HOW THE CHURCH SHOULD BE!

I have been blessed to be able to find and explore these awesome ministries above. Being a seminary student and having an education in psychology helps me see the need for these minstries. I at one point in college started a ministry sorta like xxxchurch, but nothing near to what they are today!

I believe that the church often fails in being real about the "trash" that is in the church. As xxxchurch will often say, we avoid the elephant in the room and talk about anything but it.

It is absurd that we the body of Christ is so unwilling to talk about the real facts of life. The struggles that affect us all, and most importantly affect our realtionship with God.

It is important that we as the body are willing to be honest, and in the end are people that others can talk to about who they truly are.

Here are some important things that we as followers of Christ need to remeber about ourselves and others.

1. We are God's creation.

2. We are all affected by the sin in the world, some of us will struggle with different things than others, but ultimately sin is sin.

3. We are called by God to love each other. Loving someone does not mean that we "approve" of their behavior or actions. But that we ultimately show them God's love!

4. We all have a God shaped hole in us. Some of us are seeking God to fill that hole, others are struggling to an in turn are filling it with addictions, bad relationships, or other forms of sin.

5. Us being open about who we are is painful, humbling, and hard. Ultimately we will grow from it and will become better people. (*** disclaimer *** it is important to be wife in who you reveal things of a sensitive nature, make sure that the person is someone trustworthy and able to handle what you reveal, if you need please find a counselor to talk to!).

So what am I advocating? I'm first of all advocating the Body of Christ learning to truly help and heal the broken. We often forget how much our words of encouragement and hope can be healing. We need to listen and to help those in need around us.

I'm advocating for the church to be real. Stop hiding things in the closet and be honest. Don't live behind the shadow of "I'm perfect and have no problems". GET REAL! I know that each of us has problems, they may not be the "same level" on our human scale of badness, but sin is sin, vice is vice. Lets work on ourselves and help each other to be the people God has called us to be.

I'm excited for the Ministry of Heart Support, XXX Church, and for the tool that X3 Watch is! May God continue to bless their minitriest.

I some day hope to find time or a way to get involved in on of these ministries on a regular basis. I ask that God might use me to make a difference!

God open the doors for us and show us YOUR will, YOUR way, and YOUR timing.

~tfkr

Behind the doors the same as in front......

Well, Yes the title is confusing or perplexing but well I think it should be. I have had thoughts for a while based on my struggles that well have been enlightened in someways by my Introduction to the New Testament course I'm in.

Christian have always battled with being in the world but not of it. God gave the Israelites the law as a direction and guidance for them on how to live so that they would be set apart for Him and not be part of the world. However the Israelites continually failed in following the laws and commands that God had set forth.

The church today I believe is in the same boat. Some people are living the lives that God has called them to, and there are others who aren't. There also are those in between that aren't living the way God wants us to but is living behind a mask. Having lived this way myself I wonder how we can address the sins in the church and help people to change, to grow, to be made new in Christ? How do we help the church realize that the same sins that are out in the "world" are in the pews next to them? How do we help the church to be more compasionate in their handlings of people who are battling sin? What do we do? How does God want us to do this?

Its a hard topic to address, and a hard one to live out.

The church is the same behind its closed doors as those who live outside of the church doors. there is sin and filth all the same. We need to make a difference. Where do we start? How do we start?

-Lord make me an instrument of your peace........

~tfkr

New Year New Challenge. Todays Topic: Suffering

Well I have a challenge with my friend Remy to be more focused and consistent with my writings, and him with his. So today is the start. He challenged me to make a post within 3 days, so well I am posting today, now, before he has a chance to post his! Oh well I'm sometimes competitive.

So now for the post:

Suffering:
In the past months I have heard about, seen, experienced and walked with friends, family, and others through different periods of suffering. It is hard to see friends and families suffer. Its hard to not just try to jump into a situation and try to fix it. My wife was reading to me a question she had to respond to last night for her graduate program. The question was whether a counselor should try to remove the patients suffering.

To me this question is ridiculous. We as humans can't remove suffering, only God can. I have found and am still learning that we as followers of the Rabbi are called to support others, comfort them, help guide them if needed, and just plan share God's love.

I will never be able to provide medical answers or medical healing, I'm not a doctor or God, but I can be there in prayer, physically by one's side, and I can walk with them. With those who have struggles and addictions, I can encourage them, give them advice, walk with them and love them, BUT I CAN'T HEAL THEM.

So often we want to heal those who are suffering or remove their pain. But I think we forget that in our trials and suffering we often grow the most, and are able to be molded more and more into the man or woman God has made us to be.

Lets not try to be God, but instead be His Hands, Feet, and Arms. Let us love others, comfort them, and be with them. Let us be present in the pain and suffering. I know it won't be comfortable, it won't be easy, but God smiles when are his instruments of love and comfort, even though true healing may not occur.

I think of my family right now who is dealing with my sister-in-laws surprise visit to the hospital. I can't be with them 24/7, I can't watch my nephew all day and night, and I am not a medical professional who can heal her, but I can be there to help support them, love them, and just be with them. I can be God's hands, feet, arms, and mouth.

The Bottom Line: Don't try to remove the suffering of others, be present, be there, be the arms, hands, feet, and words of God to those who are in pain around you.

His servant, His Son......
~tfkr