Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we get to the heart of a matter, there is often so much simplicity in the truth that we do not believe it.  We have ways of evaluating the truth but we often like fiction more than the facts.  Creating “truth” that fits our desired outcomes is perhaps the most common form of self-deception.

When we neglect the whole truth about faith and following, we are neither using faith nor are we following.  The truth is all that matters.  It does not mean that we cannot use fiction to open minds to the truth.  It does, however, preclude us from creating stories that build false aspects of who Jesus is.

When I write books about The Foster Father of God, The Praetor, or The Magi, I am not trying to add to the truth about Jesus.  I am trying to tell a story that embodies that truth and teaches it in the backdrop of some adventure and intrigue.  The people who surrounded Jesus during the first century were real.  They lived and died and interacted with all that their world was.

I do my best to research the history and include it in the tale.  I seek to show that none of the heroes or villains were unidimensional.  Including the supernatural that occurs in our journey is simply part of acknowledging the truth that is there.  It is part of how I give space to the truth that the Father is unfolding all things according to his plan.

If my stories draw you to see Jesus as he is, then I have done my part.  Fanfiction, however, does not adhere to the truth.  It creates things outside of canon that are products of the fiction creator's musings.  When humans do this in most cases, it is a compliment to the original creator of the art.  When it comes to the things of God, however, there is no room for changing or diminishing the truth.

I must use the creative gift I am given without indulging in the easy path of neglecting the truth.  It is also required that I always speak the truth in love.  Even when confronting the creators of fanfiction that belies who Jesus is, I must do so with respect and love.  Weaving tales that draw us into the truth is service to the Father, Dear Reader.  

As I currently prepare to deliver another of those stories for your Christmas season, I ponder the character of people who really lived and how they interacted with Jesus.  When we journey through these lives, we can see love, grace, and mercy lived out as the Father intends.  That is a tale worth telling and hearing.  My next fiction will be about the Magi and their journey.  Following that will be a tale about Judas and how he arrived at his place in history.  None of it will be fanfiction.  Please stay with me as your company is always a source of joy for me.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good. 

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

The tales we weave surrounding Jesus must never violate the truth of who he is or what he has done for us.

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Buddy Jesus

Greetings Dear Reader, 

Earlier in this series, I mentioned that we must not neglect aspects of Jesus that are vital to seeing him honestly.  One of those is that he is holy.  He is set apart from anyone else.

The fanfiction we create when we neglect this is connected to our view of Christ.  I am going to introduce a fancy term for you here.  It is the hypostatic union.  This is the understanding that Jesus is both 100% God and 100% man.  The divine and the human reside in him fully. 

This matters because we emphasize the humanity of Jesus over the divinity too often.  We handle the things related to him as common and ordinary.  Putting Jesus in proper perspective means that we see his holiness, righteousness, and justice as things to be considered as vital to who Jesus is.

It is how we handle the things of God that shows the depth of our faith and following.  If we fail to see the Son for who he is, we create fanfiction about him that makes him our buddy.  Jesus is a friend of all who will have him.  He is not a casual encounter or friend of convenience.  We forget that when we claim to follow Christ, we are taking up the banner of the Living God.

I must never forget that when we claim Christ, we are representing every aspect of him.  We tell others that our words, actions, and attitudes are linked to the love and truth of Jesus.  We are to be holy, righteous, and just if we are to make Jesus real for our lives.  More so, we must do it to represent him for others.

Jesus is not our buddy.  He is not someone with whom we pal around.   He is the Scandalon that trips up others who would avoid the truth.  He is the Creator, Mighty Counselor, and the Prince of Peace.  When we forget who Jesus is, we create fanfiction of who we wish he could be.  This fanfiction almost always violates his character. 

We cannot follow a false image of Jesus, Dear Reader.  If we do, it is creating God in our own image and that is idol worship.  Real faith requires that I follow Jesus as he is no matter how uncomfortable that gets for me.  When my image is in conflict with who Jesus is, it is I that must change because the truth will not.

