1 Timothy 1:12-17
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I love the humility Paul has in this passage. He says that the Lord gave him strength, considered him trustworthy, and appointed him to his service. God showed him mercy. God poured out grace and gave him the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Jesus did what He did to save sinners. He take the worst of the worst and makes them clean so He can use them for His glory. This is so incredible. My purpose of posting this scripture and this message is not to live in shame for past scars. Look what Paul said. He was the worst, yet God used that to show His great patience and power. Do not resist the Lord because you are unclean, run to Him to make you clean so that His name may be glorified. God knows what has and is happening in your life and wants nothing more than for you to come to Him. If you feel weak, then God will give you strength. If you feel like your not good enough, the Lord considers you trustworthy with his work. If you don't know what to do, the Lord will appoint you to His service. If you feel like you don't deserve it, God will shower you with grace and mercy. Don't live in a shameful past, but constantly give thanks for God's mercy and praise Him that He is able to use sinners like us in the world.
Guys I have had prayers I've been praying for 2 years be answered. I've seen my God change lives. God has shown me what love really looks like. You don't have to be super-intelligent or specific gifts to do the work of the Lord. God made you exactly how He wanted you to be. I know for me seminary is going to open incredible doors for God to work, but it isn't necessary to do the work of the Lord. God alone changes lives. God's simple truths of how to love and the demonstration of love He gave us are more than enough. Just obey His truths to the best of your understanding and pray constantly and He will use you for His glory. You know why? Because He loves His creation and wants to save sinners. Everyone loves the phrase if God is for us who can be against us, but I think we need to constantly remind ourselves that God is for us. When we give our lives to Him, He always wants what's best for us. And what's best for us is to glorify Him on this earth, and to completely rely on Him so that we may worship Him forever.
I'm not the most dynamic speaker or writer. I don't know the Bible as well as I should. I oftentimes shy away from evangelistic opportunities. I still rely on myself many times, instead of asking God for guidance. Yet, I have such a passion for God. He is teaching me how to love people and offer grace to others. He is teaching me how to serve and give my life to what He has called me to do. So in all my weakness and brokenness, God is using me in incredible ways. I'll never stop boasting about this. God has never let me down or given up on me. I will joyfully serve Him with my entire life. Once you realize that everything you have is a gift from God, only what He gives you will last, and that He can take the smallest thing and use it for His eternal glory, then there is no room for any selfish ambitions. No matter who you are, or what you do, God can use you in incredible ways. He wants to use you in incredible ways. So why don't you just let Him? He is so faithful and so patient with us. Don't give back because you feel obligated, give your life to Him because there is no one else that loves you like He does and will always be faithful to you.
I love ya'll so much and I don't just say that every post. I know many of you who read this and you have made a difference in my life. I'm praying for all of you and just know that God is doing a mighty work in this very day. Have a great week!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
An Answered Prayer
So I just wanted to share a cool story that happened.
A bunch of guys go eat at this place called Taco Joint every Friday. If you know me, I like weekly eating traditions and we have a good group that goes every week. Well this particular Friday it felt so nice outside we decided to walk. We went and ate and had a great time as always. Then we began walking back to our apartments.
Well let me backtrack for a bit. And this is only one of many answered prayers I have experienced so if you want to hear more just let me know. For my Spiritual Life class, part of my curriculum is to keep a prayer journal and then to see how God has answered those prayers over the course of the semester. In my Evangelism class we have to do these interviews with non-Christians and later in the semester we have to do Gospel presentations with them. So I wrote in my journal and have been praying hard that I would have opportunities to meet non-believers and to have a sincere heart when sharing with them. I am so surrounded by seminary and church life its difficult sometimes. So a couple people asked me stuff they could be praying for and I told them. But the crazy thing is I had just talked to Allison on the phone and when she asked I told her we had these Gospel presentations coming up and just to pray that I would have opportunities and a heart to share.
