Jesus Shoes: Walking with Jesus in America

We are preparing to start our new series next week.

We will be going over the following four American characteristics and how they influence our dedication to Jesus.

Please stay tuned - and go ahead and watch the intro video I did below.

Thanks,

Jesus Shoes: A New Teaching Series In America, people are so familiar with the words of Jesus that very few people take them seriously. This is most notable in mainstream religious ... www.youtube.com

Matthew Armstrong

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Hope For The Camel

Camels are even-toed ungulates within the genus Camelus. At least that what wikipedia says.



Actually, the camel I am talking about is the poverty-stricken rich upper class American who has not realized the poverty of their souls.

Yes... after much prayer. We unexpectedly discovered that there is hope for the camel http://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/the-pictures/Arabian-Camel.jpg - there is hope for our rich American friends. See it all goes back to a verse in scripture where Jesus, confronting a young rich dude, lays bare the poor mans love of riches in contrast to his love for God. You may remember the verse:

BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Mark 10:17-31; Matt 19:16-30 ...
The Rich Young Man. 17(A) And as he was setting out on his journey, .... 18(A) And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to(B) inherit eternal ...
www.biblegateway.com

If you read the full portion of you'll see that there is hope...

HOPE for the CAMEL....

Here's a good song by Derek Webb that captures both sides of poverty - materially rich and poor.

Rich Young Ruler What's the hardest thing for you to give up... and why? www.youtube.com

What do you think?
Matthew Armstrong,
Web Developer, Youth Activist, and Friend
www.MatthewArmstrong.net

Jesus Shoes...

Maybe we shouldn't listen to Jesus after all?

I mean, look at his shoes... there's no telling where he's been.

Matthew Armstrong,
Web Developer, Youth Activist, and Friend
www.MatthewArmstrong.net

livingparable@gmail.com
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Is it Jesus?

[Disclaimer: This article is an article - not a book. Never base anything you think or believe, regarding yourself or an author, on one article. Reach, seek, learn, grow.]

You know, there are people in the world today that would honestly say they hate Jesus - and they would believe they had good reason to do so. There are even more people who seemingly feel a secret hatred towards Jesus - it is not something they would profess, but deep down they have hate in the hearts for him, sometimes without understanding why.

There are also many people who would honestly say they love Jesus. While others might not profess it much but deep down they can say they love Jesus.

Ok - so what is the point?

The point, which I am about to share... hold tight, has the potential to change the way you see your relationship to Jesus forever. Furthermore, regardless of what you thought of Jesus before reading this (love/hate/not sure), the way you think about Jesus after reading this has the potential to literally change your life!

Ok - now I want you to think back to the people in the beginning of this article. Some openly say they hate Jesus, some secretly hate him. Others openly say they love him, while others secretly love him.

Perspective Change
Now catch This: If you stop and think about it and ask, "do either of these groups of people really hate or love Jesus?", you might come to a startling answer.

• What if many of the people that hate Jesus and many of the ones that love Jesus have mistaken Mainstream Christianity for Jesus?

The reality is, I know this to be true. I once had a secret hatred for Jesus - or so I thought. I was never brought up in church, my mom was more of a Christmas and Easter agnostic than anything else. However, after my dramatic near-death experience I ended up looking into the New Testament with uncolored eyes that had never been stained by a particular creed or denomination..... and you know what?
I found something I had never seen before. Not Christianity.

I found Jesus.. the revolutionary that didn't fit
my perspective of Christianity.

Ever since that time, as I'm transformed and learn more about the New Testament and it's historical context, I keep finding more of Jesus. But you know what's sad about it?

I also keep finding less of Christianity.
(in the very teachings we Christians claim to follow)

• How many people who hate or don't believe in Jesus, really just don't believe in the religion that supposedly represents him.
  
• How many people who confess to love him really just love the ideas and comfort of the religion that supposedly represents him.
• What ever your thoughts may have been before, take off the colored glasses and look into the gospels... Whether believer or non-believer, you might find Jesus for the first time.
• Next read "Jesus and Mainstream Christianity" - you might be shocked at what you find.