if you think this through, is like saying, "I'm going to prevent God performing a miracle in someone's life during a service unless I'm there to see it." She would rather rob someone of a blessing rather than miss out on witnessing the moving of the Holy Spirit. Someone help me make sense of this. 

So you see, it's not just church hurt, it's also churches that raise a red flag with their actions (or lack of action). It's not one or two things that occur over the course of many years. It's the constant hurt and red flags that happen on a regular basis. When your heart is open, you can be deeply wounded. So what happens to the "church hurt" individuals when it comes to church attendance? All I can do it answer that from my own experience. 

I don't view church the same way I used to. I don't throw myself into the mix and try to become part of the crowd, because many in the crowd are living in the flesh and not in the spirit. That includes church leadership. So what does that mean? 

• When I visit a church, my first instinct is to sit there and observe for the first service. 
• Are they engaged with one another? 
• Are they engaged in worship? 
• How does the congregation respond to the sermon? 
• What is the sermon about? Is it biblically accurate? 
• How does the usher staff treat me when I walk in the door? Note: I was both an usher and head usher in a church, so I know how we used to treat new visitors (handshakes, hugs, warm welcome, offering support if they had any questions, offering printed materials, sit where you're most comfortable, etc...).
• How does the members of the congregation treat first time visitors? Do they avoid eye contact and shy away from "first contact," or do they welcome them warmly?
• Is the worship service more like a concert and centered on giving the individual a good show, feeding their flesh, so that they'll show up again next week, or is it worship service that honors and is solely focused on praising and worshiping the Lord (which will most likely draw them back)?
• Etc...

That's how I get the "vibe" of a church. The second option is just not attending church at all, which a huge and growing part of the Christian community is opting for nowadays. They'll attend a church service here or there, but they don't become part of that church. That doesn't mean they're turning their back on God, it just means that the current corporate church system is broken and doesn't truly offer support for those who are seeking a closer relationship with God, while holding the congregation accountable for their behavior. 

How many times can someone be hurt by others and submit to faulty church leadership and constant red flags before they say they've had enough? If my church experience is more negative than positive, how can I force myself to stay there? The churches I attended decades ago aren't the same as the churches today. Churches today pander to those who "invest" in the church. I guess the big thing today is asking whether someone's a "contributor or a consumer," as if that should define them. The church doesn't want to chase the contributors away, because they see them as the ones who are keeping the church doors open and functioning in ministry, so they acquiesce to their requests, whether it's good for the body or not. What does that say about a church that depends on the contributors instead of God to keep the doors open? I'd rather be a member of a small, poor church that truly seeks the Lord than a large church with coffee bars, snack bars, book stores, clothing lines, colorful stage lights with a concert-like atmosphere, a media center, etc... Those larger churches may have more members, but numbers don't equal quality. Look at Joel Osteen. He has the numbers, but are you willing to sit under his teachings? Are the members of his congregation true born again believers in Christ, or are they Christians in name only? Numbers don't mean anything. A heretical church can have the numbers, but not the blessing of God or the moving of the Holy Spirit. I don't want to be a member of a church that panders to the basic fleshly desires of the members so that the church can boast about numbers and live good on the income they're bringing in. I'd rather serve in a humble church that puts God above all else. 

I'm not looking for the perfect church or the perfect Christians. I'm looking for a church whose whole focus is on serving God, ministering and encouraging it's members, and evangelizing the community. I'm looking for a membership that supports and encourages one another and who's sole focus is on growing in the Lord and becoming more like Him. Not putting on a fake Christian mask for church and then once they go out the door, they revert back to their worldly selves. 

There are so many born again believers who have become disillusioned with the current church system and who are seeking a more "early church" experience. Unfortunately, there aren't many churches out there that meet that requirement, so they're difficult to find. I'm still waiting for the Lord to point me in the right direction. I'm willing to wait until that moment arrives, if ever. Until then, it's prayer, home bible study, and singing praise and worship to the Lord at home. My money is shared with Christian organizations that evangelize, not any local church. 

Church hurt is a real thing, and you can't just tell someone to just buck up and deal with it. It's a constant and continual deep wounding of the heart, which causes it to create defenses to protect itself. It usually causes you to withdraw from people emotionally. I know that I don't offer friendship to anyone. The word "friend" means something deeper to me now, and I don't use it haphazardly, as some do. Someone can know me for 15 minutes, and introduce me as his "friend." That's not me. I can't do that. I can be pleasant, loving, and seem like I enjoy your presence in my life, but inside I'm cautious, untrusting, and keeping you at arm's length until I can determine the content of your character. That's just the result of a lot of "church hurt" and red flags. I'm definitely not where I want to be when it comes to interacting with other Christians, but until I can find a church and a group of people where I can let my guard down, this is who I am for now. 