So back to the story. We are making our little 5 minute walk back home and I am kind of in the back of the pack. We walk past an elderly woman and a middle-aged woman. When I pass I hear the elderly woman say, "Are you learning to be a preacher?" I could barely hear her, but I turned around and she asked again. I told her that I was in seminary and everything. She said, "This is my daughter and she doesn't know who Jesus is. Would you mind telling her who Jesus is?" One of my friends had pulled back with me and I was like this can't be happening. So I shared the Gospel with her. We asked questions to make sure she understood her grace and what the only way to have eternal life is. She was kind of quiet but very focused on what we were saying. So the elderly woman asked me if I would tell her the prayer of salvation so she could repeat it. I wasn't sure exactly what I should do, so I just prayed. She said now do the prayer of salvation. I looked to my friend to bail me out because I was at a loss. He said you know that a prayer you pray won't bring you salvation right? He asked if she believed that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and on the third day rose from the dead? She said yes. He said do you believe that you are a sinner destined for hell, but can gain eternal life by receiving this free gift Jesus has given us? She said yes I believe. He asked her if she would put her entire trust in Jesus, making Him Lord of her life. She said yes I put my trust in Him. So my friend walked her through a prayer and she repeated it. Now we just have to trust in the work of the Holy Spirit. How awesome and faithful is our God though? When asking for an opportunity to share with a non-believer I get flagged down and told to share the Gospel with someone.
God is so good. Rely on Him daily. As you ask and trust Him more He will prove to be more faithful then you could ever imagine. I love you guys and I hope you have a great weekend!
A bunch of guys go eat at this place called Taco Joint every Friday. If you know me, I like weekly eating traditions and we have a good group that goes every week. Well this particular Friday it felt so nice outside we decided to walk. We went and ate and had a great time as always. Then we began walking back to our apartments.
Well let me backtrack for a bit. And this is only one of many answered prayers I have experienced so if you want to hear more just let me know. For my Spiritual Life class, part of my curriculum is to keep a prayer journal and then to see how God has answered those prayers over the course of the semester. In my Evangelism class we have to do these interviews with non-Christians and later in the semester we have to do Gospel presentations with them. So I wrote in my journal and have been praying hard that I would have opportunities to meet non-believers and to have a sincere heart when sharing with them. I am so surrounded by seminary and church life its difficult sometimes. So a couple people asked me stuff they could be praying for and I told them. But the crazy thing is I had just talked to Allison on the phone and when she asked I told her we had these Gospel presentations coming up and just to pray that I would have opportunities and a heart to share.
So back to the story. We are making our little 5 minute walk back home and I am kind of in the back of the pack. We walk past an elderly woman and a middle-aged woman. When I pass I hear the elderly woman say, "Are you learning to be a preacher?" I could barely hear her, but I turned around and she asked again. I told her that I was in seminary and everything. She said, "This is my daughter and she doesn't know who Jesus is. Would you mind telling her who Jesus is?" One of my friends had pulled back with me and I was like this can't be happening. So I shared the Gospel with her. We asked questions to make sure she understood her grace and what the only way to have eternal life is. She was kind of quiet but very focused on what we were saying. So the elderly woman asked me if I would tell her the prayer of salvation so she could repeat it. I wasn't sure exactly what I should do, so I just prayed. She said now do the prayer of salvation. I looked to my friend to bail me out because I was at a loss. He said you know that a prayer you pray won't bring you salvation right? He asked if she believed that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and on the third day rose from the dead? She said yes. He said do you believe that you are a sinner destined for hell, but can gain eternal life by receiving this free gift Jesus has given us? She said yes I believe. He asked her if she would put her entire trust in Jesus, making Him Lord of her life. She said yes I put my trust in Him. So my friend walked her through a prayer and she repeated it. Now we just have to trust in the work of the Holy Spirit. How awesome and faithful is our God though? When asking for an opportunity to share with a non-believer I get flagged down and told to share the Gospel with someone.
God is so good. Rely on Him daily. As you ask and trust Him more He will prove to be more faithful then you could ever imagine. I love you guys and I hope you have a great weekend!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Living Contagiously
The cool thing about light and darkness is that when light is present there is no possible way for darkness to exist. Light always cast out darkness. So if we are being the light of this world, that means that darkness around us will subside.
I have talked a whole lot about grace in these posts. My goal for this post is to examine our stewardship of grace and love and to look at the consequences of that. Everyone in this world seeks purpose and they seek love. Now there is a lot of pain, brokenness, and work of Satan that skew people's minds. But everyone wants to have a purpose to existence and wants to be loved. That is why we preach the Good News. It is the truth and shows people not only true purpose for this life, but it also shows them a perfect unconditional love.
