Really?

 My thinking is broken, perspective is ridiculous and determined to sink me.

Love in Action

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not think you are superior.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]21

 

I mean read that and tell me that your thoughts don't focus on how unrealistic this is?
 

Tell me you are willing to let go of your right to get payback for wrongs done to you.

To never ever let a snide, or loaded comment leave your lips because it's not your right.

To speak blessing on people who curse you.

 

My thoughts do not take this course of their own free will.
My perspective sees only the need for me to protect myself.

I know that what Christ wants from me I cannot ever do.

I know that He knows this.
 

I know that He has given me His very own power to be a new creature.

Not a better version of myself but something not myself at all.

How?
Admit you cannot. Sin is alive and well in you.
Admit Jesus did it for you, died for you and rose a victor over sin. Only admit it if you really can believe He did.
Ask God to wash you clean, make you new and send His Holy Spirit to complete this work in you.

Are you too attached to “you”?

I am, that’s why I struggle. You see, I kinda like me. I have only known the "me" perspective. 

Can you dare to believe there is more?

I get pretty pumped thinking about the possibilities of living a radical, don’t trust your heart/emotions/popular advice kind of life.

I get a thrill at thinking the Holy Spirit could replace me and guide me to Christ-like living.

Why?

Because I have read the New Testament and what Christ and those who became “new creatures” did was AMAZING.

Raise the dead, heal, reach, teach, overcome, and surrender. All with the joy nothing can erase. They did not get there relying on their ownselves for all they needed to know. They suffered constantly.

Where their understanding ended they let the Father begin.

Is it worth it?

Could you say no to you and yes to Jesus?

These are THE questions. 

Even if you just want to, He can take you the rest of the way.

 

How to share Christ with someone who really doesn't like Him

Sure it's easy to talk with Christ to someone who is agreeable.
They may not give a hoot about what you are saying, but they will listen politely and make appropriate comments.
Personally, I find that equally sad as the person who just openly does not like Christ.

So recently I was struggling over how to share Christ with a person who is a compulsive liar.
Every conversation feels like a minefield with this person.
I stay hyper-alert to steer and direct the conversation away from dangerous waters and gossip.
I almost never remember to speak of what Christ means to me because I am so busy keeping myself from getting angry over the lies.
I don't think this person means all the trouble they cause, I think they just want to be taken seriously and have found a very destructive way to achieve that.

Then it hit me.
So simple it seems foolish, yet brilliant (which means it came directly from the Holy Spirit because I am clearly not brilliant on this topic).

I need to pray that God will take away their need to lie. This could transform our conversations.

This is not a way for me to abdicate my responsibility to share, I will still pray that God frees my mouth and mind to speak His words, but it zeros in on the stumbling block that lies before me.

So when faced with the person who believes:

"God is mean"- pray God will free them from anger.
or
"God is a prop for the weak"- pray God will free them from the crushing squeeze of control
or
"God is a kill joy"- pray that God will give them a taste of real joy

It goes on and on.

Just pray that for the moment that they need it, the burden of their sin might be lifted so that they can see the face of God. I have nothing to say that compares with what He actually has to offer.