First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. – 1 Timothy 2:1-6

I read an article the other day about Glenn Beck predicting that a SCOTUS ruling in support of same-sex marriage will lead to a drop of 50 percent in church attendance in the next five years “because the stigma of going to church will be too much.”

Beck, who last month suggested that the outcry following Indiana’s controversial religious freedom law would lead to Christians being put into concentration camp, said:

“Mark my words, if gay marriage goes through the Supreme Court and gay marriage becomes fine and they can put teeth in it so now they can go after churches, like the president’s lawyer says, 50 percent of our churches will fall away.  

“Meaning, within five years, 50 percent of the congregants will fall away from their church because they won’t be able to take the persecution…within five years, 50 percent of the people that you sit next to in church will not be there. And not because [they agree with marriage equality but] because they’ll say, ‘I can’t do that, I’ll lose my job, people are picketing my house, I just can’t do that.’”

The first thing I thought was that this was one of the most ludicrous things I’d ever read. Then I thought that Beck has completely lost his mind.  He is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, was diagnosed with ADHD, and has described himself as a “borderline schizophrenic.”  After those thoughts and realizing that he really does have problems, I decided it wasn’t a very Christian way for me to think.  That led me to think about what God has to say about the mentally ill.

As I began to read about what Christian authors had to say about mental illness, it became largely discouraging. Many of the articles essentially argued that mental illness was a social construct created by secular doctors and psychiatrists, and therefore, is not biblical. So, when a person is depressed, he is really just experiencing sadness, and to try to treat it medically is to short circuit the power of God. When a person is anxious, she is really just experiencing worry, and to treat it medically is a secular answer to a spiritual problem. You get the idea.  I can understand that the authors were trying to say that  Jesus is sufficient for every facet of our lives. However, I believe that treating mental illness as only (or even primarily) a spiritual problem is both profoundly unbiblical and incredibly hurtful to those who struggle with mental illness.

I would argue that if we truly believe that physical diseases can be treated with medicine, then we must accept mental illness as a biblical category. If we believe that our mind is part of our body, including my brain, then it shouldn’t surprise me when my brain doesn’t work correctly.  Even Jesus recognized that the brain could have problems because he speaks of thinking of a sin as being as bad as committing it, though I believe it is not just the thought but the sincere desire that He was speaking of. I’m not surprised when I get a cold; why should I be surprised if I experience mental illness? To say that depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar, and every other disorder, are purely spiritual disorders is to ignore the fact that we are both body and soul.

Mental illness is not something invented by secular psychiatrists. Rather, it is part and parcel with living in fallen, sinful world, a world that is filled with hatred and rejection.

Treating mental illness as purely a spiritual disorder is very hurtful to those who struggle with mental illness because it points them to the wrong solution. Let me explain. For many years I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety. I experience an unwillingness to function at times because of my depression and the clutching sensation in my chest, shortness of breath, adrenaline surges, and a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I have anxiety attacks. On rare occasions, the anxiety is tied to something I’m worried about, but 90% of the time the physical symptoms I experience aren’t at all connected to worry. I’ll be working away on my computer, not thinking about anything, when the feelings of depression or anxiety suddenly descends upon me.

In those moments, I don’t need to be told not to worry. I don’t need to be told to exercise more faith in the promises of God. I don’t need to be told to snap out of it. What I need is encouragement to persevere. I need to be reminded that, even in the midst of suffering, Jesus is near. I need to be reminded that my light and momentary afflictions are producing an eternal weight of glory. I need to be encouraged to press into Jesus.  And… I need to be connected to someone who can help me deal with the physical aspects of depression and anxiety.

Here’s the unfortunate reality: even if my thinking is biblical, faith-filled, and God-honoring, my physical symptoms of anxiety and depression won’t go away. Why? Because most of the time the problem is primarily physical. Something isn’t working correctly in my brain, which in turn causes me to experience the physical symptoms of anxiety.

