The Christian, The Witch and The Atheist...Who's right and Who's wrong?

  "Hey baby, how you doin'?

That is the response that I get from Vee everytime she or I walk in the door. She has very sweet spirit about her and loves her some Dr. Pepper. Vee is one of those individuals that are constantly around people and sometimes gets "burned out" by being around them. When she comes into work, she has a routine that she has to follow. If there are too many people wanting coffee when she walks in the door, she gets frustrated. Her frustration at times has lead to anger. But, when the people leave, she goes back to being herself. She is just goofy and likes to get the work done.

 "It's like my favorite drink ever!"

 This is the response that I hear everytime that I work with Sam. She constantly tells every customer that asks about certain drinks that "it's her favorite drink." Sam much like Vee has the same sweet spirit about her. She is young and loves to go out and party like we all did at one point and time in our lives. She is probably the one that I enjoy working with all of the time. Because my schedule has changed here recently, I don't get to work with her as much here lately.

Now even though we all work in the same place, we all walk a different path in life. With the point of views that we all have, we seem to fit at times. But those point of views can take on a very different meaning when dicussing them with each other. There are 3 people. The are 3 different views and only 1 conclusion.

Here we go...

 In my past stories, I have always shared my faith. I have not and will not hide my faith. It has granted me great oppurtunities to witness and minister to many people. For this, I am thankful. There are moments when I feel that I want to quit. And I have come close to quitting as well. But when I get close to that point, God provides me a chance to help someone. That is how I know that God has called me to this place.

 Vee calls herself a witch in the Wickan religion. She discusses her thoughts and her beliefs with the people that she works with, but not the customers. She talks about her Earth god, Ganeshi, who looks like a half-man, half-elephant being. Now, I love Vee and she works hard everytime she walks in those doors. We have had alot of chats about her faith and even though we disagree, we both believe that our faith is very important to us.

 Now Sam, she has no faith. As she says, "I believe in science. Someone sneezed and life began." Sam is crazy and I love her for it. She makes claim that she is an "atheist." Me and her have always discussed our faith very openly. We have both asked questions about each other's faith and come to only one conclusion, we are both RIGHT!!!

 Now, knowing that God has placed me into this store for a reason, I have seen the enemy hard at work and trying to beat me when dealing with Sam and Vee. With all of the discussions that I have had with both, I still know in my heart that I am fulfilling God's will for my life in this place. Even though I act like an idiot on many occassions, I still know and feel the calling to this store. Now, the cool thing about God and when He provides a chance to minister to someone and you follow through with it, you see the seed planted. You have opened a new package of seeds that are ready for growth. I would like to say that I have planted many seeds into these 2 individiuals lives and will continue to do so. I have seen many times where the enemy has tried to "get in the way." But, knowing what I know in faith and standing firm in my faith in Christ, I will overcome because Jesus has overcome the World.

  Jesus beat the enemy by overcoming the World. He overcame every judgement, every sin, every attack and even the wrath of his Heavenly Father. He overcame so that we would have right standing with our Heavenly Father. I claim that I have overcome with Him because of what He did for me at the Cross.

John 16:33... I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 Now with Vee and Sam, the have asked me more questions about my faith then I have about theirs and what is my take on certain things. I have expalined to them what the Bible says and how it reveals the answers to everyone's questions. I have been asked why babies are born with sickness,and diseases. Why people die from other's hands and why do people kill in the name of their Faith. Many topics have been discussed and over the course of the discussion, I get a sense of peace and love in me from the Holy Spirit because I am planting a seed.

  Anytime you do something for the Heavenly Father in faith, it cannot fail. A "certain measure of faith" has been given to me. If we don't give or share with people the "faith", then that "certain measure" will remain the smae. But Jesus said that we can "increase our faith." How do we increase our faith? Simple....share it and spread it!!!

 Now I would have never thought of myself talking to people like Vee and Sam and sowing the Word of God into their lives. But that is what we are supposed to do. We are to minister to those who are "lost or deceived." Now, I have told Sam and Vee what I have thought about their faith and that I did not agree with them. But did I show hate towards them when I did it, NO!!! That is not the love of Christ.

