Who Is Jesus To Me?

I find this question to be really interesting, and one that I feel most people really don't seriously think about. We have people who attend seminaries and other religious schools who will give you and academic answer to this question, but this isn't a question that any school can teach and give and answer to, as who Jesus is to each person is different. You see, the real answer to the question is what is in your heart, and since we all don't have the same heart, then the answer can not be exactly the same for everyone.

Now the church is very good at telling you who Jesus is and about the life that Jesus lead in his humanly form on this planet, but the church seems to fail at getting people to really look inside of themselves and see how they view Jesus. Oh yeah, there will be those within the church who will tell you how you should look upon and how you should have Jesus in your heart, but if one follows what they are told, are they really allowing their heart and soul to really know who Jesus is, or is their faith and God really of the person that is telling them how to think?

I was in a conversation in a MySpace group a few years ago. now I look up on my views and life as being more of a Moderate than being either Conservative or Liberal. The conversation was interesting, as both those on the conservative side and the liberal side were in agreement on the issue. Now the conservative side had been saying that the liberal side really weren't Christians mainly because of the views about hommosexuality. The liberal side keep pointing out stuff in the Bible concerning other laws in the Bible (mainly the Old Testiment by BOTH sides,) and that the conservative side wasn't following what was set down. Neither side would give up in the battle, then someone happen to mention a denomination. Both sides agreed that the people in that denomination were not Christians. I then asked a question that neither side was able to answer biblically. Where in the Bible does it say that people in certain denominations were Christians? I wanted them to point exactly to the verses. I found it funny that both sides started bringing up stuff that was not in the Bible, btu were things that Man, NOT GOD had said over the years. When I pointed out that I wanted Bible verses, they continued with the things supposed “Learned People” had said and written. I then had an say that I guess that they must be wrong in that they were unable to quote a single thing biblically to support their arguments. They were basing their arguments on Man, not on GOD.

And I find the same in many ways with what people have to say as to who Jesus is to them in their heart. But really, sit back and think about it. Why do you truly believe in your heart the way that you do? If you are a Christian, Jewish, Buddist, Islamist, or don't beieve in a higher being or not, why do you believe in your heart the way that you do? Why is YOUR Faith really YOUR Faith?

I find it funny when someone wants proof that God exist, and I ask them to prove that God doesn't exist, they tend to make some kind of remark, but the remark is one that doesn't even attempt to prove them being right. I had meet a very beautiful woman online that I really wanted to go out with at least once if I should of made made it to her area. We have a lot in common, really enjoyed talking with each other, but what our desire to do could not happen, as we had a God issue. She insisted that God didn't exist, and I was am (and am not) willing to give up my faith, as I know in my heart and soul that God does exist. I don't recall how we got into the issue, but one day we just got into a very short disagreement about the existance of God. When I said that I wanted her to prove that God didn't exist, she made a remark and we have not spoken since. Yeah I do miss my conversations on other things with her, but all that I can do is hope and pray that some day God touches her heart.

But back to the question. For me, Jesus is the one person in my life that I know really cares about me. Jesus isn't demanding anything from me, nor is he just wanting things from me. Jesus isn't like some of the people who have come into my life and act like vampires who just want me to do something for them. Jesus is the one person in my life who contacts me and asks me how I am doing.

People in this world get upset and complain to me that I never call them, and this is when I am the one who has called them. The funny thing is that they never call me, and when I have pointed this out, they change the subject.

Jesus comes to visit me. No I am not talking about coming to my place in a physical form, but Jesus stops by and visits me. I have lived in the same place for the last three years, and since I have moved in not a single person has ever come by to just visit,, but yet people will complain that I don't come by to see them. But Jesus comes by and checks out hwo I am. If I am not feeling well, Jesus is there.

Jesus is willing to listen to my ideas and hear what I have to say. I have gotten to the point with some people where I know that they aren't going to listen to me. Everything has to be about them. The funny thing with that is that those people who don't want to listen and want to make things about them is they think that they know all about me, but the truth is they really know nothing. They do their darndest to come across as an expert in many things, but the truth is they no nothing about anything.

Jesus is willing to apologize to me without excuses. I know someone now who has come up with excuse after excuse to me without ever saying the words “I'm sorry.” How this person can sit in a church week after week and ask God for forgiveness and to aplogize to God for the wrong that they have done is beyond me. I was taught that one sees God in there fellow human, so when I screw up, I say apologize. During service yesterday I screwed up as I had misread soemthing, and it effected the congregation. I apologized, and when someone else tried to blaim it on something else, I again apologized to the congregation and said that the fault was mine and mine alone.

Jesus died for my sins, and if he hadn't who knows what I would be like now. I want to again thank Jesus for dying for my sins, and continuing to be punished for my sins now. Yes most of the time I try my best to lead a sin free life, but I screw up.

Jesus is my best friend and has nothing but love for me. People say that parents have unconditional love for there kids, but think about it really. How often have you heard or even said that you would do something for your (or any) child as long as they do something. You have now put a condition upon actions, whereas in unconditional love actions aren't needed except by you.

Jesus is my guide. I am one of the sheep of Jesus who he is leading through an area where there are things that could kill me, kidnap me, or do me harm. Yes at times I do go off of the path and he leads me back, but he is my guide.

Oh I could go on and on about who Jesus is to me, but I want for you to sit back and think about who Jesus is to you?

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Who do you relate to in the Bible? - Part II

 

Someone left a comment about my last posing, and it got me thinking. The one person in the Bible that I think that we all can relate to is Peter. How can we all relate to Peter? Think about it. How many times have you denied something that was true? We deny things many times to get out of something. Think back to your childhood, when you would blame someone else for something that you did. You would say over and over again how it was some other person who did the wrong, but you knew that it was really you.