We must place mental illness in the same category as every other form of illness. When a person experiences chronic migraines or cluster headaches as I do, they most certainly will be tempted to doubt the goodness of God. We can serve them by encouraging them that God is good, and that he cares for them. But we also can serve them by taking them to the best migraine specialists in the country.  We must understand that all things are God’s creation, which includes antidepressants, anti anxiety medication, and pain killers.

If we’re going to effectively care for fellow Christians who struggle with mental illness, we need to recognize that mental illness is a real thing. We aren’t only souls. Rather, we are a complex composition of soul and body. Let’s make sure we address both the soul and the body.

Furthermore, let me also address what Beck actually said, and that is that the acceptance of same sex marriage and homosexuality will cause Christians to fear persecution just shows that Beck knows nothing about Christianity but only wants to spread hatred and fear.  If anything, acceptance by Christians, or at least by the majority of Americans who see no problem with LGBT equality, will strengthen our churches.  The rejecting of people because they are not your ideal of a Christian is the work of Satan and Satan alone.  Jesus turned no one away.  He brought love and acceptance and, if people stand up to the immoral, un-Christian, minority of those who spread hatred in the name of Christianity, then we may finally get back to the Christian church that Jesus established.if churches began acting like a true Christian community based on the teachings of acceptance that Jesus brought us, the. Instead of a drop in church membership, we will see a dramatic rise in church membership and attendance.  The main thing that causes a drop in church attendance is when hate is preached from the pulpit.  Instead we need the welcoming and accepting attitude of Jesus Christ. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are they who mourn, 
for they shall be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, 
for they shall inherit the earth. 

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 
for they shall be satisfied. 

Blessed are the merciful, 
for they shall obtain mercy. 

Blessed are the pure of heart, 
for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers, 
for they shall be called children of God. 

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3-10 

Jesus Christ gave us the eight Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.   The Ten Commandments, given to Moses on Mount Sinai in the Old Testament Book of Exodus, related a series of “Thou shalt not” phrases, evils one must avoid in daily life on earth. In contrast, the message of Jesus is one of humility, charity, and brotherly love. He teaches transformation of the inner person. Jesus presented the Beatitudes in a positive sense, virtues in life which will ultimately lead to reward. Love becomes the motivation for the Christian. All of the Beatitudes promise us salvation – not in this world, but in the next. The Beatitudes initiate one of the main themes of Matthew’s Gospel, that the Kingdom so long awaited in the Old Testament is not of this world, but of the next, the Kingdom of Heaven. 

While the Beatitudes of Jesus provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations on this earth. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Poor in spirit” means to be humble. Humility is the realization that all your gifts and blessings come from the grace of God. To have poverty of spirit means to be completely empty and open to the Word of God. When we are an empty cup and devoid of pride, we are humble. Humility brings an openness and an inner peace, allowing one to do the will of God. He who humbles himself is able to accept our frail nature, to repent, and to allow the grace of God to lead us to Conversion. 

“Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

If we are humble and appreciate that all of our gifts and blessings come from God, we grow in love and gratitude for Jesus Christ our Savior. But this can only produce mourning and regret over our own sins and the sins of this world, for we have hurt the one who has been so good to us. One also mourns for the suffering of others. Mourning in this context is called a blessing, because mourning our fallen nature creates in us a desire to improve ourselves and to do what is right.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

St. Gregory of Nyssa taught that the Beatitudes build one upon another. A humble person becomes meek, or becomes gentle and kind, and exhibits a docility of spirit, even in the face of adversity and hardship. A person that is meek is one that exhibits self-control. St. Augustine advised Christians to be meek in the face of the Lord, and not resist but be obedient to him.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Justice and righteousness indicate the fulfillment of God’s will with your heart. It is not mere observance of the law (Matthew 5:20), but rather an expression of brotherly love (I John 3:10). A continuous desire for justice and moral perfection will lead one to a fulfillment of that desire – a transition and conversion to holiness. This is true for all the virtues – if you hunger and thirst for temperance, you will head towards the goal you have in mind. St. Augustine called the Beatitudes the ideal for every Christian life.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Mercy is the loving disposition towards those who suffer distress. Love, compassion, and forgiveness towards one’s neighbor will bring peace in your relationships. We say in the Lord’s Prayer: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. As we are merciful to others, so our Heavenly Father will be merciful with us.  Jesus reminds us that whatever “you did to the least of my brethren, you did it to me (Matthew 25:31-46).” Paul calls for the obedience of faith in the beginning and end of his Letter to the Romans (1:5, 16:25-27).