I want to share a personal experience of mine. Spring break two years ago we had a group of about 20 people went to the beach with us. The first night mom cooked dinner and me and a couple of friends cleaned up the kitchen and the dishes and everything. Well the next day a girl went and bought breakfast for everyone. Then it turned into a serving frenzy. You had everyone there trying to make the trip a little better for everyone else. Some of the group cleaned the entire place the night before so people wouldn't have to worry about it the next morning. It was unbelievable. My point is that giving and serving is contagious. And when you wrap the Holy Spirit in all this their is an incredible joy and love that goes with that kind of community.
This isn't my most organized thought but know that small things can have huge impact. So when you seek after the Lord and just get that joy of serving others and know that your identity is in Him then light will be shining through you. And just remember that even a small amount of light can make darkness flee. So my point is love others with a passion. Serve them without expecting anything in return. Be a steward of grace. See if people don't see that joy and catch the fever. Love God and Love others.
Love you guys and just allow and pray for the Holy Spirit to continually transform your heart into Christ likeness. Have a good week!
I have talked a whole lot about grace in these posts. My goal for this post is to examine our stewardship of grace and love and to look at the consequences of that. Everyone in this world seeks purpose and they seek love. Now there is a lot of pain, brokenness, and work of Satan that skew people's minds. But everyone wants to have a purpose to existence and wants to be loved. That is why we preach the Good News. It is the truth and shows people not only true purpose for this life, but it also shows them a perfect unconditional love.
I want to share a personal experience of mine. Spring break two years ago we had a group of about 20 people went to the beach with us. The first night mom cooked dinner and me and a couple of friends cleaned up the kitchen and the dishes and everything. Well the next day a girl went and bought breakfast for everyone. Then it turned into a serving frenzy. You had everyone there trying to make the trip a little better for everyone else. Some of the group cleaned the entire place the night before so people wouldn't have to worry about it the next morning. It was unbelievable. My point is that giving and serving is contagious. And when you wrap the Holy Spirit in all this their is an incredible joy and love that goes with that kind of community.
This isn't my most organized thought but know that small things can have huge impact. So when you seek after the Lord and just get that joy of serving others and know that your identity is in Him then light will be shining through you. And just remember that even a small amount of light can make darkness flee. So my point is love others with a passion. Serve them without expecting anything in return. Be a steward of grace. See if people don't see that joy and catch the fever. Love God and Love others.
Love you guys and just allow and pray for the Holy Spirit to continually transform your heart into Christ likeness. Have a good week!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Grace Not Guilt
James says that faith without deeds is dead. But those deeds come from your love of God. They come from the transformation that took place inside of you when the Holy Spirit came upon you. If you think works can get you into heaven then Jesus' crucifixion was all for nothing. If you think it takes faith, but works are involved also, then your saying that Jesus' crucifixion wasn't enough. It is by grace that you have been saved. It is a free gift, so don't ever try to earn salvation. And let the Holy Spirit align your heart with that of Gods. You will find so much joy and comfort when you trust in Christ. And if you trust in Him then your actions will follow. You will live for whatever your heart is passionate about.
Now I want everyone to know that I want nothing more than all of us to give up everything to live for Christ. Yet, we don't preach with guilt, we preach with love. We don't have to share the gospel to get into heaven, but what a privilege it is to lead someone to Christ! Seek Jesus and love Jesus because He loves you so much. And rest in the fact that if you are seeking Him and trying to obey His word He will make all things work together for your good. By accepting Christ you are set free from the bondage of sin. Yet, through our carnality we go back to sin. We are no longer a slave to it though. Don't get angry and say that you are never going to let that happen again. You can't defeat sin, but Jesus has already defeated it. So plead with the Holy Spirit to renew your heart and give you strength to overcome your own fleshly desires. He will be faithful! Jesus loves to heal broken people that desperately need Him. So if your thirsty for Him, then let Him quench it.
So many people question their salvation because they look at their lives and question if they are worthy and living right. Well I can answer your question. You are unworthy and you aren't living holy enough to satisfy God. That is why God sent His son. That is why are sins are washed away and we are made righteous and new each day. The question is do you trust in Jesus today? Do you believe that He died on a cross for our sins and conquered death and on the third day He rose again? Do you trust Him with your life? Knowing that by giving His life and paying the penalty for our sins was the greatest act of love that ever occurred. Don't be distant from Jesus because you feel guilty and broken. Get on your knees and beg Jesus to heal you. Beg the Holy Spirit to change your heart. Know that His word are true. If you come to Him with a sincerely repentant heart and trust who He really is, you will have eternal life. And all of heaven will rejoice and be glad. What a mighty God we serve.
