I'm announcing here that I'm putting my mini-book up on the 'Net under the title "Fix your broken home; a spiritual leadership guide" - I encourage you to read and pass it along.
It's a guide for anyone whose home needs spiritual leadership. but, it's geared toward young people who don't have a father figure leading spiritually. It encourages them to take charge and shows themt he right way to do it.
So, follow it and pass the word on, as more and more will be posted, and I suspect that more people here than on blogspot will be interested, as I've heard this is a big spot for young people.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
A relationship we all need
Ever think about cowboys? The story of one rodeo cowboy who got saved at a church in billings, whose pastor I know, recently came to my mind again. And, it made me think about how we all need that relationship with Christ.
See, God made us to have relationships. Yes, some with autistic spectrum conditions have more trouble with relationships – however, I have a few aspie friends. These friends tell me they’re glad to have a relationship with God because He’s perfect and always consistent, and understands them all the time, whereas the problem they have, from what they say, is that humans are so imperfect and inconsistent.
Even before the Fall, God said “it is not good for man to be alone.” Often we need a more physical reminder of that: Children and even some adults need a stuffed animal or other comfort object; people need friends; and so on. But, our true Friend is the one in the Spiritual realm, the Creator of the Universe.
He’s not an equal, but humbles Himself to hear those who have trusted in His Son to forgive them. He is the kind that sticks closer than a brother. The kind who will always answer our prayers in the way He knows is best for us.
Those human relationships, though, are fraught with misunderstandings and problems at times, and people can let us down; they can even die, leaving an empty spot in our hearts that only Jesus can fill.
And, then there are the cowboys and others who spend much time alone. It’s nice to be independent, but we all mess up on our own, too. And, to be alone with one’s thoughts in the wide open plains has to seem so…well, lonely. They like to feel independent, like they can do it all themselves, but those songs about cowboys always seem a tad depressing to me.
They’re sort of like the shepherds who got the first word of Christ’s birth. Shepherds, like more recent cowboys, had very lonely jobs; all they did was watch sheep all day. It’s no wonder the angels appeared to them; they had the faith that the Lord was out there for them. They had that relationship we all need; the Lord was there for them, even in their most lonely, trying times.
It’s a relationship anyone can have, simply by putting their trust in Him to forgive them. It’s a relationship we all need, whether we’ve got lots of friends or not. Because, a relationship with Him not only gets us to Heaven, but through Him we can have life and have it more abundantly, right here on Earth. Because, He’s just waiting to share all our burdens, give us hope in time of need, be the God of all comfort, give us that peace that passeth understanding, and so on.
See, God made us to have relationships. Yes, some with autistic spectrum conditions have more trouble with relationships – however, I have a few aspie friends. These friends tell me they’re glad to have a relationship with God because He’s perfect and always consistent, and understands them all the time, whereas the problem they have, from what they say, is that humans are so imperfect and inconsistent.
Even before the Fall, God said “it is not good for man to be alone.” Often we need a more physical reminder of that: Children and even some adults need a stuffed animal or other comfort object; people need friends; and so on. But, our true Friend is the one in the Spiritual realm, the Creator of the Universe.
He’s not an equal, but humbles Himself to hear those who have trusted in His Son to forgive them. He is the kind that sticks closer than a brother. The kind who will always answer our prayers in the way He knows is best for us.
Those human relationships, though, are fraught with misunderstandings and problems at times, and people can let us down; they can even die, leaving an empty spot in our hearts that only Jesus can fill.
And, then there are the cowboys and others who spend much time alone. It’s nice to be independent, but we all mess up on our own, too. And, to be alone with one’s thoughts in the wide open plains has to seem so…well, lonely. They like to feel independent, like they can do it all themselves, but those songs about cowboys always seem a tad depressing to me.
They’re sort of like the shepherds who got the first word of Christ’s birth. Shepherds, like more recent cowboys, had very lonely jobs; all they did was watch sheep all day. It’s no wonder the angels appeared to them; they had the faith that the Lord was out there for them. They had that relationship we all need; the Lord was there for them, even in their most lonely, trying times.
It’s a relationship anyone can have, simply by putting their trust in Him to forgive them. It’s a relationship we all need, whether we’ve got lots of friends or not. Because, a relationship with Him not only gets us to Heaven, but through Him we can have life and have it more abundantly, right here on Earth. Because, He’s just waiting to share all our burdens, give us hope in time of need, be the God of all comfort, give us that peace that passeth understanding, and so on.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
So, what's going on here?
The title sounds like something you'd see in a church. But, this isn't a church. It's a website. Let me start by introducing myself, and I'll explain.
I know the Lord personally. This may sound like a big claim, but you can, too. He called His disciples His friends, after all. Anyone who asks, He will come in to them. And, all it takes is simple faith.
I call this "Grace Through Faith Fellowship" for 3 reasons: 1. Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us that's how to get to Jesus - "by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast"; 2. It's not a church, but it will hopefully encourage fellowship (which means having things in common) - you can read it, and draw closer to God through His Word, the Bible, and through prayer, at any time (I'll post links later about how to find a good church, but here's a good message board for fellowshipping with other believers - well, I can do that here, http://www.rr-bb.com/); and, 3. It is all about faith.
