Blog Archives
Love God – A Guest Post By Aubrie
What Is Our Purpose?
Now I’m not eloquent, nor do I say or write correctly, but I need to decrease and Christ needs to increase in my life, so I’m writing…
The Christian life can be boggled with all of the ‘To do’s’ of life. If I want to be a ‘good person’ or ‘good Christian’ I will try to be nice to others, go to church here and there, try not to curse that much, try to quite smoking, try to do good things.
Did you know life is not about that? It’s not really about ‘us’ at all. Though we are to live rightly –
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 16
This is not the 1st commandment. The 1st is found here:
“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Matthew 22:36-38
God wants us to love Him, just like we want others to love us. Well maybe not exactly like we want others to love us because our minds are not holy like His. You can imagine though how you want to be loved. I can speak for myself when I say that I want my husband to love me.
- I want to be noticed.
- I want attention.
- I want to feel his warmth.
- I want to laugh with him.
- I want to see him and him to see me.
- I want his companionship.
- I want him to speak to me and I want him to hear me.
- I want his intimacy.
- I long for him when he is not around.
- I try to think of ways to show him my love.
- I try to cook things that are edible for him.
- I tell others about his greatness.
- I only want to build him up.
Though I am not perfect at doing all these things, I desire to love my husband in every good way. Imagine a relationship where you are able to love God in these ways.
Wake up in the morning and notice God!
Tell Him good morning. He’s real. It’s not goofy, it’s nice. Thank Him for being with you, for your blessings (bed, friends, kids, pets, breath, life, family, freedom, love, money, no money lol), thank Him for your safety, and the safety of your loved ones.
Give him your first attention!
Read His Word before Facebook, email, and breakfast. Talk to Him. Ask Him to help you see what He wants you to see and learn. It doesn’t have to be long, but its interesting and meaningful.
Feel His warmth and let Him feel yours!
If you have never ‘felt’ God, I would dare to think you might not be saved. If God is living in you and you never feel Him, he must be further from you than you realize. Find a quite spot and ask God to be with you, beg Him to touch you, to hold you, feel Him. I’ve got two parrots eating through the shoulders of my shirt right now, there is noise knocking against the wall of children playing, the mail man just threw a package against my door, and I’m still able to ‘feel God’. lol. Sometimes the place doesn’t have to be perfectly quiet as long as you’re able to recognize and focus. Those two words, recognize and focus, might not be the best words to use. Maybe I can describe how He feels.
Its like this wonderful urge to cry. You are so thankful that God would ever want to spend time with you. You usually get goosebumps right away, inexplicably. You feel comforted, the most you can ever feel. You don’t always have to beg Him for you to feel Him. Just pay attention because He is always with you. Times I feel Him the most are when I am overwhelmed with something, a loss, a fear, an incapacity of mine. He’s our strength in our weakness
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Now, I could go through the rest of the ways I like to be loved and turn it around on loving God, but maybe its time for you to make a list and try to think of ways to love God in your life. This is not exactly a challenge but more of a blessing, an opportunity to grow closer to our mighty creator.
-Aubrie
Freedom Isn’t Free! (with Video)
Image by malenga via Flickr
Happy Memorial Day! I want to thank those that have served in our country’s military, and the families of those that have given their lives to defend our freedoms. May we always appreciate the sacrifice that they’ve made and may we always remember that freedom isn’t free!
And as Christians, just as Americans, somebody had to pay the price for our freedom. Jesus Christ died on the cross 2,000 years ago to make us free from the bondage that is sin. I love what John 8:32 & 38 say,
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
Please enjoy this video that was put together a couple of years ago for my church, Lighthouse Baptist Church in Dawsonville, GA to remember those that have laid down their lives, and to celebrate the freedom we have because of their sacrifice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh5M0bzw-LI
If you can’t see the embedded video, please click here)
Jesus Paid It All
“It pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:10-12
It pleased God to bruise the Son.
Have you ever thought about that? I mean, really, have you spent time pondering the truth of what Jesus did for us?
Today, millions of people around the world recognize “Good Friday,” the day we celebrate the death of Christ on the cross. What is “good” about it?
Christ’s body was bruised, beaten and battered.
His flesh was whipped, bloodied and torn.
His side was pierced.
His deity was mocked.
He was cursed.
Spat upon.
Rejected.
Good? How is this good?
It is good because he did it for me.