Love you guys. I had a great week catching up with a bunch of ya'll. Find rest in your almighty God every single day and just see how He changes those around you.
Now I want everyone to know that I want nothing more than all of us to give up everything to live for Christ. Yet, we don't preach with guilt, we preach with love. We don't have to share the gospel to get into heaven, but what a privilege it is to lead someone to Christ! Seek Jesus and love Jesus because He loves you so much. And rest in the fact that if you are seeking Him and trying to obey His word He will make all things work together for your good. By accepting Christ you are set free from the bondage of sin. Yet, through our carnality we go back to sin. We are no longer a slave to it though. Don't get angry and say that you are never going to let that happen again. You can't defeat sin, but Jesus has already defeated it. So plead with the Holy Spirit to renew your heart and give you strength to overcome your own fleshly desires. He will be faithful! Jesus loves to heal broken people that desperately need Him. So if your thirsty for Him, then let Him quench it.
So many people question their salvation because they look at their lives and question if they are worthy and living right. Well I can answer your question. You are unworthy and you aren't living holy enough to satisfy God. That is why God sent His son. That is why are sins are washed away and we are made righteous and new each day. The question is do you trust in Jesus today? Do you believe that He died on a cross for our sins and conquered death and on the third day He rose again? Do you trust Him with your life? Knowing that by giving His life and paying the penalty for our sins was the greatest act of love that ever occurred. Don't be distant from Jesus because you feel guilty and broken. Get on your knees and beg Jesus to heal you. Beg the Holy Spirit to change your heart. Know that His word are true. If you come to Him with a sincerely repentant heart and trust who He really is, you will have eternal life. And all of heaven will rejoice and be glad. What a mighty God we serve.
Love you guys. I had a great week catching up with a bunch of ya'll. Find rest in your almighty God every single day and just see how He changes those around you.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Seeing Visions
Like most people my college years had a huge impact on molding me into the person that I am. Most of you probably know that I had random roommates my freshman year and one of them ended up being one of my best friends. Now I first want to say that we should constantly praise God for the things He puts in our life that lead us closer to Him. So I want to praise Him for all my roomies. Zane, Greg, and Nick have had a huge impact on my life and I have been given such a blessing by being able to live with those guys.
Now Zane and I lived together for 4 years. Like most friendships we stuck it out through the good and the bad times. Then we really started seeking God together and undergoing this sanctification process. Somewhere in the whole scheme of things (I really don't remember when it first came up) we came up with this vision. He is a very intelligent, gifted person in med school at UAB. I have no doubt that he will be a very successful surgeon one day (God-willing). He is very organized and an extremely diligent worker. I on the other hand have a tendency to have big ideas. I like to connect people and put visions together. This combined to form this idea and we used to just joke about it because we thought it would be fun.
So we had this idea to start a medical clinic and provide affordable healthcare to those who really needed it. We would instill Christian values throughout our organization and put God first in all of our business. I would take care of the corporate aspect, Zane would take care of the medical. We used to sit and just talk about where all of our friends would fit in. When people would ask about our future aspirations, I began to tell some of them about this big dream. The more we talked about it, the more ideas we had. The more ideas we had, the more we started believing in this vision.
I tell you this because in one of my classes I have to put together a ministry proposal. I am about to put a whole semester of work into developing this mission. It will not be accomplished till about 10 years down the road, but my prayer is that it will become a reality. We are planning to set up a for profit and a non-profit medical clinic in a needy unchurched community. We are seeking to be able to provide them with a solution to their needs physically as well as spiritually. We are going to have employees of great character whose heart is to minister to the lost. We also wish to plant a church to be able to grow those who come to faith in Christ. What I am trying to say is that I am about to go to work to make this dream a reality.
So I just wanted to inform you. I want you to pray for this vision. It is going to take years of prayer and strategic vision along with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. I plan to give a more detailed plan (after my ministry proposal is complete) sometime around Christmas in Chelsea. Brother John if you read this I'll probably be coming to you soon to try and organize this. If God continues to stir this in our hearts and gives us the capabilities He will see it through.
Lastly, I want to encourage you guys that no vision is too big. If God is stirring something in your heart then act on it. Live by faith that He will see it through. I guarantee you and others will grow closer to Him in the process. Expect many more details because I am pumped about this. And if you talk to Zane and he seems shocked I haven't told him I'm posting this. But I know we are serious about using our God given gifts to glorify Him who gave them to us.