I came to know Jeus by faith in college after knowing all the facts about Him as a child. I may have prayed a prayer with someone, but I might well have done so only becuase someone said to, not becuase I really understood that I needed to receive His forgiveness personally. When I started reading the New Testament, though, I started to realize why Jesus had come - it was for me, personally, just as it was for anyone. I, personally, was a sinner who needed His blood to cleanse me of my sin.I trusted that He'd died for me, and risen fromt he dead, personally. Once I did this, He made me a new creature on the inside. He can do that for anyone, and I encourage anyone who reads to put their trust in His to forgive them and save them.
See, God is a God of love and mercy - but He's also a God of justice. Which, given how badly some people may have treated you, should make you glad. He will repay; but, in the meantime, He calls us according to His mercy. Those who do mean things will not be in Heaven unless they let God make them new on the inside.
However, we have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God. I never smoked, drank, cursed, or any other really bad stuff, but I was still a sinner in my thoughts and attitudes at times. I still lied at times. I fell short of His perfect glory. that's why I needed saved. And, if you're like me, you still need saved, too - even if you haven't done anything really bad.
Jesus will save you, if you just trust Him; trust what He did for you as paying the whole price for your sin, that His death, burial, and resurrection was for you. Repent - turn from your sins in your heart - and receive Him as your Savior.
If I write nothing else, this will be enough, but I will write more. I'll start other blogs that cover different topics, including a book I'm writing I want all to see, and pass on, abut ledership in the home. I'll try my best to show an example of God's love and compassion, but also will be sure to state our fallen nature and need for hIm.
So, that's it for now. Remember, God doesn't want us to be mindless robots. He wants us to love HIm willingly. Just as He gave Himself willingly. And, no matter what you've done, you just did so because of your sin nature; you're not a sinner because you did x, y, and z, you're a sinner because of that human nature, that freedom of choice God gives us. We're sinners even if we only do the "little" ones.
God doesn't want us to boast - most people I know don't like to hear boasting, either. So, He made it so we'd all get to heaven the same way - through faith in what He did, not belief in what we do. Any religion is about man reaching up to God - but, God reached down to us.
So, I'll add more in time, but but now, what will you do with Jesus? I pray you'll receive Him.
I know the Lord personally. This may sound like a big claim, but you can, too. He called His disciples His friends, after all. Anyone who asks, He will come in to them. And, all it takes is simple faith.
I call this "Grace Through Faith Fellowship" for 3 reasons: 1. Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us that's how to get to Jesus - "by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast"; 2. It's not a church, but it will hopefully encourage fellowship (which means having things in common) - you can read it, and draw closer to God through His Word, the Bible, and through prayer, at any time (I'll post links later about how to find a good church, but here's a good message board for fellowshipping with other believers - well, I can do that here, http://www.rr-bb.com/); and, 3. It is all about faith.
I came to know Jeus by faith in college after knowing all the facts about Him as a child. I may have prayed a prayer with someone, but I might well have done so only becuase someone said to, not becuase I really understood that I needed to receive His forgiveness personally. When I started reading the New Testament, though, I started to realize why Jesus had come - it was for me, personally, just as it was for anyone. I, personally, was a sinner who needed His blood to cleanse me of my sin.I trusted that He'd died for me, and risen fromt he dead, personally. Once I did this, He made me a new creature on the inside. He can do that for anyone, and I encourage anyone who reads to put their trust in His to forgive them and save them.
See, God is a God of love and mercy - but He's also a God of justice. Which, given how badly some people may have treated you, should make you glad. He will repay; but, in the meantime, He calls us according to His mercy. Those who do mean things will not be in Heaven unless they let God make them new on the inside.
However, we have all sinned, and come short of the glory of God. I never smoked, drank, cursed, or any other really bad stuff, but I was still a sinner in my thoughts and attitudes at times. I still lied at times. I fell short of His perfect glory. that's why I needed saved. And, if you're like me, you still need saved, too - even if you haven't done anything really bad.
Jesus will save you, if you just trust Him; trust what He did for you as paying the whole price for your sin, that His death, burial, and resurrection was for you. Repent - turn from your sins in your heart - and receive Him as your Savior.
If I write nothing else, this will be enough, but I will write more. I'll start other blogs that cover different topics, including a book I'm writing I want all to see, and pass on, abut ledership in the home. I'll try my best to show an example of God's love and compassion, but also will be sure to state our fallen nature and need for hIm.
So, that's it for now. Remember, God doesn't want us to be mindless robots. He wants us to love HIm willingly. Just as He gave Himself willingly. And, no matter what you've done, you just did so because of your sin nature; you're not a sinner because you did x, y, and z, you're a sinner because of that human nature, that freedom of choice God gives us. We're sinners even if we only do the "little" ones.
God doesn't want us to boast - most people I know don't like to hear boasting, either. So, He made it so we'd all get to heaven the same way - through faith in what He did, not belief in what we do. Any religion is about man reaching up to God - but, God reached down to us.
So, I'll add more in time, but but now, what will you do with Jesus? I pray you'll receive Him.
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