Details - Do you believe? - Book: "Experiencing the Passion of Christ" by John MacArthur

Do you believe?

In my opinion, I seem to have some difficulty when it comes to thinking about how I would potentially share my faith with someone else. I kind of get stuck in just thinking about it; the step before actually opening my mouth to speak and hoping that the other person will hear it.

Anyone with me?

Sometimes I get caught up in the details, in the finite, trivial things that don't hold the weight of importance that I place on them. Yes, of course, it's important to love our neighbors, stand up for what is right, be patient, kind, honest and compassionate. It's also important to be humble, forgiving, merciful, pure in heart and hate evil.

But those are the details to an even larger truth. As a believer in Christ, my goal is to lead people to the Father by sharing about the work Christ has done on the cross. The work Jesus did on the cross, the shedding of His blood as a perfect sinless sacrifice in order to allow us access to the Father through Him, is so complete that there is absolutely nothing we can add to it, nor is there anything that we can do to take from it either. (It's just one of those things that'll never change, which is a really good thing!)

Colossians 1:19-20 (NKJV)

For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

So ultimately, everything I have can always be brought back to, and through the means of, the cross of Christ. Jesus paid the price; all the fullness, reconciled, made peace.... and now I get to be in this beautiful relationship with God Himself.  And you can have this, too!

All the other details come later. And yes, the details are important.

Oh, of course! Finishing up my first thought:
When I do have the opportunity to share my faith, it does usually go well because I pretty much stop thinking about what I'm going to say and begin to say what I believe is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Kinda like this post.

~~~~~~~~~~

An amazingly good study on this topic is called 

"Experience the Passion of the Christ" by John MacArthur.

If God is there, how could I be alone?

I am writing this on behalf of a friend who has requested thoughts on this sermon via YouTube.
To be honest, these are the notes I compiled while listening to the sermon. I may have changed up the order of how it was said, but the concept is the same.

Successfully Single through GracefulLiving

If God is with me, then how could I be/feel alone?

Honestly, when we look around and see others consumed by their partners, flourishing in their families... sometimes, we just feel alone. It's better to be alone, than just fill a space/void because we feel alone. When we know we are special, specifically crafted by God for His will and purpose, we will wait for the suitable partner God has prepared for us. (Singles are special - He's making us a gift not only for our partners but for ourselves.) God knows who's suitable for us; suitableness allows for the relationship to satisfy you.

Adam was alone because he was the only one of his kind/type. This is why God created Eve. However, if we put the individual in front of God, He will cut us off. As it seems Adam did this with Eve, and in turn we are where we are today. (But this is another topic for another time.)

People who say "if you have God... you need nothing else" are not considering the whole truth; we need balance (according to the speaker). We are not to be so spiritual that we are not earthly good (1 Corinthians 7). But when something is not pleasing to God, we can't touch it... and sometimes God will step in and mess up our plans to get our where we need to be. He may derail your friendships so you will have future success; because you were wrong not to put God first (above that friend).

Let God's agape (goodwill, benevolence, willful delight) 

Rule able your eros (sexual yearning, love, or desire)

Faith is our only way to connect with God. Without faith it's impossible to please God, and to please God is to keep His commandments. God will not stimulate our senses - in a sensual sense. However, God puts around us audible beauty, visual beauty, He's even allows us to taste our food and experience pleasure in doing so.

Things to remember...

We must:

• Trust that God is still working on us
• God is making us into His best, for His best
• Know our worth, value, and that God has made us special
• Remember we are making it through by God's strength, wisdom and grace

Section from song:

Trust - Hillsong Young & Free

When it doesn't go my way 

I know that it is not the end

I'm trusting you have better plans

I haven't even dreamt of yet 

---

The only thing I know

Is God You're in control

In every little detail

You are close 

I'll never be alone

Here in the unknown

The power of Your Presence

Fills my soul 

---

Jesus I will trust You 

I will trust You 

I know You never fail

I will trust You

Redeemed

The following is a thought I've been pondering the past two weeks. Nothing is an absolute other than the part about God being my source (and hopefully yours, too).

~~~

We often let what other people say, or think (or, what I mean is, we often think they are thinking this), that we're stuck in the moment of failure we once experienced... OR after making years of progress and inner change, in one simple reminder of a past event, our thinking flashes back to the way it once was. The majority of the time the inner battle is much harder than we'd expect. It is especially difficult when we don't have a foundation in which we can build up on. When we put our hopes in our own efforts, or in the people around us, there is a tendency to fail and be disappointed greatly. Don't get me wrong, we have to make the effort, and we need each others support to get through some of life's battles; but when we or they become our everything we will be left disillusioned. The only supreme source which can fully be trusted is God Himself. 


I would like to encourage those who feel as though the battle to redemption is "too hard", "too long", and possibly "unattainable". Allow me to assure you that it is not. God wants to see you be your very best; He has designed you with a purpose and can use any mistake for His glory. 

You're not stuck.

Real change can happen.

It did for me. I am redeemed.

Scriptures 

Isaiah 43:1-3a NIV

But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who created you, Jacob,

he who formed you, Israel:

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned; 

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..."

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time... 

Psalm 146 NIV

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

 I will praise the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Do not put your trust in princes,

in human beings, who cannot save.

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;

on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them—

he remains faithful forever.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed

 and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free,

the Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the foreigner

and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever,

your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Music 

These are a few songs that helped me through, and hopefully they will also help you:
Big Daddy Weave - Redeemed
MercyMe - Greater
Britt Nicole - Through Your Eyes

What a mess!

Due to certain circumstances, I decided to help out by doing some laundry today. I started with the dark clothes: checked the pockets on the pants, loaded the machine, poured in the soap, turned the machine on, and then chilled (waiting for the machine to do its thing).

The wash is done, time to rinse. I opened the lid - everything looks fine - poured in fabric softener, closed the lid, started the rinse cycle. And then, of course, chilled.

The machine stops spinning... time to start the next load.

When I opened the lid this time, there were pieces of tissue everywhere!

I slowly take out one pair of pants after the other. Pieces of tissue cover each one. So I decided to shake them out. As I shook out each pair, the pieces of tissue fly up in the air and land ever so gracefully on the floor. "Are you serious?" I think to myself.

"How did I miss it?! How could one little tissue make such a big mess?!"

It made me ponder the thought that ever since the fall of man, Adam and Eve, we can make one little mistake and it can leave such a big mess for us to clean up. The ramifications may leave us paralyzed for a season, and we soon realize that we can't clean it up on our own, because often times we don't even know where to the begin.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.

Romans‬ ‭3:23‬‬

The good news, in relation to my story, is I had the bright idea that I could vacuum up all these little pieces of tissue. But it was not as easy to clean as it was to create the mess that I did. While I vacuumed the floor on my knees reaching to all the corners of the room, I thought about how Jesus Christ came to earth to clean up OUR mess. And I'm eternally grateful for the work He did on the cross! He took our place, He cleaned our mess, to give us another chance of being in perfect relationship with Him!

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‬

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy...”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:4-5a‬ 

The process to entering into this second chance that Christ provided for us, no matter what your mess you may be in right now, starts with asking for forgiveness - through the repentance of our sins - and the accepting of Jesus Christ as Lord in our hearts.

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9‬‬‬

“And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:38‬‬‬‬

Isn't it good to know, we don't have to clean it up on our own?

And for those wondering, I still don't know which pocket that dreaded little tissue was in! 

side note: all verses in this blog are from the ESV bible