Yesterday was a big day! We started our new series "Blank! Christians." There were definitely a few moments of tension. Yes, I did compare many Christians to rabid dogs.

Jesus is worth being passionate about!
Jesus was. And He still is!
As cliche and religious as it sounds, Jesus is alive! He is real, He is not just a character out of a history book.
To know someone you have to spend time with them.

I am so excited about the major players that come to Cross Culture, Church for the City. We have some people that really love Jesus and want to work do everything they can to make Him famous through their lives!

I did say "Jesus is my homeboy!"

Cross Culture, Church for the City is growing!

I love how everyone was engaging in so much conversation and we practically had to kick people outside! Great friends!

We are still tracking on our yard sale fundraiser. Still need more donations, ask everyone you know. It is spring cleaning time after all!

Jakd for next week. Bring someone with you! We are going to open a can! Oh yes! You know what I'm sayin'!

Do you get judged like I do? Whether to my face or behind my back people are judging me. Most of us judge other people.

I think about the religious of our day and from past years. It seems that their goal is to catch others in sin, in bad places doing bad things. In reading about Jesus, this is true even about Him so many years ago.

If we study Jesus we see that He lived a perfect-sinless life. So, when the religious tried to judge Him they had no ground to stand on. I love one response Jesus gives in John:

Again some of the people picked up stones to kill Jesus. 32 But he said to them, "I have done many good works from the Father. Which of these good works are you killing me for?" (John 10:31-32, emphasis mine)

Jesus said this around the time of the feist of dedication. People we asking Him to say that He is truly "Christ" or "The Messiah," He was explaining that He was. We find the above Srcipture after His statements.

I find several things interesting, here are a couple:

-In verse 31, it says "Again some of the people picked up stones..." Meaning, this had happened before. These people were quick to judge and condemn.

-Jesus was quick on His feet. He asked "Which of these good works are you killing me for?" I think I can hear Jesus sounding kind of smartalic-ish. I really almost laugh. It is such a great response.At the same time, I am challenged. Jesus knew that He was without sin. This tells me to do what God tells me to do. Avoid sin at all cost. If all someone can judge me for is good works, I am in great shape!

As a Christ Follower, I want to live by Jesus example. The religious people seem to be everywhere. Jesus lived without sin and did good works from and for The Father. Since most of us will not be able to avoid judgement from the religious. As Jesus didn't either. We should give good works as the only thing to be judged.

Do we share Jesus out of obligation or out of love for people? So many times people think that the act of sharing Jesus is just that an act. In reality we are sharing something or someone all of the time.

Does anger rule your life? If so, you are sharing anger all of the time. Selfishness? Pride? Whatever we allow to rule our life is what we are sharing.

I think that many of us have been trained that to share Jesus we have to do all of this work. When working for Jesus is great and we should. What's better is allowing Him to manifest Himself through us so more people will come to Him.

When Jesus walked the earth in physical body, people came to Him and were attracted to Him because of His teaching and miracles. Hey, who wouldn't be attracted to miracles? I would be absolutely amazed to see a blind person recieve sight, a lepor be healed or a lifeless person recieve their life back! Who wouldn't want to see that?

It is hard to believe that we could be sharing Jesus simply by the way we live; our attitude, actions, stories we tell and choices we make.
Has someone you know ever been so excited that they were radiating with joy and happiness? Didn't you want to know what got them so excited? When we allow Jesus to consume us and we allow Him to radiate through us, people will be attracted.

Furthermore, miracles. Have you ever performed miracles? Most of us will probably answer emphatically "no." In rality, many of us have already. And more of us will in the future.
Recently a good friend of mine helped me get my car fixed. Our fender had gotten mangled by the door. He got is straightened out and helped me put it back on. This friend was performing miracles.

In the recent ice storm in NWA there was a gentleman who made the news because of his selfless assistance to the elderly people on his street. He was cutting wood, cleaning yards and ensuring people had everything they needed. This guy was performing miracles.
When Jesus performed miracles like healing someone or turning water into wine, He was meeting immediate needs.

What kind of immediate needs can we meet?

Events, trips and and classes are great tools in your box. But, what tools could you use on a daily basis?

My questions to you: Are you living Jesus? Are you performing miracles? If not, why not?

If you or someone you know has performed miracles please share them. These stories are great examples of how we can join as well!

