The
Christmas season is a perfect time to
see the Jesus side of everyone and it's
also a good time to see the opposite
side too. Unfortunately, a lot of times
we experience the non-Jesus side of
Christians.
Maintaining a positive, walking, talking
Christian walk can be a difficult thing
in our world; but just because the world
chooses to go the opposite way doesn't
mean that those of us who have chosen
not to go down that wide and well
traveled path have to imitate the same
behaviors or actions. Two wrongs never
make a right.
My Jesus
side starts right here at the center of
my heart and spreads to everything I do,
everyone my life touches and everywhere
I go. It's a LOT of hard work to always
show my Jesus side. It often involves
reluctantly letting go of some prayer
answers that I always find out later
were never going to be good for me in
the first place, it involves smiling and
offering a kind word when I really want
to strike- back and curse a person, it
especially means avoiding situations I
know I am not spiritually strong enough
to deal with until the Lord has made me
strong enough to deal with them and many
other things that I deal with every
single day of my life.
The Jesus
side of us is the side we need to show
when we are alone as well as in a crowd
of people. Who we are behind closed
doors is the definition of our
character. Do you show your Jesus side
when you're alone and away from friends
and family? Can you look in the mirror
each morning or at the end of each day
and like who you see? There are days
that I don't like the answer to that
question.
As almost
all of you know, I am a passionate
person about the things I believe in. I
don't feel this way only when I'm
writing newsletters or speaking on the
radio, or teaching a class, I am
passionate about my beliefs and the jobs
the lord has blessed me with all the
time. Are you? Or do you ride on the
excitement of the moment when it comes
to serving God and then lose your drive
when the spotlights are shut off? Do
you feel a burst of joy and faith and
hit the message boards declaring that
you believe God is answering, shouting
praises to His Holy name and then the
second the toe of doubt crosses the door
to your heart you are right back talking
about giving up? That seems like and
awfully stormy and uncertain ride
through life!
Showing
our Jesus side is our purpose for being
here! It is our soul reason for living.
Say What?
I can just hear the gasps from the
marriage and relationship standers who
have spent the last several months
believing their whole purpose was to
live for the moment their "lost love"
returns. Sorry guys, some things come
before restoration.
We are all
sufferers on a journey towards the
perfection of our character and soul,
not only for the purpose of changing
into who God needs us to be in our
marriage but mostly for the purpose of
attracting those who do not know Him!
Are you doing this? Are you wearing your
Jesus side every day?
Do you
live life's moments with your Jesus side
on and do as He would do in all
situations or is your focus mostly on
the person who has abandon you for the
moment? This is a question that so many
of us don't want to answer because deep
in our hearts we know we're cheating God
out of his rightful and well deserved
devotion. That's OK, there is still
time to reroute your course and in doing
so, the end results of your situation
will be simply magnificent!
No one
knows more than I how hard it is to get
through the holidays without the PERSON
you love. This dreaded feeling in your
heart is the devil's way of taking YOUR
attention off of the true meaning of
this special season.
Have you
ever heard the song Oh Holy Night?
I'm sure you have. Well, the other day
while listening to the lyrics of that
song I was humbled to the point of
tears,
"Long
lay the world in sin and error pining."
"Till
He appeared and the soul felt it's
worth"
"A
thrill of hope and weary world rejoices"
"For
yonder breaks a new and glorious morn"
And then,
the chorus was sung and in an instant I
felt the true weight and the full impact
of all God has done for mankind.
"fall
on your knees, and hear the angels
voices"
Instead of
falling to our knees in total
unconditional and unsurrendered
gratitude for the gift of hope Emmanuel
gave us, we are rioting over toasters.
Two
thousand years ago, The lord of Heaven
and earth, the creator of all things
showed His love for us by choosing to be
with us, and two-thousand years later,
we have, in our self-centered and
arrogant way, chosen to put everything
BUT Him first. We have allowed
ourselves to believe that a man, woman,
material things, jobs, etc. are actually
more important and more necessary than a
complete relationship with The One Who
has made it possible for us to love and
enjoy the blessings we do have. Then we
wonder why our prayers go unanswered for
so long. I said it before and I'll say
it again, some things come before
marriage and relationship restoration.
During this CHRISTmas season will you
choose to focus on and hurt over the
person who has abandon you or will you
focus on The One who will never abandon
you and celebrate His birthday in a way
that He is worthy? Will you show your
Jesus side always this Christmas and
beyond? I hope so!
God
forgive us and please, help us to always
show our Jesus side! Help us to fall to
our knees and let the true meaning of
this advent season help us to see that
before restoration of a marriage or
relationship we have to have restoration
of the most important relationship in
our lives, our relationship with You.
Until we
meet again-simply believe!
