Recently, I was charged with having too extreme of a faith in the Lord. Yes, I have faith, and I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. I'm not afraid to go to the ends of the earth for Him, to preach the Word to a people who have never been able to hear the Good News, or to a place where Christians are persecuted daily for their beliefs. I am not afraid of dying for Him. Why, you ask?
I know there is gain, in death. (Phil. 1:21) We have ETERNAL life, in Him. We are the reason He was crucified. Us, in our sinless, unworthy state, are seen as perfect and holy by God, because of Jesus.
Yet God DID NOT send His Son out of Love. (Don't get me wrong He does love us, and this is one of the reasons He sent Jesus, but stay with me) God sent His son, to prove His majesty.
As David Platt says "Biblical Christianity is 'God loves me so that I might make Him--His ways, His salvation, his glory, and His greatness --known to among all nations.'''
He saves us to prove Himself. How amazing.
So, why aren't there more missionaries proclaiming Christ to the masses?
Because, in America, we make Christianity about us, not about Him. "God loves me!", But if God loves you is the message of Christianity then who is the object of Christianity?
Me.
Therefore we choose what parts of the Gospel are for us, and what parts we will ignore, we choose what church we will attend based on how radical they are, how they present the Gospel. Because God forbid they would actually tell people to live out the gospel message.
No, pastors would never do that.
Not many would, but David Platt is. And that is why I like his book so much.
There are no exceptions when it comes to the gospel, you either believe it or not, you either live it out, or you forsake it's teachings. No grey area, just plain old black and white.
We take the Gospel and decide which parts of it we will accept.
For example, in Luke 9 we read of 3 men, who all wanted to follow Jesus.
To one he says to expect homelessness (v.58), to another He says don't bury your father, there are more important things to do (v.60) and finally to the last man He says don't say goodbye to your family, just come, follow me, don't look back.
Radical? Yes, I think so.
There are many who would say "well missions isn't for everyone."
Well, isn't it? We like the message of the Gospel, a Holy God sending His only Son to die for us, and all we have to do is believe in Him and repent. Yet, we don't like the calling of the Gospel to go teach it to all the nations (Matt. 28:19). We don't like the idea of having to abandon everything for Him. Many won't even consider giving it all up. But what they don't realize is, there is eternal life, and eternal life in Heaven is better than their flat screen TV's, Toyota's, and clothes from the mall.
God is so much more than anything we could dream up. So why do people manipulate His Word? They want the reward, without the sacrifice.
"For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall
be much required:" (Luke 12:48. God gave us everything. So He expects us to do much (what is required of the Gospel) and go teach it to a world that is hungry for Him. Yet, we are too busy watching American Idol to think about those who are being persecuted in Asia for even saying God's name.
My faith is extreme, but my God is extreme. He requires radical obedience. He is worth everything this world has to offer, and so much more!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
I understand in every human relationship there will be frustration at some point. One person will get aggrivated, or annoyed at the other. That is understandable, we all have moments like that, but the key is not to let the feelings we have at the moment turn into bitterness.
God shows us in His Word, that marriage is honorable above all. Yet, some treat it like a relationship that doesn't have to be worked at. I understand that I'm not married yet, and honestly I don't have much experience (thankfully) on dating. But, I do understand God's Word. He calls wives to submit to their husbands, and husbands to honor their wives. Yet, some "Christians" don't live by His Word, and His plans. His plan for marriage is sacred, and it is to be cherished. Biblical marriage (and womanhood and manhood) is better than the world's alternative. God desires to bless us, but when we don't obey His Word, He can't bless us, but oh how He wants to.
Just a reminder to all you single ladies: Don't date, because then YOU are choosing who you think God has for you, instead of submitting everything to Him in prayer (Phil. 4:6). Allow God to write your love story, and "be anxious for nothing" because God has a plan. His plans are so much better than ours!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
God shows us in His Word, that marriage is honorable above all. Yet, some treat it like a relationship that doesn't have to be worked at. I understand that I'm not married yet, and honestly I don't have much experience (thankfully) on dating. But, I do understand God's Word. He calls wives to submit to their husbands, and husbands to honor their wives. Yet, some "Christians" don't live by His Word, and His plans. His plan for marriage is sacred, and it is to be cherished. Biblical marriage (and womanhood and manhood) is better than the world's alternative. God desires to bless us, but when we don't obey His Word, He can't bless us, but oh how He wants to.
Just a reminder to all you single ladies: Don't date, because then YOU are choosing who you think God has for you, instead of submitting everything to Him in prayer (Phil. 4:6). Allow God to write your love story, and "be anxious for nothing" because God has a plan. His plans are so much better than ours!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
What if His People Prayed?