We can have the real thing for free but we instead create counterfeits that neither satisfy nor save.  In doing this, I must be sure to never allow the Divine to overshadow the humanity of Christ.  I can, however, continue to seek Christ in truth and try to become more like him in every aspect.  I am human so, I will fail.  What matters is that keep moving, keep trying, and reject the fanfiction for the truth in every aspect.  Jesus is not my buddy but he is my friend.

 Playing Marbles with Diamonds – Steve Camp

Waking up to a very different world
We got mud on our flag before it’s even been unfurled
Our heroes have fallen and a leader is hard to find
The clock is running out and we’re casting our pearls before swine

There’s a whole lot more than preaching to the choir
Kneeling at the altar and paying our tithe
We’ve been treating God like he’s happiness for hire
We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds

Isn’t it a sin how his name how his name gets thrown around
We pat God on the back like a buddy from out of town
We thank “the man upstairs” for the things people praise us for
We give God the glory but we’re happy to take the award

There’s a whole lot more than raising lots of money
Building our churches and spreading our faith
If faith is just the dice you roll to get lucky
We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds

 There are precious things of God
And we must guard them with our lives
Like an unborn baby’s dreams
Like a husband love his wife

May the hope of his returning
May it glorify our faith
As we hold onto his holy word
May the chaff be blown away

Can we ever live up to the things we say we believe
Because the world is watching looking for some honesty
Are we riding down a freeway instead of on a narrow road
We turned the passion for the lost into the business of saving souls

There’s a whole lot more than preaching to the choir
Kneeling at the altar and paying our tithe
We’ve been treating God like he’s happiness for hire
We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds

There’s a whole lot more than raising lots of money
Building our churches and spread
If faith is just the dice you roll to get lucky
We’ve been playing marbles with diamonds.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

“Isn’t it a sin how his name how his name gets thrown around?  We pat God on the back like a buddy from out of town.”

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Free Choice

Greetings Dear Reader,

I was in a discussion with someone I love dearly.  I was explaining that there are natural consequences to our choices.  She was bothered by this and said, “I don’t want there to be consequences.”  I hear this in my head every time I wish I were not receiving the consequences of my poor choices.

One of the fanfiction genera that we all embrace is the idea that Jesus forgives us so there are no consequences.  This is a great lie.  Some things follow others in sequence.  That is the way it is.  It is the reason that we need grace and mercy. 

We think that because all consequences do not appear instantly that they will not come.  Sometimes we think that we can outrun them.  We try to bargain our way out of them as well.  They follow our choices because they are part of the choice.

I rarely see my own consequences until they are upon me.  Too often, I see the consequences creeping up on others.  My failures, however, often keep them from hearing me when I try to warn them.  Yet another consequence and casualty of my choices is added to the load.

We grieve too often over the consequence and not the sin. Our eyes fix on our circumstance and not the choices that brought us here.  I have seen the Father give both grace and mercy to me when I deserve nothing.  I am not being self-deprecating.  I surely do not deserve the love of the Father or the redemption offered by the Son.  The consequence of my rejection of the Father should be that I remain fatherless.  Instead, he asks that I accept by faith that he loves me and that his true Son has paid the penalty for my failures.

Too often we deny that there will be any reckoning for our choices.  There will be and we will try to avoid them.  This is one of our great fanfictions that Jesus will not hold us accountable for our choices.  He actually said that we will give an account for every word we speak.  Ponder that for a bit with me, Dear Reader.

If I pretend that there are not consequences for my words and actions, then I fictionalize who Jesus is.  He wishes to deal with me in love and grace.  His desire is to show mercy.  He will, if he has to, meet out justice for what I say and do. 

