The Walk

                                        Because he First loved Us

                                                                                                Your Walk in Jesus's Name

It is hard to be a Christian the way its normally taught. The faith we know is often presented as if you are looking through a broken glass. It can still reflect, but it reflects only in pieces. Most people simply view a piece instead of trying to reconnect the whole picture to its former glory. The religion, and note this use of the word, we know, was built mostly as a political tool. Emperor Constantine of Rome, issued a law; which is called the Edict of Milan; that gave tolerance to a faith and laid the grounds for eventually making it the state religion of Rome. They saw the political tool of a docile, Jesus loving populace and how that could benefit them in politics, but not the heart change and lifestyle change that comes from the realization that Jesus is your savior, and that he died for you to save you from eternal punishment. Rome adopted the name but not the heart. We have that same problem. Jesus was born into a society that practiced religion but did not truly believe that God had or would save them. They had all the tools, all the buildings, all the scripture, but lived in a world that was broken, segregated, did little to nothing to truly help its fellow man, and cared more about being seen as right then righteous. Its no surprise that when God him self came into their presence they could not see him because they were looking for some one that fulfilled their customs and not some one with a heart and mind greater then their own. They were ruled by law and not love. Looking for political freedom and not freedom from sin. They wanted a Messiah to free them from Rome and not to set them apart from their lacks in life. We have that same problem. One of the greatest misconceptions is that man kind can earn their salvation through both faith or works. It is a necessary step to verbally confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, but you will never have enough faith to earn him. Salvation is a gift not a item on a shelf. You also do not gain salvation no matter how many prayers you pray, donations you offer, how many times you get baptized, no work earns salvation. Its the realization his love is greater then a human mind can truly understand. It also matters that you see that you, your flesh, is wrong. That we are guilty of sin and nothing earthly can ever wipe it out. Only the blood of Jesus sets you apart. Not your works, not your denominations, not your family ,not your pastor, not your doctrine. This is the seed that true faith in Jesus comes from. When you read the Bible, you are going to see a story that has been so badly represented to us. We see the Bible as the story of heroes who served God when truly its the opposite. Its the story of how God used broken, fearful, sinful, sometimes vile men and women with flaws our society could not even understand God accepting being used to form a pathway for his Son's arrival to save us and then the men and women that came after him telling the world about him. Jesus did not come to campaign for elections. Jesus did not come to build large churches. Jesus did not come to support the stock market. Jesus did not come to end crime. He came so you would know Him and His father as your source and to prepare our world for his second coming. The tools of our Earth, money, health, safety, are just that tools. They are not the goal of salvation, they are necessary to prepare the world but they are not the promise of Jesus. They are the gift to those that truly love him and follow him to be fishers of men. Our faith is the key to these items, but out heart is where they are stored. Jesus will fix your heart to accept them, but the first step is not longer see them based upon your doctrine or tribe; but to see them as he sees them. Simply the net to catch my people. Love the Lord with all your heart and he will free you from temptation and being misguided.  He loves you in a way no person can because he died for you, he was willing to turn off his divinity to be as you. So, walk with him in his light and love.