scared

I have always been religious. I was raised in the church, and have always had christian values in my heart. I was baptized at a pretty young, but not unusually young age. I did understand what I was doing, and did accept Jesus as the son of God and Savior. It was very difficult as an adolescent to go to church when my mom didn't take me. It was very easy during the summer to live with my christian values, because my dad took me to church.
So, as I got older, high school age and even a bit beyond, my relationship with God really didn't mature much, because I didn't continue to study, or learn for that matter. So I drifted, I drifted away from those christian values and started to live with my worldly outlook on things. See, I never denied God, and looking back now he was always there talking to me, and convicting me of the wrong I was doing even as I was doing it. That wasn't enough for me, or maybe it was that my relationship with Him wasn't mature enough to recognize it was actually Him that was convicting.
I think the biggest problem was the fact that in high school and middle school it just wasn't cool to be a christian. That's all I cared about was being cool and accepted by my piers. In fact I was making fun of the kids that were, well, christian. I remember doing that and feeling like garbage for doing it, but that didn't matter to me, all that mattered was that my friends thought I was cool. Man, that's just no good you know?
There is good news though, and that good news is that things have changed. I love all my friends, especially the ones who are still around, and do what they can to stay in touch even when they are on the other side of the country, or for that matter the World. One of the biggest problems I have had recently is the idea that those friends wouldn't accept me anymore because of my faith and the lack of faith they have.
Well, here it is. I am still Mauricio, and will always be Mauricio, and I'm not going to go around hitting them over the head with bibles. So don't worry about that. I will however be more than happy to answer the why questions and challenge them to ask. Understand that I have work to do while I'm here, and my work comes from more than just a boss, but that work comes from the Creator of all things. So will I join you at the strip club? No. Will I join you at the bar to shoot pool and drink some beer? Yes, but I probably will be the one driving home, because anymore beer gives me acid reflex, and it is written that I shouldn't be given to drunkenness.
On the other hand, if they choose not to accept me, because of my faith in Jesus and the fact that I refuse to tell God no to the job that he has put in front of me. Then I will also rejoice, because if you are going to torment me and shun me out of your group because of my faith in Jesus, then I will with great joy take that in His name.
I will with great joy and honor take abuse and anything that anyone can throw at me in the name of Jesus Christ, because as he did this for me and died on the cross I will. See please don't think that this is for attention, or for my glory. Please don't think that I come on this thing daily and post blogs so that people would read them and think, "OH, man Mauricio is really religious." Or to show some kind of wisdom, or to get credit from my brothers in Christ. I do this because He told me too. I don't know why, but for someone to get something out of it, and that someone might even be me, who knows. In Philippians 2, it says that your attitude should be like that of Christ Jesus. So, I'm going to build that relationship with Him so that I can know him in order to make my attitude like His. As this passage continues on in Philippians 2:7-11 it explains, "who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man , he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
So though Jesus is in the very nature, God. He didn't think that he could even attempt to be equal with Got because it was unattainable. So, God on earth humbled himself to God the Father. Not only as the Son of God, but as a servant, saying that all these things that I do, I do for the glory of God, not for me. So, with that being said, if Jesus the son of God, humbled himself so much that he accepted, even though death had no authority over him he allowed Himself to be put to death so that we may be saved, and not have to, I can surely, because I owe Him my life, live it for Him. With or without the approval of my friends, and to be completely honest my family.
So that I hope that both parties will accept the fact that I am Christian, and plan to do whatever it is He asks me to do, and know that I am always praying for them. Also I pray that although I will never push, and force my beliefs on any of them I am always willing and wanting to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Wherever He takes me, and wherever I end up, whether it be with, or without money, or the earthly idea of success, as long as I am doing His work and making disciples of the nations, if I'm living in a car or in a mansion I am never a failure. Because all those things don't matter, the only thing that matters is that all the glory be given to God the father for ever and ever, amen.
I love you all and my the peace of Christ Jesus be with you all,
Mauricio