The journey home will be filled with opportunities to choose.  What I choose will have consequences.  It will not matter what I want when this unfolds.  When I choose to act, I choose my consequence.  I choose the fruit of the trees I plant.  That is the way that it is and the way it must be.  It is why I strive to be lovingly unoffendable, kind, generous, and gracious.  I still fail but choosing to love first and deal in grace is becoming a habit.  I have left behind the kind of fiction that denies who Jesus is.  What do you think, Dear Reader?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

“What you want is irrelevant; What you have chosen is at hand.”

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Jesus is Magic

Greetings Dear Reader,

I regularly get to hear a six-year-old child pray.  Her prayer is more like a visit to Santa’s lap than addressing the King of all creation.  Still, she always wants to pray and that is a beautiful thing.  She is only six and does not yet understand the intimacy of prayer.

One of the most irksome things I see is the way in which others who know better treat Jesus like he is their own personal magic lamp.  They pray and teach others to pray about their needs and their wants.  They spend little time interacting with God as a King or compassionate Saviour. 

Western Christianity contains too much thinking that God is our ATM to get what we want in exchange for a little lip service and wearing the right t-shirt.  The health and wealth that is touted as our right by some is just another form of Jesus fanfiction.  The Father does want us to depend on him for all our needs and to give our desires into his care.  He does not promise that we will be rich or that we will never be ill or harmed.

He wishes for us to focus on the needs of others.  He wants us to pray for them, hurt with them, and have faith on their behalf.  I have a friend who often shares his prayer time with me.  He constantly prays for others to have a healthy mature faith.  I have heard him say when others struggle with belief, “I will believe enough for both of us until you get there.” 

It is not that Jesus is magic.  It is that our faith, when focused on the proper things becomes a powerful tool to harness the promise that we can ask what we will.  My dreams and desires are not wrong.  They must, however, be kept in perspective so that when I pray for them, I am not rubbing a magic lamp.  Jesus is not my djinn.  He is the one who loves my soul and longs to give me whatever will further align my journey with his.

I must not engage in the fanfiction that I will get whatever I ask.  I will allow the Father to shape the desires of my heart so that he can supply them knowing that I will use them well.  In remembering that adoration, confession, and thankfulness are all as vital as supplication in prayer, I find that I can shift the focus to a proper attitude.  It is also helpful to me that I save the supplication for last. 

We all know that feeling when someone asks us for something without even saying hello.  There is also the arrogance of those who ask us for things after offending us like nothing has happened.  Finally, there is a lack of gratitude that hurts us.  I must consider that I do this often and abstain from it. 

We must pray, Dear Reader.   We must not neglect the power of doing so with the right heart and attitude.  Jesus is not our magic lamp.  That is fanfiction in the extreme.  As I pray each morning, I will pray for your needs and believe that the Father will be there for you.  If you do the same for me, I will be very grateful.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

 “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benzes.  My friends all drive Porches, I must make amends.”

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ All You Need is Love

Greetings Dear Reader,

Almost every day I refer to love as the foundational essence of my journey.  This is true.  I mention that all other things involved in following Christ are built upon this.  Loving the Father and all humans is the only place to stand.

Beyond that, however, we must not fail to understand that if we do not represent the other aspects of Jesus, we are writing fanfiction.   God is love.  That is not all he is.  Built upon that love are other aspects of God that must remain pure and complete.  Because we do not understand the harmony fully, we sometimes neglect them.

I am speaking of things such as holiness, righteousness, and justice.  These are the hard work of following Christ.  We are supposed to be like Christ in these aspects as well.  If we neglect them, then the love upon which we stand becomes tainted through failing to reflect all that the love of God is. 

We do not need to dwell long on this.  We must leave judgment and condemnation to the Father.  It is not my place to engage in this.  I must, however, focus on these things as facets of my journey toward home.  I must make sure that I work to be holy, righteous, and just in my interactions.

When I fail to be holy; set apart to Christ, then my love for others will be self-serving.  If I am not righteous, then I become a hypocrite and my love will be tainted by my fallen nature.   Injustice in my life will result in failure to love everyone.  I will measure it out by my standards instead of the Father’s.

