It's gonna be a short one today.
I know I haven't been publishing as often lately, life's just become pretty crazy lately.
Ok, so God's really been pushing me toward true repentance. Typically I think about repentance as when I sin I pray to God, ask Him for forgiveness, thank Him for His forgiveness, and then move on with my life. I do this for the same sins a lot as well. This is not true repentance. True repentance is understanding you have committed a sin, and then turning from that sin and to the cross of Jesus Christ. When I repent like I mentioned above, I turn to God and the cross of Christ, but I then turn immediately back to my sins. I don't turn away from them and focus only on the cross. This leads me into struggle cycles with the same sins, and I do not experience how I am supposed to be truly living: for Christ and not for this world. Two verses that remind of how I am supposed to act in a life of repentance are Acts 3:19 and Colossians 3:2.
Acts 3:19 -
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"
Colossians 3:2 -
"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
The verse from Acts tells us that turning to God is how we repent, and that when we do so it will be refreshing! The verse from Colossians tell us to look to heaven and God by setting our minds on things above and not to look to the world for what we should do. Why do I turn away from God and to my worldly sins? Sins and this world do not bring about "times of refreshing", only God can do that.
This is my prayer: With these things in mind I strive to turn to God and stay fixated on Him when I repent so that I will turn away from the things of this world.
-Matt
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Come Together
God has really been placing a LOT of thoughts about community in my brian.
There have been many different thoughts on this lately, but two key instances come to mind.
The first was the other night while my girlfriend, Deanna, and I were doing a Bible Study together in the book of Romans. Romans 1:8-12 was the cluster of verses that really stuck out to me about community.
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith." - Romans 1:8-12
Paul explains to his fellow Follower's of the Way (believers in Christ) that he is remembering them constantly. He has created such a connection with them that He wishes the best for them in their faith walk, and wishes he could be with them. Community is being with fellow believers and encouraging one another in Christ and following Him.
This idea was also hammered home to me more when, the day after my Bible Study with Deanna, in my Children's Ministry class we discussed community in the Church. Just having community being brought up again I could see God is really stressing this idea to me. I do not have any specific idea with how God wants me to use community besides strengthening the communities of faith that I am already a part of; however, I do know that God will have me using community for Him. I'm ready to see how this all happens.
-Matt
There have been many different thoughts on this lately, but two key instances come to mind.
The first was the other night while my girlfriend, Deanna, and I were doing a Bible Study together in the book of Romans. Romans 1:8-12 was the cluster of verses that really stuck out to me about community.
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith." - Romans 1:8-12
Paul explains to his fellow Follower's of the Way (believers in Christ) that he is remembering them constantly. He has created such a connection with them that He wishes the best for them in their faith walk, and wishes he could be with them. Community is being with fellow believers and encouraging one another in Christ and following Him.
This idea was also hammered home to me more when, the day after my Bible Study with Deanna, in my Children's Ministry class we discussed community in the Church. Just having community being brought up again I could see God is really stressing this idea to me. I do not have any specific idea with how God wants me to use community besides strengthening the communities of faith that I am already a part of; however, I do know that God will have me using community for Him. I'm ready to see how this all happens.
-Matt
Sunday, January 23, 2011
You're a Jerk
Satan is a jerk.
In case ya'll didn't know that, I am now informing you. I have just been realizing more and more how he tries to get me off track and away from God. Satan uses all sorts of things to just try and make me forget how I am supposed to be fulfilling my purpose of living fully for God. Recently its been mindless things like being lazy, or not taking time to actually think about everything I do and how that it needs to be done for Christ. Satan is tricky, but God has already defeated him. Lots of times, I fall into these temptations; however, when I do God's grace covers me.
Whenever I fail, God looks at me and says, "The ways you have failed and sinned in, I forget. Walk with me." "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." - Romans 3:23-24 When I sin and fall into temptation, God forgives me. Because of this grace, I can then keep my head high and continue on in this adventure of life for and with Christ by my side. Amen.
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