By Angeline M Duran Santiago
Stop it. Please.
The things you and I say and the things you and I do, need to be looked at with the microscope lens of who we say we are in Christ.
Yes, I am going to say it the way it is because I am, well, at least for today- or right now- tired of what I see, what I hear and have to witness around me on a regular basis.
It's what we don't say that seems to scream the loudest at those we "think" are not watching us or to just to say it straight out, "they don't seem to really matter", right?
We suck our teeth and make that ttkk sound, we lie about what we're really doing, and always have an excuse to accommodate our choices in life because, "Hey! I'm my own boss and no one can tell me what to do!" But, we love telling everyone else what to do.
Too many of us hide behind the pages of holy scripture to justify our actions, our poor attitudes and our stuck up posture on being plain human. We expect others to respect and treat us with respect, but how infrequent -if ever, do we offer the eye of acknowledgement to those who draw near to our circles.
We build our own kingdoms and give our undivided attention to those in our group. We build our empires, surrounded with bible verses to explain why we do what we do, and the minute someone disagrees or has a different way of seeing things, we run, place a hundred locks on the doors and begin the silent treatment.
People, if we are the church, if we are the representation of God here on earth, if we are supposedly filled with God's Spirit, then how can we act so wrong and mimic the mind of this world instead? How can we be two different ways?
We want to save the world!
Preach, teach, dance, sing, play those drums, and preach some more! We write books and sermons.
Go ahead! We're listening. We're watching. No, better yet, they're listening and they're watching.
They.
They are the ones around you that you see too simple to share expounded truths with.
They are the friends that hang around when everyone else has gone.
They are the family that comes around every now and then and somehow you're always too busy to spend time with them.
They're the kids in your life that you remind of their mistakes while telling everyone else God forgives.
They are the young people in your life that have shown up at your door waiting for a word of encouragement and a hug, but you hid behind yours and never opened up, literally.
They are the people that invite you to be a part of their lives, but your perfect little family can't socialize with others because something bad will rub off on your kids, or others will see and talk about you.
They.
They are the people that always stand with you, but you keep at an arm's length because you know better. Your religion has become your scapegoat. You've taken to heart the causes of the world, fighting against everything that seems against God's Word and His Principles, but you won't take a sword to fight for those around you. You rise up to face the world and shout from the rooftops what they are doing wrong and that God is the only way to get things right. Then, you silence your heart and remind your friends, family and neighbors that you don't have time for their nonsense. You don't have time for them. You don't have time for me. Who is our time for, anyways?
Stop living a lie and get it together.
I can boldly say this because I am tired of what I have to see and stay quiet.
You who live by excuses and justify your attitude with work and school and life. You say you serve God but hold on to anger, to grudges, to disliking people- just because they don't fit your mold of people you want to like. (Oh, but you're a Christian- excuse me.)
You who sit with me at the table and we laugh together, we pray together and cry together. Inside your mind you are not really a friend. If they let you, you would push me out of the way to break my marriage, my family and destroy my home. (Oh, but you're a Christian, excuse me).
You, who speak negatively to children, break their spirit, put them down and push them out into the world with your actions will have a lot to give God account for. (Oh, but you're a Christian, a good friend, a pastor, or family. Oh, well then that must give you lots of permission to get away with things, then.)
No more lies!
No more attitudes!
No more false smiles!
Keep them. I don't want them. The world doesn't need them.
The world needs people that will be real with the gospel, not live a gospel that pushes folks away.
The world needs people that will hug them, love them, speak to them, reach out to them even when they're make mistakes, love them and get past their personal agendas and egos. The world needs families to start living like families and stop coming together and pretending nothing is wrong and that everything is right. The world needs to see what real repentance and forgiveness looks like in the flesh. They world needs to see that what we preach begins at home. The world needs to see that God is love, and that it is not just a scripture, but a reality. The world needs to see LOVE in us, in our sweat, coming forth from our pores, from our words and our behavior.
We speak the loudest when we say nothing at all.
Our eyes, our faces, our lips, and our body language will reflect JESUS or what we really have inside.
Am I apologizing for what I have written? NO. Not today.
No more being fake. God is not glorified with my pretend church play.
The Lord is near. His coming is at hand and we need to stop living like it's alright and we can get away with what we do. Too many people keep getting hurt with our attitudes and actions and instead of drawing them into God's Kingdom, we push them out.
No more, dear friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. No more, people I will never meet and know. We need to be real because it hurts too much. That pride in you that you won't apologize, that arrogance in you that you can't communicate with people that are not educated like you, those things are not from God. God is LOVE. God is PEACE. God is FORGIVENESS. God is KIND.
What am I?
What are you?
Who are we?
What does the world see in ME?
What do others see in YOU?
Stop it already and get it together- Starting with me first. (ME FIRST!!!!)
And, I'm done.
Finished.
Now it's up to you to take what I've shared and decide if it applies to you and bring your heart, your life and your attitude before the Lord. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, but we need to come to Him and say, "Lord, I've got a stinking attitude. I need you to help me open up to others and show them your love. Lord, I don't want to push people away because I want them to see that YOU are alive in my life, living in me and doing great things in me and through me. Lord, I don't want to shut people out. Show me YOUR ways, Lord. Guide me. Lead me."
I guess the rest of the prayer is yours. Personalize it because only you know what to tell the Lord.
I pray the Lord will reveal the areas in your life that need to be filled with more of Him and transformed so that as you live for Him and share His Word, you will be powerful and others will truly know that the Spirit of the Lord is moving in you and through you. May the Lord help you and bless you today and always.
