I've renamed my blog to Joy in the Journey. It's very fitting for my life right now. It's also a great song by one of my favorite Christian artists. I've posted the video and I hope you like it. :)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Beginning of the End?
Well, as you can guess or at least see, this blog has become about me and my new journey following Christ. In the last year, especially that last 7 months, my way of thinking and seeing the world has completely changed. Yes, I grew up in church but my eyes weren't truly opened until last year. (You can read about that in my other posts, if you haven't already and are interested.)
Let me start by saying this... When I was younger, my dad would always tell me that Jesus could come back in his lifetime, but truly believed he'd come back in mine. This has stuck with me ever since. I've wrestled with and put off this post for fear of what some might say or think of me. But if I don't do things because of fear, then how can the Lord ever use me for his work? I've even been scared to admit how much I've changed, even though it's for the better. People expect you to be one way and then all of the sudden, your different. Some definitely don't want to hear about how you're a Christian now, and love and worship God. I've decided that I no longer want to stay lukewarm but be proud of what I've become and where I'm headed. No worries, though, I won't hit you over the head with a Bible. :)
I do believe Jesus' coming is soon. When? I don't know but the signs are there. As a whole, we've completely turned our backs on God. We have no love for our fellow man. There is no common sense and common decency or courtesy anymore. (Okay, so that's not in the Bible but it's one of my gripes and, I think, a valid point.) There are more and more devastating catastrophes every week. Everyone wants equality, yet Christians are being persecuted. People are hurting and suffering. I believe World War III is inevitable. Yes, these things have happened throughout the ages but how much longer will He protect us when we've completely turned our backs on him...
The good news is He loves you more than you'll ever know (I can't stress this enough)! When we get to Heaven, we'll know the full extent of His love and glory. It's going to be wonderful but we have to know him here first. We have to return the love and follow His will for our lives. All he wants is a relationship with us and for us to believe, love and know His Son. The ONLY way into heaven is THROUGH Jesus. It doesn't matter how good we are, works won't get us into heaven. Every single person is full of sin and, well, not good. It's through Jesus that that sin is pardoned.
"For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."
~Ephesians 2:8-10
I say all of this because there are so many that I love that aren't saved. They don't know what it's like to feel the love of God and to have that security of knowing where they will spend eternity. My preacher brought up a good question today. How often do you think about eternity? With all that's going on in our personal lives and in the world, I bet hardly at all, if ever. We are only here for a small fraction of time and I believe that time is running out. I'll finish with this saying that I heard from another preacher. Just something to think about...
"For Christians, this world is as close to hell as they will ever get. For the lost, it is as close to heaven as they will ever get."
Let me start by saying this... When I was younger, my dad would always tell me that Jesus could come back in his lifetime, but truly believed he'd come back in mine. This has stuck with me ever since. I've wrestled with and put off this post for fear of what some might say or think of me. But if I don't do things because of fear, then how can the Lord ever use me for his work? I've even been scared to admit how much I've changed, even though it's for the better. People expect you to be one way and then all of the sudden, your different. Some definitely don't want to hear about how you're a Christian now, and love and worship God. I've decided that I no longer want to stay lukewarm but be proud of what I've become and where I'm headed. No worries, though, I won't hit you over the head with a Bible. :)
I do believe Jesus' coming is soon. When? I don't know but the signs are there. As a whole, we've completely turned our backs on God. We have no love for our fellow man. There is no common sense and common decency or courtesy anymore. (Okay, so that's not in the Bible but it's one of my gripes and, I think, a valid point.) There are more and more devastating catastrophes every week. Everyone wants equality, yet Christians are being persecuted. People are hurting and suffering. I believe World War III is inevitable. Yes, these things have happened throughout the ages but how much longer will He protect us when we've completely turned our backs on him...
The good news is He loves you more than you'll ever know (I can't stress this enough)! When we get to Heaven, we'll know the full extent of His love and glory. It's going to be wonderful but we have to know him here first. We have to return the love and follow His will for our lives. All he wants is a relationship with us and for us to believe, love and know His Son. The ONLY way into heaven is THROUGH Jesus. It doesn't matter how good we are, works won't get us into heaven. Every single person is full of sin and, well, not good. It's through Jesus that that sin is pardoned.
"For it is by Grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."
~Ephesians 2:8-10
I say all of this because there are so many that I love that aren't saved. They don't know what it's like to feel the love of God and to have that security of knowing where they will spend eternity. My preacher brought up a good question today. How often do you think about eternity? With all that's going on in our personal lives and in the world, I bet hardly at all, if ever. We are only here for a small fraction of time and I believe that time is running out. I'll finish with this saying that I heard from another preacher. Just something to think about...
"For Christians, this world is as close to hell as they will ever get. For the lost, it is as close to heaven as they will ever get."
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