How much do you pray to the Lord God Almighty?
As Christians we are called to never cease in prayer! Prayer is such a gift, and few Christians really relish the quiet time they have, to rejoice in the name of the Savior. Prayer heals, saves, comforts, seeks, defeats the Enemy. We as Christians sometimes dread prayer, so we do it quickly, thinking that that will do. But, no. God wants us to seek Him, He wants us to know Him, and He desires to seek us, in a way that we have never been sought after. His love and adoration for His Children is something that will never be found through earthly love ad possessions. He is the author of the greatest love story ever, yet we neglect it as boring, and irrelevant. Yet how false that is! The love that He has is more amazing and fulfilling than I can even begin to write. When we seek after Him, He delights in us, when we PRAY to Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts; and when we run to the Cross of Salvation and Righteousness, we learn that we NEED Him. We need Him, and His grace, mercy, patience, and love.
God blesses us when we love Him, and only Him.
When we SEEK Him, really SEEK after Jesus, we find abundent blessings, that before we probably overlooked.
1) There is a pearl of great price.
2) We are to seek it.
3) We are commanded to purchase it.
4) It costs us everything.
5) It is worth the price
God costs everything. He is worth the price!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Proverbs 24
A year ago, I began reading a chapter in the book of Proverbs everyday. So for example today is the 24th of May, so I read Proverb 24
My Bible is very unique in that it is color coded, and the words of the Trinity are underlined. Yellow highlighted and in bold means that in the particular verse God/Jesus/Holy Spirit is speaking of Family (This could mean the verse is about children, parenting, marriage, roles within church & home, discipline
of children, grandparents, family lines of characters in the Bible).
Well verse 3 and 4 which I will be talking about, are in yellow, but not underlined, so they were spoken or written by man (believed to be Solomon)
Here's verse 3&4
"Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches ."
"Through wisdom a house is builded" is explicitly stated in that you have to have wisdom to know how to build a house, unless you want it to have a leaky roof, cracked foundation, and a bounty of other issues. Yet, implied, the statement can take on a whole different light.
In raising a family, (building a house) one has to have wisdom, that only comes from the Lord, and this verse teaches that we as future (or present) mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, etc. must attain wisdom, in order to teach our children in the ways they should go (Prov. 22:6). So I encourage everyone who may stumble across my blog to attain wisdom from the Lord, because earthly wisdom will fall away, but God's wisdom, will forever be useful.
Study the Bible, learn what it says about a wide range of topics, so that if anyone ever does criticize or mock you, you can say "The Word of the Living and Holy God, says this '.........' about this '.......'." Also, learn a wide variety of trades, that you may teach your children, to better equip God's kingdom. For wisdom, is attainable, many just choose not to seek it.
"and by understanding it is established".......
A house (both literal, and implied) are established by understanding. One must understand the logistics of construction, plumbing, electricity, and many other things, in order to build a house. And parents must understand not only God's Word, but their children, in establishing their house. For example, I teach my niece Bible verses, she's almost 4, and I understand that she can sit with me while I read, and we can memorize God's Word together. I wouldn't do this with Isaac, who doesn't yet have the self control to sit and listen to my voice. Yes, he does catch Maya and I's conversation and occassionally says "sheepherd" or "Sheep" or "sing". Teaching children God's Word is not only important for their eternity, but it is also a bonding tool. And a very powerful one at that. She listens to me because she loves me, and I listen to Him, who loves me, and I am teaching her that He loves her too, and that she is special and loved by Him.
"And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all the precious and pleasant riches."
Knowledge is power, and power is money. Yet we as Christians aren't called to be millionaires. We are called to be debt free (Romans 13:8) but if we are fortunate enough to have the blessing of money, we should not use it to advance ourselves, but to advance the Kingdom of God. For this, will bring us happiness. The Lord does promise to give us the desires of our hearts if we delight ourselves in Him (Psalm 37:4) but He will not do so, if He knows what we are asking for will destroy us. He always wants the best for us.
Monday, May 16, 2011
An awesome story!
I found this on a Christian forum that I visit regularly:
He almost didn’t see the elderly lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an elderly lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her rescue. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This wasn’t a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.” He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small café. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. She wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.
Then she remembered Bryan. After she finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but by the time she came back the lady had slipped quietly out of the restaurant. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”
He almost didn’t see the elderly lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an elderly lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her rescue. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This wasn’t a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.
He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.” He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small café. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. She wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.
Then she remembered Bryan. After she finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but by the time she came back the lady had slipped quietly out of the restaurant. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills. Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”
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