Hey Christian...Thou art HATED! (and not for the reason you think)

John 15:18-176 (King James Version)

18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

In this world there is a war being waged and we're losing. We're losing because we have forgotten what we are fighting for. We are so busy making sure that we look right, dress right and speak right, we've forgotten to DO right. I don't mean we're running around sinning at every opportunity, I mean we've forgotten the TWO COMMANDMENTS! To love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus said that on these two thing hang all the law and the prophets! In other words the entire Old Testament is wrapped up in these two commandments!
We know we fail God on a daily basis. At least I HOPE we know that. We know that there are thoughts and actions in our lives that don't honor God. We don't seem to have too much trouble admitting that.
We do, however, have trouble admitting that we fail our neighbour. We overlook those in need. We look at those who don't believe as unworthy to be around. We see them as untrustworthy and dirty.
Admit it...if you found out someone was an atheist, would it change the way you look at them?
I know I've been guilty of it.
How can you lead someone to Christ that you look down on? Is it possible that you disassociate yourself from "bad people" so much that you don't even see the opportunity to witness to them?
What good would a doctor be if he decided only to see healthy patients?

Jesus said in Matthew 11:29 "Take my you upon you, and learn* from me; for I am meek and lowly heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (*emphasis mine)

Is that the way we are today? Are we meek and lowly? or are we overbearing and judgemental?
The world should hate us, Jesus said they would. But the world should hate us because we love God. They should hate us because we won't join them in idle gossip. They should hate us because we strive to be as much like Jesus as possible.
They shouldn't hate us because we hate them.

What was the reason the world hated Jesus?

He loved people.

He told the truth.

He went against the traditions of man and taught the Word of God.

Why does the world hate Christians?

We discriminate and judge.

They see us as hypocrites.

We have gotten away from the Word of God and gone back to the traditions of man.

I pains me to say this but Christian radio BLEW IT!!!

Yep, they had their chance and they completely dropped the ball.
Remember a few years ago when Mercy Me came out with "I can only imagine" and "Word of God Speak"? Great songs...huge hits...millions of records sold. "I can only imagine" was being played on Top 40 radio!!! People by the scores were tuning in to Christian radio to get more, more, more...People were hungry for the Word through music and Christian radio didn't deliver.

Why? Money.

Christian radio refuses to put quality programming on their stations because they have to pay for it!
Nothing against the local guys here...I love Cleve Walker to death and think he is one of the most talented and dependable people I have ever worked with.I'm talking about radio on a national level.

Have you ever heard Howard Stern? Ok Ok Ok don't faint.

I'm not a regular listener nor do I advocate anyone listening to his show, but, Stern is an incredible talent...yes he is vulgar, yes he is crude, yes his bits are disgusting...but in between that it is compelling radio. It's radio that draws the listener in...no matter the content you are compelled to keep listening!
What does Christian radio have to compare?


Didn't think so.

We have the likes of "Way of the Master" radio. A radio show that takes great pride in blasting preachers, belittling non believers and making Christians doubt their salvation. Sometimes it sounds like they think the only people that are going to be in Heaven are them and Jesus and they're not real sure about Jesus.

Honestly I would rather listen to Howard Stern than than these guys. Actually it doesn't matter matter weather I listen to Stern or Way of the Master Radio, in both cases I feel like I'm going to hell.

Radio is a huge medium that the Christian world has failed to capitalize on! Think about it, what non believer would listen to 99% of what's on the air today?

According to a Barna study only 16% of adults in the United States listen to Christian radio on a daily basis, and that's in a nation where 86% of people say they are Christian!!!

Sadly 46% say they never listen. Ever.

Radio is the most widely used medium in the world and we are failing to use it to its fullest potential so we can save a tax free dollar.

Wake up Christian Radio...the world needs you.

On the way to the summit.

I was reading a story a few days ago about climbing Mt. Everest. This is an incredible accomplishment for anyone who is brave enough to try it. The human body isn't designed to handle living at that altitude. Once you reach a certain point along the way, you literally start to die. Your internal organs begin to shut down. In an attempt to save them the body pulls blood from the extremities like the fingers, toes and nose and sends to the vital organs. That's how frostbite happens. The body is trying to stay alive.

