Real

Well it is here and gone. Our "Two Faced" series has ended with a bang. I never realized just how tough it is to be honest about our faith, or should I say the lack of it. How cool would it be if we believed God actually accepted us where we are and for who we are without any changes at all? While we all know that we need to change, God's acceptance is foundational if we are going to become truly authentic. During this series it was very clear that true authenticity is not only difficult to act upon; it is just as difficult to envision. Let me give you a little test to rate your "authenticity quotient":

Have you ever thought that you were not good enough to ask God or a friend for something that you wanted?

Have you ever allowed yourself to be seated in a restaurant in a place you knew upfront you were not going to like?

Has there ever been a time when you wanted to say something in a conversation, but you were nervous about how it would be received?

One more... Do you have a strained relationship in your life that is in your power to get right and you haven't?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be less than authentic to at least yourself, and possibly to God.

Taking steps toward true authenticity requires us to accept the fact that God does not change His view of us according to our actions. It mandates consistent and total acceptance through God's forgiveness, and it allows His total and complete access into all the benefits and privileges we have as His children. This belief and thought is the only way to true authenticity: when we are willing to say, 'it is not by my actions, good or bad, that regulates God's view toward acceptance of me'. This is the foundational biblical principle that creates authentic faith and living.

It should be interesting to see how God releases the authentic people He is calling us to be as we walk this life of faith.

Just a thought...

Let's be honest

Some have said I am crazy. It is not the first time. The reason they think I'm nuts is because of the new series we are launching at The Crossing. It is called "Two Faced" and it is about authenticity in all aspects of our lives. We have gone so far as to launch a new website called "Christianhypocrite.org". The website is there so you can tell us about your Christian Hypocrite experience. While the entries will all be anonymous, it should prove to be very interesting hearing what people have experienced from others in the name of religion.
Here is a story one friend told me last week:
While selling for a company in New England, he had a client that could not stop talking about his leadership in his local church and how committed he was to the teachings of the Bible. Because of this testimony, my friend decided to sign a contract with him for a couple million dollars worth of equipment, with the stipulation that he would buy the disposable products from him for the next two years. After a few months passed, the company owner canceled the contract, almost causing my friend to lose his job. When the owner was confronted about his commitment and faith, he simply told my friend that he had never said anything about his faith. This is one story of many that we all have experienced.
My goal for Christianhypocrite.org isn't to let people bash each other; but instead, I want to open the door for people who are angry and frustrated with the church as a whole, and for believers specifically, to vent their experiences. Let's be honest; if we can't be honest with our Christian experiences, we probably are not honest with our faith.

Visit the site and tell us your Christian Hypocrite experience.

Christianhypocrite.org

Bold prayer

I found myself asking God during the closing prayer in our service to turn the difficult situations in our people's lives to impossible ones so that they would be required to act in faith rather than still trying to work on the things that only God can solve. I wonder, is that to far or is that just the type of prayer Jesus would be asking for His disciples? Should we ask God to move things to that point? How much time do we waste trying to solve what only God can settle? The man inside of me screams,"I can do it" while the child of faith wants to let it go. In Hebrews 4 it tells us that if we are to labor we need to "labor to enter into rest." I don't think I have the answer but I have to believe that God is willing to solve more than we let Him. Next time I want to go solve it, I might just ask God to make it so I can't and see what happens.
Just a thought
Chris