Tag Archives: Christ

Apr 08

JESUS’ CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE…

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THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE OF JESUS: Creating a whip from some cords, “he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. But he said to those who sold doves, ‘Get these out of here! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’[Jn 2:13-16]”
JESUS OCCUPIES THE WRONG AND MAKES IT RIGHT THROUGH THOSE WHO TRUST AND OBEY HIM.~mackie
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.  ~Mahatma Gandhi
The unique impression of Jesus upon mankind – whose name is not so much written as ploughed into the history of the world – is proof of the subtle virtue of this infusion.  Jesus belonged to the race of prophets.  He saw with open eyes the mystery of the soul.  One man was true to what is in you and me.  He, as I think, is the only soul in history who has appreciated the worth of man…. He takes men out of time and makes them feel eternity.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”~Jesus-Jhn 10:10
They can’t say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ You see, the kingdom of God is within you.” ~Jesus~Lk 17:21
WE ARE NOT CALLED TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO, BUT SHARE WITH THEM HOW GOD IS WORKING THROUGH OUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL.
Feb 22

MANY ASKING IN DEBATES: “ARE YOU, OR IS HE A CHRISTIAN?”

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C. S. Lewis wrote a great answer in “Mere Christianity” that has help many people, including me.- Enjoy. mackie 

“If conversion to Christianity makes no improvement in a man’s outward actions – if he continues to be just a snobbish or spiteful or envious or ambitious as he was before  then I think we must suspect that his ‘conversion’ was largely imaginary;

 and after one’s original conversion, every time one thinks one has made an advance, that is the test to apply. Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in ‘religion’ mean nothing unless they make our actual behavior better; just as in an illness ‘feeling better’ is not much good if the thermometer shows that your temperature is still going up. In that sense the outer world is quite right to judge Christianity by its results.
 
Christ told us to judge by results. A tree is known by its fruit; or, as we say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
 When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well,
we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world.
 
The war-time posters told us that Careless Talk costs Lives.
It is equally true that Careless Lives cost Talk.
Our careless lives set the outer world taking;
and we give them grounds for talking in a way that
throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.”
 
 
 
 
 
Oct 20

2nd look: WHY SHE QUIT BEING A CHRISTIAN?

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One of the first things I would do as a minister called to another church is to ask for a list of members who no longer came.  I would call, setup an appointment with each one of them and go to their homes.  I told them everything would be in confidence.  I just wanted to know why they no longer came.  I heard things like: “the preacher played favorites,” or “I took on too many responsibilities and just burned out,” or, “the trustees or deacons tried to run the church,” or “there was too much quarreling, gossip,” etc. 

  I assured them that I never played favorites, that I would be open to any concerns they had, etc. We had prayer together.  I would leave with this: ” I heard it said that a new broom sweeps clean.  I am glad to be your pastor and hope that you will give us another chance.  Regardless, please call if I can help in any way.”  mackie

+++++++ source cited below.

 ‘On July 28, bestselling author Anne Rice officially left the Roman Catholic Church. The writer has had a fairly tumultuous religious history. Although she was raised Catholic, Rice rejected the church for the first time when she was 18.

 But in 1998, Rice — who’s famous mostly for writing steamy, gothic, decidedly un-Christian novels such as Interview with the Vampire — had a religious awakening. She converted to Catholicism and began to write exclusively Christian-themed novels, like Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt.

In July, Rice decided she had had enough. She announced her decision on her Facebook page:

“For those who care, and I understand if you don’t: Today I quit being a Christian. I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being ‘Christian’ or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

But, the decision wasn’t an easy one.’

 For much more click on:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128930526&ps=cprs

                   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

SEARCHING FOR RELIABLE SOURCES,
not hearsay, rumors, or falsehoods.
Apr 07

WHY SHOULD WE BE LOOKING ABOVE

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WHEN WE SHOULD BE SEEKING GOD WITHIN?

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied,
“The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation,
nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU.
(Jesus: Luke 17:20-21)
Can we know more about ourselves by seeking God within?


V

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,
and he will tell you what is yet to come.
(Jesus: John 16:12-13)

The Spirit of truth guides us today in many ways far beyond the Biblical days.
We have learned more about ourselves, the world, the universe, etc. in the last 100 years
than at any other time in history.

V

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,
whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

V

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
(St. Paul: Galatians 2:20)

V
“I die every day–I mean that, brothers–just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(St Paul: 1 Corinthians 15:31)
Will we die daily to all the old hatred, resentments, etc., to all that has shaped us in the wrong way
and let the Spirit of truth guide us in each new day His Way?

V

Jesus said: “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.”
(John 10:10)

Will you let the Spirit of truth live through you?
-mackie

 

 

Aug 05

WHERE ARE THE CHRISTIANS…..

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Beatitudes–Their Significance And Meaning

They are simply stated, but are profound in meaning. They guide. They point. They teach. They show us the values that Christ cares about. These values if followed, can not only bring a believer into a state of peace and happiness, but also right into the Kingdom of God after our journey on this earth is over. The Latin word for blessed is beatus, from which we get the word beatitude.

