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Monthly Archives: September 2013

I wanna be _______________

I wanna be _______________

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

What do you wanna’ be? Seems like a simple question, but complexities lie in it. Sadly our impulsive answer would probably be “rich”. We want what this parable of the rich young ruler had. We are wired and fed by that desire by all this world teaches. Wealth will fulfill all your hearts desires, fame and fortune come with lots of money. We will become noticed for our success, and seemingly held in high regard, for we now have what others want. We begin to think money will cure all our problems; the success of Lotteries is the evidence of our worship of money. I too would like nothing more that to live debt free; I am a slave to the lender and that burden demands so much of my time…..but if I was rich…..yea, it is real easy to go down that road.

There are many roads to go down in this parable of the rich young ruler. He seeming knew all the answers to the questions Christ asked. You can see him puffing out his chest in pride, until Christ hit him where it hurt. He held, and worshipped his money and possessions much more that he desired to “become perfect”. His had greater love for his wealth that he ever had for his Savior. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (ESV) He didn’t truly wanna’ be perfect, he just wanted to appear perfect. His heart was bound to the wealth he had attained; yet he never understood that God had given it to him; what would he do with what he had been given; where did his heart lie when tested? Can you imagine the life and testimony he could have had if he given all he had to the poor and followed Christ? The outpouring of love would have been used to glorify God to many, but he walked away sad in the realization of the worship of his idol.

What do you wanna be? I wanna be the best disciple I can be for my time remaining here on earth. I want that discipleship to pour into my duties as a husband, father, employer, friend, and all that God places in my circle of influence. I want God to continue this sanctification process in me in the pursuit to make me more like His Son. I know it will be painful at times, but I know that He knows what he is doing. I wanna be a light in a dark world. I wanna be the person that God uses to encourage you to join me on this eternal journey. I wanna be the person who bows at His feet on that day, and hears these words; “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matthew 25:21)

Who found who?

05 Sep

Who found who?

Matthew 16:13-17 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Jesus had just performed a miracle feeding 4000, again on just a few loaves of fish and bread. The Pharisees & Sadducees had pursued him demanding a sign from heaven. Christ had rebuked them; He departed with his apostles and began to reveal more of what was to come of his fate to them. They were beginning to see, and somewhat understand how He was going to suffer, die, and arise, as God had laid out for His Son. They were coming to understand more of the mystery; God was opening their eyes and minds through their hearts. Christ rejoiced at Peter’s confession of his faith; Christ knew that God had opened and revealed this to Peter. In the study of this passage we are led to the Gospel of John. My study Bible quotes; “The similarity between the confession of Peter and the purpose statement of John is inescapable.” John’s purpose statement is found in John 20:30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. John’s Gospel is written so that you may respond to that tug that God has placed on your heart.

It does not matter how you think that you came to faith in Christ, but in it you MUST understand that you did not find Christ, He found you. You did not through research, by following rules, by going to church, by being a good person, by not being an evil person, by your good deeds outweighing your bad, by the scales of life weighing in your favor, by praying to a specific saint at a specific time……..the list is endless of how we think that we find Christ. We do not find or accept Him as has come to be a popular term. God places a desire in your heart to know Him; it is what you do in response to that desire that determines your eternity. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. There is no other way in to heaven. There is no way to ever find the key except through your heart’s response to that desire He places there. Through a humble, repentant, heart, that grasps and understands that need, eternal Salvation is “found” in Christ alone. Even at some point in your Christian growth you hopefully begin to grasp that humbling that God did pursue you; lost in the depravity of a life steep in sin from birth; a humble joy and thanksgiving for being one that he has pursued.; pushes you to pursue a life of discipleship. Your relationship and devotion to the One who provided you not only with forgiveness, but with eternal paradise. You were lost in all other sins and ways you believed; but he “found” you.

Unedjumicated

03 Sep

Unedjumicated

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

I have had a lot on my mind the past couple of weeks. I was humbled greatly when I was able to deliver my first sermon; I struggle to explain what that experience is like, but I hope God gives me that opportunity again sometime. I had hoped that I would gain clarity for the direction of my life in it; you know, that billboard from God that we all desire to know what he wants us to do. I wish I could say I got that neon sign, but faith lives in the hope of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). I was able to spend time with the Godliest man I know, and a best friend. He was able to speak to me words of encouragement just as God always uses him to do; I am beyond thankful for him and our relationship. You must surround yourself with Godly influences to hear from God; He will speak to you through the people that spend time with Him; there is that audible voice you desire.

I have openly shared of my struggles with memory, and looking back long ago in life it most likely translated to my problems in school. I can understand complexities, I just cannot retain what I learn. This carried on into my studies the past year at Liberty University Online. The sermon title that God gave me was, “You don’t have to go to seminary to be a disciple.” The title has weighed on me. There ain’t nuthin’ special about me; I only have a heart for God and the things of God, and try to spend time with him daily learning more about him. All that I have has been found by what He has given me; you can have it too. My heart lies in encouraging other Christians to open their Bible every day and to seek Him. It is in that response to your heart for God, and the pursuit of him, that your life will change. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. You simply cannot spend time daily with God in prayer and His Word, and He not change you. He will begin to conform you to the image of His Son.

I have decided to withdraw from Liberty for many reasons. I have decided to live what I preached. I am blessed with this ministry that God has given me, and I thank all of you for letting Him use me to speak to you. My prayer is that you begin to seek God on your own; for this to be the catalyst to get you in His Word; to see what ministry he has laid out for you. I am thinking of taking that sermon and making it a book. My testimony is one of pride, great sins, and worldly pursuits; then a life forever changed by Christ and the desire to know more about him every day. All you must do is to spend time with Him every day. All you must do is to have a heart for God, and the things of God, and you will find Him. You will not be able to contain what He shows and gives you. You will become a disciple and seek to share what you now possess. You will begin to produce heavenly fruit for your labor of your love for Him. You will gain eternal rewards in heaven for your heart for Him. Your life will never be the same, and neither will those in your circle of influence that respond to His call.

oneminuteministry

Monthly Archives: September 2013

I wanna be _______________

Who found who?

Unedjumicated

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