It should have been me there. My sins deserved the full blow of God’s wrath. As the book of Nahum says, his fury is reserved for his enemies, and being an enemy of God, dead in my sins, I deserved that.
But God is good. He cannot let sin go unpunished. He can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. If so, he wouldn’t be just. No, instead, he came himself. He paid my price.
He paid it all.
Jesus paid it all!!
He has now made me clean! Accepted! Saved! Forgiven! Justified! Redeemed! Regenerated! Blessed beyond all measure, born again, blood bought and free. I’m his and he is mine. He has paid it all! He paid my debt! Glory to God!
That is why we celebrate Good Friday. Because, God, in his Goodness, paid it all. But guess what… Sunday, it gets better!
Have you thanked God today for what he’s done for you?
The Saddest Letter
Read the article below reposted from “Encouraging Words by Cary Schmidt.”
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SADDEST LETTER I’VE EVER READ by Cary Schmidt
I recieved this letter from a young lady last week—a Bible college student who grew up in a Christian home and Christian school. I believe it’s the saddest letter I’ve ever read and right on the mark for so detailing the experiences of so many young Christians. I asked her permission to post it. Please read. Her words will greatly challenge you as a parent or pastor:
Dear Pastor Schmidt,
A few years ago, I read your books Hook, Line, and Sinker, Discover Your Destiny, and Life Quest. I found them to be extremely encouraging and instructive. These books showed me that not only do you have a real heart for young people, but you also understand us well. I am writing to ask you to consider writing a book to our parents and youth workers. Let me explain.
I am a junior at a well-known Christian college. I grew up in highly respected “fundamental independent Baptist” churches, and went to excellent Christian schools. My father has been a Christian worker since before I was born. One would think that my testimony would go something like this:
“I was saved when I was about 5 and I had dedicated my life to God and I have been growing a lot and serving Him and now I’m studying to serve Him full time.” But that isn’t my story. Actually, though I did make a profession of faith when I was very young, I didn’t get saved until I was 17. Since I was 12 and now on into college I have struggled with “serious” issues. And I found out when I went to college that I am not the only “good kid” who is or has struggled with or is still struggling with serious stuff. We struggle with issues like eating disorders, depression and suicide, cutting, pornography, gender identity, homosexuality, drugs, drinking, immorality, and the list could go on. We listen to “wild” music, we idolize pop culture’s heroes, we watch dirty sitcoms. We have no discrimination in our entertainment, dress, or any aspect of our lifestyle. Obviously, I’m generalizing our problems—you would not find that every Christian young person from a conservative background struggles with all of these issues, and praise God, some of us do not struggle with any of these issues.
My point is that the problems that are supposed to be bad kid’s problems belong to us too. Unfortunately, our parents and youth workers don’t know that we struggle with these things and they don’t know what to do with us when they find out. Quite frankly, I believe that if you grabbed the average Christian school teacher or youth worker and asked them, “What would you do if you found out that one of the kids you work with was a homosexual?” they wouldn’t know what to say.
My point is not simply that they don’t know what we struggle with or how to deal with it. I think there is a pretty simple reason why “good” kids struggle with such serious stuff. And that there is a solution. At the risk of being blunt, I’m going to be blunt.
Our parents did not spend time teaching us to love God. Our parents put us in Sunday Schools since K4. Our parents took us to church every time the doors opened, and sent us to every youth activity. They made sure we went to good Christian colleges. They had us sing in the choir, help in the nursery, be ushers, go soulwinning. We did teen devotionals, and prayed over every meal. We did everything right. And they made sure that we did.
But they forgot about our hearts. They forgot that the Bible never commanded the church to teach children about God and His ways. That responsibility was laid at the feet of our fathers. Unfortunately, our fathers don’t have time for us. They put us where we are surrounded by the Bible. But they didn’t take time to show us that God was important enough to them to tell us personally about Him. So to us, Christianity has become a religion of externals. Do all the right stuff, and you’re a good Christian. So, some of us walk away from church. Some of us stay in church and fill a pew. Many of us struggle with stuff that our parents have no idea about because they hardly know us.
I think these problems stem from first, our detachment from our parents, and second from our misunderstandings about the essence of Christianity—a relationship, not a list of rules. I worry that many young people like me are not even saved because of their misunderstandings about Christianity.