Church hurt... it's real. I understand. You're not alone. There are plenty of others out there who are dealing with the same thing, and when people try to marginalize your feelings and heartfelt concerns, don't let it affect you. They see things on the surface and don't understand what church hurt is really about. They see only what they want to see and don't understand the deeper side of the issue. 

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

It's Easy To Be A Cotton Candy Christian

Have you ever noticed how easy some people think it is to be a Christian. The word "Christian" has been hijacked and twisted by many who think it simply means that you acknowledge that Jesus existed. There are two different types of "belief" as far as Christianity is concerned.

Type 1: You can believe in (have a knowledge of) God's existence.

Many people think that just having the belief that God exists is enough. Even Satan and the demons believe that God exists. These are usually the ones who have created a 'god' of their own making. It's a 'god' that loves everyone and calls everyone his children. This 'god' seems to line up with each individual's personal and subjective morality. That means there's a 'god' specifically created for every individual who believes in a 'god' that hates what they hate, and loves what they love. It's a 'god' that has no issues with lust, greed, personal vengeance, lying, cheating, and doing whatever it takes to get what you want because the end justifies the means. And they do this all the while calling themselves "Christian," following their personal 'god's' version of love. They pick and choose the scripture they like to live by, you know, the cotton candy, rainbow, pie in the sky version of the bible. Scripture that doesn't offend or convict them. The rest they turn a blind eye to because it doesn't align with their "God is love," theology.

Type 2: You can believe and have a faithful independent trust in God. 

This type of belief is an act of developing a relationship with Jesus and depending solely upon His sacrifice on the cross for your salvation. This type of "belief" results in a deeper relationship with God as you draw closer to Him through reading and studying scripture, and as you spend time with Him in prayer. To truly "believe" in God is to submit your life to Him and to be proactive in developing a closer, more obedient relationship with Him. It's not a pick-and-choose type of Christianity, it's a belief that 100% of the bible is God breathed and inspired. It's the understanding that it's not cotton candy and rainbows, but that we've been called into a spiritual battle in which we need to be active participants on a day by day, moment by moment basis. It's a faith that understands that God is love, but He's also righteous, and will judge those who sin against Him. 

REPENT, AND BEFORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

Evangelizing: Some Common Questions Part 1

"Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. 13We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But the one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned by no one. 16For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ." 1Corinthians 2:12-16 (NASB 1995) (underline and bold mine)

These verses confirm that unbelievers can't spiritually discern scripture. They're blinded by the 'god' of this age, Satan, who is blinding them to the light of the gospel, because he knows that if they see, then they'll be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Unbelievers can't understand the deeper meaning of scripture, because the words are dead to them. To them, it's just, at best, a religious book of rules, at worst, a bad fairytale. It's the Holy Spirit that breathes life into scripture, making it come alive in our spirit. 

Philippians 4:13 is a great example: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." How many unsaved individuals have ridiculed born again believers over this one? They come up with a list of ridiculous tasks for believers to perform if they can truly do "all things." What they've done is they've taken this scripture out of context, understanding it with their own limited human mind, and are using it to try to belittle and embarrass believers. That's when the education begins. We can say, "This scripture, in context, means that through Christ's empowering presence, we can face trials, hardships, and suffering with perseverance and peace. We can do all things through his strength. It has nothing to do with Jesus being a genie in a bottle that will grant us our every wish. It's a statement of faith about our reliance on God providing the strength to endure life's challenges and maintain peace and contentment in any circumstance."

