You think you’re better than me

Who rules? O’Doyle rules! O’Doyle rules! O’Doyle rules! If you have no idea what I am talking about…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsNgRmsx-14

A family thought they had it best, sadly their run came to a tragic end. You could say, that’s not me. I never did anything like that. While it’s just a movie, there is enough bullying you have experience in one of three ways, as the bully, the bullied or the stand by guy (Person who just watches but doesn’t do anything about it). Who is at fault more, the bully or the one who stands by and doesn’t nothing about it? Either way, it’s still wrong.

What makes one wrong better then another one? Paul talks a lot in chapter 3 of Romans about sin and how we all sin. I am not perfect. I am not Jesus, yet I live my life for him. Christians have a tendency to struggle with different sins and yet are completely judgmental against other sins. We pick and choose what is the deeper sin. Some might say…

·         I might smoke but I never watch rated R movies
·         I get drunk once every while but I have never done drugs
·         I look at porn but I didn’t have sex before marriage
·         I lie and gossip but I always encourage people when I see them face to face

Hypocrisy can look different in someone else’s eyes. This is a point Paul brings up in Romans 3:19ish-20 (The Message), “And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.”

Just because you claim God and Jesus doesn’t mean you are perfect. Christians should never come across as perfect. One of the sad stories you hear is when a couple with kids goes to get divorced or live in a sham of a marriage and nobody has a clue. People are shocked and have no clue. Why? With all of the Sunday School, small groups, life groups, c groups and whatever else groups Church’s come up with, if you’re not honest, it doesn’t create true community. People put on a show that they have it all together, I noticed the one’s that think they have it all together are usually the opposite when people aren’t around.

There is a book for parents with young kids Everyone Poops, there could be one titled Everyone Sins. Paul makes sure we understand this from the greatest to the least, everyone sins. If you think you are better than anyone else, you are wrong. If you’re a Christian you are still a sinner. Shoot, Christians are attacked more because you know some things you do are sins.

Just like a bully, you can be wrong for being a bully and wrong for not doing anything to stop a bully. Generally, no one sin in greater than any other. You are not a greater person then your neighbor. So get of the judgmental horse and have a huge piece of humble pie. Rather than being so quick to judge others, what are ways you can improve as a person? Maybe it’s time to be honest with someone, or to quit judging and focus on getting something that is wrong with you right. You can’t expect others to improve when you aren’t even willing to improve yourself. You are a sinner just like everyone else, so there are still things in life you can improve. Don’t judge, just focus on what you can improve in.

Have a great day.

Marriage is a three ring circus: engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering. -Anonymous

Fairy tales aren’t real.

And they lived happily ever after….yeah right.

If you are surprised by that…bless your heart.

No matter how much kid movies show the happily ever after in real life we know this isn’t always true.

What would Prince Charming do if he came home and found his bathroom covered in makeup and other girl products?

How would Cinderalla respond if she found out that Prince Charming has really bad gas?

Nothing is perfect in marriage.

The quote goes…

"Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed." (Albert Einstein)

Nothing is perfect in marriage.

Sometimes things are great and sometimes they are bad.

This is the way so many things are in life.

Whether it’s…

·         Relationships
·         Friendships
·         Jobs
·         Sports teams
·         Faith

There isn’t a perfect faith.

Faith is about having issues, making mistakes, feeling guilt and love at the same time.

It can be a struggle.

Faith is not happily ever after until an earthly death.

When I meet with someone to talk about baptism, I tell them this is the start of faith, not the end.

You get challenged in your faith and need help sometimes.

Listen to how Paul and Barnabas try to help people out in Acts 14:22…

“Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.”

Anything worth doing is worth fighting for.

I have seen many struggles in faith through the years.

I have seen some of the most faithful people I know go through a struggle in their life and turn their back on their faith.

Faith isn’t easy.

It sounds so easy to have faith sometimes.

Just love God and love people.

Sounds simple enough then it turns.

Now we are wondering what faith is about when…

·         People question us on current issues
·         When we wonder how or who to vote for
·         What are views on current issues etc.

Faith is not easy.

If faith was easy, just like marriage, everyone would do it and stay with it through the tough times.

It’s the tough times that are the challenge.

You will never have all the answers in marriage or faith.

Yet through it all I still believe in marriage and I believe in Jesus through thick and thin.

Paul and Barnabas lifted and encourage the people while also letting them know that faith isn’t easy.

If you are struggling in marriage, faith or other areas of your life…

Don’t give up.

Life isn’t always easy but life is so much fun at the same time.

Hang in there, things will improve.

Have a great day.

What'd you call me?

For a long time I thought he hated me.

My best friend Jason Sleight dad that is.

It all started about 14 years ago, I was talking to Jason on the phone when out of nowhere he calls Bob (Jason’s dad) and says I called him (I don’t even remember what exactly) something like a sissy girl that anyone could beat up.

I couldn’t believe Jason would lie to his dad and I started to freak out.

I hear Jason yelling this to his dad and I hear his dad in the distance yelling, “WHAT’D HE CALL ME.”

Next his dad got on the phone and said it again, I fumbled words around saying it was Jason and not me.

I thought for a while Jason’s dad hated me.

What I found out later, I was setup.

Jason’s dad was next to him the entire time and they were laughing about it.

At the time I really didn’t find it funny, now I can look back and laugh.

Bob will still come up to me once every while and say, “What’d you call me?”

What do people call you?

What do people call you to your face?

Behind your back?

If people just met you, what would they say about you after spending a couple of minutes with you.

What would you like to be called?

In Acts 4 the apostles and followers were sharing everything in common.

People brought things to the apostles and gave to those in need.

One of the people that brought stuff to Jesus was a man named Joseph.

Listen to what they called him in verse 36…

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyrpus whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”).”

Son of encouragement.

That is a great name to be called.

He was known as an encourager.

Not a bad trait to be known as.

I think about what I want to be known as…

A good guy

Good follower of Jesus
A funny guy
Person who was there for others
Genuinely cared about other people

I don’t want to be known for negative things.

Sometimes we are known for things we don’t want to be known for.

If that is the case, how can that change today?

How do you want to be known for?

Are you the person you want to be today?

I am a firm believer that everyone no matter how old can still change for the better.

That Jesus gives us another chance and we can do the same for others.

We can be known for being a better person and if we are the ones that make fun of other people we can change.

Are you who you want to be known for today?

If not, what can you do to improve that?

What’d you call me is a joke I laugh about now, what do you want to be called today?

Have a great day.