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

Moses (Exodus 33:20), John 1:18, and Paul (I Timothy 6:16) all say that no one can see God here on earth. But Jesus says the pure of heart shall see God.  To be pure of heart means to be free of all selfish intentions and self-seeking desires. What a beautiful goal.  How many times have any of us performed an act perfectly free of any personal gain? Such an act is pure love. An act of pure and selfless giving brings happiness to all. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”

Peacemakers not only live peaceful lives but also try to bring peace and friendship to others, and to preserve peace between God and man. St. Gregory of Nyssa calls a peacemaker a man who brings peace to another; but one cannot give another what one does not possess oneself. Hence the Lord wants you first to be yourself filled with the blessings of peace and then to communicate it to those who have need of it. By imitating God’s love of man, the peacemakers become children of God. 

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, 
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

The biblical passage continues to elaborate: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). Jesus said many times that those who follow Him will be persecuted. “If they persecute me, they will persecute you” (John 15:20-21). 

The Beatitudes have always been one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  I think too many people do not heed the words of the Sermon on the Mount, but they should.  It is the core of Christ’s teachings.  As humans we are far too often prideful, selfish, and even quick to anger, even if it is something that is only in our hearts and minds.  Therefore, the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes that introduce it, are difficult things for humanity to accomplish, but we can try.  We can do our best to be meek, giving, and loving, for those things are what are necessary for eternal life.

Jesus wept.
John 11:35

“Jesus wept.”  If you want to memorize a verse of scripture, you can pick this one, the shortest verse in the Bible.  In fact, you’ve got your scripture verse for the day memorized already, and it’s not even 9:30 yet.  Well done!  But it’s actually a wonderful verse to remember, because it shows us that when we feel grief or pain, we have a God who weeps with us.  Not a god of stoicism, not a god of cold remoteness, not even a god of perky smiley-face cheer-up positive attitude-ism.  When we face loss or pain or struggle, we know that we have a God who weeps with us.  Jesus wept.

Not only that, but Jesus is not afraid to show his emotions in public.  He is not afraid of that deep vulnerability that comes with showing you are hurt, when the tears make your face blotchy and your nose runs and you lose your composure and you can’t talk anymore.  Jesus wept.

To put this verse into context, you can read John 11:1-44, which is such a beautiful story, however here is a quick synopsis.  This verse occurs in John’s narrative of the death of Lazarus, a follower of Jesus. Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus of their brother’s illness and impending death, but Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus died. Jesus, after talking to the grieving sisters and seeing Lazarus’ friends weeping, was deeply troubled and moved. After asking where Lazarus had been laid, and being invited to come see, Jesus wept. He went to the tomb and told the people to remove the stone covering it, prayed aloud to his Father, and ordered Lazarus to come out, resurrected.

So much of our lives is spent avoiding pain.  The fight or flight reflex is one of our most basic impulses left over from the days when humans faced predators in the wild.   And even in 21st century American society we still seek to avoid pain.  We procrastinate on difficult conversations, even with people we love, maybe especially with people we love, for fear of getting hurt.  Our attempts to control other people, whether those attempts at control are overt or subtle, are attempts to keep them from hurting or rejecting us.  Even our anger is a hard shell we develop around the wounds in our heart, to protect our hearts from getting hurt again.

And we try hard not to notice that the longer the shell of our anger remains, the less able our heart is to heal, and the less able our heart is to love.  We try hard not to notice that even when we succeed at making other people do what we want, we have not found intimacy or even friendship.  We try hard not to notice that the longer we avoid the hard work of relationship, the less able our heart is to love, and to be loved.

