First of all, I am not a fan of politics at all. Both sides tend to grate on my nerves. And I’m certain that the problems our country are facing are spiritual in nature and need spiritual answers, not political ones. We don’t need a new set of politicians in office nearly as much as we need revival.

I personally think that the blame starts and ends with us. We can’t really blame lost people for acting lost or sinners for sinning. It’s their nature. We on the other hand have a lot less excuse for professing our faith with our lips, but denying it with our lifestyle. Between our hypocrisy and our hyper-judgmentalism, it’s no wonder we have so little impact on our culture, for the most part. And there are exceptions all around.

But this is not another church-bashing blog. This is about Jesus being patient with His Bride and how one day He will come back and set everything right again, including us. I love how C.S. Lewis stated that the Rightful King has landed and has invited us on a campaign of sabotage. Right now, we as believers are the minority and the truth we speak is decidedly not the current trend. The tempation will always be to water down the message or leave out the more divisive parts. But when we do that, we’re presenting a different gospel. One that’s not a gospel at all.

The Gospel is that we are all screwed up sinners who deserve hell but can get Jesus instead. We don’t get a new rulebook to follow or a new moral code. We get the blood of Jesus speaking over us and declaring us as holy and righteous (that is, in right standing with God). We get life to the full both now and in the life to come.

A friend of mine made a wise comment. Don’t assume that those around you know Christ or the Gospel just because they’re in a church-related activity. Make sure those around you know that the Gospel isn’t about being a better you, but Jesus making you into a brand new you.

As for dogs, I like ’em. I like both cats AND dogs, Coke AND Pepsi, GM AND Ford, and I defy you to make me choose one or the other. I like coffee, too, but I like it well disguised, with lots of cream and sugar and other added ingredients. They call those lattes, I’m told. And I like them a latte.

In the end, I’m mostly a fan of grace, both for receiving it for myself (which I do very well) and for extending it to others (which I don’t do nearly as well on). Grace means not jumping to conclusions based on a few facts and it means believing the best about people. Grace is why I’m alive, so I kinda have to like it, right?

Amen and amen.