[[ Take Off the Mask ]]

OK so...I told you all I would be sharing with you what God has been showing me & what has been happening with me spiritually so this entry is it. It may be really long but I hope that you will read it all and that it will touch you. Click on the link below to see the lyrics to a song called "Stain glass Masquerade" by Casting Crowns that goes along with what I'm going to be talking about.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/2147424775/Casting_Crowns/Stained_Glass_Masquerade

This past Saturday night (2/3/07) Pastor Freddy started a sermon series titled, "Will You Be Made Whole?". He talked about the man in John 5:1-8 that had been a paralytic for 38 years & lay by the pool of Bethesda. There was a certain time of day when an angel would come and stir up the water in this pool & whoever was the first go get in it at that time would be instantly healed of whatever condition that had. When Jesus saw him he asked him "if he wanted to be make whole?" The man in reply began to make excuses for his paralysis & why he was not healed after all these years. Pastor Freddy told us that we as Christians can be like that. When God asks us if "we want to be make whole" we begin to make excuses for ourselves & blame it on everyone else. The reasons we do not say "yes" to "being made whole" is because we have been in our situations that hold us back for so long that we are too comfortable...we become "institutionalized". We do not want to get up of our "mat" like the paralytic (our comfort zone in a sense) to be "made whole". The stirring (the desire) has to start within us. This message just really spoke to me...as I continue on with this blog it will all kind of tie in together.

On Sunday morning (2/4/07) a lady in our church {SAOG) wanted to stand up and talk to the congregation about something. She said she wanted to "take off her mask". People were always telling her she is growing so much in God, she has a great walk with the Lord, that she's a great mother, a good wife, and things such as that. She was there to tell us that she is not all that great. She is not the Christian that she should be...she isn't always the best mother...she doesn't always obey her husband. She stood up to told us she was taking off her mask, that she had been lying & was tired of it. The reason she came to church & lived a lie was because she thought she would not receive the the same love and friendship if we knew the truth. She gave the example of the song "Stain Glass Masquerade" of how she felt. As I sat there and listened I thought, "Wow. That takes a big person to stand up in church and confess something like that." then they began to play the song so the church could hear it. As I listened tears began to stream down my face because I too was feeling the same way. I too have been coming to church wearing a mask. I am not the good daughter to my parents that everyone thinks I am...I have a bad attitude with them...I've had major disrespect issues before...but I would come to church with a smile & show respect to all the adults I would meet there. People would tell me what a great Christian girl I am and God is really going to use me...but at home...I was not reading the Bible and having quiet time with God AT ALL & some of the time I wouldn't use the best language...I would be rude to my brother & all these other various things. Well now....I am letting everyone that I too have taken off my mask & showing you the real me. I want my life to be transformed by Christ so that I act the same everywhere...that I will act as the Christian that I want to be everywhere I go...not just in church where they can see me. I want the whole world to see the real...changed me. I ask every ones forgiveness for living such a lie & not being my complete self.
God & I have talked and He is going to help me through this transformation and I know that He has big plans for my life. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for me. My spiritual life is starting to go up hill and I know that it is going to continue to grow. I want to grow more and more in Christ each and everyday.

God Bless,

Christine

"Do not let your circumstances dictate who you are, Let who you are dictate your circumstances."