But, as John specifically tells us, “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”  And so, when Martha and Mary feel pain, Jesus is not afraid to feel pain too.  When Martha and Mary weep, Jesus is not afraid to weep too.  Hearts are made to be broken, as Hemingway said.  I expect that only a heart that is able to be broken is a heart capable of genuine love.

The personal sadness of two obscure women in a little village who are dealing with something as common as death is so important that it justifies reducing the king of the universe to tears.  Why?  Because Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

When Jesus tells Martha “your brother will rise again,” she of course assumes that he is talking about heavenly things, and so she replies, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”  It is a logical response and a faithful response.

But what happens next is that Jesus tells her, in effect, no, resurrection isn’t just something that’s going to happen in heaven or in the distant future on the last day.  Jesus tells her, resurrection is going to happen here and now.

In some ways that may be the hardest part of Christianity to take in, the idea that God is not safely distant and remote, a benign presence that we will meet only after we die.  And yet the gospels keep insisting that the most transcendent holiness does enter our world of dirt and tears and flesh and pain and grief in full humanity.  This weeping Jesus with the women in Bethany, next to the stench of the corpse, is the scandal of particularity, and it is easy to reject it, as either blasphemy or a myth that’s too good to be true.  If this messy scene is what intimacy with God looks like we’re not quite comfortable with it.

Rather than a remote spiritual concept of resurrection, we have a human being saying, “I am the resurrection and the life” And not only that, this Jesus goes further, to ask for a response: “Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”  And, by the grace of God, Martha responds, “Yes, Lord.”

Because Jesus is not afraid to come into the pain, he is able to say to Lazarus, “come out.”  And the dead man came out.  Since he has strips of cloth around his hands and feet, and his face wrapped in a cloth, Jesus says simply, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

We may think of miracles as happening with radiant light or chiming bells, as if the world Jesus lived in looked like a stained glass window.  The gospels present miracles that come out of mess and pain and bad smells and tears.  I expect that once you finally stop trying to flee from pain or fight against pain, and simply enter the pain with love, it loses its power over you.  And those are the places where miracles happen.  Because Jesus is not afraid to feel the depths of human pain, his love can go into the grave and call to Lazarus, “Come out!”  He can call forth life in Lazarus, set Lazarus in motion, and then free him in those simple words, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

I think this message of coming out can resonate with many LGBT Christians.  Many of us may not be totally out, but most of us have a friend or friends who we have come out to and accept us for who we are and still love us.  In a way, I think Jesus tells us to “come out.”  When we are hiding in the closet, a part of us is dead, and each day we hide a little more of us dies.  However, if you’ve ever come out to a friend and were met with love and acceptance, than you feel alive.  You have been risen from the dead.  My best friend was here to visit this weekend.  Since I have known her, I have always been out, and one of the wonderful things about being with her is that I can be my true self.  This is especially true when I visit her in Louisiana.  There I am an out and proud gay man. I feel free; I feel alive; and I feel love.

The same is true of baptism.  We were are baptized we are buried in the waters of baptism, and we emerge in the newness of life.  We are literally born again in the eyes of God, and symbolically we are risen from the dead and our sins have been washed away. I was thinking the other day, that in my earthly life, I am 37 years old, but on April 2, 2015, I reached my 25th as a Christian.  Twenty-five years ago, I was cleansed of my sins and arose with a new life.  Ten years later, I came out to myself as a gay man and for the first time told someone else.  For me, that was the point when I can truly say I was reborn, because until that time, even though God already knew, I became honest with myself and I could love myself for who I was as God loves me.  It took a lot of soul searching to come to terms with my sexuality and what it meant to be a Christian, but prayer and meditation led me to the truth. As John 8:31-32 says, “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  And so, as Jesus told Lazarus to “Come out” after much prayer and meditation, he told me to “Come out” and “the truth will set you free.”  For me, coming to terms with my acceptance was a miracle because of the way I had been reared to think about sexuality as a major taboo.

