ONE EIGHTY Loving vs Scary Evangelist FINAL CUT from Fast Lane Productions on Vimeo.
First, Enjoy this video that my church and I made last year. BTW I think that some people need to take some notes. Ask yourself, am I being a loving evangelist or a scary evangelist?
My heart has broken for people all over the world lately. My heart breaks for Christians, Muslims, atheists, ISIS members, the LGBTQ community, the victims of the mass shootings in Orlando, for democrats and republicans, and every other label that you want to put on people, my heart breaks for all of the people all over the world. All of the people in the world are sons and daughters of the Lord God, even the ISIS members! Remember, NOTHING can separate us from the LOVE of God!(Romans 8:38-39) I don’t like how my Christian friends have been spreading hate everywhere. I found some verses that I thought might bring some encouragement and maybe even some conviction to my fellow Christ followers. I hope that you read these verses and the questions that go along with them and make a self evaluation and maybe even make a change. I love Muslims, ISIS members, and the LGBTQ community and so can you!
WARNING BIBLE VERSES CAN BE VERY CONVICTING
“You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Mathew 10:22
I’m afraid that people have read this verse as, “you will hate people because of me”. I see this all too often and I would like to apologize to anyone who has been hurt by a Christian that has hated you. Do people hate you because you hate them? What are you showing people, love or hate?
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 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. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Are these (1st and 2nd greatest) commands being show in your every day life. Take an inward look at yourself; are you honoring these commands? Is love your first act toward your neighbor or is your first move to put up a defensive wall or attack the neighbor?
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
This is a hard one especially during election season. Can people read your Facebook wall and see that you are a disciple of Jesus because of the love that you share or do they see you hating and shaming people?
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them”. Romans 12:14
Are you blessing the people who oppose your Christian worldview or are you cursing them?
“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent” Proverbs 11:12
Are you belittling your neighbor with your words? Do you think that you are better than others? Maybe it’s time to have a season of silence to gain understanding. If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. …” James 1:22-27
I wanted to share these verses with everyone as a reminder of what the bible says. I want to encourage all of you Christ followers to remember what James says, don’t just read the word of God but do what it says.
In the wake of the political election season, the growing battle with ISIS, the oppression of people, specifically the LGBTQ community, and everything else that this world is going through, I wanted to write this blog about the window that I have seen these events through. I am currently in Honduras, and I have been away from America for 10 months now. I see all of the news through Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Buzzfeed, Fox, CNN, Huffington Post, ect. When I want to know what is happening, I use Buzzfeed, Fox, CNN, or Huffington Post. After I have heard the news, I go over to Facebook, twitter, and Instagram. On these social media sites, I see all of the opinions of my family, friends, acquaintances, and random people that I barely know. I have seen so many of my Christian brothers and sisters belittle, oppress, and shame others because of a difference of opinion. I don’t think that we as Christians should ever shame people because shame was nailed to the cross. I believe that we as Christians should never oppress or belittle anyone because you are not any better than they are, remember that we all have fallen short of the glory of God. Don’t be like the scary evangelist, pointing out other people’s sins to make yourself feel better. Hate is not going to bring people to Jesus, nor change someone’s opinion on anything, actually hate will do nothing good at all in this world. We as Christians should spread love to everyone, everywhere. A little love in a world of hate will go a long way, and it will be noticed, just like a light in a dark room will be noticed. Don’t give up on people; love people that you refuse to give up on.
I hope that you would share this post for your friends to see, you never know who needs to hear it.
