Can You Forgive Me

Can You Forgive Me?

 While at work yesterday this thought came to mind.

December of 2018 there was a posting on FaceBook of a video of a man and a woman that were loading a TV set into their car. The person posting the video said that the two people were stealing the TV from outside of a thrift store after hours. The person who was posting this asked if anyone knew who the thieves were?
Automatically people started to comment that these two people in the video should be arrested and that they were the "scum" of the earth. Everyone including myself were judging this man and woman before knowing the "whole truth". We were just going by what was said by the person who was posting the video and what we could see was happening.
But we only had one side of the story.
 One of my family members looked at this post from a different perspective, they didn't see a thief, they saw someone who might need extra help during the Holiday season. 
By no means is stealing a right thing to do, but what I think my family member saw was the way Jesus want's us to see each other. 
My family member saw this couple and chose not to follow the "crowd/mob" and convict these people with a judgement that we did not have the right to give.
Instead they showed forgiveness and passion for their sin.
My question now is to that family member, were you really showing forgiveness or were you just trying to be "different"?
What if I were to tell you that I have done many things wrong in my past. Yes, I might have even bragged about doing them in the past but it doesn't mean that they define who I am today.
But since I was not alone during this "sin" there were other's who still bring it up sometimes. 
I have asked the Lord to forgive me of my sins and to come into my life. Now I am a "Born Again Christian" but not all that see me now know this because of my past still haunts me.

I have started a new life with a wife and family that I love to death. I have taken on a new role in life with more responsibility, and less pay.
 I'm trying to help people with their everyday lives and there are some that I can call friends but many who still see the man I once was and can't get past my past. 
So I ask you my "Family Member" are you truly like the person who I saw last December taking up for the couple that was "Tagged" as thieves.
Would you forgive me and accept me for who I am today?
 And not listen to the "world" as they keep bringing up my past and spreading lies about me.
Would you "forgive" me not knowing everything about my past and see me as your "brother in Christ"?
I ask that you don't judge me because of what you might have seen or heard, things that other people keep bringing up or making up.
I ask you to open your heart to see Christ in me, and to open your eyes to see how the "world" is trying to destroy me.
I ask you to forgive the man that I have just described for this man is not me your brother but rather a man that is in your life no matter if you want him to be or not. 
I need you to forgive me for writing this out in this form. 
I am writing what I feel the Lord is telling me to write.
 The man that is described above is one of God's children a "brother" to you and I.
 I feel that I could reach out my hand to shake his and he would take my hand and pull me in close for a "Manly Hug".
This man has changed my life for the better and I support him fully.
This man is our President Donald J Trump. 
  Matthew 7:5 (KJV) Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 While at work yesterday a thought came to mind about how the "People of the world" see each other.
 Do they look at each other the way Jesus looks at us?
 We are to be "Christ like" according to the Bible,
Jesus loves his children, but hates "sin".
 He'll forgive us of our sins if we ask him.
But this doesn't mean that we will be perfect or are perfect in anyway. 
We are to be "Christ like" not Christ himself.
We are to forgive one another and not judge someone for their sins. 
We all have a "Past", how many of you have sinned?
We all have sinned and we all sin everyday many times for the same sin time and time again.
Some sins are called an addiction and no matter how we try to stop doing this sin, we stumble and fall and do it again.
Do not look at someone else's sin and think that theirs is much worse than yours and therefore you must be a better person. It doesn't work that way, sin is sin. 
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus then it doesn't matter how much wrong or right that you have done in your life because when you die and we all will someday, do you want to go to Heaven or Hell?
If your answer is Hell where you will be tormented forever then do nothing here and now.
But if your answer is Heaven, then ask the Lord Jesus to forgive you of your sins and ask him to come into your heart and be your savior. 
You do not need to be in a "Church" to ask this of him. You can ask him right now wherever you may be sitting or standing. You can ask in the silence of your mind or you can cry out to him. Jesus hears our calls no matter how loud they may be.
After accepting Jesus you'll feel his Holy Spirit come and fill your soul. You may live in a "High Feeling" life style for a while. But the devil will still try and tell you that you are the same person as before and you may even "slip" and say or do something that makes you think that you are no good. 
 Remember, we all sin. Even the Pastor of the church commits sin everyday.
No human is perfect in Gods eye, only Jesus.
And you nor I are not God,  so we should not act like it, we need to forgive and love one another no matter what each of us do or say.  
   Luke 6:42 (NKJV) Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
                                                                        Buzz  05/15/19