It may be that what makes us think that miracles can’t happen is our fear that they are too good to be true.  We think it is our limitations that are absolute.  Still, there may be a deeper voice inside each of us that says the existence of miracles is too good to be false.  It is the voice that tells us the most powerful force in the universe is not the force of our limitations.  The ultimate force in the universe is the power of God.

Yes, pain and grief are some of the parts of human life, and so it is good to remember:

“Jesus wept.”  But that’s not the end of the story.

We can also remember the words of Martha: “I believe.”  Faith.

We can remember the words of Jesus: “Come out.”  Resurrection.

We can remember the words of Jesus: “Unbind him.”  Freedom.

 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”-and that he had said these things to her. 
John 20:1-18

Easter reminds me of something better than tolerance; I was loved to death.  I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus. I believe in doing our best to follow God’s word and make it an active part of our lives.  I also believe that every human being should be treated with dignity, respect and love—no if’s, and’s or but’s about it!  I am heavily dismayed when I hear that people of my faith truly believe that discriminatory laws such as Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) are admissible.

As a Christian, I know the Bible speaks to any number of critical topics that shape the trajectory of my life. I value my religious liberties and believe they must be protected, but I think what this means is that I am allowed to worship the way I wish to and no one can force me to practice a particular religion or to practice my religion in a particular way.  However, my beliefs are confined to the walls of my church.  Outside and inside of my church though, I must follow the dictates of Jesus and try to live and worship by his example. I cannot, not will I ever try to force someone to believe what I believe. At the same time, I can’t escape this sinking feeling that politics, convenience and more than a little resistance to other perspectives has muddled the central redemptive message of my faith.  Easter brings all that back into focus.

A radical Jewish teacher despised by the religious establishment stood before false accusers and politicians. The proceedings against him were not just; it was a lynch mob. They mocked him. They beat him. They spit in his face.  He did not become angry. He did not vehemently defend his religious liberties. He did not go down swinging a sword. In fact, with little regard for himself, he stood and calmly answered. He knew it meant his death, a cruel death on a cross.  But that was the point.  His singular objective was to show just how much he loved broken, fallen people riddled with sin and pain. He even asked God to forgive those who drove the nails through his hands and feet.  He ministered to those that others ignored and gave hope to the downtrodden and outcasts because they needed his message of hope the most.  Jesus did far more than tolerate those who despised him. He loved each one of us to death…literally.  In a world where tolerance isn’t even the norm, that’s hard to comprehend. Why would anyone do something like that?

Unlike the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed in 1993, Indiana’s RFRA leaves room for religious freedom to be used as a defense if for-profit businesses are accused of discrimination. Laws like this are the antithesis of the love that Jesus demonstrated because any law that leaves room for the denial of basic human needs and dignity is immoral.

When discrimination happens around the world to people who identify as Christians, we are infuriated. When discrimination happens to people of ethnic minorities, we call it unjust. When discrimination happens to women, we say it’s appalling. When discrimination happens to children, we say it’s detestable. When discrimination happens to religious minorities, we say it’s abominable.  Why then are so many people who call themselves Christians silent, indifferent or even in support of this treatment when it comes to LGBTQ people?

Are we not human? Do we not deserving of a chance at life here on this earth and in heaven? The answer my friends, whether or not you affirm our sexual orientation or gender identity, is that we do indeed deserve a chance at life!  LGBT people deserve all of the basic essentials that straight people deserve such as eating a meal peacefully at a restaurant or a night’s stay at an inn or medicinal treatment at a private medical practice if they are in need.  LGBT people deserve dignity and respect because we are humans and because God does not ever put a person on this planet if they are not meant to be here. The type of systematic injustice that is allowed under Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act is in blatant violation of anything that Jesus Christ stood for because Jesus Christ stood for life. 

Whatever a person’s identity or beliefs, there is no question that we are all human.  And my purpose as a fellow human being and a follower of Jesus is to do all in my power to make sure that every person I encounter is shown love.

As a Christian, I also believe in the freedoms granted to us by the First Amendment, including the freedom of religion! I love that I am publicly allowed to wear my cross necklace and read my bible app and talk about God with my friends or people who want to. I love that my boyfriend and I can eat at a restaurant and openly talk about our religious beliefs without fear of persecution!  But also remember that only 60 years ago “religious freedom” was used as the justification for laws that permitted racial segregation.  I would hate to see us go back to a society that supports discrimination and exclusion. 

