The Dumbing Down of America's Churches

I ran across this newsweek article and after some head shaking, I broken heartedly have to agree with the author. Although I am not a Catholic (I am a non denominational Christian), I have seen this trend throughout evangelical churches as well. We have opted for the feel-good social justice approach while ignoring the root principles of Christianity. Namely that our job here on earth is to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel, call people to repentance, and put their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Obama's pragmatic approach to divisive policy (his notion that we should acknowledge the good faith underlying opposing viewpoints) and his social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists. When Obama meets the pope tomorrow, they'll politely disagree about reproductive freedoms and homosexuality, but Catholics back home won't care, because they know Obama's on their side. In fact, Obama's agenda is closer to their views than even the pope's.

Extra Grace People

We all have those people in our lives who require extra grace in our every day dealings. Maybe it's someone who seems to ask the same questions all the time. It may be someone that you just can't seem to get to no matter how hard you try. Maybe it's the argumentative person who always tries to trip you. Whoever it is, there are those people who will test the limits of our patience. What's important is how we respond to these people.

When I think about all I have done in my life, I'm happy that God didn't run out of patience with me. Surely my stubbornness, pride, and disobedience over years of my life would have caused anyone to classify me as an extra grace person. However, God didn't give up. Instead of giving up on me, He sent His son to take the punishment I deserve for all of my disobedience. Seeing this sacrifice, puts the difficult I have to deal with into a new light. God loves them just as much as He loves me.

The next time you have to deal with a person that tests your limits, remember that God didn't give up on you. As a Christian, we need to take the time to make sure that people can see the Holy Spirit working through us. Especially when it comes to the people who require us to dig deep for that last bit of strength. We all know who those people are.

If you don't, you're it.

Enduring with Christ

2 Timothy 2:11-14
¹¹Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
¹²if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
¹³if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

God is faithful in His children. Although we will go through trials, God has promised us that if we remain faithful in Him, we will live eternally with Him. He knows that we may endure so much that we seem faithless but if we are living in Him, He will remain faithful to us.

The Greatest Commandment

Mark 12:28 - 31
²⁸One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

²⁹"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' ³¹The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

What have you done to show your love for God today? Have you taken time to thank Him for all you have been given? We eat His food, drink His water, breathe His air, yet we have a tendency to take it all for granted.

Have you taken time to show love for your fellow man today? How about the person in line at the store in front of you, the person making your coffee, the person asking for change on the sidewalk? What if that person asking for change was an angel? Did you pass that test this morning?

Our eternal hope

Revelation 21:3-4
³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Read that passage, drink it in. This is what we as Christians have to look forward to. Living and dwelling with God. No more tears, no more pain, no more disease, no more remnants of the fallen world in which we live.