Thrive Church Az

Hey Christian, how you vote, your political affiliation, who you vote for; this is a decision you should make based on your informed and thought out confidence in what and who you think is better for the US and it's future. The past few voting cycles have seen a larger diversity in how people of faith vote than witnessed in the past 5 decades. Your political opinion is just that, an opinion and a choice. When you post memes, quote, "news" articles that are not accurate or true, you have moved beyond opinion to endorsment of the accuracy of the article. If you haven't done you due dilagence to validate the information you are sharing, you are in the category of what the Bible calls Romours, Slander and Gossip. It doesn't matter if it aligns with your views. If it is inaccurate, it is on you. If you can do you due dillagence and find inaccuracies in the information and you still post it, now you have made the choice to become a liar. Sounds harsh, but, posting viral memes and info on your account makes you responsible for it. Please be discerning in what you post. To support party A or B, do it and express yourself. But your credibility and integrity will lastg past this election and people don't need to feel validated in misinformaiton, they need to know that what you post is reasonably accurate. Don't let others lie through you.

Jesus declared his own mission was not to condemn the world but to save it; so many today see it as their mission to do the opposite, to condemn. As genuine followers of Jesus let us reflect his mission to speak life, love and hope over all we encounter, declaring to them their immeasurable worth to the One who designed and made them.

The whole of Jesus' life, teachings, actions and benifit to humanity makes best sense in seeing what He is for not what He is against. Too often the modern church defines itself in it's opposition to an aspect of society rather than offering a hope for society.

When the follower of Jesus is genuinely a disciple of Jesus' life, teachings, and model, it will be evidenced by their whole following of all he taught. They will develop for others a contrast between the religion of Christianity and the true indwelling of the Spirit that Jesus promised. They will proclaim the good news, they will also tend to the abandoned. They will hope for His return, they will also dress the wounds of the victim. They will learn the Bible, they will also show that the understand the difference between words and The Word. They won't proclaim what they know as fact in debate, they will live in their faith knowing it is a faith. The strength of their faith is in the God who is strong, not in the arrogant confidence of their rightness and facts. They will lead with their love then they will have the credibility to tell others about their hope. The follwer of Jesus will recognize the Imago Dei in others and see their worth, not try to shame them by proclaiming them to be wicked and ugly before God. The follwer of Jesus lives by what they are for, not what they are against.
The religion of Christianity is the opposite of this, it looks to judge without relationship or investment. It looks to correct the human flaws it sees in others. It demands compassion but has none for others. It looks for power and shuns humility. It puffs itself up with being right, never bothing itself with what is true. It looks to its comfort and security in money, brand and status. Whereas the follwer of Jesus looks only to have their heart molded into one like His and their reward is the Fruit of the Spirit and the hope of eternity.

The religion will defend the undefensable with a twisted narriative of logic and tales villianizing any who disagree or disprove it. If it is not within the religion's sphere of influence, control and effect, it is by default wrong.

Whereas the follwer of Jesus sees all of humanity and creatiion as a testament to God and looks for his mark and signature in the whole of creation. Be it art, science, education, society and family. With humility the follwer exercises faith in the whole of God and His power and desires to collaberate with God. The Religion desires to imprison God in a box of their making rejecting anything that lies outside the box and defending the flawed and incomlete things in the box.

Yes, the difference between the two becomes clear, one reflects the Hope of Jesus in his message and story desiring to tell and show others this hope in them, while the other sows discord and superiority over those Jesus calls to.