Over time I have heard so many reasons why people do not believe or cry out to our God. It does not seem realistic, they are too messed up to be helped, or they do not have time. Yet, of all the excuses, the most bothersome one I have heard is about the people that follow Him. The Lord’s followers are prohibiting His children from coming back to him. They feel unwanted and not accepted. Isn’t that the opposite of what we were called to do? Matthew 28:19-20 states, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.” We need to recognize what we are doing that prohibits followers and change immediately.

Judge Rather Than Love

Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. Straight. Male. Female. Hermaphrodite. Caucasian. African American. Japanese. Chinese. Indian. Vietnamese. Asian. Hawaiian. Korean. Short. Tall. Overweight. Underweight. The list goes on. Our God created each one of us, every single person you have seen and known in your life. Imagine all of the harsh comments, negative thoughts, and dirty looks you have ever given. To anyone. Each of these were directed toward a child of God that He loves so dearly. The moment you make someone feel negatively about themself, they will immediately build a wall that your message of His great news will not get through. Even to the worst of sinners we must be gracious, for He was. Galatians 3:26, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God,” Mark 12:28-31, “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘’Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’’ The second is this: ‘’Love your neighbor as yourself.’’ There are no commandments greater than these.’”

Talk More Than Walk

There are two kinds of believers that do this. Those that say they believe in Christ, they shared the memes on Facebook with His face on it, but return to their old ways immediately. Others believe in Christ, go to church, and they feel a new love for Him until Monday night and then decide to return to their weekly selves. If you want His work to be done and to go to Heaven when you leave this Earth, you must be all in. If you walk one hand with Jesus and the other with Lucifer they will pull you to their side and it will rip you apart from all the stress on your life. If you are a believer then DO it. BE it. Do not just SAY it. People can say they are healthy but can go sit on the couch with a root beer every night. It is the same with your faith. You can say you are a Christian but you can fall to the Devil’s ways without reaching to God everywhere you turn. Actions speak louder than words and they make you who you are.

How We Pray

We pray for the Lord to fix this, this, and this. We ask for favors and for Him to just ‘work His magic’. We cannot have this way of thinking anymore. Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Maybe what you’re praying for is not in His plans. He will have His way so pray for him to do so. Ask Him to help us honor Him and to be more like Him. We are the problem, we must change, we just need to ask Him for the guidance and the strength to do so.

All of the above will help us to be better Christians, to honor our God, and to have a better relationship with Him. We as Christians keep getting these things wrong; but by the power of God, and our will to do so, we can get it right for the better of the kingdom and His children.