***WARNING*** Someone is Watching You...

*****WARNING*******
You are being watched...
 Everyday someone is looking at you to see how you will handle any given situation that comes your way.
Think before you act...
Your kids are watching, your husband/wife is watching, your best friend and the people at work are all watching you even without you knowing, they are all wondering just how you are going to react.
We all want to be the perfect person in everyone's eyes, but we know that we are not.
Jesus is said to be perfect in everyway without blemish. And even though He has scars it doesn't mean that he is not perfect. His scars are the perfect sign of his love for us. He didn't have to suffer the painful torcher and death that he did. He did it because he loves us. Even though His Father told him that he had to die. It was still Jesus's choice to die. Yes he knew that he would rise again from death. This doesn't mean that he took the easy way, He felt the pain, he cried out to his father, not for help but rather for him to forgive his accusers.
Jesus's death and resurrection is a sign for everyone that there is HOPE in our crazy lives.
Not saying that your life will be perfect after you come to know him in a personal way, But rather you will have him by your side the rest of your life in your daily walk. Tough times will still come and you will still feel the pain that "life" brings and you will even experience death through others and eventually yourself. But knowing Jesus he will bring comfort to and others around you.
As a followers of Jesus we all look to him for guidance, knowledge and wisdom on how to live our lives.
Now with all that said, what about all the people that don't know Jesus, they might have heard about him and they might even know people that say that they know/follow Jesus. What if the people that they have seen in the past say they are "Christians" but they live their lives like everyone else.
So if that were the case, then why would anyone want to become a Christian?
People are watching us to see if we are going to cuss, spread rumors, go out and act worldly etc...
 When someone looks at you, do they see the light of Jesus?
You say that you know him and that you have his love in you, are you sharing His love?
If you say that you are sharing the light, then are the windows of your life covered by curtains of shame, are the blinds only part way open, does your windows frosted or are they "Stained Glass" from either your past or current sins?
Jesus Loves us all no matter what we have done or what we are doing, He asks that we share his love with the world.
Be the person that people see Jesus in.
If you say that you are a Christian, than act like one, yes you will be different, yes you will stand out, yes some people will feel threatened and yes there will be some that don't like you.
We can't please everyone, and if someone doesn't like the "new you" because Jesus lives in you, please don't feel that you need to change for them if they are a "true" friend then they will accept who you are.
Share the love with actions and everyday life, don't force feed them because it will cause them to choke and push away from you.
There is light in the darkness, but the only way there can be darkness in the light is from a shadow, don't be the one that blocks the light of Jesus to people around you, open your heart and let His light shine.
Proverbs 11:9 KJV
King James Version
An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered .

Two Churches

Just a thought at first, then I "cartooned it".

Many churches that I have been to and even belonged to are like the first picture. Looking back I can see just how narrow minded I was and how they still are. I'm just having fun, but it's also scary because some believe this to be the truth, not because they found it in the Bible, but because it's "Tradition" that's the way they have been taught.
 The second picture is the church that I belong to now, this church shows people the love of God not the condemnation of the church members.
 Which kind of church do you belong to? Maybe you should rethink your answer, because if you go or belong to a church like the first picture you need to ask yourself, when did Jesus wear a suit and tie? Did Jesus turn anyone away because they didn't have the "proper" clothes on? What if they came to Him dirty/dusty? What if they were unshaven and long uncombed hair? Would Jesus say to them, "come back to me when you are dressed better"?
Hmmmmm....

Three Things

     There are three things that you should know
                      before walking on the,
              "Infamous Frozen Pond" of life.