 Part of sharing the love of Christ is walking in it, even when you don't agree with it. I constantly clash with my manager, but as many times that I have wanted to walk out on him, the truth is that I would not be walking in love. I mean, my manager can put me into such a "anger" about things and if I re-act, then he see's another side of me. He see's me not walking in love. That's not how God wants us to be. Even in the midst of anger, you can still walk in love. That is where you will beat the enemy everytime. Walking in love helps you walk over the enemy.

  John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

 You will not always agree with everything that comes from everyone's mouth, and you may not even  like the person. But you have to love them!!! If Jesus said it, there is a reason for it!!! Now with Sam and Vee, I never have to walk on eggshells with them or tippy-toe around the truth. The Word of God is the truth. Atheism and Wickan beliefs are another weapon of the enemy that is being used today to deceive people.

1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

False beliefs and teachings is what the enemy is using to defeat people to from knowing the truth. We, as believers have to be on the watch for such attacks and be prepared for those if and when they happen.

Jesus fought off one of the greatest attacks when He was in the wilderness. When Satan had come to tempt Him, the Word of God came from his mouth. It didn't become a knock down, drag you out in the middle of the street fight. He spoke the Word of God with the authority that had been given to Him by the Heavenly Father.  That is what are to do today....

 Now, I pray and believe in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that these two children of God will come to the revelation of who they are in Christ and build a relationship with Him. We are getting to close to the Lord's return to just pick and choose who we want to make it into heaven. If that was the case, I know a few people that I would not want to go.

 But...

 I want people to know that their is a loving and beautiful Heavenly Father that is waiting on them to receive His Love. The love He has for you is un-ending and unconditional. He showed that love at the Cross.

 Once you God has touched your Heart with His love, you are never the same.

Drinking from the Cup of Hate...Part Two

 Now, we all let something get the best or the worst of us. Unfortunately, there are those who live in the "worst." Why would someone want to live in such utter hate? The truth is, that's all they know!!!

  If they haven't heard or seen the love of Christ, then they have not seen the love that God has for them. You have to look unto Jesus and see how He walked in love towards His enemies, His disciples and so much more.

 "Hey Buckwheat, Jesus got angry one time and even kicked over a few tables!" Yes, he did. But why?

Simple.....He was angered by the fact that His Father's house had become a grocery store instead of a house of worship. I mean, really? How mad would you be if someone was selling you "coffee and doughnuts" while listening to your Pastor. It would be like going to a baseball game and having $1 hot dog night.

 Anyways, hate is of the enemy. You cannot come up with an idea of being angry or hateful without a reason. The "reason" is a weapon that the enemy uses against all the time. When my mother died, I was given a "reason" to hate someone. A seed had been planted in my heart that was growing and producing some violent and hurtful emotions in my life. That seed that was planted in me, turned me into someone else. Not a child of God, but a child of hate. When I had accepted Christ, God pulled me out of that old pot and planted me in a new one. I still had some weeds in me, but over time He has trimmed and shaped me into the man of God He wants me to be. The weeds try to sneak in, but I usually catch them before they grow.

 Now.........Walking in Love!!! A powerful weapon against the enemy!!!

Satan wants nothing more than for you to be deceived and to think that God hates you for your sins. Satan is the "ultimate con-artist." He is gonna trick and tempt you using anything, anyway or anybody to get you to focus on anything else other than God. When you get mad at your husband, wife, kids or co-workers, it comes from the enemy. A small and seeded reason was put into your head for that reason alone, to get you mad!!!

  How do we fight this? My favorite Proverb, 12:16 A fool's anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor. The greatest way to fight this attack...

  "Don't react!" Uh oh..............here it comes!!!

"Okay Buckwheat, but you don't know what I have been through or what they did to me." In the big picture, it really doesn't matter. Some of us focus on the pain other than the act itself. The pain you feel will plant a seed in you that only God can destroy. There is no amount of medicine or counseling that will ever rid you of some anger that is in our lives. But there is a cure that rids people of that anger. Are you ready?

 The Word of God...