If anyone suggests that I accept that which is wrong based on the love of God, I must also ask if it is holy, righteous, and just.  If it is not, then they are asking me to accept their version of fanfiction about God and not the real Jesus.  I must adopt all of this with humility as well.  If I do not then I will not be measuring them out with love.

Even when I reject how others suppose Christ to be, I must do this without judgment of the person or condemnation of their lives.  The way grows narrower when I attempt to put these things in balance.   It is still this path that leads us home, Dear Reader.  It is still the truth that makes the story unfold for us all. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

 Contacts for Aramis Thorn:

#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

 If I leave out the aspects of following Christ that are difficult, I am writing fanfiction that does not fit the canon.

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Why Write Fiction?

Greetings Dear Reader,

 First, let me say that this will lead to the common application of my journey in following Christ.  I need, however, to consider the value of what I do in weaving tales of fiction that surround the Divine.  Since fiction is not true, I must ponder if historical fiction is a form of tarnishing the truth.

Tolkien addresses this in his essay On Fairy Stories.  We create because we are created.  “…We make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker”.   As with all things we can do that are good, we do them out of the formative “DNA” of our design.  When we create stories for good purposes, we are furthering the intent of redemption.  Tolkien and Lewis both crafted tales that delivered the idea of our reconciliation to the Father in ways that were subtle but binding.

There are those who suggest that fiction is not good or that it is only for children.  These two positions are untenable for those who follow Christ in truth.  Jesus used parables, fictional stories, to teach the truth.  This alone satisfies both objections.  He used them so, they are, therefore, good.  Jesus used them with adults, they are, therefore, not only for children.  Quod erat demonstrandum.

 Since following Christ involves emulating what Jesus did, it is reasonable that we would create stories to reflect the truths he taught us.  My approach is to put hands and feet on those ideas and ideals through telling stories that fill in the life around the accounts given in the Bible.  I am not adding to the account.  I am not trying to say that the biblical account is not enough.   I do attempt to tell stories that reflect the character of God as he interacts with his supporting cast. 

The reason I wish to write for my income is so that I can spend my time crafting ways to suggest that others follow Christ.  I want my days to be filled with writing and serving others.  The reason I write, whether anyone reads it or not, is to sharpen my focus on faith and following.  It is my faith that is encouraged by spinning out the tales that dance through my mind.

If you, Dear Reader, are encouraged by my stories and musings, it helps me when you let me know.  I make my writing public for accountability and to push me to better live what I believe.  It will become my sustenance when the Father wills it.  Your obligation is to do what you are required of by the Father.  It is not my place to say what that is.  It is, however, your responsibility to live whatever truth you gain from my scribblings.  Together we can become better followers of Christ if we both apply our hearts to this.  I treasure your prayers and patronage for my writing and the journey I am on concerning it.

 Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

 

If we dismiss the image of the Divine in the tales crafted by Tolkien and Lewis, we dismiss the Divine.  That is no small thing.

Jesus Fan Fiction ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

A couple of weeks ago when I wrote about things Jesus never said, I also began musing about the things that others think about Jesus.  When his followers misrepresent him, they create caricatures that allow others to mock him.  If I am to follow Christ and ask you to do the same, then I must be certain that what I say about Jesus is the truth.

There are those who say things about Jesus that are not true.  They become more a fanfiction than they are following.  As a writer of fiction, I choose to be as historically accurate in my fiction that surrounds Jesus.  I make it clear that it is fiction.  Others do not always do so.  There are old writings about Jesus that claim to be contemporaries of his time.  In truth, they are much later and present Jesus in a poor light. 

I wish to think through some things that are immutable concerning the character of Christ to anchor my thinking of both my writing and my following.  I am a supporter of fanfiction but find it poor when the creator of it uses another creator’s world for his or her own devices.  It is theft to deteriorate the characters that another has put so much effort into perfecting.  It is also wrong to misrepresent who Jesus is for our own purposes.

