I was out walking this am and ran into Charles, my elderly friend from across the street. We got talking and after awhile, the conversation went to our Lord Jesus, a good place to go. I listened to Charles talk about how he has lived a good life, done things for others, never got a ticket while driving etc. While my head was listening, my heart was speaking. It said, does he know Jesus? Does he know why he needs to know Jesus?
I asked Charles point blank, why is Jesus your lord? He responded with something like the Bible says so. I asked Charles if he knew why Jesus is our Savior. The silence was a little telling. I told Charles that Jesus is the great mediator, intercessor, arbitrator - the man who stands in our place before God.
I said when you and I die, we will stand before God and be judged of our lives, and we will all be guilty of sin "doing things outside of Gods will", even those who did good all their lives will be guilty.
That is where Jesus comes in. He is the one without sin, who stands with us when we stand before God, when God says guilty my child, Jesus will say "well done good and faithful servant", or something like this will happen.
Amen.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
The Gospels are unlike anything else you can read...
Seriously, think about it. Where else can you find such a story being told from 4 slightly different perspectives that has such an impact on our lives.
The Gospels are the stories of Jesus told by 4 different people who had first hand knowledge of him. The Gospels are probably the best place for someone who wants to know first hand what is written about Jesus Christ, the God of the Christian Bible.
There are many stories of Jesus out there, many that are written in time well after Jesus walked the earth. Some people love to speculate on who Jesus really was. These are people who extrapolate their own truths based on what other people have also extrapolated.
The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John are 1st person narratives with very little extrapolation, and much more observation. This is why you must come here to learn the truth about Jesus.
You have the right to decide if you believe what is written in the Gospels, but you must come to them and read them to make your decision.
One final note, the book of Romans is like a Gospel, the Gospel of Paul, written to the citizens or Rome explaining to them who Jesus is and that they too are invited into His kingdom.
The Gospels are the stories of Jesus told by 4 different people who had first hand knowledge of him. The Gospels are probably the best place for someone who wants to know first hand what is written about Jesus Christ, the God of the Christian Bible.
There are many stories of Jesus out there, many that are written in time well after Jesus walked the earth. Some people love to speculate on who Jesus really was. These are people who extrapolate their own truths based on what other people have also extrapolated.
The Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John are 1st person narratives with very little extrapolation, and much more observation. This is why you must come here to learn the truth about Jesus.
You have the right to decide if you believe what is written in the Gospels, but you must come to them and read them to make your decision.
One final note, the book of Romans is like a Gospel, the Gospel of Paul, written to the citizens or Rome explaining to them who Jesus is and that they too are invited into His kingdom.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
In the word and in service
Mike was convicted one Sunday at church about the amount of time that he had been spending with God. Mike had heard for years the importance of spending time with God, reading about his word, serving him, getting to know him.
Mike committed to spend 15 minutes a day in the word over the next 3 months to get to know God better. Mike decided to find a quiet place each day at lunch to read the bible. Mike jumped in with both feet! He started praying prior to his reading time each day, asking God to give him insights about what to read each day. Mike would pray and say things like "God, what should i read about today?" Day after day, Mike faithfully meet his committment. After a couple months, Mike had read in all 4 Gospels, and in books of the Old Testament. God had faithfully given Mike direction in his reading.
One day Mike started his praying about what to read, but did not hear God speaking about what to read that day. Mike decided to get up from his normal spot and go outside and walk a bit, as he walked he continued to pray and listen to what God was going to say. Before Mike knew it, he had been walking for a while and needed to get back to work. As Mike was walking back, he spotted an old man sitting on a bench. Mike approached the old man and started talking with him. The mans name was Charles. Charles had recently moved into a nearby retirement home. Charles had lost his wife and was feeling very lonely and lost. Mike sat and listened to Charles for awhile. Eventually, Mike said to Charles that he needed to get back to work and that he had enjoyed their conversation and looked forward to talking again. Before Mike left, he and Charles prayed together. It was then that God spoke to Mike, as he walked back to his office. The book of James, look in chapter 1. Be a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Look after the old and widowed...
There is a time for you to sit with me and talk says the Lord, there is also a time that you need to get up and let me talk to others through you. A time to go and serve others. It is in your love for others where i can be. When you watch over the elderly and take care of others, giving them your time - that is when i am pleased. It is in service that i am glorified.
Mike committed to spend 15 minutes a day in the word over the next 3 months to get to know God better. Mike decided to find a quiet place each day at lunch to read the bible. Mike jumped in with both feet! He started praying prior to his reading time each day, asking God to give him insights about what to read each day. Mike would pray and say things like "God, what should i read about today?" Day after day, Mike faithfully meet his committment. After a couple months, Mike had read in all 4 Gospels, and in books of the Old Testament. God had faithfully given Mike direction in his reading.