Love you guys so much!
Now Zane and I lived together for 4 years. Like most friendships we stuck it out through the good and the bad times. Then we really started seeking God together and undergoing this sanctification process. Somewhere in the whole scheme of things (I really don't remember when it first came up) we came up with this vision. He is a very intelligent, gifted person in med school at UAB. I have no doubt that he will be a very successful surgeon one day (God-willing). He is very organized and an extremely diligent worker. I on the other hand have a tendency to have big ideas. I like to connect people and put visions together. This combined to form this idea and we used to just joke about it because we thought it would be fun.
So we had this idea to start a medical clinic and provide affordable healthcare to those who really needed it. We would instill Christian values throughout our organization and put God first in all of our business. I would take care of the corporate aspect, Zane would take care of the medical. We used to sit and just talk about where all of our friends would fit in. When people would ask about our future aspirations, I began to tell some of them about this big dream. The more we talked about it, the more ideas we had. The more ideas we had, the more we started believing in this vision.
I tell you this because in one of my classes I have to put together a ministry proposal. I am about to put a whole semester of work into developing this mission. It will not be accomplished till about 10 years down the road, but my prayer is that it will become a reality. We are planning to set up a for profit and a non-profit medical clinic in a needy unchurched community. We are seeking to be able to provide them with a solution to their needs physically as well as spiritually. We are going to have employees of great character whose heart is to minister to the lost. We also wish to plant a church to be able to grow those who come to faith in Christ. What I am trying to say is that I am about to go to work to make this dream a reality.
So I just wanted to inform you. I want you to pray for this vision. It is going to take years of prayer and strategic vision along with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it. I plan to give a more detailed plan (after my ministry proposal is complete) sometime around Christmas in Chelsea. Brother John if you read this I'll probably be coming to you soon to try and organize this. If God continues to stir this in our hearts and gives us the capabilities He will see it through.
Lastly, I want to encourage you guys that no vision is too big. If God is stirring something in your heart then act on it. Live by faith that He will see it through. I guarantee you and others will grow closer to Him in the process. Expect many more details because I am pumped about this. And if you talk to Zane and he seems shocked I haven't told him I'm posting this. But I know we are serious about using our God given gifts to glorify Him who gave them to us.
Love you guys so much!
Friday, September 9, 2011
The Early Church
Acts 2:42-47 "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity- all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."
We talked about these verses in one of my classes today and a joy just overwhelmed me. Now I am not saying that anything is ever perfect or a bed of roses, but people who think that this kind of body of Christ is impossible are wrong. I have experienced a group that would sacrifice anything for each other. A group that daily worshiped the Lord together. A group that broke bread together and had an awe for Christ. We had issues, but I have never had such a growth in my spiritual journey. And the Lord added to our number. Everything in faith rests on our love for God and letting that love pour out into others. What greater love is there then giving yourself up for someone else. Don't seek out this group. Be that person that graciously lays their life down for others. Rely on the Holy Spirit to just transform your personality and the way you approach people. God is so good! This scripture isn't to show us how the old church was so great. It is a model of what we ought to embrace today. I don't necessarily know what my path is going to be and what my "ministry" will become. But I know there is so much wisdom in the Word of God. And I know that He will give me everything I need in this life and He will lead me. And I love my Lord and Savior so much. I'm going to screw up, but I pray that I run to Him for everything. Just be encouraged that in all the brokenness of the world there is so much hope. We are instruments of change. Through the Spirit's power we are going to bring God's kingdom here on this earth. There is nothing in the world that can keep you from having this unspeakable joy. Please God protect us against the enemy so that we will never be hindered in our pursuit of You!
I love you guys so much. And I don't even really know what this rant was but I am so excited about what God is doing. I got to talk to one of my buds from home and she has such a passion for God and it is so encouraging. God is going to do a might work while we are here on this earth. Just be overwhelmed by the God you serve and represent Him right where you are. The world will never be the same. Stand firm until that day because our Lord will come back for us. Once again love you guys and can't wait to hear what God's doing in your lives.