Another example of an unbeliever's limited understanding of the word is when they ask why God, who's supposed to be all loving, sends people to hell if we can't help but sin. There are two major flaws in this argument, but I'll address the "God is love" issue further on. The issue I'm discussing here doesn't pertain to one particular scripture about judgment as much as it is about this person's error of omitting scripture that explains God's plan for salvation, and how it's the rejection of this plan that determines someone's eternal condition. We could respond by saying, "Through Adam, sin entered the world and one of the consequences was that the human race became spiritually dead. We lost that precious spiritual connection with God, and the human race had to deal with living in a body with a sin nature. That's why God created the sacrificial system for the Jews, so that the blood of innocent animals could temporarily cover their sin in God's eyes. Eventually, that temporary system was replaced with a permanent sacrifice, providing a perfect and everlasting payment for our sin when Jesus offered Himself as an offering for our sin. He became the sacrificial Lamb, taking the full force of God's punishment that was meant for us. His blood doesn't just cover our sin, it obliterates it, never to be remembered. God's perfect solution was offered to mankind. Repent, believe, and have your dead spirit be resurrected by His blood and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. By His Spirit, your spirit is made alive again. That's what makes us a child of God and heals our relationship with Him. That's where the term "born again" comes from. True, we will continue sinning, but we sin less and less as we grow closer to God. What sends us to hell? Rejecting that solution, rejecting that free gift of salvation, rejecting that covering for our sin. That's what sends us to hell. It's actually a decision we all make. Who have you chosen? God or yourself? Heaven or the Lake of Fire? If you're going to lay blame on anyone, lay blame on the one making that decision, and that decision is yours. It's that simple."

Some unbelievers will bring up the fact that the bible mentions the existence of unicorns. Again, they're speaking out of ignorance. "The word unicorn didn't mean the same then as it does now. Over a few millennia, the definition as changed. When we mention unicorns today, we're thinking of a more modern day creature that looks like a horse with a spiraling horn planted right in it's forehead. The modern interpretation of the word isn't what the scripture is referring to. In fact, it's only the KJV that uses the word 'unicorn.' The 1828 edition of Noah Webster’s dictionary defined 'unicorn' as 'an animal with one horn, the monoceros. This name could be used to describe any one horned animal, but it's often applied to the rhinoceros,' indicating that the term was historically used to describe real animals, not mythical ones. So when you hear or read the word 'unicorn' in the KJV bible, it's actually from a Latin translation and it's referring to a one horned rhinoceros, a monoceros."

Another method of attack is to reject the deity of Jesus. They'll say that Jesus never declared himself to be God. Many born again believers don't know how to answer this attack on the gospel, but with a little preparation, and a few scripture references, it won't be difficult to respond to. Here are my thoughts:

"Although Jesus never said, 'I'm God, worship Me,' it does say this in scripture: "And the high priest said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Matthew 16:63-64 (NASB) "So Jesus is saying He is the Son of Man, and admitting He's the Christ, which means Messiah, and that he's going to be sitting in a co-equal place of authority and power in heaven with the Father, and that he's going to return on the clouds of heaven. He's essentially made himself equal with God (because He is God). 

Scripture also shows that Thomas worshipped Jesus as God: "After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst ("So Jesus doesn't use the door, but miraculously and instantaneously appears in their presence") and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” ("So here Thomas is calling Jesus "Lord" and "God" and Jesus doesn't make any effort to correct him.") 29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” John 20:26-29 

Then there's Luke chapter 5, where it states, "Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” 21The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” 22But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24“But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.” 25Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. 26They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.” Luke 5:20-26 (NASB) (bold and underline mine) "So Jesus is proclaiming he is God by forgiving sin and to prove that authority, He heals the paralytic man. 

Just in these three examples alone, Jesus has made Himself equal with God and has accepted the title of 'Lord' and has accepted worship as God and has claimed that he can forgive sins, something only God can do."

Here's the part that I mentioned earlier and promised to get to. People will often say that God is love... period. That's always a go-to for those who want to serve a generic universal 'god' of love that doesn't expect too much from anyone. Just be good (in your own eyes) and you're fine. "It's true that one of God's divine attributes is love, but scripture tells us that He has other divine attributes. He's holy, He's righteous, He's just, and scripture talks of His judgment and wrath. A 'god' whose only attribute is love is no real 'god' at all, because he's a 'god' that people create in order to avoid the more negative aspects of sin. They want love, but not accountability. They want love, but not obedience. They want love, but not feel compelled to live by God's objective standards, which is perfection. People don't want to give up self in order to become more like God, so they create a different 'god' in their head that agrees with own subjective moral standard. He's love, so it doesn't matter. As long as they live the life that they subjectively label as 'good,' then they're okay with that. What they're doing is building up for themselves a false sense of peace and a false belief that they're living a life that's pleasing to 'god' because they find no fault with how they're living. As long as they're good, for the most part, then they have a ticket to whatever heaven they've created for themselves in their own mind. What they lack is the understanding that they're actually following a false 'god' of their own making, and therefore have no covering for their sin. The hard truth for them is that sin cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

