By Neal Stone --
So there have been times in my life when things got real bad. I would hit an all time low sometimes. I would sit there all alone, praying and begging god for direction, guidance and help. I am going to go through a couple of these times with you.
When I was in private school I was always picked on my the PK (preachers kid). I never fit in and was often very lonely. I had Epilepsy and a learning disability on top of that.
Then there were the seizures, looking for work, spending a night sleeping in a car, staying with family members when I had no place to go. My wife going through chemo for cancer treatment. The list goes on and on.
In all these times I asked “Where was Jesus?” The answers I would get were:
But my favorite was:
Crying?! The big mighty creator of the universe? The same guy who opened up the earth and had it swallow disobedient people? Crying is the best he can do? If crying and promising to "someday" defeat evil is the best god can do it's no wonder he is losing followers.
If I was a father and I saw someone abusing my kid, I doubt crying would be the first thing that would come to mind. Well maybe crying "You better run mother fucker!" might pop into mind before I popped him/her with a baseball bat! But crying tears and then doing nothing is not the kind of response I would expect from a great and powerful god.
I have friends now whose lives seem aimless and with no direction and one has issues with alcohol and depression. Did I mention these are Christian friends? And don't give me that "Free Will" speech or that it's all about their failure to trust in god or something like that. Free will is a two way street and these friends have plenty of faith. At least more than a mustard seed.
"But look at all the lies changes by gods work. Look at all the people who have turned their lives around. Look at all the good that has been done."
Lives change because they want to change. People change lives because they truly want to make a difference. I know plenty of Christians whose lives are still crap or they fail to reach people because they just want the social part of it. As for all the good work that is done, well, any group of people with the same focus and desire can make change. Any group that really wants to can make someone else's life better. Just watch Extreme Makeover sometime or Holmes on Homes.
Change and improving lives comes from the deep born desire to want to make this world a better place. It is our deep rooted core desire to have a better world that drives people who want to do good.
So there have been times in my life when things got real bad. I would hit an all time low sometimes. I would sit there all alone, praying and begging god for direction, guidance and help. I am going to go through a couple of these times with you.
When I was in private school I was always picked on my the PK (preachers kid). I never fit in and was often very lonely. I had Epilepsy and a learning disability on top of that.
Then there were the seizures, looking for work, spending a night sleeping in a car, staying with family members when I had no place to go. My wife going through chemo for cancer treatment. The list goes on and on.
In all these times I asked “Where was Jesus?” The answers I would get were:
He was there beside you.
He was and will always be with you.
But when I asked what he was doing I would get:
He was suffering with you.
He was supporting you.
But my favorite was:
He was crying for you.
Crying?! The big mighty creator of the universe? The same guy who opened up the earth and had it swallow disobedient people? Crying is the best he can do? If crying and promising to "someday" defeat evil is the best god can do it's no wonder he is losing followers.
If I was a father and I saw someone abusing my kid, I doubt crying would be the first thing that would come to mind. Well maybe crying "You better run mother fucker!" might pop into mind before I popped him/her with a baseball bat! But crying tears and then doing nothing is not the kind of response I would expect from a great and powerful god.
I have friends now whose lives seem aimless and with no direction and one has issues with alcohol and depression. Did I mention these are Christian friends? And don't give me that "Free Will" speech or that it's all about their failure to trust in god or something like that. Free will is a two way street and these friends have plenty of faith. At least more than a mustard seed.
"But look at all the lies changes by gods work. Look at all the people who have turned their lives around. Look at all the good that has been done."
Lives change because they want to change. People change lives because they truly want to make a difference. I know plenty of Christians whose lives are still crap or they fail to reach people because they just want the social part of it. As for all the good work that is done, well, any group of people with the same focus and desire can make change. Any group that really wants to can make someone else's life better. Just watch Extreme Makeover sometime or Holmes on Homes.
Change and improving lives comes from the deep born desire to want to make this world a better place. It is our deep rooted core desire to have a better world that drives people who want to do good.
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