The two most powerful words in Scripture
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Inside the Church our faith is strengthened. We are fed by the Lord. We are encouraged by fellowship with others. We worship God. The mistake, on the other hand, is made when we make church an item to check off our weekly “to-do” list. Christ never intended our faith to be restrained within the confines of the church walls.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
Outside the walls we face the frontlines of the battlefield. Satan certainly dwells and has his minions inside the church. However, when we restrict our faith to inside the church walls then we leave ourselves vulnerable to Satan. We allow ourselves to be defeated because we do not even make it to the front lines with our arsenal supplied by the God of the universe.
When we do not allow our faith to dictate every daily action, we sink farther into the quicksand of sin. Satan doesn’t care what sin he gets you entangled with as long as it destroys your soul. “Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (I Peter 5:8) Satan is waiting for you outside the church walls. If you walk out and gloss over the reality of the war raging, you have no chance of living a life rejecting sin and glorifying God. You will sink into the void of habitual sin and your soul will drift farther from glory.
“So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.” (I Corinthians 10:31-33) We are called by the Lord to seek the salvations of others above and beyond our own personal desires. In order to show the love and grace of the Lord then we must live our lives as billboards of holiness, righteousness, and repentance.
Persecution is spreading rapidly within the United States. An anti-Christian culture is being strengthened by agents of Hell. If we are to survive persecution, then we must live a life set apart from earthly temptations and worldly pleasures. If we are to endure and survive future persecution, we must do it together – outside the church walls.
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
