This is the time....

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke, and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears what to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist..." 2 Timothy 4:1-4

There have been so many issues come up lately in the news and among my friends that have shocked me to the core. I do not understand so much of what is going on... why someone would turn from what they know is Truth, to follow what they desire. Why someone would twist the Word of God to make their sins allowable. Why someone who grew up in church, who was rooted in the Word, all of a sudden believes in everything but the Word. But, God knew all along.... He knew this was how we were going to destroy ourselves and destroy the precious gift of salvation that he gave us.

Now, don't get me wrong, we all sin, and we all struggle, but what I don't understand is how you can live a lifestyle that is completely against the Word, and not have any guilt or any problem with it. (When I sin, or when I'm struggling with something, I KNOW it's wrong! It eats me up! I can't handle the guilt!) I don't understand how Christians can stop trying to be better people, to be more godly people, to be more like Christ. How do Christians hate other people with one sentence, then in the next preach the love of Christ. How is it so many "Christians" have decided that they have the power to forgive or not to forgive, to judge or to hold a grudge. Who gave them this authority? It's surely not from Christ! Why, on any level, would someone who follows Christ decide that they are above Christ's rules or his grace? No wonder no one wants to be a Christian, no wonder everyone thinks we're a bunch of crazy hypocritical haters. Because so many people who call themselves Christians ARE!!!

We've forgotten to be real, to be honest, to share our stories, to share our struggles, to share God's grace in our lives! We've forgotten (or are too embarrassed) to share our sins and our forgiveness with our neighbor. We make ourselves out to be so perfect, and others to be soooo horrible that we are creating a breakdown in relationships, we are increasing the void between us and non-believers. We are supposed to be fostering relationships, showing how amazing God is and how we need Him! We have to start doing our job in preaching the Truth, or the false doctrine is going to completely outshadow the Gospel.

2 Peter 2- also has a lot to say on this... it's an amazing charge to get going with evangelizing! We MUST share the love of Christ, then make disciples! WE MUST! Their lives depend on it.