Why??

Why do Some Christians Not Show Love?"
This kind of action indirectly affects what we are all trying to accomplish.

I am gullible. I am vulnerable. I choose to not clam up. I will not bottle up my thoughts or emotions. I will not allow my life to remain unproductive and stagnant, just becuase I was stiffed, cheated, abused and locked out of the family will.

The reason: because I chose to speak the truth about abuse. Because my hair is a little longer than most ministers. Because I wear a tatoo of a cross on my arm.

People ask me, "What are you?" I tell them, "I'm different." That's why I got out of my circumstances, and as Susan Murphy-Milano's book title states, Moving Out Moving On. I moved out and moved on with my life. I built my life for Jesus with me, my immediate family and now hundreds of other prayer warriors. I relocated to another state. I changed my phone number and I told those who wanted to stay down on their luck and wallow in self-pity, that I loved them but to never call me again unless they were willing to change.

I smile alot. In church, work, play, court, wherever...
Sometimes, I get ugly remarks from paranoid and unhappy souls in who think I am coming onto them becuase I say hello and smile! Man, this world has changed! It seems you cannot even shake hands the wrong way without someone thinking you want to go bed with them!

I located a job yesterday for a family to whom we took diapers and milk to last week. To God be the glory. I am loving and affection and I have taught my children to be the same way. I tell them just shake it off.

We are often misperceived for being weak, softies or even stupid because we are not paranoid and do not ultra-examine everything others say or do to us. We just keep on serving the Lord, in pure glee!

Chasing child support absconders, filing forma pauperis for indigents, filing pro se contempts and making dead beat dads support their kids. After all, when we are finished with them in the alter of attitude adjustment they are convinced that if they do not want kids then from now on they need to keep it in their pants and just bay at the moon.

I've been cursed, cut, hit, busted up from ribs to manhood, black listed from jobs, sniped at with words and weapons. My wife, Carolyn and I have had our share of mysytery vehicles and stalkers in the middle of the night, our pets have been killed and my family has paid a galliant price for standing up for children who are suffering. I cannot place a Santa Claus on my lawn or he will get shot. I cannot walk in the evenings without a concealed weapon because of my stand against corruption.

Perhaps I am the only minister alive who has to carry a weapon to church, weddings, or the cemetary to bury a loved one. I've been scolded and told I have no faith...
But they are wrong, I have faith and I'll use it to protect myself, my spouse of 32 years, my family and all my friends.

None of these things that I have mentioned bother me. "Why" not?
I don't know and do not have time to examine "why" not. But if these things do not bother me then "why" does it bother me when Christians are not kind?

I thought Christians who have the name Reverand, minister, brother or sister in front of their name and/or christian organizations with "ministry", "outreach", or "church" were supposed to be different...

Remember, I am gullible. I thought, though, they were not supposed to be coniving, conspire and walk on others to get what they want. I though that all of us in god's family were on the same page, writing with the same pen, playing the same tune, and if not... then I thought were all at least going in the same direction and share the same purpose. Love and hope for all.

Why is it then that we get ugly mail like "please-do-not-send-me-any-more-stuff-about-battered women-missing persons-or child-support-for-babies and they follow it with...because I am tired of praying for people who got themselves into it and now they must get themselves out of it.

Even ministries and organizatinos that I have never heard of who send me items that could be considered spam, at least recieve a fair look from me. That's the only way to find out if I might need their services. Obviously, there are people who don't think they need anyone. However, they want God to bless them when God uses people to bless us.

I wish we all could read a letter we recieved from an inmate in Missouri from a 19 year young man who was defending his and his mother's attempts to survive. This young man does not want a hand out. He acknowledges his crimes and asks for someone to teach him life's principles, so that when he gets out he can take care of his mother. He never had the love and directoin of a father, that's not his fault.

(Our ministry will not even continue correspondence with an inmate until we can lead him to acknowledge his sins and actions and accept Jesus. After that, then we teach him in plain English what it takes.

Is it cold in here or is it just me?

It's not just me. I've talked with ministries, organization leaders, and advocates who get more reception from those who have a need, and from "Joe-on-cellblock-A and sweetiepie-corner-mama that from many professing Christians and email recipients who tout phrases like I-love-Jesus-so-much-forever-and-ever-dot-next. Of course the address has been changed. What did you think I would place the real one there?
We recieve the ugliest responses sometimes from self-righteous necklaces, bracelets, and gold watch religionists like Laugh-for-Jesus-so-loud-you-cough-up-your-wallet-ministries, The right-Rev-hit-me-with-jesus, Sunday-morning-smack-down-church-of-what's-happening-now, I-am-so-amazing-to-myself, and hit-me-with-your-best-check-church.

I don't get it. Unless, now, get this tiny revelation or assumption. Unless, these same individuals who shout Jesus and wear the jewelry are harboring little secrets themselves of domestic violence inside the confines of the parsonage or home and our little songs on domestic violence, battery, responsibility, or giving provokes conviction from them.

Or is it that those who are so critical of advocacies and organizations like Peace4 who are striving to find and save lives, feed children, and level the playing grounds for the disadvantaged are advocates for not supporting their children. Maybe those are are like some of the people where I come from who have the attitude that if-you-aint-a-Christian-in-my-crib-you-aint-a-Christian at all. They pick Scriptures that are to their advantage and forget those that says...I have sheep who are not of this fold..." Jesus. Jesus has sheep in other folds and none of them look the same or have the same color of ink but all are sharing the same purpose andthat is to contribute wool to warm the cold and meat to feed the hungry.
You and I are living sheep who contribute cover and food in physical and spiritual ways perpetually every day of ourselves unselfishly and we have our reward.

An email from a minister said to me..."I don't know anything about you so please remove me from your list." Well, heck, I do not know half the people i go to court for but if the seed falls on good ground it will produce for me but I am not going to the trouble to screen every sheep who i do not know.

I thought that was the thing about social networking to get to know people. Maybe it is the key words like battered, women, children, support, absconders, beaten, death, missing, murder, need-clothing supplies, donations, or maybe it is that some people just have the gift of knowing from thousands of miles away who I am. I pity these poor souls who are rich in wealth and wear rags of self-righteousness.

Or maybe, I touched a raw nerve in their sanctimonious life cloaked in hypocrisy choking on the red meat of selfishness and pride to the point that their only vocabuary is "leave me alone."

I hope so because as much as "LOVE" is the name of the game the BIBLE teaches us that faith and love without our works is what...? Dead. We are walking dead if we say we love Jesus and yet have a disobedient and rebellious attitude toward the Scriptures that teach us that helping others is part of the faith-works plan to have God's blessings in our lives.
When we stand before God the most important thing is are we a member of His crib? The crib of faith, hope, peace, and love with works of faith. If we are not then He is going to ask "Why Not?"

The word for today is "support". Support one another with coverings of righteousness and meat and potatoes of love, kindness, patience, meekness, faith, works, temperance, encouragement, and hope.

Every work of hope we all sow will spring in its time.

Love, Minister Jim