The Gospel:

Friends, what can I say? I had a conversation with a sister a couple of days ago. She was deciding to create her own blog. She mentioned the fact that for a blog to be encouraging, it need be simple and not too complex. It made me think. When people remember me, what will they think? Many of my blog views are international. It made me wonder. What will people think of me, those who have never met me. Those who come across my writing and read my pointed words, hearing about my reputation. Will they judge me as a hard man? Will they judge me as an angry man? I cannot help that God, when He placed His spirit in me, caused my tongue to become like a sword. I cannot take away my sin or my reputation. Please, know though that there is another side to me. A side not often seen by people who just hear about you – or read your lofty and weighty arguments online. While it is completely true and valid, all I am saying, I feel I am encouraging an image of myself, which I do not embody. Who we are in our letters is present in our personage. I am not only a prophet. I am a changed man. I am completely transformed by the grace of God and by His spirit. I want to encourage you that you can possess this same transformation. Friends, as Catholic as I am – I am beginning to see the reason for my conversion to the Catholic Church – you need to know that the Gospel – the Good News – is real and tangible. You need to know that the grace of God is accessible to any person. As one who was raised far distant from God, I understand the pull in the collective heart away from things of God. I understand that the divine, when you have listened to lies your entire life, seems foolishness. Perhaps even like the enemy of what you know as truth. I want you to know, the real power, the real triumph in life, exists in Jehovah through His son. You need know that any power you muster in this world, fades in comparison with the true glory and power of Jehovah, the only God. Yes, there is one God. You need know, the other gods are not God but in fact demons. Religion is not important. The important thing is service through love and Jesus. It will soon become evident of how the darkness trembles at the very name of Jehovah. Grace is such a beautiful thing. Hear this: We have all sinned. In our hearts. We have secret sin, even that that our awareness does not touch. Therefore, we are all in sinful state. Confession cannot touch this. Have you ever seen a Catholic in a state of grace, do something terribly sinful? It happens all of the time. An example are priests who hurt people. Hey! It’s not foreign. Don’t think you are exempt. Here: Once we recognize this sinful state, the true change comes not with sinning, confession, sinning, confession and so on. It is in a change of heart. Repentance. Grace is such a glorious thing. Why do I keep saying the child is the most important with God? It is because of his purity. More than that, it is because of his vulnerability and dependence on God. He does no grand works. But, there is more! Listen: Why does Jesus say the beggar Lazarus will inherit Kingdom before his master in life? It is a heart state. Not religiosity. Does God pay attention to the smells that emanate from Lazarus or his wounds? Does He scold Him as many in religion would even these days? Actually, He commiserates with them. He is present with them with Lazarus. Works are important. A life of love is important. It’s how we transform our hearts. Learn a lesson from the child. The child does not works. He is innocent and good. In these cases, he is completely reliant upon God’s grace and love. Do you not see how this is glorious? Here’s the thing: You need not confession. You need not sacrament. These help. Those of us in this vale of tears. But, here is what is important. This dependence, this innocence and purity, you can have this even as an adult. It requires transformation. It is a process of repentance and grace. It is being born again. Works are important. They are a natural byproduct of grace. Indeed, I say this as a Catholic. There is so much more we are called to, Faithful, then competition and being caught up in a life entirely oriented upon the avoidance of sin. Let Christ transform your hearts. Let Him fill your hearts with living water. Once this happens, there is no competition. You shall invest your entire existence into the service of the other. There shall be no room, no room at all, for fear. For anger. For shame. For pain. At that moment, you will recognize that Jehovah is with you in all things. The wounds are real. So real. Know, there is an escape. Know there is a cure. It is in faith. It is in grace. Know. Faith is not inactive. Faith requires participation. You can have faith that you can win a boxing match. If you do not practice and practice and practice, there is no hope. This is the