As I grow deeper in the Lord I find
that things I did and things I though I wanted, fade into that past or from my
mind. I remember the going to Bible college for a year strait out to high
school thinking I knew everything and that I knew I would be a music pastor
somewhere. But before leaving for school in another state I had already opened
myself to the world. I started to smoke and do things with my girlfriend that I
should not do. These distractions helped me follow the wide and easy path of
pleasurable things and I didn’t take in what God sent me to Bible college for.
Going
though a discipleship program called Operation Solid Lives, I am reminded of
some of the things I thought I knew or just plain didn’t listen to when I
should have been. Or maybe its just that teach them in a was that I understand
better. Going though the program that includes journaling (something I had
tried to do but didn’t know how), praying aloud, and lots of teachings. This
level one course is a crash course in gaining a foundation or shoring up one
that you already have.
In going though this program we
also take time away from secular media limiting how much the world can speak
into our lives and encouraging us to spend more time with God and out families.
In limiting this media intake i found there is not much that I am missing. As I
continue to seek God and fulfill the guidelines of the program my prayer life
in getting better and I am hearing the breeze and not waiting for the 2x4 in my
life. Growing and listening to the breeze I have gotten a scared on where God is sending me.
Back in the
days at Bible college I was not listening to God, I was trying to tell God my
plan. We all know how that goes. One day at school I was asked about
being a preacher or something along those lines and I remember telling the
person flat out “That is not me, I will never preach.” God has a way of
humbling us that we don’t even notice until we look back at our lives. About
two weeks ago I started feeling the urgings that I was should be looking at
full-time ministry work. During that time I found and applied for a position
with a local church, the scariest part of all that is part of that position is preaching (the one thing I said i would never do). The process they are going though is still working but God
has also given me a peace about where I am and that it is in his hands.
I was going though Acts 1 today, and where Peter
got up and said “Brothers, the scripture has been fulfilled.” Then goes on to
state some of the scripture the related to the fact that they needed to replace
Judas that was written in the Psalms. This and all the prophecy in the Old
Testament shining a light on Jesus being the Christ shows that God has a plan
and his plan is always better then mine. We have this tendency to plan, plot, scheme,
and think we know better then God. We need to remember that sending his Son to
die on the cross was plain “A” it was talked about all the way back in Moses’
teachings in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and
between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike
his heel.”
As I seek the ministry that the
Lord has for me I pray that I find time to write and continue to share the
blessings, the struggles, the revelations of the breeze. Today I had the
opportunity to watch God’s not Dead a great movie dedicated to those who
struggle to maintain their faith in an academic world that tries to use science to say
that there is no God. Always remember Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who
acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in
Heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who
is in heaven. And Luke 12:48 …
Everyone to whom much is given , of much will be required, and from him to whom
much is entrusted, they will demand the more. We as Christians are given much by having the knowledge of the Gospel and we have a great responsibility to share it.
We all have our part to play; God
calls each of us to his plan. Even though like in Luke 19:40 He answered “I tell
you, if these were to be silent, the very stones would cry out.” God can call
the stones to cry out praise to Jesus or spread his word, we are meant to carry
that mantle and to share our store of how God touched our lives. When Jesus
took our sins on him we are to take his righteousness and live lives worthy of
the name Christian.