As I travel this path, there may be points where we disagree.  I welcome your thoughts on this and value your questions.  One need not agree with me to be following Christ.  That is all that matters; the faith and following in love.  It is in this path that we can walk together in harmony and peace.  We need not agree on everything if we disagree in peaceful ways.  If we keep the love of Christ as our hard deck, we will make our way to the place where the answers are.

Please keep me company as I sort out the things that are so essential to my following Christ and my writing.  In the end, Jesus is what matters.  If we seek with all our hearts, with integrity, and with faith, we will find our way.  I find it delightful when we seek together, Dear Reader.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good.

Contacts for Aramis Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Support Page on Patreon: www.patreon.com/aramisthorn
Novels: From My Publisher or on Amazon          
Web Page:  www.aramisthorn.com
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
Facebook      
Twitter        
Medium         
Instagram 
BLOG Archive:  http://aramisthorn.blogspot.com/ 

 I write fiction but not fan fiction.  I do not wish to ever represent Jesus as less than he is.

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Daughter often will step on the back of my shoe.  This is a lifelong habit of hers.  She responds in fear when she does it because of the responses of others before she came to be with us.  She apologizes profusely, explaining that she did not mean to do it.  I have begun to thank her for it.  I explain to her that it is a good reminder of how we are supposed to follow Christ and that my wish is for both of us to remember this.

I am required to stand out as a follower of Jesus.  I am supposed to be odd, uncommon, and out of step with the rest of the world.  The reasons I am that way are what matters.  It is not because I judge, condemn, or rail against sin.  I am supposed to live a holy life but not a holier than anyone else life.  I am to remember that I am the least.  I am to constantly recall that what I have in Christ is a gift to be shared.

The word “Christian” should be a badge of honor.  Instead it communicates judgment and condemnation.  It pushes political buttons instead of social and spiritual ones.  Our banner is no longer a beacon of hope but a symbol of rejection.  I do not need the word “Christian” nearly as much as I need to be as close as possible to the Living Word, Jesus. 

I think that the word can be reformed and reclaimed but it will take a massive change in the hearts of so many.  I cannot judge others who claim to be Christian.  That too is not my place.  What is needed, however, is for everyone who claims to be a disciple of Jesus to set aside everything that detracts from the commands to love God and to love each other. 

I hope, as I said at the beginning of this series that you understand that I am thinking through things to enable me to follow Christ more closely.  My desire is to be the little kid who steps on the back of his sandal.  Whenever I form an opinion on anything my filter must be, “Is that how Jesus would show his love?”  There must be a balance of justice, holiness, righteousness, and good that aligns with God’s character but the foundation for all of it is love. 

So Dear Reader, hold all who claim to follow Christ to these standards.  Demand that we treat others as we would be treated.  Insist that we hold back judgment and condemnation in favor of kindness and compassion.  We can do this without compromising our standards of righteousness and justice.  Most of all, mandate that we live lives that reflect infinite love for God and others.  All you are doing is echoing what Jesus already requires of his followers.  We all need to be stepping on the back of his sandal. 

Jesus Friend of Sinners – Casting Crowns

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me

Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who's writing in the sand

Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands

Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves

Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees

No one knows what we're for only against when we judge the wounded

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost 'cause and I was the outcast, Yeah

You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ Fishers of Men

Greetings Dear Reader,

We are transformed when we choose to follow Christ.  We learn how to love.  We understand the value of patience, kindness, and social justice.  We see that if we deny our own wants and seek what Christ wants that life is richer.

All this has a purpose.  We are supposed to draw others to follow as well.  When Jesus called his followers to join him he told them they would become “fishers of men.”  Our culture usually pictures fishing as hooks and lines.  What Jesus intends is that we create a net of love and kindness; grace and mercy, that draws others to follow as well. 

We are not to force people into the fold by manipulation, fear, judgement, or anger.  We are to set an example of the love and grace that Jesus wants every human to know.  It is my obligation to sacrifice anything in order to show the love of Christ to others.  I cannot put my own wants ahead of loving others as Christ loves us. 

