The difference between what we are and what we are portrayed to be matters much <3

There aren’t many pictures today…and this may come off as a rant.

I don’t mean it to.

It may seem like I am bashing the annual Super Bowl festivities.

I am not.

I am not sure what I mean it to be or if this will ever even get published but I hope and pray to encourage you as a follower of Christ to understand that it is apparently quite acceptable to tolerate pretty much everything these days except the Body of Christ, which is His Church.

Last night I sat and watched all the hooplah that is the Super Bowl.

The politically correct/pop culture commercials that masquerade good old-fashioned consumerism in the guise of caring about the current causes of the day.

The ridiculous over-the-top half time show that costs untold amounts of money in lighting and costuming and apparatus that lasts…well…only as long as half time…and, no slams for Lady GaGa, but I haven’t understood the half time shows of the Super Bowl for as many years as I have been watching them.

The cheerleaders in whatever it is they are not wearing and the foul language audibly shared by players and presenters. On camera.

I understand that this is part and parcel of what makes up the Super Bowl so I half watch and half don’t and try not to get on a soap box.

These are things that just personally hit me in deep places, and I know I can be overly sensitive and things leave strong impressions on me so I save most of my comments for the one who married me for better or worse…and I have to say, my commentary often falls under the “worse” category, so God bless Russ <3

But there was one commercial that was repeated so many times and left me with a sick feeling that I can’t hold it in.

It is for an upcoming television series about a cult that, lo and behold is based on a fictional writing about a “dystopia” as the description called it…a society in the not-so-distant future where horrible things happen under the guise of a “religious leadership”…that uses hymns from the Christian church and misquotes Scripture from the Bible among other things.

There is more but I won’t glorify it by sharing.

I understand that evil has been done in the name of the Church.

But to feed and fuel, through slick and tantalizing entertainment, the distrust and fear of those who follow Jesus Christ, who is truly the HOPE of the NATIONS…breaks my heart.

Because tonight Russ and I went to our own church and sat in a semi-dark room with a couple of dozen fellow believers.

We sang some hymns and prayed for God to come and heal our land.

We prayed for ourselves to be given clean hands and a pure heart so we can go out and serve our community and our families and our bosses and our world.

Because we are part of the Body of Christ, the Church.

We will obey what Scripture tells us, even if it is not popular and we will endeavor to love each other and those who don’t give a hoot about what we believe.

We are not perfect.

We struggle with our own sin problems and our own selfish tendencies.

We have much to learn.

We are sinners saved by GRACE…not a cult…not bent on twisting and manipulating people to take advantage of them.

And we live in a world where many would protest such a false portrayal of their faith…

but we will fall to our knees and ask our God….

Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing…

because that is what our Teacher taught us…

that is the example He set…

and so we will follow Him and we will obey.

If you would like to join us in this week of prayer, we will be praying three times a day at 7 in the morning, noon and 6 in the evening.

Or pray where you are.

Because the gates of Hell WILL NOT prevail as God’s people humble themselves, turn from their own wickedness and pray  <3