One day Mike started his praying about what to read, but did not hear God speaking about what to read that day. Mike decided to get up from his normal spot and go outside and walk a bit, as he walked he continued to pray and listen to what God was going to say. Before Mike knew it, he had been walking for a while and needed to get back to work. As Mike was walking back, he spotted an old man sitting on a bench. Mike approached the old man and started talking with him. The mans name was Charles. Charles had recently moved into a nearby retirement home. Charles had lost his wife and was feeling very lonely and lost. Mike sat and listened to Charles for awhile. Eventually, Mike said to Charles that he needed to get back to work and that he had enjoyed their conversation and looked forward to talking again. Before Mike left, he and Charles prayed together. It was then that God spoke to Mike, as he walked back to his office. The book of James, look in chapter 1. Be a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Look after the old and widowed...
There is a time for you to sit with me and talk says the Lord, there is also a time that you need to get up and let me talk to others through you. A time to go and serve others. It is in your love for others where i can be. When you watch over the elderly and take care of others, giving them your time - that is when i am pleased. It is in service that i am glorified.
pornography is a killer
this is a very common theme in the Gospels and scriptures in general. It is a topic that cannot be overstated to our young men. Its too easy to access materials that lead us into the pit of destruction.
Here is a narrative to add insight:
"Ben is a typical 12 year old, active, full of energy and has a computer in his house with Internet access. One Day, Ben is on the web and he comes across a provocative image of a young lady. Over the next couple weeks Ben continues to look at other provocative pictures on the internet. Soon Ben is looking at magazines and movies that show provocative material. Over the course of the next year, Ben develops an addiction to lustful material. Ben does not see the harm in this, he is only meeting his *natural instincts. He convinces himself that what he is looking at is not really harming him. He is not able to see what this habit does to him."
This is where we need to make the story concrete. This story must speak to them where they are at age 11 or 13.
Ben may look ok on the outside, but on the inside he is rotting. On the inside, he is like an apple that has worms in it. The apple is being consumed from the inside out, it looks great on the outside, even while the worms are inside destroying and consuming the apple. A causal glance at the apple, and it looks fine - its not until one picks up the apple and takes a closer look that they can see the infection.
Here is a narrative to add insight:
"Ben is a typical 12 year old, active, full of energy and has a computer in his house with Internet access. One Day, Ben is on the web and he comes across a provocative image of a young lady. Over the next couple weeks Ben continues to look at other provocative pictures on the internet. Soon Ben is looking at magazines and movies that show provocative material. Over the course of the next year, Ben develops an addiction to lustful material. Ben does not see the harm in this, he is only meeting his *natural instincts. He convinces himself that what he is looking at is not really harming him. He is not able to see what this habit does to him."
This is where we need to make the story concrete. This story must speak to them where they are at age 11 or 13.
Ben may look ok on the outside, but on the inside he is rotting. On the inside, he is like an apple that has worms in it. The apple is being consumed from the inside out, it looks great on the outside, even while the worms are inside destroying and consuming the apple. A causal glance at the apple, and it looks fine - its not until one picks up the apple and takes a closer look that they can see the infection.
Why This blog
Well - it seems the holy spirit is leading me this way.....
I keep hearing and seeing examples, stories that bring the Gospel message to life!
What could be more worthwhile than bringing insight to people about the Gospel via storytelling...
Nothing new here, new to me, not new in general. People have been telling stories forever, and many about the Gospel . Its just convicting me now.
I have been to a couple youth events in the past year that stressed the story telling/narrative angle of youth ministry. When you read directly from the Bible to kids, they often times drift away shortly after you start....its a little abstract to them - they are young and have not have alot of life experiences to relate to. Rather, give them the same Gospel message, only via a story or narrative - they should stay tuned in a bit longer and remember the story and the message long afterward. I get that - so here we go.
I keep hearing and seeing examples, stories that bring the Gospel message to life!
What could be more worthwhile than bringing insight to people about the Gospel via storytelling...
Nothing new here, new to me, not new in general. People have been telling stories forever, and many about the Gospel . Its just convicting me now.
I have been to a couple youth events in the past year that stressed the story telling/narrative angle of youth ministry. When you read directly from the Bible to kids, they often times drift away shortly after you start....its a little abstract to them - they are young and have not have alot of life experiences to relate to. Rather, give them the same Gospel message, only via a story or narrative - they should stay tuned in a bit longer and remember the story and the message long afterward. I get that - so here we go.
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