I fail at this and have to reset my thinking.  I must keep vigilance over the things that I say and do so that I reflect the love of Christ in every possible moment.  It is in hopes that you see what Jesus has for us.  It is in the desire that you see those who profess to be Christian but do not follow Christ are not the example you should use.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ Earning Nothing

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Grandfather used to tell this story:

A man was sitting on his porch on his block in the cool of the evening.  It was his habit to do this every evening.  Many of the older people in his neighborhood did the same. 

A young fellow dressed in a nice suit came down the block.  He turned up the mans walk and stepped up onto the porch, smiled at the sitting man, and handed him a one-hundred-dollar bill.  Without a word he turned and walked away.  The young man repeated this action every day for thirty days.  No matter what the older man said the young man did not speak or interact. 

On the thirty-first day the young man walked down the block and passed the older man’s house.  He went to the next house on the block where an older widow sat knitting and sipping sweet tea.  The young man proceeded up her walk, handed her a one-hundred-dollar bill, and went on his way.  The older man yelled after him, “Hey!  Why are you giving her my one hundred dollars?”

One of the challenges of doing the things we do to follow Christ is that we begin to think we are earning something from him.  We think that we deserve something from God or that he owes us something.  This is never to be our motivation.

We cannot earn God’s favor because we already have it.  We must not put ourselves in the place where we think God owes us favor or merit.  This is only an exercise in futility.  First, we already have God’s favor.  He loves us in ways we cannot imagine.  He never mitigates his love when we do wrong.  He never increases it because we do right.

I must follow Christ for the sake of loving him.  I cannot begin to think I have earned or am owed anything.  I must only and always move with Christ out of love for him.  Anything else is a compromise of what I am commanded to be.  If I do good to earn God’s favor I am exercising futility.  I am taking the name of Christ for my own purposes. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ The Benchmark

Greetings Dear Reader,

When we talk about technology or construction we know that there are standards by which we measure what is good work and what is not.  When we cook there are standards.  You do not want to add too much salt or not enough seasoning. There are benchmarks that measure quality on almost everything.

If we hope to follow Christ there is a benchmark that is the outward evidence of us doing it.  We are to love others in the same way and degree that Christ loves us.  We are supposed to be known for our love.    

We should be so good at this that we are held up as the standard of how to love people.  Instead we have so much infighting that we have hived off into many denominations.  Division squanders resources that could be used for the other things we are supposed to be about.  We divide over things that do not matter keeping us from working together on things that do.

We are required to love each other.  It is the way in which the Father operates.  It is my obligation to love everyone.  The minute I look for exceptions to that requirement I have abandoned the spirit if not the letter of it.  I have forsake the command to love for some lesser position of my own devising.   

If I put my focus on loving others then I will be moved to take care of the other things that identify me as a Christ follower.  There is no good reason to refuse to love others.  It is the benchmark of the Christ follower.  It is the foundation of all that God commands.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ Modern Widows and Orphans

Greetings Dear Reader,

It is clear that if we dare to call ourselves followers of Christ that we are to care for those in need.  Further we are to specifically care for widows and orphans.  The first century definition of this is a woman who has lost her husband and children who have lost their father.  Before you get on your “inclusion” or “gender” soap box, let me assure you that I am not limiting my modern understanding of the need to this definition.

For the purpose of your glimpse of my thinking here, Dear Reader, let us say that anyone who has lost a partner who is supposed to share in the child rearing has been widowed.  I may not always approve of the circumstance under which a need occurs but that does not mean that I am not obligated to care about the need.  Dwell on that for a moment.

As to orphans, I would submit that any child who has a parent, biological or otherwise, that has died or forsaken him or her, is an orphan.  The child has needs for support, guidance, and nurture that transcend the circumstances that brought him or her to this place. 

