How blessed are we that we can meet to fellowship with one another in a public place? How blessed are we that we have food, clothes, water, and shelter everyday? How blessed are we that we don't have to hide our faith? How blessed are we that we have friends that stand with us in times of persecution? How blessed are we?
Yet we choose to not meet in public and share Jesus. Yet we take advantage of the resources we've been given. Yet we have faith in nothing but ourselves. Yet we let each other fall on their faces in times of persecution.
What are you yet to do today?
The keys of Jesus' Kingdom were placed in the hands of children, priests, and fishers of men. I believe that covers all of us! Have you unlocked the door for anyone but yourself?
Jesus spoke 3 words that enabled us to inherit, cherish, and share his Kingdom........It Is Finished!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
What?
What is the gospel? You know when asked this question a year ago my answer would have been as simple as the question. The gospel is the good news of Jesus. That is 100%the right answer, I don't want to over look that, but the gospel is so much more than just the good news of Jesus.
The gospel is a collision between Heaven and Earth! It is the one connection that we have with the creator of the universe. It is a display of faith to all the nations and all people. Have you ever noticed the context in which the word gospel is used in the bible? Here are 4 verses I think you should look at, I'm sure there are a lot more but this is what I have chosen.
Matthew 4:23
Mark 16:15
Romans 1:6
2 Corinthians 4:3
The context, in all of these verses, is the same. Following Jesus commanding us to proclaim the gospel there always follows an act. A healing or casting out demons, performing miracles, feeding thousands with almost nothing, and providing for the needy. You see the gospel is so much more than just speaking the word of God to others. It is loving people, providing for people that can't provide for themselves, giving to to the less fortunate, facilitating someone to teach the word to others who haven't heard. It is showing Christ to someone, not just telling them about Him. I mean seriously think about it if some one was to tell you about this guy who can balance a running lawnmower on his chin, would you believe them. Most people would say no way, unless you actually saw him do it. Right? It only makes sense that we show people Jesus.
A common thing that I see in the church is people focus their gospel on eternity. We are called to be living sacrifices for Christ, why in the world would we think that the gospel only deals with eternity and has absolutely nothing to do with our lives on this Earth. That's dumb and just plain wrong. The gospel is Jesus atoning for our sins so that those who believe in him will spend an eternity with him. So are we supposed to just sit and soak and soar on earth and relish in the fact that we will live in heaven with Jesus? If that's what you think the gospel is you will not spend eternity with Jesus, plain and simple. Faith without works is dead!
To sum all this up I just want to say that the war has been won. Though we may lose a couple battles, our Savior has already paid the ultimate price. I am ashamed that for so long I abused Jesus' sacrifice for me. I must live, eat, breathe, speak, drink, hear, touch, walk, sing, yell, dance, run, jump, crawl, and surrender to the gospel. For I am nothing and my God is everything!
The gospel is a collision between Heaven and Earth! It is the one connection that we have with the creator of the universe. It is a display of faith to all the nations and all people. Have you ever noticed the context in which the word gospel is used in the bible? Here are 4 verses I think you should look at, I'm sure there are a lot more but this is what I have chosen.
Matthew 4:23
Mark 16:15
Romans 1:6
2 Corinthians 4:3
The context, in all of these verses, is the same. Following Jesus commanding us to proclaim the gospel there always follows an act. A healing or casting out demons, performing miracles, feeding thousands with almost nothing, and providing for the needy. You see the gospel is so much more than just speaking the word of God to others. It is loving people, providing for people that can't provide for themselves, giving to to the less fortunate, facilitating someone to teach the word to others who haven't heard. It is showing Christ to someone, not just telling them about Him. I mean seriously think about it if some one was to tell you about this guy who can balance a running lawnmower on his chin, would you believe them. Most people would say no way, unless you actually saw him do it. Right? It only makes sense that we show people Jesus.
A common thing that I see in the church is people focus their gospel on eternity. We are called to be living sacrifices for Christ, why in the world would we think that the gospel only deals with eternity and has absolutely nothing to do with our lives on this Earth. That's dumb and just plain wrong. The gospel is Jesus atoning for our sins so that those who believe in him will spend an eternity with him. So are we supposed to just sit and soak and soar on earth and relish in the fact that we will live in heaven with Jesus? If that's what you think the gospel is you will not spend eternity with Jesus, plain and simple. Faith without works is dead!
To sum all this up I just want to say that the war has been won. Though we may lose a couple battles, our Savior has already paid the ultimate price. I am ashamed that for so long I abused Jesus' sacrifice for me. I must live, eat, breathe, speak, drink, hear, touch, walk, sing, yell, dance, run, jump, crawl, and surrender to the gospel. For I am nothing and my God is everything!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
How?
I was inspired to do this by a friend who is near and dear to my heart. This person holds me accountable in many ways, althought they don't realize it.
I'm not big on journaling, or blogging for that matter. I've always been a person who feels strong enough to handle my spiritual life on my own.......boy was I wrong. Brokeness is a feeling of comfort now, if that makes any sense at all. I accepted Jesus and was baptized when I was 7 years old. I lived for 13 years as a professing christian, only to realize I had missed Jesus all together. Jesus saved me when I was 20 years old at Passion 2011. My eyes were opened to a gospel that I had, for 13 years, claimed to represent. A gospel that is based around three simple questions: What? Where To? and When? In my next few posts I am going to try to answer what those questions mean to me, and how I am applying them to my life. I hope this will encourage you to ask the same questions in your life.
I'm not big on journaling, or blogging for that matter. I've always been a person who feels strong enough to handle my spiritual life on my own.......boy was I wrong. Brokeness is a feeling of comfort now, if that makes any sense at all. I accepted Jesus and was baptized when I was 7 years old. I lived for 13 years as a professing christian, only to realize I had missed Jesus all together. Jesus saved me when I was 20 years old at Passion 2011. My eyes were opened to a gospel that I had, for 13 years, claimed to represent. A gospel that is based around three simple questions: What? Where To? and When? In my next few posts I am going to try to answer what those questions mean to me, and how I am applying them to my life. I hope this will encourage you to ask the same questions in your life.
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