Christians Don't Have Enough Trust in God

On the day Gay and Lesbian Marriage was made legal, Christians stood outside a courthouse protesting. I specifically recall one individual holding up a sign that said, "God hates you." No, He does not. But, He's certainly not very happy with that Christian protester who had the nerve to make a statement so idiotic.

How does a loving God hate anyone?

That's why I believe Christians have little faith in God. God says He will move mountains if you only ask. Do not put Him to the test, but ask for the things that you need and God will provide.

Don't worry about what you will eat. Don't worry about whether you will have a roof over your head. The birds in the air don't worry about such things. Why should you? You are the one Christ came to the world and died to forgive. Why do you need to worry about what you should eat or where you should live?

Does any of this sound familiar at all?

Then, why don't Christians believe that God will do the work He promised? God will work on men's souls. You work on you. When you tell people that God hates them, you drive them away.

You become no better than George Carlin on stage cracking jokes about religion being a sappy system of beliefs put in place to make people fall in line. I miss that man's sense of humor. But, he gave religion and religious people a hard time his entire life and his words had the same effect as yours, those of you who tell others God hates them. You drive people away.

I've read every one of Christ's words and He taught us a great deal about living a good life. Then, He gave everyone a commission. That commission was to spread the news. Tell people Christ came. Tell people Christ died for the sins of all. Tell people He has risen and will come again. Nowhere in that great commission was any indication that He wanted us to judge others and tell them how to live. When you do that, you presume to do the work of God. Honestly, I would rather you left it to Him. He can do that so much better than you can.

Before you try to remove the splinter from your brother's eye, remove the beam from your own first. I love how Christ put that as it is read in Mathew, chapter 7 verse 5. He says that what you have in your own eye is an entire beam, much larger than the splinter you see in your brother's eye. You work on you.

An even deeper revelation comes to us in Romans when Paul is talking about unclean meat. In chapter 14, Paul tells us the message he received in a dream. Don't tell your brother not to eat unclean meat. But, resolve to never put a stumbling block in someone's way. Then it goes on to say that if you are hurting your brother by your own actions, then you are the one who must adjust. In other words, you work on you.

It all comes back to you. You have to work on you. If you do that, you don't have time to pay attention to someone else's flaws. What is attractive is when a person minds his own business and does his own thing. People will observe him. They will see what God is doing in his life. That is its own message.

Why can't a retreat just be a fun, family oriented retreat? Why does someone always have to stand up with a microphone in their hand and tell people to have a seat around him? "I have something I want to share with everyone... We had fun this weekend didn't we? We played some games. We ate some great food. Oh that Margaret can really cook can't she? Give her a hand for all the food she's prepared for us... See, that brings me to the point of this weekend while I have you captured here. When you have sex, you are tearing down the temple..."

Why must the word of God be so misconstrued? God is not the author of confusion. Everyone in our time can own their own Bible. So if the Bible is clear in its message and everyone can read it on their own, why in the world do we have Christians standing outside a courthouse with signs waving in the air saying that God hates gays and lesbians?

If that is true, God hates thieves. God hates murderers. God hates even liars. Does God hate us all? God doesn't like it when we sin. But, the very message that you are commissioned to spread tells us that God forgives us. How ironic is it that the same message you are commissioned to spread is missed by many of you?

Give the message that Christ came. Christ lives. Spread the message of Jesus Christ and Him only. Trust that God will change attitudes. Trust that God will deliver souls. Have a little more faith in God.

This is not a sermon, nor is it delivered by an authority. I am no better than Jephthah was when he was an outlaw leading a band of thieves throughout the land of Tob. But, he returned to Israel and became their commander. No man is forgotten. And every man gets a glimpse of the truth. We should compare notes rather than fight amongst ourselves about what is and what is not to be believed.