These are just a few of the things you may hear from people when talking with them about Jesus. They all have questions. Believe me, the more you talk with people about Jesus, the easier it gets. Sure, they'll be some tough questions that you may not know the answer to, but just be honest... "I don't know. That's an interesting question. That'll make for an interesting bible study." God doesn't expect you to know all the answers. If that's what's holding you back, you may want to rethink that. I honestly admit that there are a whole host of people who are way smarter than me. They use words I don't understand and talk about people who I don't know, but you know what? I know the most important person, Jesus, and He's sent us the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth and to guide and help us when we're out in the world telling others about Jesus. 

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, because the blessings and benefits are great. Even if you aren't great at sharing the salvation message, maybe someone will see a little bit of themselves in you and your "imperfection." People are often intimidated by "professionals," and your simple way of sharing Jesus may be just what they need to feel comfortable and willing to open up to you. So, take your imperfect self out there and talk to people about the perfect Jesus. If God didn't want you there, He wouldn't put you there. Start now, and then when you look back 6 months down the road, you'll realize how much you've grown in your evangelizing skills, and that will encourage you to keep sharing the good news!!!

"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance." Luke 8:15 (NASB)

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

Cemeteries: Joy In Spirit And Grief Of Heart

I don't know if you've ever felt it before, but there's a mild fascination I experience when visiting a cemetery. I stand there looking across the vast expanse of the land and take in the sight of thousands of headstones that contain tens of thousands of names. There are people buried in unmarked pauper's graves, children's graves, single graves, family lots, and those who are buried in above ground and walk-in mausoleums. There are those whose engraved grave marker is worn and impossible to read, and those whose flat marker will soon be completely covered up and forgotten, like those that have already disappeared with time. The names and dates on these grave markers or crypts give us only the most basic information for those buried there. Name, date of birth, date of death, and maybe a short inscription. They come from all backgrounds; from business owners and entrepreneurs to factory workers and the indigent. The rich, the poor, the successful and the ones who had to struggle their whole life to make ends meet.

God gave most of them a life filled with personal experiences; joy and laughter, sadness and grief, amazement and love, praise and worship, incredible faith, etc... Some, like a cousin of mine, was stillborn and was ushered immediately into heaven. Others had a tragic ending to their life, through their own actions, the actions of others, or though an unforeseen tragedy. Still, others lived a long life, living into their 80's, 90's and 100's. 

I think of some of their stories... a spouse grieving as their wife or husband passed on before them. A child whose life was cut short, as was the case with Louise Cambra, whose headstone appears here. They each had a life story that was buried with them. The stories of their life remain in the memories of those who knew and loved them, but those life stories last only one or two generations before they're lost to time, as those who knew them pass away as well, taking those beautiful memories with them. Their graves, once lovingly attended to by family, now stand cold and bare as those family members get too old to visit the cemetery, or who pass on into eternity themselves, leaving no one to remember the loved one that they cared so much about. Their long lost loves become nothing more than a name on a family tree. 

It makes me wonder how much of my personal story will live on beyond my years. I'm realistic enough to know that whatever those memories are, they'll die within one generation, and then I'll be like everyone else at the cemetery... lost to history... a name and a date on cold grave marker with no story to go with it. I guess that's why I've added so many memorials to the Find A Grave website. I feel that everyone should be remembered, and I do my small part to make sure people aren't forgotten... that they aren't just remembered as a name and date. But that's the limit of those of us here on earth. We can document a person's life, but it's impossible to really experience someone else's life. There's only One who can do that.

When my story on earth eventually ends, there's One who will know exactly what I was thinking, feeling, battling with, straining to accomplish, etc... He knows all the stories from birth to death; He knows my personal struggles; He knows my deepest and most intimate thoughts and feelings; He knows the intent of my heart; He knows those things that I longed for deep in my heart... God will have been with me from conception to death, experiencing everything with me, from beginning to end. He's laughed with me, cried with me, mourned with me, joked with me, sustained me through my darkest days, carried me when I had no strength, protected me from those things I was unaware of, walked by my side in the struggle and in the pain. He's been with me through it all.