We talked about these verses in one of my classes today and a joy just overwhelmed me. Now I am not saying that anything is ever perfect or a bed of roses, but people who think that this kind of body of Christ is impossible are wrong. I have experienced a group that would sacrifice anything for each other. A group that daily worshiped the Lord together. A group that broke bread together and had an awe for Christ. We had issues, but I have never had such a growth in my spiritual journey. And the Lord added to our number. Everything in faith rests on our love for God and letting that love pour out into others. What greater love is there then giving yourself up for someone else. Don't seek out this group. Be that person that graciously lays their life down for others. Rely on the Holy Spirit to just transform your personality and the way you approach people. God is so good! This scripture isn't to show us how the old church was so great. It is a model of what we ought to embrace today. I don't necessarily know what my path is going to be and what my "ministry" will become. But I know there is so much wisdom in the Word of God. And I know that He will give me everything I need in this life and He will lead me. And I love my Lord and Savior so much. I'm going to screw up, but I pray that I run to Him for everything. Just be encouraged that in all the brokenness of the world there is so much hope. We are instruments of change. Through the Spirit's power we are going to bring God's kingdom here on this earth. There is nothing in the world that can keep you from having this unspeakable joy. Please God protect us against the enemy so that we will never be hindered in our pursuit of You!
I love you guys so much. And I don't even really know what this rant was but I am so excited about what God is doing. I got to talk to one of my buds from home and she has such a passion for God and it is so encouraging. God is going to do a might work while we are here on this earth. Just be overwhelmed by the God you serve and represent Him right where you are. The world will never be the same. Stand firm until that day because our Lord will come back for us. Once again love you guys and can't wait to hear what God's doing in your lives.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
He is at Work
Throughout scripture healings take place. However, it is consistent that those who are healed don't gain faith due to the miracle that was formed. They are healed because they believed that Jesus could heal them. Don't try to understand God and the world so you may have faith in Him. Have faith in Him so that you may gain understanding. A lot of people ask me questions about my faith that I can't specifically answer. Yet, I trust in my God with all my heart. I know that everything in the Bible is true because it was breathed out by God. I know that there is a plan and purpose for everyone on this earth because God created them. Trust Him. We wonder where God is during the rough times, and question why we got blessed in the good times. My answer is trust Him because He has a plan for every season of your life. Let me let you in on a secret. Those of you that know and serve Christ have riches that can never be taken away. When God says He will take care of you, He will simple as that. So let go of all the anxiety and worry and follow where He leads you.
I have heard a number of amazing testimonies this week. People who were as far away from Christ as they could be had opportunities to hear the Gospel and they responded to it. The Holy Spirit drew them and they were healed. Praise God for how good He is. I want to rejoice with the angels over sinners who repent. Open your eyes and see the work God is doing all around. He is powerful and can heal broken lives. He loves you so much.
So I had a great weekend and am starting to build some pretty good relationships. I know I have work to do right now, but I have just had this excitement about me to what God is going to do in the upcoming years. I have been so blessed to know so many people who love God. So just keep praying because I got a feeling that God is going to use us in some huge way very soon. His will not ours.
I have heard a number of amazing testimonies this week. People who were as far away from Christ as they could be had opportunities to hear the Gospel and they responded to it. The Holy Spirit drew them and they were healed. Praise God for how good He is. I want to rejoice with the angels over sinners who repent. Open your eyes and see the work God is doing all around. He is powerful and can heal broken lives. He loves you so much.
So I had a great weekend and am starting to build some pretty good relationships. I know I have work to do right now, but I have just had this excitement about me to what God is going to do in the upcoming years. I have been so blessed to know so many people who love God. So just keep praying because I got a feeling that God is going to use us in some huge way very soon. His will not ours.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Getting on the Same Level
I have been learning a lot about evangelism lately, so I thought I'd share some thoughts. We are granted salvation by grace through faith alone. When a person passes from their old self and becomes a new creation, that new self is made solely by the work of the Holy Spirit. So here's a couple of observations from that. One, our most important aspect of evangelism is prayer. We should beckon the Spirit to intercede in people's lives because it is by the Spirit's power that people are redeemed. Secondly, present the gospel with accuracy and grace. You must learn the gospel in order to tell others about it. Also, if the Holy Spirit is the power by which people are saved then it is not up to you to convert people. Do not try to win them over. Simply testify to the things that you believe to be true and stick to the word of God. After you have prayed and done this, trust God to do the changing. I'm not saying share and then be done with it, but we rely too much on ourselves and not enough on God. Thirdly, trust the timing of the Spirit, but also be bold in witness. God prepares the hearts of the unbelievers. So while we do need to be urgent, there may not be a need to go up to every stranger and give them the news. The Spirit may lead you to do that, but who knows. Some people say that they are relationship builders and others show Christ through their good deeds. Bottom line is that people need to hear the Good News. Those things are great. My advice is to pray and earnestly seek opportunities to share the Gospel. For this to be effective though you need to pray and be ready when the opportunities present themselves. Lastly, love like God loves. God has an amazing compassion for His people. Paul loved people enough to say he wishes he could give them his salvation. We need to love and have a heart for the lost! So pray about it!