Amazing opportunities for ministry and human connectivity close when a person decides to shut someone out because of their identity.  At the end of the day, I believe in compassion, empathy, and a concern for human dignity.  I ask you this: where in the scriptures did Jesus ever deny or say it was acceptable to deny any human being access to food, shelter, water or medicinal care? Where did he preach that killing, torturing, humiliating, bullying and isolating people was ok or allowed to be the law of the land?  The answer is nowhere. Jesus is compassion. Jesus is mercy. Jesus is forgiveness. Jesus is just. Jesus is grace. Jesus is love. Jesus never turned away a human in need. He embraced them with open arms.

Many Christians have gotten so wrapped up in themselves and in legality that they are forgetting human dignity, compassion and the Gospel.  They are forgetting the very Christ who they fell in love with: The man who healed the sick, feed the hungry, comforted the brokenhearted and perfectly exemplified the love that God has for us all. They have forgotten that it is not our righteousness but God’s grace that saves us all.

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” 
Romans 13:8-10 

Let’s remember to be like Jesus. Let’s live out His love!  Unconditional and universal love is Jesus’s powerful example this Easter. It does not change the nature of sin or require you to endorse it. Jesus sacrificed himself as a redemptive act of love because we couldn’t save ourselves. We still can’t.  For Christians, this should be about how we respond to a broken hurting world. Will we respond to those who hate us by telling them what we believe or will we show them real love inspired by the One who first loved us to death?



Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Are you happy with the way your life is now? Often we wonder about how our lives could be different. If we had done this or made a different decision, would our lives be different? Would it be better? Why did we make the decisions we made? Many of us constantly ask, “What if?” But truthfully, that is not the question we should be asking. Instead we should ask ourselves, “What is God’s plan for us?” We should ask, “Am I following the path of God?”

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” So we must trust in God that He knows what is best for us. When I pray, I always ask for God to forgive me of my sins, and that He will help me to stay on the narrow path to righteousness. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus tells us “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Especially when I come to a fork in the road, a decision in life, I ask God to show me the correct path. And though some things in my life have not gone as I wanted them to, I trust that God has a plan for me and that I am on the right path. I trust in God to show me the correct path.

Therefore, I acknowledge that God has a plan for me and as long as I acknowledge him in the guidance of my life and in all ways, then he will lead me down the correct path. Everything in our lives happens for a reason. We must trust that God is that reason, and that He would not steer us in the wrong direction. We may think we have taken a wrong turn, but faith in God will show us the way. It doesn’t mean that I don’t get depressed about things in my life, because I do have blue periods in my life. Those periods are less frequent, especially when I look to God and remember my faith.

In a world where most of us get beat up to one degree or another, many people come out of these beatings with a problem in being able to trust anyone else – ever again! Sometimes it is verbal; sometimes it is physical; and sometimes it just seems like a string of bad luck. Many people, especially people in the LGBT community, have been so badly beaten and abused during the course of their lives, that they no longer have any ability to trust anyone – including God Himself! However, for Christians, no matter how badly you have been beaten up in your past, the one thing that you cannot have affected is your ability to trust in Jesus and our heavenly Father. His love will see us through all things.

As a result of the setbacks that some of God’s people have experienced over the years, some of these people have literally lost their ability to even trust in God Himself. It is one thing to have faith in God, to know that God exists, and that He is all-powerful and that there is nothing that He cannot do or accomplish – but it is quite another thing to be able to fully trust God with your life, and to fully trust Him to properly handle it for you, especially if people in your past or circumstances in your life have let you down in one way or another.

Therefore, trust in Him and in Him alone in all things. Trust Him to be faithful to you. Look to Him in all that you do and in all that you experience, even when it is difficult. Remember, faith is only as good as the person in whom you put it. Since we Christians serve God, our faith, our trust, will not be wasted.