I really appreciated the comments from my fellow bloggers/Christians (who I highly respect) regarding my previous post on the movie “Kingdom of Heaven” and maybe I should have been more careful/clear on my thoughts regarding the crusades…
Yes, of course, the Muslims were just as bad (and in some countries are still very awful in converting people) as the Christians, but my comments were made from my Christian view.
Many honest Christians died during those crusades. But there were individuals who wanted to get earthly riches during that time. And not just than, even later during the Spanish inquisition and Reformation area in Europe, many more honest Christians died, because they questioned the practices of ‘God’s church’.
Don’t get me wrong, I belong to a ‘church’ to worship God on Sundays. But I would question ‘my’ church if they would rank their agenda higher than God’s agenda…showing His love for all people. I can’t convert someone (that anyway is the work of God by the power of His spirit) if I go to war against them…
As I was reading Scripture this morning, I came across these passages in Isaiah, which really say what I was trying to say…O my people, can’t you see what fools your rulers are? They are leading you down a pretty garden path to destruction. The LORD takes his place in court. He is the great prosecuting attorney, presenting his case against his people! The leaders and the princes will be the first to feel the LORD’s judgment. “You have ruined Israel, which is my vineyard. You have taken advantage of the poor, filling your barns with grain extorted from helpless people. How dare you grind my people into the dust like that!” demands the Lord, the LORD Almighty. (Isaiah 3:12-15 – NLT)
The “Kingdom of Heaven” Movie
So, last night my Sweetheart and I watched the movie “Kingdom of Heaven”. I really enjoyed the movie, but I am not certain if the story really happened the way it was portrayed in the movie.
I know that the crusades were horrible, and it sheds a bad light on Christianity. I just can’t grasp that Christian men (and women) have killed in the name of God (and some still do that today). The film also shows that the ‘church’ was at major fault for those crusades; not to spread the Gospel, but to gain earthly riches. Isn’t the institution ‘church’ at fault today that so many people stay away from it? And at the end, stay away from God? God deserves our worship for the mighty things He has done for us, in sending His Son to die for our sins.
I mean, honestly, who are we as mere humans to ‘play’ the hand of God? I think that God can take care of Himself.
For me, the best part of the movie was almost toward the end…The hero, Balian, said that the Kingdom of Heaven is in the head and the heart of a person, and that you can’t confine God into some walls, if it is a city or a church building. How true that is.
So, when you have a chance, watch the movie (although, I do have to warn you – the battle scenes are very graphical and ugly – but then again – war is ugly)…
Die for the Righteous Man or for the lost Soul?
My best friend Carlene and I are doing a study on Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ”. We are using the book “Experiencing the Passion of Christ”, and this week (discussion session four) we were asked if we would suffer like Jesus suffered for us. If we would suffer in order for them to be saved.
I didn’t have to think hard on this matter, I would…if it were for the good…I mean for them to be saved.
You see, Jesus died for me in order to spend eternity in heaven. So if I could make a difference for someone to spend eternity in heaven (especially a person I love), why wouldn’t I die for him/her. I really like what Paul said in Romans 5:6-8 (NLT): ‘When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.’ It was God’s great love for us…so, if I love someone, I would lay down my life for them.
How about you? Would you die for someone in order for them to be saved? I know, I would…
A Good Cry…
…is good for the soul.
Maybe guys don’t understand this, but I think us gals need sometimes a good cry to cleanse our soul. Well, at least I do. I had one of those moments today. I woke up this morning feeling kind of, oh I don’t know…blah.
Checked a couple of my favorite Blogs, Blest With Sons (didn’t feel to well either – hm must be in the air), The Write Way Home (poor Jillian is still recovering from her accident), Photography (great photos Doris – love your work); found a great new one called Pseudo Supermum. Well, there I was sipping my morning coffee and reading…
Than all of the sudden it hit me…Am I a good wife, mother, daughter, friend…and even, get this, a ‘good’ Christian? Not sure where that came from. Puff, the thought was there and I questioned myself, like so often lately.
You see, after a full week of work outside the house, than housework (oh, you know all the stuff that needs to get done during the week), I make plans to do certain stuff on the weekend, like laundry, cleaning and so on. And of course those special projects, like getting a haircut (need one for the last month or so), sorting out the books I want to donate to the church library (doing that for the past 3 weeks) and cleaning out my closet (planning to do that for the past 2 months). But when Saturday rolls around, there is just nothing left. The steam is gone. All I want to do, is grab a book or watch a movie with my Sweetheart.
So, today after I made breakfast (at the same time doing laundry), I took our son to work. On my way back, I still felt blah. So I popped in a WOW Worship CD (the red one). The first three songs on that album are just great. When I got to the second one, “You Are So good to Me” by Third Day, the tears started streaming down my face. I felt so naked…and God put His finger right in to my heart saying: “I will never forsake you, I will never leave you” (Heb 13:5) and “…My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9).
Ah, there I was, crying like a baby; and where did my comfort come from? From the Word of the Lord…This sure was a great soul cleansing today…and a great cry too. So, if you feel ‘blah’ sometimes, listen to some great worship music and let it go…turn everything over to the Lord Almighty, our Great Comforter…