Sunday, August 29, 2004

Who is the least? Are you the least, am I the least? Something I haven't thought much about till today. Do you ever hear those sermons that you feel are directed right to you and hit you in the ass hard. Today was that day for me.
For those of you that know me and well even if you don't, I love serving people. I have always been taught to put others first. Even when I don't want to, I tend to have a problem saying no to someone when in need. I have always felt that I need to serve God here and do this good there. Keep myself busy for God, right?
Today the sermon I heard was about Matthew 25:31-46. We have all heard this sermon before. At least that is what I thought. The verses talk about serving others as if they were Jesus himself. Those to the right are saved and those on the left are not. Hopefully we all have done something in the service for God. Knowing this has always been a part of me. Doing good work for God will not only help me grow, but help me when the day of Christ comes. I am know having a servants heart is a part of someone we are asked and choose to be.
Now is the part that blew me away. Who is the least was asked? We always think of others, what about ourselves. Do we ever consider ourselves the least? Do we allow ourselves to come before the throne of God and show him our deepest darkest secret that we know if we share with anyone else, they will probably run. I guess consider this if you were sitting across from Jesus, what do you think the look on his face would be. A lot of what I heard was disappointment. WRONG. This is still hard for me to understand, but COMPASSION, COMPASSION, COMPASSION. We never see the one who has equipped us and chosen us as one of compassion when it comes to our deep dark sins that can continuously hold us down and away. The kicker of this is, He already knows. He already knows what we try to hide behind our back. It is obvious we should know that to, but we don't.
If I were to die today, I have no doubt where I would be going, but am I ready. Not really, because one I haven't finished the race that God has had me start and another reason is I can't say that I have completely come face to face with my deepest, darkest sins that my God has already knows about and washed away. Makes me feel good to know that I have an awesome God of compassion and not one of disappointment.
So again I ask, Who is the least? Sometimes we are and we have to allow ourselves to face what has a hold of us and has hurt us. The best part of that is, HE ALREADY KNOWS and His love is the same today, tomorrow, and yesterday. AMEN!!!!
Who is the least? Are you the least, am I the least? Something I haven't thought much about till today. Do you ever hear those sermons that you feel are directed right to you and hit you in the ass hard. Today was that day for me.
For those of you that know me and well even if you don't, I love serving people. I have always been taught to put others first. Even when I don't want to, I tend to have a problem saying no to someone when in need. I have always felt that I need to serve God here and do this good there. Keep myself busy for God, right?
Today the sermon I heard was about Matthew 25:31-46. We have all heard this sermon before. At least that is what I thought. The versuses talk about serving others as if they were Jesus himself. Those to the right are saved and those on the left are not. Hopefully we all have done something in the service for God. Knowing this has always been a part of me. Doing good work for God will not only help me grow, but help me when the day of Christ comes. I am know having a servants heart is a part of someone we are asked and choose to be.
Now is the part that blew me away. Who is the least was asked? We always think of others, what about ourselves. Do we ever consider ourselves the least? Do we allow ourselves to come before the throne of God and show him our deepest darkest secret that we know if we share with anyone else, they will probably run. I guess consider this if you were sitting across from Jesus, what do you think the look on his face would be. A lot of what I heard was dissappointment. WRONG. This is still hard for me to understand, but COMPASSION, COMPASSION, COMPASSION. We never see the one who has equipped us and chosen us as one of compassion when it comes to our deep dark sins that can continuously hold us down and away. The kicker of this is, He already knows. He already knows what we try to hide behind our back. It is obvious we should know that to, but we don't.
If I were to die today, I have no doubt where I would be going, but am I ready. Not really, because one I haven't finished the race that God has had me start and another reason is I can't say that I have completely come face to face with my deepest, darkest sins that my God has already knows about and washed away. Makes me feel good to know that I have an awesome God of compassion and not one of disappointment.
So again I ask, Who is the least? Sometimes we are and we have to allow ourselves to face what has a hold of us and has hurt us. The best part of that is, HE ALREADY KNOWS and His love is the same today, tomorrow, and yesterday. AMEN!!!!

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Oh what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in, onto the crashing waves.

I wish I could say these words are mine, but there not. Credit goes to Casting Crowns.

My faith has gotten me to where I am today. My faith has made me who I am going to be and who I am not. Why do I question so much still? Why do I let myself stumble day in and day out? Human nature, don't know if I can use that justification anymore. I know perfection is never going to be reached. Nothing new there. My life has begun a new chapter of late with all that I am doing. Am I looking forward to it all, you bet I am. Do I trust God will take care of me, without a doubt. What is the problem then? I am the problem. I get in the way. I, I, I. You see it isn't about me, never has been, never will be. Easy to say that I understand, harder to comprehend and believe. I do believe it, but still I....

It is kind like that saying I heard in a sermon last week, "Faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse." My life is not in my hands and you know what that is a good thing, cause I would constantly mess it up.

My prayer tonight father is I spend more time listening to you and trusting through the faith you have given me. Strengthen my heart father, cause it hurts right now. Teach/show me a little bit more discipline about getting up earlier to spend with you. What a great way to start the day.

Saturday, August 07, 2004

The exhaustion I feel after a week like I had is finally catching up to me. I have a new passion for God to continually push me in. Missions. I spent this past week in Juarez, Mexico, building a house for a family. Along with 48 others we were able to build three houses. It was one of the most intense weeks I have ever been a part of. I always have said that when I finally do go on my first missions trip, I won't want to come back and I will have a new fire in me to continually go somewhere, anywhere God leads me. Well, it happened. I am still overwhelmed with all that went on this week and how we built a house in three days, only God can do!!! This has been more of a building week for me than most CIY's I have been to, mainly because it was real life. God was in each of the people I came in contact with, through there smiles, there hearts, and even through there tears of joy at the end of the week. Everyone on the trip from Westside was there for a reason, I firmly believe that. We all bonded and got along so well. It is really hard to put into words completely.
After a week like this, my thought process is shifting to school. I start in two weeks I think. I find out next week when I register. FINALLY!!!! I do get tired of talking about it and now only one more week till I register and I can finally do what I have been talking about for almost eight years. All in God's timing right or as I like to think, God is seldom early and never late.
Another amazing thing happened this week and I am so stinkin happy about. My best friend from high school and his wife had there first baby. Her name is Ashlyn. She was born a week ago tomorrow and weighed 9 pounds 10 ounces....big baby. I am so happy and proud of them. After finally talking to Danny today, all I could really do was cry tears of joy for him and Amy. I always joke about getting older, but sometimes like today it is alright to be where I am at. Hearing them both talk, I can already tell a difference and it is neat to see. I can't wait to go out to North Carolina in a month. The wait will be hard, but so worth it. Thank you father for bringing life into this world for two people that mean so much to me. I look forward to the next week or so when you do the same for some other friends of mine who are going to be just as good of parents.