"Oh Buckwheat, now you are talking crazy?" If I am, then you wouldn't be reading this right now. If you don't want to hear the truth, then stop reading.

Waiting...

Keep pumping that anger ball! I promise you that your anger will all go away. NOT!!!

People!!! It's a hard pill to swallow, but walking love will rid you and others of such hatred and anger. But, when you feel it rising on you again, take a breath and say "God, this is not me. You did not create me to be angry and full of hate. I am deeply loved by my Heavenly Father."

 That is the cure....

Now, I have come to the end of this story. But, I myself, like many others have to deal with this on a daily basis. Take comfort in knowing that God lives within you. His Love is in you. His Son is in you. His Spirit is in you. That is walking in love. Knowing who you are in Christ perfects your walk in love.

 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

  Walk in what Jesus has provided for you...

 Walk in His Love...

 Love is everything...

Drinking from the Cup of Hate... Part One

  It's so funny and sad to see people that come through my doors everyday and to see their attitudes flare up at the smallest thing. Like a cup of coffee...

 One customer of mine knows nothing else more than to come in and say "Venti coffee." I tell him the price, he gives me the exact change and leaves without comment. This is his routine. One day though, he changed his attitude and I felt it to the point of taking it on.

 Sadly, when I see that most people walk in the store in a bad mood, I ususally ignore it and move on. I won't respond to hate with hate, but this time it bit me and hard.

He had ordered something different and was having to wait in line for it. Something that he is not a regular too. As my friend was making drinks, I turned around to help her. From that point on, I sipped of the cup of hate. He started yelling at her from the other side and was wondering where his drink was. He went as far as saying "if you will take time from your social schedule to make my dam drink, that would be great." That made me mad because he hurt my friend. My anger had started to rise and boil within me.

 Now, I know it was over a cup of coffee, but we are all angered by something either so small or so big because of someone or something else, that we literally "wear the hate on us" and we use it against other people. It's our way of justifying the hate. Jesus never had hate in His heart, but He did say something about it.

  In 1 John 3:15 it says "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

Noticed how John compared hate to the same as murder. Jesus said "that if you hate your brother, you are committing murder." What? How is that possible?

 Hate is the root to murder. But even the root starts with a seed that was planted. Somewhere in life, we have been seeded and planted with a type of hate in out heart. But Thank You Jesus, that when we recieved His sacrifice and His ressurection, we were up-rooted and replanted into a new cup. I love what Jesus asked when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:36, he says "My Father, if it is possible, let this CUP pass from me, but nevertheless, let your will be done." Noticed how Jesus referred to the Cross as a CUP. He knew that the Cross was going to be filled with sin, sickness, lack and so much more. But He also took on the "wrath of His Father." The anger or hate of the Father. In Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

 Why would it please God to bruise His own Son? Because He wanted the rest of His children to know how much He loves us. John 3:16 "For God so loved the World, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

 God loves us so much, that He sacrificed His only Son, to have a relationship with me. A relationship of love and peace. Not anger or hate. When we take communion, we drink and honor the death and ressurection of Christ from a CUP. Instead of drinking in the hate, we are drinking in His love for us and remembering what Jesus did for us. So many times, we drink from other people's lives that are filled with hate, discontent or anger. When we get to this point, we have to learn to "let this CUP pass." We have the most powerful being living within us, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. We have to power to throw that cup back into the devil's face at anytime. But we have to recognize first that hate comes from the enemy.It doesn't come from man, but the evilness of Satan.

 How do we overcome the weapons of the enemy? Simple.......Walk in Love!!!

"Buckwheat, whatever?" That is the truth! When that customer walks in and I know that he maybe in a hateful mood, the greatest thing that I can do is simply walk in love towards him, treat him with respect and "his cup shall pass." This is a hard lesson for some to learn, and even harder for those who have been deeply hurt by someone's actions. But the truth is this, walking in love towards your enemies and those who have hurt you in the past will help you experience the Love of the Heavenly Father.

 The Cup of the Heavenly Father is filled with the sweetness, the aroma and the love of Jesus and the Father.

Wanna learn how to defeat that anger? Read Part Two of "Drinking from the Cup of Hate.......