Blog Archives
Prodigal: my testimony.
The story of the Prodigal has always hit a little close to home for me. Let me share my testimony with you all…
I was adopted at the age of 8 weeks old. You can read that story here. I was raised in a Christian home by parents who were constantly busy serving the Lord at the local church we attended. My brother made a profession of faith at a young age, and would continuously ask my mom when I was going to get saved too. Obviously, no one can “force” salvation on anyone else. Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit – the convicting, the wooing, the saving, the sealing, the keeping – it’s all a work of the Lord. So my mother would tell him what any honest parent would tell their child: “I don’t know…”
Well, when I was 3 years old I began to grow tired of my brother constantly nagging me about this “salvation” business, so I knelt down by the love seat in our living room with my mother and prayed a little prayer – and with that I considered myself saved. *voila!* I was baptised by my pastor about a year later.
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Some Christians don’t act Christian at all.
I would just like to vent for a few minutes. Please bear with me – this will most definitely be beneficial for myself, and it may even prove to be somewhat helpful for you too.
You know what really irks me? Christians who don’t act like Christians at all. Why? Because I used to be one. I don’t like when people set themselves up as holy judges and execute spiritual verdicts on people when they’ve never walked in their shoes or shut their mouths long enough to listen to their struggles. The holy judgers take peoples’ questions and treat them like the asker’s absolute doctrine – when in all reality, all they were looking for in the first place was an honest answer for their inquiries.
Question of the day: the Jews.
Growing up I always considered this to be a no-brainer… but the old the get, the more I wonder about it.
The Jews were God’s chosen people throughout Biblical history. We know that because of what the Bible says. However, we also know that the Jews rejected Jesus Christ and demanded His crucifixion.
Many people believe that the Jews lost their special standing with Almighty God when they rejected His Son. Read the rest of this entry
No more night. No more pain.
I originally started typing up my health update… but I got a little distracted – by a good kind of distraction. I started listening to music… and then I re-read what I had typed up for my post, and realized how completely selfish and pitiful it was sounding. So, my health update is going to have to wait for now until I get myself out of this self-centered rut I’m in. Truth is, I’ve got it good. I’m saved. If I died in five minutes, that’s more time that I get to spend in the presence of my Savior.
There’s just something about mornings… I don’t like them. I never have. I love night time. I love being in my room late at night reading or watching a movie in my pajamas. I love having the feeling of nothing to do, nobody’s chasing me, and having the option of drifting off to sleep once my eyes are too heavy to stay open any longer.
But there’s coming a day where I will love mornings, and there will be no more nights. It’s a day called eternity. And I’ll spend it living in an everlasting light, shining forth from the throne of Almighty God. It’s a place called Heaven and it’s going to be wonderful; it’s going to be bright and grand; it’s going to be perfect.
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What’s wrong with Christians today.
One thing I have noticed lately… God’s people sure do a lot of complaining. What a shame.
We have a sad misconception today that if we’re not completely healthy, or if God doesn’t give us children then He hasn’t been good to us. We think that if our loved one dies, or if our children aren’t serving the Lord then God hasn’t been good to us. We get all upset if our car breaks down, or the boy we like falls in love with someone else, or if we don’t have enough money to pay the bills – then obviously, God hasn’t been good to us. If we don’t have a house with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a perfect husband, or a job that pays big bucks, then God has short-changed us. If God allows us to suffer a smidgen, or our Pastor lets us down… if it doesn’t rain enough and our flowers die, if our dog gets hit by a car… or if God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we think He should… well then, God has treated us so badly.
Hello?
Whatcha Gonna Do With That Old Shoe? {Evangelist Brian McBride}
Want a blessing? Click the link below and either download or just take a few minutes to listen to this sermon. I’ve heard Bro. Brian McBride preach this sermon many, many times – and it’s still one of my favorites.
Whatcha Gonna Do With That Old Shoe?
(Bro. Brian McBride, time: 40:57)
The text of the sermon comes from Ruth chapter 4:
[1] Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
[2] And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
[3] And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s:
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Thirsty.
I was looking back through my church journal over all the sermons I’ve taken notes on and some of the songs I’ve written and I came across a poem. I wrote this poem just a little over a year ago and when I re-read it I was convicted of the state I was in last year.
See, I wrote this poem at the beginning of Parkview Baptist Church’s Annual Old Fashioned Tent Meeting (2009). A couple nights after writing this poem I walked down a grassy aisle, knelt down at an old-fashioned altar, and got reassurance of my salvation. I was thirsty for something, but I didn’t know what exactly that “something” was. It took a couple nights, but the Lord answered my cry. I needed Him in my life. I needed assurance that I was Heaven-bound.
It amazes me that the Lord is always right on time. He’s never a moment early or a second too late. His timing is perfect, and He is working to bring forth His perfect work in each of our lives. The Holy Spirit does His pre-work, then the message is delivered and a decision is made, and lastly the “homework” starts – which is where the Holy Spirit takes back over. This poem was written during the Holy Spirit’s “pre-work” in my life.
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Repost: I’m searching for something.
I wrote this note a few months ago when the Lord started working in my heart. I didn’t know it was Him working at the time, but looking back on it now it’s so very obvious. I felt empty; I was unhappy, unsatisfied; I was discontent. I knew something was going on in my life, but I couldn’t put my finger on what exactly that “something” was. It wasn’t long till I figured it out…
Jesus passed by my way and told me that He knew exactly what I was going through. He didn’t judge me; no, that was finished a year ago when He saved me. He didn’t shout or scream. He simply offered Himself to me again and filled the void with His peace.
We serve an amazing God. My search is over; I found everything I was searching for and more!
Here’s the note that started it all…
I’m not really sure where to start such a note, so I’ll just start by saying this: I’m being completely honest with every word I say. I won’t know how to word every thought, because I’m still quite confused myself – but I’m going to try. So just bear with me; tolerate my confusion for the next 5 minutes.
This is MY struggle, MY battle – so please don’t tell me I’m doing just fine, or that it’s my life and I can live it any way I want to. Don’t tell me that as long as I’m happy I should do what I want. Don’t let your comments be shallow; don’t try to hold me back; don’t try to talk me down or out of it. Don’t tell me that I’m off my rocker or that this will pass in a couple of days. Read the rest of this entry
Repost: I am not a great Christian.
I am not a great Christian, nor will I ever claim to be one. But I love Jesus. I don’t deserve all that I have been given – my salvation, my relationship with a Holy God, grace and mercy, His Word, the privilege of knowing that He hears AND answers my prayers, my family, my friends, my church, and so many more than I can’t even begin to tell. Like the prodigal son, I too had a time of wandering – actually, it was more like running – but, like the prodigal, I also came home. I came home because of one word: grace. If it was to please people, I wouldn’t still be serving my Savior. I made a lot of mistakes, I admit it. I have regrets. But I’ve also experienced a greater forgiveness – that has been one of the greatest lessons the Lord has taught me so far. Because of the patience He showed to me, I have a greater patience for others. It’s easier to forgive, when you remember how much you’ve been forgiven. For many years my life verse has been Isaiah 55:8 & 9 which says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” However, since my return to the Lord, I have adopted another life verse – Romans 5:20b – “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible.
Can I just encourage you that, before you judge people because of their past take a look at your own life and make sure you have everything in its proper place… because honestly, who are you to judge anyone? Read the rest of this entry