As I scan the cemetery, I'm reminded that God gives everyone multiple opportunities to seek Him, to know Him, and to receive the gift of salvation that is found in no one but Jesus. I often wonder, "How many of those who are sleeping in the ground under my feet actually repented of their sin and lived their life faithfully for Jesus? How many were true born again believers?" It gives me joy in my spirit to know that those who truly repented and lived their life for God are in His presence right now. I am truly thankful to God for them. I'm overjoyed knowing that I'll be living and fellowshipping with them throughout eternity!!! But my joy turns to grief when I understand that there is a greater number of those who have died without repenting and without having a true relationship Jesus. I grieve for those who have gone before me and who have chosen to reject Jesus and what He did for them. I'm helpless to help them, because they've already stepped into eternity. They chose the wide and easy road through life, living their life in the flesh and doing what they wanted to do, which eventually lead to their destruction.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it, for the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 17:13-14 

I think the saddest thing is having a family member or friend who rejects God or who has created their own personal 'god' in their own head that gives them permission to live their life as they see fit and still make it to heaven, and who will argue to the point of division, but it's expected. Jesus said...

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and man's enemies will be the members of his household." Matthew 10:34-36

My own experience is evidence of that. My own mother told me on more than one occasion that I was "too religious," and when I tried explaining the salvation message to her, she'd wave me off and say, "You believe in God your way and I'll believe in Him my way." She wasn't a devout Catholic (hardly ever went to Mass), but she still considered herself Catholic. Even at the end of her life as she was dying of pancreatic cancer, she still rebuffed my efforts to explain the salvation message. She chose to reject my words in favor of trusting in the watered down teachings of Joel Osteen, while trusting in her own personal interpretation of Catholic religiosity. I'm not disrespecting or shaming her. No, I'm using her as a warning to others. There are many who have died with a "belief" in Jesus, but to whom Jesus will say...

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'" Matthew 7:21-23 (bold and underline mine)

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. The worldly reaction to death is to say Rest In Peace (R.I.P.), but that's not scriptural, because there is no rest or peace for those who have died in their sin. The only way anyone can rest in peace, is to make the choice in this life to repent of their sin and to believe, in faith, that Jesus lived and died for them, and shed His blood for the remission of their sin, and they need to do that before they breathe their last breath and pass into eternity. Anyone can say they believe in God, but do you have a faith that actively seeks a daily relationship with Him and that leads to obedience? We're told that it's by our fruits that we'll be judged. What kind of fruit are you producing?

"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:17-20

Is my mother resting in peace? I don't know. That judgment is above my paygrade. All I can say is that she refused to accept the message of salvation before she stepped into eternity, and that thought sometimes bothers me, but I have to remember that we all live a life that God has given us, and we all have the same opportunities to surrender our life to Him. I understand that there will be those who will act upon faith, and those who will not, family included. 

So as you can see, it's important to make that decision now, because we're not promised another day on this earth. If you look at the number of people who are killed or die unexpectedly every day (just look at the headlines), remember, that you could also meet that same fate. Everyone likes to believe that it can't happen to them, but I'm sure that those who died unexpectedly were thinking the same thing and living their life oblivious to what was about to take them from this world and instantaneously thrust them into eternity. 

If you want to know what salvation means and what it means to be born again, CLICK HERE and you'll be taken to another page on this website that explains it to you in easily understandable terms.

Even though this world will eventually forget my name and my grave will blend in and stand quietly among the thousands of others, I'll be living my best life in heaven with the One who knows everything about me, down to the smallest detail. 

I'm reminded of song lyrics that say, 

To everyone who's lost someone they love, long before it was their time, you feel like the days you had were not enough when you said goodbye. 

And to all of the people with burdens and pain, keeping you back from your life, you believe that there's nothing and there is no one who can make it right. 

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary, and love for the broken heart. There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He'll meet you wherever you are... cry out to Jesus!

For the marriage that's struggling just to hang on, they've lost all their faith and love. And they've done all they can to make it right again, still it's not enough. 

For the ones who can't break the addiction and chains, you try to give up, but you come back again, just remember that you're not alone in your pain and your suffering.  

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary, and love for the broken heart. There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He'll meet you wherever you are... cry out to Jesus!

When you're lonely, and you feel like the whole world is falling on you, you just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus! Cry to Jesus!

To the widow who suffers from being alone, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

For the children around the world without a home, say a prayer tonight. 

There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary, and love for the broken heart. There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He'll meet you wherever you are... cry out to Jesus! 

CLICK HERE to watch the music video.

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

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