The beatitudes are found at Matthew 5: 3-12

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall possess the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female.

 

http://bible.cc/galatians/3-28.htm

Our problem is that we have too many old testament Christians? Under law instead of grace.

Gal 3:23-25 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor (teacher for the immature).”

We, as supposed followers of Christ, have been set free from the right and wrong of the law to follow the ETERNAL SPIRIT within us.

THE ETERNAL CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF OUR UNIVERSE

 
“Search to know the Truth
And the Truth will set You Free.”
(my aim is not to convince, but to share what I have found for your consideration. – mackie)
 
Aug 25

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO INDIVIDUALITY OF THINKING AND SPEECH?

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MANY OF THE GREAT SPIRITUAL LEADERS OF THE PAST LEFT EVERYTHING TO SPEND TIME ALONE IN THOUGHT AND MEDITATION TO FIND TRUTH.  WHERE ELSE IS THE CREATOR (SPIRIT OR CAUSE) OF THE UNIVERSE REVEALED MORE THAN IN NATURE AND HUMAN BEINGS, THE HIGHEST CREATION?  WE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN THINK.  WHY AREN’T WE DOING IT?
 
WHERE DID ANY OF THESE GREAT SPIRITUAL LEADERS (JESUS MOST OF ALL IN MY MIND) TALK ABOUT BUILDING BUILDINGS, MONUMENTS, STATUES, ETC.  WHERE DID THAT TALK ABOUT CEREMONIES AND RITUALS?
 
WHY HAVEN’T BELIEVERS OF THE MOST HIGH (WHOMEVER YOU THINK) UTILIZED SCHOOLS AND EMPTY BUILDINGS TO DO THEIR MINISTRIES INSTEAD OF BUILDING BUILDINGS?  ARE YOU AWARE OF HOW LITTLE THE MONIES OF CHURCHES, SYNAGOGUES, ETC GO TOWARDS CARRYING OUT THEIR LEADERS’ TEACHINGS?
 
IT IS SAID THAT JESUS HAD NO PLACE TO LAY HIS HEAD.  DO YOUR LOCAL SPIRITUAL LEADERS ADOPT THAT LIFESTYLE?
 
I HAVE RELIGIOUS DEGREES UP MY SPINE (THAT’S CLOSE), BUT THEY ALL TAUGHT ME THEIR DOCTRINES.  WHAT ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN US AND THAT ALL OF HIS CREATION IS RELATED TO EACH ONE OF US?
 
IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THE BEST WAY TO LEARN ABOUT THE CAUSE OF IT ALL IS TO STUDY OR GO TO A NON-RELIGIOUS FULLY ACCREDITED INSTITUTION THAT SEARCHES FOR FACTUAL TRUTH WITH NO RELIGIOUS BIAS.
 
WHY NOT SUPPORT A CHURCH THAT ACCEPTS SAINTS AND SINNERS, BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS?  DO YOU KNOW ANY PASTORS THAT WILL ACCEPT NO MORE INCOME THAN THE AVERAGE OF HIS/HER/ITS FOLLOWERS?  THE CREATOR SURELY MADE THEM ALL AND THAT MAKES THEM A PART OF US, DON’T YOU THINK?
 
HOW DO THE NEWS NETWORKS AND TALK SHOW HOSTS MAKE MONEY?  BY ATTRACTING MORE LISTENERS AND VIEWERS TO THEIR PROGRAMS.  HOW DO THEY DO THAT?  BY STATING HALF-TRUTHS (AND WHOLE LIES) THAT NEVER COME TRUE, BUT EXCITE PEOPLE TO TUNE IN.
 
HOW DO MANY CHURCHES AND NON-PROFIT ORGS MAKE PROFITS?  COULD IT BE THAT THEY POINT OUT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OTHER GROUPS AND THEMSELVES AND HOW SOMEHOW THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE TRUTH?
 
I’M ALL FOR A PERSON HAVING THE RIGHT TO MAKE ALL HE CAN ON HIS OWN, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING IT OFF THE BACKS OF HIS/HER/ITS EMPLOYEES AND BANKRUPTING THEIR PENSIONS AND BENEFITS…DO YOU THINK THAT IS DEMOCRACY, BEING FAIR?
 
HOW CAN WE EVER HAVE A MORE FAIR ELECTION SYSTEM THAN THOSE WHO RAISE THE MOST MONEY WILL WIN THE ELECTIONS?  COULD IT BE THAT WE DO AWAY WITH THE 2 PARTY SYSTEM, LET ANYONE RUN FOR OFFICE AND LIMIT THEM ALL TO A SAME LEVEL OF FINANCES?
 
I WON’T EVEN MENTION THE CORRUPTION OF LOBBYISTS WHO PAY POLITICIANS NOT TO LISTEN TO YOU.
 
MORE LATER.
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