PUT DOWN YOUR SIGN

I think the longer and longer that I am in ministry the more and more intolerant I have become. I know what you may be thinking as soon as I said that politically incorrect word but you've got it wrong.

I have become more and more intolerant of Christians who pretend that they have just finished having their regular morning frap with Jesus at Starbucks and then they pick up their picket signs and go stand on the street encouraged by the new app Jesus showed them.

Really??

I hope God smites them. I have never used the word smite before but it fit. That may have been a little unChristian but I DON'T CARE!

How we respond to a sinner reflects on how they view our God. I don't have to be a jerk to show God's love and justice to a person. Put down the picket sign and pick up a heart for people who need Jesus; not the phony cover-up of your own mess type of righteousness.

Also, when we passively dismiss, ignore and turn away from people needing a relationship with Jesus we're holding a sign just as big and don't even realize that we are just as lost as they. We break God's heart when we treat others with disdain for the same reason we needed His Son to be our Savior.

If you are so inclined to picket; start at home and stop at the Church.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people - not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked person from among you."

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When was the last time you broke down sobbing for this lost generation? They don't need any more fools with signs. They need fools with hearts who are crazy enough to love them where they are.

How "Christian" Am I

A Christian by true definition is supposed to be Christ-like. It is not about liking Christ or being in "agreement" with His beliefs. It is living, doing, and being LIKE Christ. Christ-likeness is not accomplished in a bible study or a prayer gathering. It is an undeniable identity.

So lets check and see how Christ-like us Christians are:

How many non-Christians do you hang out with?
Jesus was ridiculed, by the religious, for His constant FELLOWSHIP with sinners. We preach that we should do this but evaluate your relationships.
Matthew 9:10-13; Luke 5:30; Luke 15:2

How often have you healed the sick, lame, blind, dead?
Jesus said that we will be able to do all this and greater...was He lying or are we denying?
John 14:12

When was the last time you stopped doing the program of church but acted as the church?
We can't deny that the modern church has become so programmatic that we often miss the presence of God moving. We may feel Holy Ghost goosebumps during a worship set but when did that completely entail all of our Christian experience?
Matthew 12:9-14; John 9

How often is your faith expressed outside the church (never, annually, monthly, weekly, daily)?
Jesus was consistently doing kingdom business. He lived and breathed His mission.
John 4:34; 5:17; 1 Peter 2:9

How many people have you pointed to God the Father?
We always point people to church or a program of the church to begin or have a relationship with God. Jesus never did that. Jesus was relationally missional. He came to accomplish something and gave us a commission to complete it.
Luke 19:10; 1 Corinthians 9:19-22

When was the last time you walked on water?
Ok, I'll give that to the Son of God alone.

But clearly there is something missing in our Christian expression if these things are not evident. I would have to say that the something that is missing is Christ.