I took a walk through downtown this morning. My love for this city is growing more and more every day. The sound of cars echoeing off of the buildings. The sight of people running in and out of Java on the square for their morning coffee fix. The way the sun hadn't fully rose yet. The coolness in the air. The presence of God!

I counted 9 churches on my brief walk this morning. There are plenty more for sure! Bentonville is in part of the country that is considered the "Bible belt." There is a ton of religion here.
Why bring Cross Culture, Church for the Cityto Bentonville?
JESUS!

I believe that Bentonville along with most of the world is missing out on the most important person they could ever come in contact with. Jesus Christ. I beleive that if the people of Bentonville met Jesus, He could change their lives! I believe that this life change could result in more successful marriages. Happier home lives. Less depression. And, among many more things, more dreams!

Jesus changes things! Sure, His ways may not seem at first to be that attractive to all of us. But, from my experience, He rocks peoples world! He has by far rocked mine! I love Jesus with all of my heart!

Bentonville. Are you ready!?!

Christians are by far, too perfect! Doesn't it seem like to be a "Christian" you have to nearly be sinless? Isn't there a pressure to be sinless? Many times that pressure pushes people away from faith in Christ, instead of to Him.

Personally, I could never live up to the standard that many religious people, churches and Christians in general put up. It is easy to get discouraged when we screw up. We feel like we will never be able to be those "perfect" Christians.

I work hard to be the person God wants me to be, but I don't think I will achieve perfection until Heaven. Even Paul struggled with sin. Look at Romans 7:14-25. The difference between Paul and some of us is that he identified this and relies on Jesus. Many of us rely on ourselves, our own righteousness.

As Christians, we need to accept people the way they are and introduce them to Jesus. We do this by living like Him and loving like Him. We don't do this by setting rules and regulations. Restrictions cause rebellion!

Jesus changed my life! However, it wasn't until I really started to get to know Jesus (11 years after I got saved) that He truly changed me. Why? I didn't allow it. Why didn't I want to? I was overcome with rules!

I don't want to be that arrogant, self righteous, stuck up, holier than thou christian. Why? That christian is chasing people away from Jesus. I want people to want to meet Jesus!

By the way Jesus didn't come to condemn the world. Why do many of us Christians feel like it is our job to?

I was making coffee a couple of days ago and realized that I didn't really know how to make coffee. The bag says 2 tablespoons per 6 ounces of water. I measured my coffee pot, and discovered that the "6, 8, etc." doesn't mean 6, 6oz cups it means 6, 4oz cups.
I just felt like the coffee pot and I have never had an honest relationship. I feel like the coffee pot has been mis-leading me for a long time.

Had the coffee pot been mis-leading me? No! I have just been too lazy to learn what it means. I don't even remember seeing the instructions. I probably threw them away without a thought. Do I have a right to be mad at the coffee pot? No! Again, it is my fault. I have been the one mis-understanding it. Not the other way around.

What is it in your life that you are mis-understanding? Does your spouse do something? How about your co-workers? What about your friends or parents?

Call them up, go to their house. Discover what they really mean. Most arguments, fights and disagreements are caused because of a mis-communication - a mis-understanding.

Now that I have cleared the mis-communication between the coffee pot and I, I don't wonder anymore. I feel confident. Now, I can make some great coffee the way it was intended to be made.

Do you want to have ok coffee? Or, do you want to have it the way it was intended?

We did not have the internet for 2 days! A few years ago I would have thought that to be no big deal. These days, it's a big deal!

I have woke up in Bentonville for the 3rd time now! It is awesome! I really feel like Bentonville is God's city! I am so excited about being here, doing business here. Doing church here. And, living life here!

I spoke a bit about this Scripture last Sunday: "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so continue to live in him.7 Keep your roots deep in him and have your lives built on him. Be strong in the faith, just as you were taught, and always be thankful." Colossians 2:6-7

At Cross Culture, Church for the City we are in a series called "Blank Christians, Discovering the First Six."

We are discovering who Christ is, who we are in Christ, what Christ did, how to live like Christ and more. I am so jakd about this series! Many of us have been taught for many years how to live by a certain set of rules and a certain moral code. We have even been given Scripture to back most of it. But, we are still missing something! Christ. We need to do Colossians 2:6-7 and "Live in [Jesus]." and build our lives on Him.

It is easy to say this, but a little bit more difficult to actually do it.... until we know how. Come to Cross Culture, Church for the City and discover Christ with us!

Forget the rules, remember Christ!