My second thought is we need to rid ourselves of judgment and I am talking to myself as much as anybody. We have to realize that we were dead to sin, but saved by the amazing grace of God. So we are no different than the lost except we have received something we didn't deserve. So in order to spread the Good News that people can be saved from their sins, we must hang out with sinners. Now don't put yourself in a position where you might stumble, but at the same time it is dangerous to separate yourself from the rest of the world. Go love sinners like Jesus loved sinners, for we have our hope by grace alone.
This message was a little straightforward, but we all need a little push in sharing our faith. Rejoice in spreading God's kingdom. By the way for all my Alabama friends who are scared of me moving off and changing, it is now my second whole week of being in Dallas and I haven't bought a tank of gas. Today one of my friends said,"You usually serve in everything, but not once have I ever heard you offer to drive." People catch on I guess. Well I love you guys and will be praying that you just get the glorious opportunity to share your faith this week!
My second thought is we need to rid ourselves of judgment and I am talking to myself as much as anybody. We have to realize that we were dead to sin, but saved by the amazing grace of God. So we are no different than the lost except we have received something we didn't deserve. So in order to spread the Good News that people can be saved from their sins, we must hang out with sinners. Now don't put yourself in a position where you might stumble, but at the same time it is dangerous to separate yourself from the rest of the world. Go love sinners like Jesus loved sinners, for we have our hope by grace alone.
This message was a little straightforward, but we all need a little push in sharing our faith. Rejoice in spreading God's kingdom. By the way for all my Alabama friends who are scared of me moving off and changing, it is now my second whole week of being in Dallas and I haven't bought a tank of gas. Today one of my friends said,"You usually serve in everything, but not once have I ever heard you offer to drive." People catch on I guess. Well I love you guys and will be praying that you just get the glorious opportunity to share your faith this week!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
True Love Story
My professor and a pastor I recently heard highlighted this point. Everyone is looking for love. Girls (some boys I guess) dream at a very young age that their prince will come rescue them from despair and take them away and they will live happily ever after. That is why Cinderella and all other princess movies are such a big hit. That thought process comes from the Bible itself. The church is the bride of Christ. Although in this present time there is evil and despair, our Prince of Peace will come riding in and rescue us. We will get to be with Him and live happily ever after for eternity. So anxiously await for that day knowing that He is coming back for His bride and we will be rescued. Also, rejoice in the fact that God has a love and a passion for you.
Psalm 8
"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants you hae established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
Consider the heavens, the moon in the stars, and think that God still loves us intimately, unconditionally, and passionately. He made us just a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned us with glory and honor. Throughout all our despair, He sent His son to lay down His life for us. Then, He guaranteed that His Son would return for His people. The Almighty God full of power, might, and dominion loves you deeply. I hope you realize this every second of every day.
A professor of mine is going to be in Haiti doing evangelistic work and training pastors this weekend. So pray for him, the 25 pastors, and the broken country in which they will serve. He said in class that we often view God as standing at the gates of heaven confirming whether someone is going to get in or not. This is totally wrong. Picture that everyone is spiraling down to Hell, yet God is snatching them up and rescuing them. That is the picture of God's grace and love for us. Love you guys a lot!
Psalm 8
"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory in the heavens.
Through the praise of children and infants you hae established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
Consider the heavens, the moon in the stars, and think that God still loves us intimately, unconditionally, and passionately. He made us just a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned us with glory and honor. Throughout all our despair, He sent His son to lay down His life for us. Then, He guaranteed that His Son would return for His people. The Almighty God full of power, might, and dominion loves you deeply. I hope you realize this every second of every day.
A professor of mine is going to be in Haiti doing evangelistic work and training pastors this weekend. So pray for him, the 25 pastors, and the broken country in which they will serve. He said in class that we often view God as standing at the gates of heaven confirming whether someone is going to get in or not. This is totally wrong. Picture that everyone is spiraling down to Hell, yet God is snatching them up and rescuing them. That is the picture of God's grace and love for us. Love you guys a lot!
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