You Can Walk on the Water!

I'll be completely honest with you, I started blogging to make money!  I got bored one day and started reading articles online.  I read one article that said it was possible to make money from blogging.  Obviously that sounded like a great reason to start one!  Also, being a young and aspiring business owner, I felt it would be great practice for online marketing.  After learning both of these things, I didn't need to convince myself anymore.  Blogging was for me! 

All of this led me to starting a blog that night.  Many of you probably don't know that it isn't this one!  I started another blog on a completely different website.  I actually wrote two different articles about completely random topics.  The whole purpose behind those writings were to try and see how many views I could get on my stories.  Throughout that entire process I felt like I was wasting my time and I didn't even enjoy the articles I was writing! 

I now realize the REAL reason I was not happy with it.  Throughout those few weeks I kept feeling like God wanted me to write my thoughts about Him.  I had been writing what I thought people would be interested in reading, not what God wanted me to write.  I was ignoring a pretty direct hint from our Creator.  It was like God was sending me a daily text message and I refused to respond.  You know what is really sad about it though?  I wanted to write about Him in the first place. 

How am I supposed to write about God?  I was having a hard enough time getting readers on my articles that I thought were interesting!  Now I'm supposed to believe people will want to read about God?  People don't even want to talk to others who talk about God!  There is no way people will read it.  Even worse, they might stop talking to me because of it! 

I then heard a song I had heard many times before.  The lyrics had always hit me hard, but this time I knew why I had listened to it.  Walk on the Water by Britt Nicole came on the radio and I finally realized it was time to step out.  What do I mean by step out?

Matthew 14: 25-31
"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid." "Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water. “Come,” he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

I needed to step out of my comfort zone.  Why was I doubting and ignoring the One true God?  All I needed to do was step out and "walk on the water".  I then decided to completely change websites and start writing about topics I believed God wanted.  It was time to stop running away! 

Wow! God did way more than I ever had imagined!  The new articles are getting FIVE times as many views as the old website.  People have now read them in TEN different countries!

I know there are other people who need to take that "first step".  Your "step" doesn't have to be a blog.  Maybe you're feeling God wants you to sing, but you're scared.  Maybe you're called to start a bible study for a few of your close friends, but you doubt anyone will show up.  There can be many different things that God wants you to do.

I encourage you to "step out"  It is so much easier to run away when you're afraid.  Although, the true rewards are when you take that FIRST step! Ignore the waves of doubt and have faith. Don't miss out on what you are really supposed to be doing.  You can walk on the water too!

Jesus Loved Prostitutes!

Jesus, the Son of God, loved prostitutes?  Prostitutes!? The people that sold the body that God gave them? The same prostitutes that "religious" people would have nothing to do with , and still won't! (Luke 7:36-50)

Can you imagine living in bible times and watching Jesus help a blind man see?  Can you then imagine seeing him walk over and spend time with prostitutes, thieves, and drunks?  The average person in those towns wouldn't spend time or even associate with the group of so called sinners.  Why would the only person who has ever lived without sin choose to spend time with people who society had downgraded?  Jesus could have easily given up on everyone, including myself!

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  John 3:17 

Non-Christians don't feel comfortable in churches because they feel they are looked down upon.  Whether consciously or subconsciously, it probably happens.  As Christians, we have forgotten the purpose that rests upon us.  "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:13)

If there has ever been anyone who was qualified enough to look down upon people, its Jesus.  As Christians today, we automatically judge someone if they walk into church with their hair a mess.  After seeing their hair we've already made up our minds that they have been drug dealers their entire life. If they walk into church wearing a plain white tee and cut up jeans, they've probably committed murder.  If they walk into church with a mullet, then we're positive they are on America's Most Wanted list. Even if all this was true, Jesus would have made it a point to approach them. He would have wanted to show them the hope that he provided!  Why can't we show them?

If we have a facebook friend who consistently uses bad language on their statuses, we delete them as our friend.  Why don't we keep them in hope they will someday notice a bible verse that we have posted?  We refuse to love a family member who can't beat their battle with drugs?  We tell children to stay away from the 16 year old girl that's pregnant?   She'll be starting a family soon, if anyone needs hope it's her!

We cannot expect for people to understand God's love if we won't associate with them because of their actions.  We've all done stuff we are not proud of, yet we still judge others.  Jesus continued to respect others regardless of the things they did. Why not do what He did?  He's obviously a pretty smart guy!