Name Change (Finally)!

Okay! I have finally figured out my blog's name change.

It's going to be called "His Great Love Story." I will tell you the why's later- I don't have much time right now.

I'm just glad to finally figure something out!

the new blog address will be http://hisgreatlovestory.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!

Questions

I have been mulling this over in my mind for the past few days. I've been really trying to figure out how to word this question for the last couple of days until I realized that no matter what I do, it will most likely be controversial.

So let's just roll with it, shall we?

This question came into my mind after I retweeted something the other day. It was a post by Mark Driscoll, and it said this:
"Let me say this clearly, plainly, lovingly, pleadingly. You are in danger. Without Jesus, you go to hell."

I lost 3 followers within about 5 mintues, and I actually got to have a discussion with another one that didn't unfollow, but it was clear that she was irritated at first.

And her point was well worded. She was saying that God's message is love, not fear. I agree. I can definitely see how this tweet is polarizing. I can definitely see how saying things like this can cause people to think that they are being judged and by no means was that my goal with that retweet. I thought about it for a long time before I even retweeeted it because I knew it could cause some controversy.

The question that I am asking, is if it is always judgmental if someone says without Christ a person goes to hell?  Or can it be loving too?

Let's say that someone is a Christian and believes that hell is a horrible place, a place that lasts for eternity, and a place that no one can ever leave. Let's also assume that this person believes that one can be spared from this place by accepting Jesus.

Is that really judgmental? Is it really hateful?

Because my thoughts are:

If I didn't know and you did- how much are you hating me by not telling me?

So I guess my answer to this question is that it could be loving or judgmental depending on how it is said. I think it also depends on the person's heart as they are telling this to someone. I know that Christians can be horrible about acting "holier than thou" and that there are even some psychos out there that preach strictly judgment and forget all about love.

But there really are people that love you and want you to have an abundant life. A life filled with joy and a constant hope because of Jesus.

So what are your thoughts? This is something that I'm really curious to hear.

Keep it classy, peeps.

P.S. I have been racking my brain like crazy trying to find a new blog name. Bear with me!

Scratch that!

Instead of deleting the entire post, I'm just going to say that the blog name I wanted is taken. I'm not sure what it will be now, so please just bear with me for the next day or so. Things will stay the same until I can find a new blog name!

I figured I wouldn't delete the entire post since at least now you know why the name is changing.

Change of blog name

Hey guys,
I just wanted to let you guys know that my blog name is changing. In a nutshell, there is a new book out with the same title, Love Wins. I have not read the book myself so I can't say whether I agree or disagree with what it's teaching. I will say from what I have heard, it's not what I believe. I don't want to be associated with any of the controversy going around, so I am just choosing to change this blogs name to avoid it.

This blog's new title will be Faith, Hope, and Love. I couldn't think of anything better. :( If you are subscribed to me via Google Reader or some other reader, please change the blog address in your subscription to http://faithhopeandloveblog.blogspot.com/. I am not sure if this will be the actual address of the blog or not, it just depends on whether or not it's available. So please check back here within the next few days to see what it is now. I really don't to lose you guys and your fabulous comments!

Thanks,
Missy

The Golden Cow

Exodus 32

¹ When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
 ² Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”


(When I read this, I always think about how crazy the Israelites were. God brought them from Egypt and parted a friggin' sea for them. Wouldn't that make them believe and stay faithful? You'd think...)


⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. ⁸ They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."


When I really get to calling the Israelites stupid, God kinda pokes me and tells me that I'm really not that different.


What?


I don't have a stinking gold cow in my house. I don't make gods out of random things...do I?


Sigh.


I guess my idols take different forms.


I fill my time up with so many things, and when I get home I'm so "exhausted" that I don't spend time with God. Or I choose to hit the snooze button instead of meet with Him in the morning.


All of these things that I have put before him (relationships, school, work, etc.) are just as dumb as making a gold cow.


God's son died for us.


He loves us.


He is the Creator of the universe.


He wants to have a relationship with us.


How dumb is it for me to waste my time with silly, meaningless things?


Do you have any golden cows?

Some changes...

I haven't posted on this blog in a while because I've experienced a writer's block of sorts lately. I have a couple of posts in draft but I can't quite seem to get them to be perfect.  I post a lot more on my other blog because it's silly stuff, just for fun. This blog means a lot more to me, and I have to be super-pleased with my post.

The thing that sort of struck me was that my writer's block was very similar to my walk with the Lord.

Lacking inspiration.

Half-hearted.

Lukewarm.

Well, no more. This is not how I want my relationship with the Lord to be, so I'm going to change it right now. So put on your seatbelts and get ready for the ride! :)

The Ministry of Friendship

This is something that I am particularly passionate about because I think it's one of the best ways to show God's love to people. Sometimes, if you are who they seek to lean on, you are the one that the Lord is using to comfort them. Isn't that cool! You can be God's tool to love others! :)

Here are some things that I have learned while trying to be a good friend:
1. Be quick to listen.
James 1:19:  My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry
Most often, your friends are not looking for you to dictate what they should be doing. They normally know the right answer. If you give them advice and they do not take it, then you could feel irritated and they may be embarrassed to come to  you with the same problem. This is not to say that you should not confront them when they are doing something harmful to themselves or others- but the point I am trying to make is allow them to talk things over with you without jumping in with solutions.

2. Encourage.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Build up your friends, because this world is all about cutting others down in order to advance ourselves. Keep them accountable to their goals as well- it is also a form of building them up according to their needs. It's not always easy to confront a friend when they are doing something harmful to themselves, but necessary all the same.

3. Consider your motivations.
Matthew 7: 4-5: How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Once I had a person come to me in a "loving confrontation." It really damaged me, and I thanked her for bringing it to my attention. It wasn't until I went to my husband, broken, that I realized that she was chewing me out to meet her own needs. There are times where our personal feelings to get in the way of our obligation to love. Examine your motivations before confronting or giving advice.

4. Love
Galatians 5:6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Keep love in your mind at all times.