Many people have climbed Everest over the years. Many have succeeded, many have failed, many have lost their lives. I never really thought about it but when you die on Everest you stay on Everest.

The mountain is littered with bodies.

What a horrible view for anyone trying to summit the mountain. To look around and see the white, sun bleached, frozen bodies of those who failed to do what you are attempting.

The cold nights and reality set in quick on Everest.

A few weeks ago I read where Mark Inglis the first double amputee made it to the summit! What a glorious feat! The world celebrated this incredible human being and his determination to make it to the top of the world's highest mountain. His drive was incredible! Nothing could stop him...not even a dying man.

His expedition was nearing one of the final legs of the ascent when they saw climber David Sharp tucked in a nook of the mountain, alive, nearly frozen to death but still alive.

Mark Inglis made it to the summit and returned home. David Sharp is still on Everest.

I'm not going to make a moral judgement here, I know how I feel about it. But I'm writing this to make an analogy of our Christian walk. Our expedition to the summit.

Is our climb to the top so important that we would leave someone, who is dying spiritually, behind while we press on? Would Jesus?

Or would He stop and help, even if it meant that His journey would be delayed a minute, an hour or even a day.

Don't let the way to Jesus be strewn with the bodies of those who couldn't make it on their own.

Go Rosie Go....Really, just GO!

Did you see the blow up between Rosie and Elisabeth on "The View"?
I've been reading a lot of blogs this morning...I know,but it's my job.
It seems that an overwhelming majority of the posts defend Rosie!
This is the woman who called our soldiers "terrorists"! Since when is a comment like this acceptable?
A lot of bloggers came down on Elizabeth for being a Christian. In fact if you watched the show you saw Elizabeth completely snubbed by guest Alicia Silverstone.
Then it hit me.
When the Jews were given the choice between releasing a known vicious murderer like Barabbas or releasing Jesus....they chose Barabbas....Don't be surprised...the world will ALWAYS chose Barabbas.

Think about that.

It's back!!!

Yeaaaaaa! After a weeks hiatus our Bible Study continues with Galatians! This is a really cool book that addresses some of the issues that the Church faces today with some folks thinking that their calling is higher than someone else's because of the degree hanging on their wall.

I had a great lunch yesterday with my buddy Craigen. He's the Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Westville, South Carolina. What an awesome time! I came away pumped up and ready to charge hell with a squirt gun, as my buddy Jay Snell would say. Please, Please, I cannot stress enough how important it is for each of us to get together and lift each other up!!! This world is great at beating us down and getting together with other believers and just having fun can take away a lot of the junk the world puts on us...So let's get together!!! And speaking of that...

I can't wait for tonight! Let's eat and get fed all at once!!! BTW I think Hal has a special song for us and we know Joel is alway ready to bless us with a song. It's GOOD to be back!

Well this is pretty cool! I just got some new software to update the RealLifeOnline.net website and I LOVE IT! I don'f fully understand all the bells and whistles yet but already I am enjoying using it. This should make things a lot simpler for me to update as often as I need to!!! I really hope everyone likes it.

I just got back from Las Vegas this week where I was awarded the 2007 Academy of Country Music Radio Personality of the Year!!! This is a huge honor. I wish I could say that I would have been happy just to be nominated...but I wanted to WIN!!! Is that wrong of me? I'll pray on it. There could be a little pride there somewhere :)

Some thoughts on Vegas.

Sloane and I had a great time at the ACM's but the whole time The Holy Spirit was just sitting heavy on my heart. At first I was thinking maybe it was something to do with the award. Maybe I was a little too excited to be honored with the biggest names in music, maybe I was getting too caught up in the glitz and glamour of the event, a lot of thoughts were going on in my head.

As Sloane and I were heading back from a record company party at Harrah's we were looking at all these wonderful buildings, especially The Bellagio Hotel. At one time this was the most expensive building ever built per square foot. It cost over a million dollars a room to build!!! I was just mulling the whole thing over when I saw a homeless man sleeping on the bench at a bus station we were passing. I felt really bad and thought how can a man be homeless right next to a billion dollar building? Then The Holy Spirit spoke..."or a million dollar church"

Think about that...I sure am.

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