foundation I have been speaking about for a decade. I didn’t even realize my wounds. I was wounded and I did not even realize. I was angry. I did not know from whence it came. It was only at that point when I was given love. Truly shown that essence of the human touch of God transcribes through the heart of all who believe. Here’s the thing: God’s love for many, and an increasingly growing many, cannot be felt, until it is experienced by the loving hand of a human. In this is where we learn to love. I am developing a foundation now, at this moment, because for the first time in my life, I am experiencing love as I deserve as a human being. What does this mean? Do not give up on another. Love them until their hearts explode with overwhelming affection, inordinate adoration transfixed upon the heart of Jesus. Know: Love doesn’t tolerate hurt and abuse. If this happens, guide them back to truth. It will take the lot of you. Do not give up on each other. This healing exists. It do. It’s in Jesus. Love the Jesus into each other. Here: I can’t help the reputation that has attached itself to me. Hearing this, we ignore the depths of the human being in who they are now. In who they have become. It doesn’t cancel what they done. But, knowing we are all sinners. In knowing we are all on a process of repentance, what does this mean? What is the purpose of state correction? If it’s not for the person’s repentance, what is it for? It turns out, this is the goal of life. Love. I write to encourage you today. Regardless what you done, regardless of how you feel… the anger… the shame… the fear… the hurt… it is all shadow in the face of the Majesty of Jehovah. Give it to Jesus. He is wanting to take the burden from your hearts. Lay it all before Him. Jesus died so that you could be saved. Personally. He has given his life for you. When Jehovah, our God looks at you, He sees not you, not your sin… He sees Jesus in you. He sees the perfect. The divine. The complete. Jesus is raised. He shall never die again. Regardless of what they do to him. You too, faithful, are lifted and raised. You too, faithful, are forgiven and justified. Here is your second chance. The slate has been wiped clean. You are spotless and flawless as a newborn and cleaned lamb. You have been given a clear record. Remember grace. Remember grace. This is truth. Religion is a path to God. It is not the straightest path. Remember, when the world is difficult, when everything feels like it’s crashing in and you feel like you cannot go on any longer, these are the times when Jehovah is with you through Jesus even more. He is surrounding you as a shield. He attends every step that you take. Every word you speak. But, hear: we need put in the work. Repentance is difficult. At times, we fall. At times we stumble. Never give up. Always rejoice that you are forgiven. Sanctification is a dear process. You can do it. Jehovah is on your side. Hear it from me: one who has seen both the depths of despair and the heights of heaven. This work that we are to do is, in fact, love. This is faith. Believing in the possibility of even the impossible. You can do it. Grace is true. God chooses whom He chooses. Who can fight against this? That He chooses me… that He chooses the child, the vulnerable, the weak is grace. But we need to fight for this life. Do not take it as discouragement that God chooses these. Remember love. Let your beautiful, hard work be for the sacrifice and service of these. A day comes and is fast approaching where the child shall be lifted high. This is a glorious prize for God. Remember you are loved. As the child. Within you exists that child. Still. Your inner self… your spirit… the one making decisions for you in this life… the one who stands before the face of God… when God sees you, He sees not this sin, not this moral filth, which your body has adopted. He sees now the little child that you were when you were born. Be covered today, then, in the blood of Christ. You are loved so immensely. Be transformed, then. Repent. God sees your struggles. You need not struggle alone any longer. He is here. Give your trials, however grand they are, to Him. He will wipe your tears and still your fears. I cannot help the way people see me. All I can affect is who I am now. As is the same for anyone. Do not pay attention to what the others think. You focus on you. Jesus within you. Jehovah loves you. The Almighty guards your steps. For those Christians who are losing loved ones as a result of persecution, remember, nothing happens without God’s approval. We guide our lives not by the choices we make in this life but by our decisions higher. Often times, these beautiful ones lay down their lives because they are ready and prepared to meet God. Be at peace. Be still. Know that Jehovah is God. He shall take care of everything. Love. Put love into action.