Very often, the thing that silences a lot of Christians from speaking up and calling out bad behavior, is the fact that they themselves are sinners too. So what are we to do? Is no one allowed to say anything, because we’ve all been bad? I don’t think so.
Here, we have a rapper named Holy Gabbana calling out Lil Nas X for titling himself a “Christian” all while promoting, celebrating, and encouraging homosexuality and un-Christian behavior. By “Christian Behavior,” I’m referring to the action of being a follower of Christ. Anyone can claim to be a Christian. But actually adhering to the standards Christ and his Apostles laid out, that’s the behavior we’re talking about here.
Sometimes when more scholarly Christians toss around words like “Redemption” or “Sanctification” it can be a bit difficult to comprehend or understand what that looks like or what it is. What’s so appealing about it? Why should I care?
Seriously…when I was a kid, my parents used to talk about the “kingdom of heaven.” Then, I looked around the church and thought to myself, “No, Thank You!” That’s because I couldn’t understand what the Kingdom of Heaven was. Back then, they made it seem like “heaven” was this place where there was nothing but a bunch of stiff, pious, monks and nuns who don’t really do anything interesting.
It’s like being back in Advanced Algebra. When I asked when I would ever need to use things like the Quadratic Formula in real life? The teacher didn’t have an answer. And since I saw no benefit, I wasn’t motivated to learn. I didn’t care about getting better beyond that which was required to pass the class because…what’s the point?
I think it’s the same with concepts like “Redemption” or “Sanctification”. Now, to be completely honest. I was prompted to write about Redemption and encouraged by another website called, SigmaFrame. You should check it out, because Jack’s an awesome intellectual and the comments sections are always full of thinkers I’ve come to have a tremendous amount of respect for.
But after much reflection and ample prayer…I asked myself, who do I want to reach? Who’s my audience? Other knowledgeable Christians who are already striving to do what’s good in God’s eyes? I don’t think so.
Instead, my aim has always been on those who call themselves Christians but don’t know what Christ taught. I also target the agnostics who are on the fence, and the Christians who are indifferent towards the Truth because of terrible experiences they may have had with Christianity. If my aim is to help the layman to “embrace” the truth, I believe we have to talk to them at their level. So here goes…
I’m almost done with my third reading of 1 Samuel and I had to get my thoughts down about King Saul, the first King of Israel.
There’s so many lessons here that we can apply to our own lives, in today’s modern world. Mainly, the importance of patience and obeying God’s commandments even in the face of overwhelming pressure and anxiety.
Points Discussed: Modern-Day Christians Want God to Help Them Right Away? Why Some Humans Prefer Human Leadership over God’s Leadership – @1:20 Lack of Patience Under Intense Pressure – @3:48 Saul Failed with the Amalekites – @5:22 Obeying God’s Commandments is Better than Sacrifices – @7:18 If God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayers, Will You Reject God? – @8:32 Saul Relied on Mediums – @10:10
Kevin Samuels used to say, “Y’all want a Boaz, but y’all not Ruth!” After reading the Book of Ruth for the 3rd time and taking the criticism into consideration, I had some thoughts here.
Points Discussed:
What Happens when People Do What’s Good in their Own Eyes
The Levite’s Concubine (Gibeah’s Crime) and how Women were Treated
Boaz as a Role Model for Men
Ruth as a Role Model for Women
Marriage and Divorce
A Biblical High-Value Man
Ruth MADE THE FIRST MOVE!
As always, I encourage everyone to read the Bible for themselves. Don’t just rely on the pastor or what someone told you the Bible says. Go to the source. Read it for yourself. Use your own mind to make conclusions about what you believe. God bless!
Even the most peaceful god-fearing men on earth have family members who are dangerous. A local machete-toting street gang learns this lesson the hard way.
In this short story, a small town urban neighborhood becomes infected by several of the most notorious criminals in the world. And it all stemmed from one young gangster who felt insulted by a middle-aged preacher speaking to him about the bible. Like the Braden Pierce side story, this story contains graphic violence and street level language. It’s not to show how good I am with choreographing fight scenes or to display how attuned I am to retribution and intimidation.
These side stories involving characters from “The Three Kings of Ybor” are written to show the depths of how well they live up to their infamous reputation. To show that in this world…some people just aren’t people. They’re fucked up individuals who stand atop of empires they’ve created, empires built by the media who makes these killers look like superstars. And as hundreds of thousands of the good hardworking individuals point at them and protest their existence, wish for their downfall… these “three kings” take it unfazed, unconcerned and without care in the world about how others think. It isn’t until someone has the audacity to step up do these kings remind them and everyone caught in the crossfire… that monsters do exist.
8:02pm – April 28th 2209
Tallahassee, Florida…The old Floridian capital still served as a distinguished municipality. Though it had its share of scars from the war, it was still a decent place to live and raise children. Tallahassee was an urban city made up of old structures, mom and pop businesses and half-assed state departments. But for the most part, it was a peaceful city where people tended to their own and kept to the confines of “things just being the way they are.” But in this world… There are just several kinds of people that you don’t want to mess with.
At a little past eight at the Thompson Medical Center in downtown Tallahassee, drama was unfolding with a family of Mexican descendents. A fifty-two year old man named Gene Sanchez had just suffered from a brutal stabbing attack and was rushed to the intensive care unit via ambulance. Sanchez’s family and friends had received word of the stabbing. They congregated in the hallways, barraging the doctors for updates and answers that the doctors just didn’t have as of yet.
Stage In The Sky 