#godwantsmore #angieduran #christianblog #fearlessinbattle #daretopray
Stop it. Please.
The things you and I say and the things you and I do, need to be looked at with the microscope lens of who we say we are in Christ.
Yes, I am going to say it the way it is because I am, well, at least for today- or right now- tired of what I see, what I hear and have to witness around me on a regular basis.
It's what we don't say that seems to scream the loudest at those we "think" are not watching us or to just to say it straight out, "they don't seem to really matter", right?
We suck our teeth and make that ttkk sound, we lie about what we're really doing, and always have an excuse to accommodate our choices in life because, "Hey! I'm my own boss and no one can tell me what to do!" But, we love telling everyone else what to do.
Too many of us hide behind the pages of holy scripture to justify our actions, our poor attitudes and our stuck up posture on being plain human. We expect others to respect and treat us with respect, but how infrequent -if ever, do we offer the eye of acknowledgement to those who draw near to our circles.
We build our own kingdoms and give our undivided attention to those in our group. We build our empires, surrounded with bible verses to explain why we do what we do, and the minute someone disagrees or has a different way of seeing things, we run, place a hundred locks on the doors and begin the silent treatment.
People, if we are the church, if we are the representation of God here on earth, if we are supposedly filled with God's Spirit, then how can we act so wrong and mimic the mind of this world instead? How can we be two different ways?
We want to save the world!
Preach, teach, dance, sing, play those drums, and preach some more! We write books and sermons.
Go ahead! We're listening. We're watching. No, better yet, they're listening and they're watching.
They.
They are the ones around you that you see too simple to share expounded truths with.
They are the friends that hang around when everyone else has gone.
They are the family that comes around every now and then and somehow you're always too busy to spend time with them.
They're the kids in your life that you remind of their mistakes while telling everyone else God forgives.
They are the young people in your life that have shown up at your door waiting for a word of encouragement and a hug, but you hid behind yours and never opened up, literally.
They are the people that invite you to be a part of their lives, but your perfect little family can't socialize with others because something bad will rub off on your kids, or others will see and talk about you.
They.
They are the people that always stand with you, but you keep at an arm's length because you know better. Your religion has become your scapegoat. You've taken to heart the causes of the world, fighting against everything that seems against God's Word and His Principles, but you won't take a sword to fight for those around you. You rise up to face the world and shout from the rooftops what they are doing wrong and that God is the only way to get things right. Then, you silence your heart and remind your friends, family and neighbors that you don't have time for their nonsense. You don't have time for them. You don't have time for me. Who is our time for, anyways?
Stop living a lie and get it together.
I can boldly say this because I am tired of what I have to see and stay quiet.
You who live by excuses and justify your attitude with work and school and life. You say you serve God but hold on to anger, to grudges, to disliking people- just because they don't fit your mold of people you want to like. (Oh, but you're a Christian- excuse me.)
You who sit with me at the table and we laugh together, we pray together and cry together. Inside your mind you are not really a friend. If they let you, you would push me out of the way to break my marriage, my family and destroy my home. (Oh, but you're a Christian, excuse me).
You, who speak negatively to children, break their spirit, put them down and push them out into the world with your actions will have a lot to give God account for. (Oh, but you're a Christian, a good friend, a pastor, or family. Oh, well then that must give you lots of permission to get away with things, then.)
No more lies!
No more attitudes!
No more false smiles!
Keep them. I don't want them. The world doesn't need them.
The world needs people that will be real with the gospel, not live a gospel that pushes folks away.
The world needs people that will hug them, love them, speak to them, reach out to them even when they're make mistakes, love them and get past their personal agendas and egos. The world needs families to start living like families and stop coming together and pretending nothing is wrong and that everything is right. The world needs to see what real repentance and forgiveness looks like in the flesh. They world needs to see that what we preach begins at home. The world needs to see that God is love, and that it is not just a scripture, but a reality. The world needs to see LOVE in us, in our sweat, coming forth from our pores, from our words and our behavior.
We speak the loudest when we say nothing at all.
Our eyes, our faces, our lips, and our body language will reflect JESUS or what we really have inside.
Am I apologizing for what I have written? NO. Not today.
No more being fake. God is not glorified with my pretend church play.
The Lord is near. His coming is at hand and we need to stop living like it's alright and we can get away with what we do. Too many people keep getting hurt with our attitudes and actions and instead of drawing them into God's Kingdom, we push them out.
No more, dear friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. No more, people I will never meet and know. We need to be real because it hurts too much. That pride in you that you won't apologize, that arrogance in you that you can't communicate with people that are not educated like you, those things are not from God. God is LOVE. God is PEACE. God is FORGIVENESS. God is KIND.
What am I?
What are you?
Who are we?
What does the world see in ME?
What do others see in YOU?
Stop it already and get it together- Starting with me first. (ME FIRST!!!!)
And, I'm done.
Finished.
Now it's up to you to take what I've shared and decide if it applies to you and bring your heart, your life and your attitude before the Lord. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, but we need to come to Him and say, "Lord, I've got a stinking attitude. I need you to help me open up to others and show them your love. Lord, I don't want to push people away because I want them to see that YOU are alive in my life, living in me and doing great things in me and through me. Lord, I don't want to shut people out. Show me YOUR ways, Lord. Guide me. Lead me."
I guess the rest of the prayer is yours. Personalize it because only you know what to tell the Lord.
I pray the Lord will reveal the areas in your life that need to be filled with more of Him and transformed so that as you live for Him and share His Word, you will be powerful and others will truly know that the Spirit of the Lord is moving in you and through you. May the Lord help you and bless you today and always.
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