Living Hypocrisy: As Long as You Don't Know...

Hypocrisy is a huge complaint about Christians. Hypocrisy turns away many people who are passionate and have caring hearts. The fear of becoming a hypocrit turned me away from Christ for many years. It still gauls me that so many who claim to be Christians are nothing like Christ. It is critical to not be hypocritical.

Yes, I know "not one of us is perfect" and "if we were perfect, we wouldn't need Jesus". I know "all of us are sinners". Those are not excuses to choose to sin.

One day I was complaining about fellow Christians whose passions support sinful behavior in others. I am not speaking of the "obvious biggy sins" I am speaking about supporting industries whose sin is covered with layers of consumerism; products that on the surface look totally acceptable.

The response to my complaint was "It is okay as long as 'you don't know'".

It would seem obvious that intentionally "not knowing" is a sin of omission. In a country as blessed as the USA, there is no way that we can know everything about all the products and companies we support. I contend that if you never check things out, you are choosing to sin. Perhaps a few minutes a week checking out web links could help reduce our personal hypocrisy and could put a dent in the world of sin. I am glad to smack evil in the face whenever I get the chance.

It is my intention to learn and then to educate by posting those things that I have learned so that others will also know and maybe in our small part, we can spread the word of sinful abuse of humans.

I will begin with one of my personal passions. If you want me to check something out, let me know.

Because of spammers, I will disquise my email just replace the "dot" with periods and "at" with the appropriate symbol. Send email to: Jane dot cares at agapehands dot com .




Chocolate (OH NO!!!!!)
General Information http://www.radicalthought.org/A55868/cocoa.nsf/Companies!OpenPage
Companies listed as to whether or not their chocolate is obtained with child slave labor...... (sign!) http://www.radicalthought.org/A55868/cocoa.nsf/allpg!OpenPage


Sports equipment: http://www.globalmarch.org/campaigns/worldcupcampaign/Index.php


Information on Obvious Bad Stuff

Child Trafficking
International Labour Office http://www.ilo.org/iloroot/docstore/ipec/prod/eng/2005_traf_involved_en.pdf

Different Drum

After writing the last blog which is a few down, I looked for the lyrics of the Nesmith song that Ronstadt sang.

Take my advice don't search for "walk the beat of a different drum". There are a lot of STRANGE people out there.

However, I did come across a song that spoke to me.

I am sure it is copyrighted and I will plug Mr. Voelz's web site. http://www.johnvoelz.com/voelzrss.php

I Belong to the Band
I'm gonna walk this road whatever the cost
And by Your grace I'll make my stand
I'm committed to a vision to do Your work
Halleluia, I belong to the band
Not gonna keep my light hid out of sight
Pressin' on, I won't look back
I'm an instrument tuned by the Master's hand
Halleluia, I belong to the band

And I'm movin' to the beat of a different drum
In step with the leader of the band
And I'm singin' out so loud for the world to hear
Halleluia! I belong to the band

Now, to hear this song you must be still—
it's whispering' in the breeze
It's heard in the silence of the heart
when a player's on their knees
And I've marched with some who are out of step
You can't dance without a tune
So I'm singin' the song of the Ancient of Days 'cause
His encore's comin' soon

What would they think?

Hmmmm...What might they think?

-Having a relationship with God is bogus.
----My answer: Try it you'll like it.

-I am not intelligent enough to realize that God is hocus-pocus.
----My answer: I am intelligent enough to know that there is a God.

-I am such a weak person that I have to rely on a "god".
----My answer: True. I have seen what I have done without God in my life and I know that "I" alone am much weaker that "I" depending on God.



How does one get on fire for God??? If you do it, it will come. You can't make a fire by looking at two sticks. You have to rub them together.

What does it feel like to be on fire for God? Drink a bottle of hot sauce...Or on second thought, just imagine drinking a bottle of hot sauce. The desire you would have for liquid water is the desire you can have for the living water.

Luke Warm-Naked before the Lord

My heart is aching for Christians who are not on fire.

I see so many people who are so worried about what other people are thinking that they cannot come to Christ personally...

I look back on my life and see how my experiences, mind-set and choices all led to this conclusion and my freedom from its oppression.

I always loved the part of the refrain of the song whose lyrics where "you and I walk to the beat of a different drum". The truth has set me free.

Why are people so constricted when it comes to loving God? Is it that people have such low opinions of themselves that they cannot trust their own thoughts? Is it that they crave being loved by others so much that they have to have the immediate and visible (READ: doubting Thomas) love of other human beings rather than the perfect love of God?

Human love is to fast food as God's love is to a twelve course meal.

I guess I have been greatly blessed. I have family and friends who love me for who I am, not for what "I" have done. I don't worry about limiting my relationship with God because of "what people might think." I don't need to grovel for the approval from my family and peers.

If you are afraid that people will think you are weak, trust in God and you will see how strong you can become.

I cannot say it enough....trust in God. But what comes with that is the need to worship God. This is hard for us in a country where we are taught to worship ourselves, our intelligence, our money, our status, our accomplishments, our talent....etc. Those things are so fragile and based so much on what we "do", not who we are.

If your dropped all the "me" stuff and stood naked only before the Lord, what would He see? That is what counts.