Ashamed and Offended

I don't follow trends, but I pick up on them. When I was younger, still in high school as a matter of fact, (in hindsight that seems so far off, I must be getting old), we had to come up with a fake stock portfolio, and track it for six months. If only I'd had real money in it, I could have retired before turning twenty one.
I fake invested in beginning trends, rather than existing markets, and I made a ton of imaginary money on a little thing known as the 'world wide web' back then, and as they are still known by some today the 'internets' as well as oddly enough, bottled iced tea.
As of late, I've noticed another trend, no, not an investment opportunity, but something truly sinister and vile. It appears it is no longer popular, or acceptable in the mainstream to call yourself a preacher, evangelist, pastor or disciple of Christ. These titles, have been replaced by such ambiguous ones as life coach, motivational speaker, spiritual advisor, or my personal favorite of the bunch, although a little wordy, authority on supernatural phenomenon and spirituality.
There are two passages in the Bible that in my more hopeful and optimistic youth never thought would come to pass during my lifetime.
Luke 7:23, "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
Luke 9:26, "For whosoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels."
It isn't the sheep that are ashamed of, and offended because of Christ, but the very men and women that we've propped up on pedestals, those whom the great majority have chosen to lead them, and to whom they've entrusted their spiritual nourishment.
So if you're in need of a life coach, a mentor, or a motivational speaker, keep listening, applauding, fawning, begging for autographs, and throwing your money down the bottomless pit they call their ministries. If however you are looking to be fed, nourished, if you are looking to be saved, to grow and mature in Christ, you might want to start by cracking the Bible open yourself, and following the instructions therein. Why not try Jesus as your life coach?
He might not tell you 'you're all that' (the title of the newest book by one of America's leading life coaches / evangelists / soon to be divorced pastors / motivational speaker / you get the point...
God's not in the business of making you feel good about yourself He's in the business of molding and transforming you until He feels good about you. Until He can look upon your countenance, peer into your heart and say as He did of Job, that truly you are His servant, blameless and upright, one who fears God and shuns evil.
What a frightfully tragic thing that men and women who would boast of knowing God, of having heard Him, spoken to Him, and one lady with pink hair having sat on His lap, would be ashamed of Christ and His words, words that give life, and meaning and substance to this life on earth.
Many are those who are offended because of Christ, seemingly even within the church, but blessed are those who are not offended because of Him. Be blessed.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea Jr.

P.S. As the cool kids say, I will be out of pocket for the next three days. In fact I'm traveling to Baltimore tomorrow morning, and returning sometime Monday evening. God bless you all, and thank you for your prayers.