  - How thick is the ice?
  - How deep is the water?
  - Who can you trust, that will be there for you when you
      cry out for help?

  I would like to think that I would be there for anyone
  that needs help, but since I can't everywhere all the time
  I know that I would let someone down somewhere.

  But I know someone that when he hears my call he is
  already there. He is there to protect me, guide me, and
  comfort me whenever I call his name.

  He wants to be there for you also, but you first have to ask
  Him into your heart. You have to believe that he arose
  from the grave. You have to put all your faith in him, and
  believe that He will take care of you.

  It's not hard to do, once you experience His love you will
  see just how easy it was all along, then you wonder what
  your life would have been if He had been there sooner.

  Although you might be falling through the "thin ice" of
  life, because all of your burdens are making you too heavy.
  Remember he walked on the water, he want to carry your
  burdens for you, and if you will let him, he will even carry
  you.

  Call on JESUS anytime, anywhere and he will be there.
 

 

Who are you

 You are at where you are because of who you are.
Once you are compromised because someone want you to be what they want you to be, and you let them change you.
Even through you hold the same position, you loose the respect you earned as yourself.
Stand strong my LOVE, I'll be by your side, as we support each other through these rough times.
A cord of three strands.
WE ARE ONE TOGETHER WITH GOD,
Even if one or both of our strands were to fray or even break,  God won't fray or break. He is our strength.
He is who we need to rely on to keep us moving forward, He can mend our brokenness.

TEMPTETIONS

Life is full of "Temptations",
 I found this cartoon and the caption read "sh*t happens" well yes sometimes we do fall for things that look "too good to be true" but we still take the risk knowing that it probably isn't true. Knowing that we will probably get hurt, but we still do it anyway.
 But what if the thing that we do, really hurt us in a way that we can't reverse it?
If we knew the out come would we still take the chance? I think most people would still take the chance and try and beat fate.
 I took this same cartoon and erased the old caption and replaced it with one that I thought would be most fitting for "Temptation".
 *******************************************************************************

Muddy Waters

On  our journey through life , we sometimes get off the "beaten path" that God directs us to follow. We often forget that even though we are being rebellious, our Lord still loves us. He may not be happy with our decisions, that we have made, But He still loves us. And sometimes He will allow bad things to happen because of our disobedience, But he still loves you.
 In the mist of the "storms" in life He will stand beside you, If you are involved in a "flood" in your life he will provide the boat. And even if the waters get really rough, He will either calm the storm or He will ride it out with you. Remember He still loves you.
 We ask to be beside "still waters", that doesn't always mean that they will be crystal clear. And it does get scary not knowing what we are wading through and what dangers are waiting beneath. Guess what? He still loves you.
 He will be there guiding the way, all we have to do is just take hold of His hand, and have faith in Him. And if our hand slips and we fear that we will loose our grip. He's there to reassure us that he has a firm grip. If we sometimes slip or fall from what we might be walking on in the "muddy waters", we just have to call on His name and He will carry us, Because He loves you.
 When we were kids we liked playing in the mud, and even as we got older we still are drawn back to the "Muddy" things in life. Things that at the time that we are doing them seem to be fun, but after we have played all day in the filth, we have to clean up.  If we leave the dirt and grime on us for too long it will lead to other problems. And when the "world" see this they will separate themselves from you. Remerber He still loves you.
   If we played way too long in the filth in life sometimes the "dirt" won't come off no matter how hard we try.
  This is when we could call on the "Cleaner", God will hose you down with His "living water". Clean us up, give us "bread" to eat, clothes us in His majesty. Because of His love for us.
 And when the time comes again, when we think that we know better than Him what is best for our life. And we let go of His hand to journey down our own path, not listening to His warnings of the dangers of what lie ahead of us, We just leave Him behind.
 And when trouble does come we may look around and not see Him, this doesn't mean that He isn't there. We may have to endure the consequences of our actions. He is just watching from a far waiting for our call.
 Muddy waters might be in our lives temporally right now, But His is with you always, because He will always Love you, no matter what.