I've seen this before

"Going to church doesn't make you a christian any more
than standing in a garage makes you a car."

I've seen this post a few places now and i don't disagree with this, but I think a few things could be added.
Like;
You're more likely to be a Christian if you go to church but you'll never become a car standing in a garage.

What makes you a Christian?
Did a Christian quote this or a non-Christian?

As Christians and non Christians, it should be evidence to all that, those who know Christ will carry the same love of Jesus the living water.
The love He puts in you will pour out onto others. This will be the evidence of those who follow Christ.

There is a dark side.

What is it that makes up a good side and an evil side and how is it that we know the difference?
When I was 3 1/2 years old I lived in a place that had a safe environment that allowed me to go outside without the fear of anything ever happening to me. I stayed around the house and back then I was a pretty good boy by most parents standards. I pretty much did what I was told so then was trusted outside by myself I presume for short periods of time.
During one of those periods I got adventurous and crossed the street in front of my house which couldn’t have more than 100 feet away from the house. I went there because the grass was as tall as me. I couldn’t go more than 10 feet into it because the grass just got too thick plus there was a fence. But when I got into the grass I saw a toad and I think I freaked out just a little. So I went a little further up the street where previously I had seen a brick that I once turned over to find a worm. I picked up the brick and took it over where the toad was. When I located it, I threw the brick onto it. I don’t know what I thought would happen but, when I picked the brick up off from the toad and I felt distraught at what I saw. The toad was dying. And I felt something I wasn’t prepared for. I had never heard of death before, never seen it before, I had no concept of it whatsoever. But my heart knew what it meant. I threw the block back onto the toad to cover up what had just happened and went back into my house. I remember my mom asking me what was wrong. And I said; “nothing”. And I went to my room to wait for supper.
So I believed that I had done something wrong but I didn’t know what it was. I didn’t dare talk about it because I thought there might be a possible punishment involved. A lot for a three year old, but I swear these were my thoughts back then.
It was later on in life that I asked myself how did I know that there was something wrong in death? Death did not appear to be good and it looked like the end of something good. Is there an inherent good in us? Do we have a “God stamp in our lives”? Do we carry with us, the very nature of God? I believe we do and I believe God does speak to us. I also think that we shut God out. We live so much of our time in the noise of everyday life that we don’t give ourselves the opportunity let God have a voice in our lives.
Did you know that the gift of free will is from God? Do you know why he gave it to us? There is a reason and I know what it is. Do you?

2 Peter 1:3,4
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Its been too long

Too long since my last post.
Some have the highest expectation of others while others have the highest expectations for themselves. When we fail ourselves--------shame on you that think only others fail you. When we fail ourselves we cant imagine the cost. Our hearts yield to failure and the promoter tries to win by keeping us down. It can be difficult to bring ourselves back up out of despair. Prayer to God for strength can and will bring us out of it. but we have to embrace it. Meet up with it. Our lives are to help others and to let others help us when they offer help. We cannot be effective leaders for those that need leadership if we allow failure to take a hold of us. Stand up and dust you feet off and get back on track as soon as possible.
Make no mistake of who is the evil force behind keeping us from God grace. It is satan.
He is the tempter and the promoter and the accuser. He tempts us to sin then he promotes it through our own selfish desires by saying things like, "just this once" or "nobody will know" or "you wont get caught". Then, after we commit the sin, he is right there being the accuser saying, "and you think you're a good person, look at what you did, God is not going to forget this one.".
He wants us to be separate from God. This is his last ditch effort to steal our souls from God.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 8:12
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Psalm 23:3
he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Want to See God?

If you don't really care then don't bother reading the rest of this. Unless you can imagine yourself going through it all.

If you really want to see God, Look into the eyes of a person who experiences deep pain for the sake of others.

Look into the eyes of the poor or the lost and the broken, the child without hope, the person who lost the only person they ever loved. The person that has nobody in their lives. The parent who knew his son was going to be in agony for the last hours before his death.

See, God put himself in the pain and suffering of his own son. So we can know that he is the God of compassion and love. He knows first hand what it is to feel human.

Women of Noble Charactor

Proverbs of 31

10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

On the Surface

Did you ever see someone you didn't like? Did you cast judgment on someone that you didn't know?

What is it about us that makes decide if we like someone or not? Why is it that we can't get along with everyone? Is it them? Or maybe its us.?

We can except that we don't have to like everyone and we find this easy to process in our minds. We simply cast people aside and label them as meaningless to us.

If they can't offer anything to our lives, so we just ignore them. Why is it that if they have no value to us we don't pay attention to them?

Can we offer them our friendship without the expectation of them to be a friend to us?

Sometimes there is a need for someone to intervene and be a friend to someone without being asked to. Sometimes we have to intentionally be a friend to someone without getting an invitation.

When someone offers you something that you didn't actually earn, you could perceive as a friendly gesture. An offer of friendship. Can you befriend someone without having a relationship with them? Absolutely!

I walked by an older man that was in an ally and he was trying to load something into his truck. While he was sweating and struggling and I could have just stood there and waited and see if he would ask me to help him or, I could have just kept walking. But my emediate response upon seeing his situation was to ask him; "can I give you a hand?"

Some believe that if someone offers something to us that we can except it or pass it bye. Which is fine but there should be an acknowledgment for the effort. A sense of gratitude. A sense of appreciation for the offer. A simple thank you or no thank you.

I helped the man because I wanted to. Without the expectation of his gratitude. He did thank me, which was nice but, that wasn't what motivated me to help him.

Some believe that gratitude isn't necessary. They didn't ask for it so then they don't need to be grateful for it.

Anything that I receive from someone that I didn't earn, I am grateful to them for.

My salvation through Jesus Christ is a great example. I didn't ask him to, but he laid down his life for me so that I may have life.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.