The people of Christ are supposed to care for these needs.  There is nowhere that allows us to regulate it to another entity.  If we hope to be seen as Christ followers we must attend to this need.  No excuse is a good one.  No dodging the responsibility is permitted.  So why then do we dare to call ourselves Christians when we do not attend to this? 

The standard should be that we care for single parents and children in need so well that we are the first thought when a need arises.  Christ followers should be the obvious choice when a child is hungry or a single parent cannot pay a bill, cannot afford medical care, or cannot buy food.

Instead we relegate this to the government who has proven over and over that they cannot do the job.  I am not slamming the government. I am saying they are not good at this.  We are the ones who are told to be the example in caring for “widows and orphans” in our culture.  We are not told we can ignore this if the lives of those in need do not measure up to our moral standards.  Humans are my business whether I wish it or not. 

I cannot say that I am following Christ if I leave those in need behind. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ True Religion

Greetings Dear Reader,

Often when people discover that I am a “man of faith” they will say that they are not “religious”.  It is usually the intent to dismiss a conversation that has turned to matters of faith.  I usually respond with the reminder that I am a man of faith and not religious either. 

I am wrong.  I am a religious person.  At least I strive to be according to the definition of religion set forth by Jesus brother, James: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

If I seek to guard my words, aide the widows and orphans of our era, and keep my life set apart to Christ then I am practicing what would be considered true religion.  Words have meaning and it is not good for me to allow this word to be diverted from its true purpose.

If one says that they are not “religious” are they claiming to not guard their words, not care for the needs of widows and orphans of our day (we will talk further of this tomorrow), and be in agreement with all things secular?  I do not think so.  I do, however, believe that I must not let this word go the way of others that belong to faith and following. 

I must be religious but not in the way that word communicates to most people.  I must be a man of faith and following.  I must live the faith and religion that God the Father accepts.   If you tell me that you are not religious to divert me, I may ask you what you mean by that.  It matters.  I will not, however, be unkind about it. 

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ The Least of These

Greetings Dear Reader,

I hope I can get through this part without sounding judgmental or condemning.  That is not my intent.  Still this is one of those hard things that has many edges and little padding.  I need the lessons of the least reinforced daily.

When Jesus speaks to us about his approach to recognizing his followers he commented on actions taken to show love and kindness to others.  He speaks of those with whom he identifies.  His specifics were, “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”

Jesus makes it clear that when we do these things for those around us, no matter how “low” that persons seems to us, we do it TO Christ.  We must not grow weary of hearing this.  It is the core of the outward working of the Gospel.  It is how we show the love of Christ to others.  “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’”

If I am not addressing the needs of others then I am not following Christ.  Worse, I do not grow in my knowledge of him and how to follow him.  He resides in the pain and needs of others.  He is the widow and orphan.  He is the sick, the homeless, and the prisoner whether we acknowledge it or not.  He is found in those we esteem as low in our society.

It is not only in church that we worship.  It in selfless acts for those in need.  It is in seeing through the disguises of low estate and bad circumstances that we find Christ.  I cannot be willing to pay five dollars for a cup of coffee when a food back can generate fifteen meals for the poor from that same five dollars.  The coffee is only wrong if in getting it we neglect the poor.  Christ wants us to enjoy good things but he also insists that to know him we must invest in the needs of others.

I am not pointing fingers but, instead, holding up a mirror.  If you feel that you need a mirror as well feel free to reflect on this:

Distressing Disguise – Michael Card

He is in the pain, He is in the need

He is in the poor, we are told to feed

Though He was rich, for us He became poor

How could He give so much, what was it for?