I know that this has not been a well articulated treatise, but it comes from my heart. If you are able to help us and our families, we would be so grateful. I realize that probably, there is no way to fix the fact that kids my age are detached from our parents or to straighten out the crazy stuff that we struggle with. The alienation is fixed, the scars are permanent. I know our situation is not hopeless. God is at work in my life and my generation, among those of us who have struggled and are struggling. But maybe our younger siblings can have some help that we never had. Maybe you can write a book for our parents that will grab their attention and help them see that this is serious—that their kids need them, desperately.
I guess I’ve run out of things to say. I must say I’m a little hesitant to share my name with you because that attaches me with my parents, who are, by the way, good people. Thanks for everything you have already done to help Christian teens and their families. I’m eager to see what else God will do through you.
Sincerely,
(Name Removed to Protect Anonymity)
All I could say when I read this letter was, “WOW! She nailed it!” Let this insightful young lady’s words sink in, and let God help you evaluate your own parenting and influence.
Are we teaching kids to simply appear and act right? Or are we teaching them to LOVE God and KNOW Him personally?
What are your thoughts?
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Check out Cary Schmidt’s follow-up articles here:
Response #1 To The Saddest Letter
Response #2 To The Saddest Letter
Bogotá — Day 2
What a day!
We saw much of the city today, but honestly we have hardly scratched the surface. We walked around several important neighborhoods, saw huge plazas and big museums, and we were able to go up to Cerro Monserrate, a Catholic church on top of the mountain by the city. We’re finding that the Colombians are very good at their Teleféricos (cable cars) as this is the third one we’ve ridden so far.
Here’s a few things we’ve learned while here in Bogotá, many of which can also be applied to many other cities around the world:
1. People are Religious
This country is over 90% Roman Catholic, and it shows in many parts of their society. The Hotel we stayed at in Bucaramanga even had a chapel and held mass everyday for those traveling through. Catholics aren’t the only ones here, though. There are reports of Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witness, Taoists, Ba’hai, Atheists, several Evangelical denominations and others that claim this as their home. Everybody has religion. It’s that way in the entire world. So, what makes us different? Why would we want to come here when people already have something to believe? Read on…
2. Religion is Empty.
One person defined religion as “Man’s attempt to get to God.” But that’s just it… we can’t get to God. That’s why he came to us. Nearly every religion, including most of those found in this country, are based on works. My good deeds. You know, the scale system. Everything good I ever did is weighed against everything bad I ever did. Whichever is greater determines my eternal fate. If I were sincerely judged on that scale, I’d lose. There’s no doubt. I was talking to one of our taxi drivers about this today as I was explaining the Gospel. He seemed so intrigued that we could actually be saved in spite of who we are. It’s the beauty of God’s salvation. But religion…. religion is empty. It leaves you wanting. That’s because it can only give so much hope. What we need is a relationship. When Jesus Christ becomes not only a figure of our church but our Savior and Lord, that’s when we have hope of life. That’s when things become different. That’s what sets us apart. It’s not what I do, it’s what He has done!
3. People are Searching.
You remember all those religions I listed off just a second ago? You know why those places are filling up? It’s because people want something else. They want hope. The dead faith of their fathers has left them wanting, and they are willing to look elsewhere for the truth that’s missing. Unfortunately, what they find many times, and even what they take a risk on and sometimes change their entire life for, is just another lie. That’s why we need to get the truth in their hands. The harvest is ripe. People are searching!
4. Christ’s Church is Growing.
In spite of all the lies in this place, in spite of all the deception, in spite of all the false prophets, and in spite of the need that still exists, God’s is building his work here. There are quite a few good churches that we’ve found in this city. We hope to visit two of them tomorrow. Be praying though, that God would send more laborers here. Would you pray about coming?
I’ll leave you a few more photos before going to bed. We only have a couple of days left before heading back to Georgia. Pray that God would help us redeem the time. Love you all….
Three generations grace a busy sidewalk with sweet music. You should have seen the kid on the harp. He was flying!
Plaza Bolivar is a huge open place, surrounded by official buildings, churches and... pigeons. Lots and lots of pigeons!
It has been common for us to see people such as this man looking through the trash for something to eat. In fact, many do whatever it takes to get by. We've seen many beggars, street performers (acrobats, jugglers, unicyclists, musicians, etc...), windshield washers (they sneak up on you while you're at stop lights), and quite a few that just seemed to have given up. Some sleep during mid day, some swim through trash for a moldy piece of bread and some stare off into nowhere, wondering if anybody cares. Do you?
The Vance Family 