Not accepting responsibility for ones action is something that we all learn without being really taught that is something that should be done. We did it as a child in order to avoid a spanking or punishment, and as adults to get out of a ticket or other things. We have people in prison and jail who will tell you that they didn't do something, when in reality they really did.

We can all relate to at least one person in the Bible, but most likely we can relate to a large number of people in it in some way. Peter could relate to Adam and Eve, in that he didn't accept responsibility in being one of Christ's followers and the actions that Christ did, just like Adam and Eve didn't accept responsibility for their actions by eating of the forbidden fruit. They all attempted to “pass the buck (blame)” onto someone else.

Off and on throughout history, people have been placed in situations in which they had a choice of saying that they are Christians, or denying that they are. This is an action that occurs even today. Check out the news stories that come out of some of the countries where another religion basically rules. You will find stories of people being killed because they are Christians. But I wonder how many people were not killed because they denied that they were Christians. I am sure that in some of these countries the number of Christians killed would drop if all who claim Christ wouldn't deny it. If millions upon millions of people were killed because of their religious beliefs, the world would do something. The Nazis killed millions of Jews, and the world came to their rescue. A friend of my mom's just died a few weeks ago who was put into a concentration camp because he was a Jew. I had the honor of meeting him a number of years ago, and even though we never talked about what happened to him, he had my respect because he stood for his beliefs.

We need to stop denying who we are and the actions that we have done. Christ never denied who he was or the things that he did, so why should we?

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A Rant of a friend

Below is a rant of a friend of mine. As much as I love her, I kind of wish that she had a sibling who was the total opposite of her, for I have heard enough sermons by her father about the wonderful things that she has done. Now I know that she isn't as good as her parents think that she is, but she is a wonderful person that I think greatly of.

Check out her Blog

- Rant, rant, rant!!

Ok, so this is going to be a bit of a rant.

I recently came across a discussion regarding homosexuality online. It started out pleasantly enough, then degraded a bit into "sin" talk. I am always disturbed by people who profess to be Christians and yet they 'hate' those that don't live the same lifestyle.

I was raised by Christian parents, in fact my father is a priest. I was taught that "alternative lifestyles" (a term I didn't hear until I was older), were fine and dandy providing they weren't hurtful to anyone. That just because I didn't live that way didn't make it wrong, just different.

My mother had many gay friends, I had friends with one parent, friends with gay/lesbian parents, friends who lived with their grandparents, friends who lived in foster care, friends who were only children, the youngest child, the oldest, the middle, lived in blended families, some had dogs, some cats, some pet snakes. I had friends who were white, black, Indian, Asian, mixed with everything. I had friends who were on welfare, some were rich, middle class, or just plain poor. I grew up with legal immigrants, illegal immigrants, people whose family came on the Mayflower, and some who came to the USA when they were 15 or older, some were adopted. Let's see, Jewish friends, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Muslim, Wiccan, Agnostic, Atheist, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, etc........I could go on. Here's what I don't understand. If I grew up with all of these people, all of these lifestyles, differences, both physical, emotional, economic.....which is the "alternative" lifestyle?!?

I mean seriously....If I look back at my childhood, my parents, and ONE other family I grew up with were the only ones with parents who were married, had been married prior to our conception and birth, and who were our natural parents. <----This was the "alternative" to everyone and everything I saw around me. I was the freak, I was the weird one, I still am.

So why in society is that the family dynamic/life dynamic/love dynamic/sex dynamic that everyone feels is "normal and okay"? Can someone explain it to me?

Oh, wait I know.....the bible says so, right?!? And we are a bible loving country in the good old USA, right?!?

Don't get me wrong, I love the bible, it's teaching, and stories, but really?!? That's the reasoning? Doesn't it also say not to eat pork? But on T.V. it says pork is the other white meat. Every Christian church function I've gone to has pork products. Doesn't the bible also say to rest on the Sabbath? But come on all the best sales are on the weekends! Hmmm, what else does the bible say to do that we as "Christians" don't follow. Why is it that we get to pick and choose what we want to believe in the bible, then we point to it as our moral compass, when we as a people, religious group, don't follow all of it's tenants?

But then it also says to love our neighbor, to turn the other cheek, and to do unto others.....but then we often choose to disregard those teachings too. Why do we choose the negative to live by rather than the positive? How can a Christian person say, "I hate the sin but love the sinner", there should be no hate.

How can you hate someone for loving someone else?!? Shouldn't we embrace any love? Shouldn't we celebrate positive feelings in this world? I just don't understand how you can hate/dislike someone for who they have sex with. Why? I want someone to explain this to me without the excuse of "because the bible says so". The bible says a LOT of things that you don't follow, how did you come to the conclusion that THAT particular issue is the one you should grab onto?

Personally, if you love someone, and that someone loves you back, the RIGHT ON! GOOD FOR YOU! Why is that my business or my concern?

I see things day in and day out at my job that baffle the mind and would assault the sensibilities of anyone in the "general public". Then I go home, surf the net, watch t.v. try to escape, and what do I see? The "normal" people, the "Christian" people who are bagging on others, spreading hatred and discontent. People who are trying to divide, who think their way is the only way, who say they are Americans and Christians, yet they want everyone to live their way, because obviously that is the "correct" way.

It's getting to the point that I go to work to escape from the "real world". Because at least there, I know who I'm dealing with, I know what I'm getting. And the people I work with know that they aren't perfect, know that there are different ways of living that are good, and just. Don't hate me because I'm different than they are.

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