In His distressing disguise

He waits for us to surmise

That we rob our brothers by all that we own

And that's not the way He has shown

Every time a faithful servant serves a brother that's in need

What happens at that moment is a miracle indeed

As they look to one another in an instant it is clear

Only Jesus is visible for they've both disappeared

He is in the hand that reaches out to give

He is in the touch that causes men to live

So speak with your life now as well as your tongue

Shelter the homeless, take care of the young

In His distressing disguise

He hopes that we'll realize

That when we take care of the poorest of them

We've really done it to Him

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ Deny Yourself

Greetings Dear Reader,

I promised we would get back to the idea of denying oneself.  When Jesus tells me to take up my cross to follow him he first says that I must deny myself.  Before I go there I wish to be clear on something.  Following Christ is foremost a matter of faith.  It is for the sake of those who need to see the reality of the Gospel that his followers must live out certain things.  By doing these things we do not “earn” God’s favor.  We prove to others that we are serious about our faith.  Thank you for the comments Dear Reader.  As my Grandfather used to say, “You do what you believe. Everything else is talk.”

So then, what does it mean for me to deny myself?  It means that I do not put my wants and desires ahead of the needs of others.  You hear stories of people who do things that are a grand sacrifice in order to show their faith.   I would take nothing away from this.  It may be more important to the Gospel and following Christ that we deny ourselves in everyday things.

Placing the needs of others ahead of my own is difficult but is at the core of the daily struggle.  It is the stony path of the journey until you get used to it.  It means I do not grasp at what I desire but rather seek to see what others need as I go about my day.  When we discipline our lives to be this way it becomes easier to give the kind word, delay my agenda to help others, or give up something I do not need for someone who does need it.

The examples must be anecdotal but that requires me to risk sounding prideful.  I will offer this.  I was discussing grocery shopping with a friend yesterday.  She dislikes the organized chaos that is a grocery store.  I have determined that one of the great opportunities of a grocery store is creating relationships of kindness with the people who work there. 

After several years of wandering the isles of my chosen grocer the clerks know me.  The managers do as well.  I am able to listen to them relate stories about their lives and family.  I am able to be a comfort when there is loss.  I am able to show them love because I choose to put them above my grocery list and my timetable. 

Because of this I have been able to comfort the lady in the bakery who is waging a daily battle with cancer.  I have gotten to pray with the assistant manager when she lost her mother.  I have gotten to exchange stories of our sons and our love for them with the manager. 

The point is to create a pattern of caring for the needs and lives of others.  To deny my life and in doing so gain a better life than I can imagine is the goal.  I gain because I show love and kindness.  It is not out of pride but out of my desire to communicate the love of Christ that this rises.  

On top of doing the little things daily that are a denial of self, I must do them all with humility.  I cannot stoke my pride because I was kind or selfless.  I must simply be thankful for the opportunity to follow Christ more closely.  I must deny my own purposes and seek only to follow in thought, action, and example. 

I do and will fail.  I still have moments where my pride and desires overrule my intents.  It is the process of me decreasing and Christ increasing that is the point of the journey.  It is, after all a journey not an event.  What do you think?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ On Crosses

Greetings Dear Reader,

First the reminder that I am not telling anyone else what to do or be.  I am processing this so that I remember what I must be if I call myself a Christ follower.  My Grandfather spent time as a circuit preacher after he retired.  He would go to four different churches in a month.  They were all small. 

One of the things he used to say was, “In Jerusalem in the first century, when you saw a man carrying a cross, you said, ‘There goes a dead man.’”    Luke reports Jesus as saying, “He said to all of them, ‘Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow me.’”

We will get to the “denying of self” part tomorrow.  Those who wish to follow Christ must be the walking dead.  Let that sink in for a moment.  I must be willing to at least metaphorically if not possibly physically carry a cross with Christ.  The idea is that of all the injustice accepted, pride not grasped, power set aside, and humility embodied for the Son of God to be willing to die. 

That is what I must be willing to emulate as much as a human can if I am to follow Christ.  I am going to end each post on this with the same king of thought.  If you see me or any Christ follower who is not willing to “take up his cross” then he is not willing to follow.   Hold us accountable just as we are supposed to hold each other accountable.

I must be this in every moment.  I must do so with humility and love.  I must not fail to follow in the hardest things if I hope to truly follow in anything.  I am not there, but that is why I process all of this.  What do you think Dear Reader?

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)