[ bona fide God ]

   Jesus didn't care if He offended people.

   Welcome to a fact that has rocked my world for the past month or so. I'm not completely sure where I heard this, although I have a feeling it was probably Kris Vallotton. [But don't take that reference for real.]

   Example: Matthew 13.1-17, and 36-43.

   In the first part, Jesus is telling the parable of the sower, of the seed falling on good ground, etc. He ends with saying, "He who has ears, let him hear."

   That's a puzzling phrase. And He clearly isn't talking about physical ears. But He also doesn't bother to explain this -- nor the parable He had just told. Not until the disciples come up to Him and ask Him what He meant.

   And right after that, Jesus goes on again to tell another parable, this time about the weeds taking over the wheat. Again, He doesn't bother to explain until His disciples ask Him to.

   Curious, isn't it? Usually when you're saying something that isn't literal, that has a deeper, hidden meaning, you'll explain it so your audience gets it. So your teaching doesn't go completely to waste. But obviously Jesus wasn't concerned about this. To me, His attitude says "either you get it, or you don't, but there it is."

   I love it. That's my kind of attitude. haha. [Those of you who know me well can just nod in agreement.]

   Another example: Matthew 23.1-36.

   Jesus rips a good one on the scribes and Pharisees. Specifically in 33: "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?"

   I mean, really. Jesus just isn't concerned about offending people. Which is so refreshing to discover.

   Christians are so caught up in being apologetic about the Bible, about a God who condemns people to a life of eternity in Hell because they chose it, about bad things. And why the heck should we be ashamed of God for who He is? He hasn't changed at all since the beginning of time, nor even before that.

   We need to stop feeling bad about who God is. Who He really is. In the sense that God is just and true, so obviously He knows better than we do. We need to stop creating a soft God that doesn't let people go to Hell, and so on.

   We need to stop creating our own comfortable version of God that doesn't exist. Open the Bible to see who He really is. Let the Holy Spirit confirm it. The point of the Bible is to get to know the Author, without taking verses out and twisting them to your own interpretation.

   It was so refreshing for me to hear that Jesus said the truth, as harsh as it was, without a care as to how it would come across.

   I'm a very blunt person. To the point of me being very comfortable saying things like it is, regardless of what the person may think or feel. However, at the same time, I try to be very careful in not being rude. I say try because sometimes it definitely doesn't come out right. haha.

   So hearing this made me feel so free in that part of me. And strengthened my resolve to not be afraid to say what God leads me to, forgetting what others may think.

   Who is God to you? Who is He not?

   More importantly, how does this measure up to who He really is, and what the Bible says about Him?

   Here's a proposition:

   Stop being ashamed and apologetic about God. Because if that's what you feel, then the message you're sending is insecure, and maybe you don't really agree with all of who God is. Hm.

   I mean, how is that supposed to come across to the ones you're supposed to be sharing about Him to? Rather confusing if you ask me.

   I think I'm on a serious journey of discovering more of who He truly is -- not what everyone else says He is. I think a lot of ideas and thoughts I've grown up with are going to be shaken.

   Wow. I didn't even expect to write that. That's a revelation to myself.

   And. I'm. stoked.