What I Wish People Would Know About Me ~I am nothing without Christ

"No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny."
~ lyrics to "Christ Alone"

 

 

 

I am very moved by this song.  I think because anytime I hear about the blood of Jesus cleansing me it reminds me of why I love Him so much, why my Faith is renewed, how I've needed that cleansing blood in my life!

I wasn't always living for Christ.  I spent many years, living for myself.  I believed but I didn't want to serve.  I wanted to serve my own purposes, my own pleasures.  I often thought of my soul and if during this time I'd be lost if I died.  I believe God had a greater purpose for me even while I was serving my own purpose.  He didn't allow me to die because He had called me to live for Him at a very young age. 

I was first baptised at the young age of about 6.  I loved Sunday School, I loved the Bible, I loved Jesus.  So at a little Baptist church that I often went to by myself  (we lived across the street) I asked to be baptised and the pastor told me the significance of Baptism.  I was washing away the sinful man (which at the age of 6 I'm sure my sins were not very significant but I still had a selfish heart) and I was rising out of the water as a new child of God.  Not one that would just live for Him on Sunday, but one who would read her Bible, communicate with God through prayer and try to live a pure life that God choose for me.  Not to hinder me, but to bless me.  Not to make me a robot who mindlessly believed, followed and served out of obligation, but a true Christian who sought Him with her heart and felt His presence in the good times and the bad times.  I had a great example, of course, in my mom.  And my dad for 11 short years.  My parents were flawed, but they also were forgiven as I learned through my years I would be too. 

My faith remained strong, I thought.  Until I was going through my mid twenties.  Life was not all I expected.  I wanted excitement.  I didn't like to go to church anymore because it left me with convictions.  Convictions that were not forced upon me but that were coming from my heart (where God continued to dwell)  I tried to put out of my mind the gentle tugs from God.  I walked deeply into a lifestyle that spiraled into sin.  I made decisions that felt good at the time, they were pleasurable and I even felt justified.  I thought why shouldn't I do this, I'm an adult I've not experienced this or that, what am I missing?  I won't go into the sins I committed (I'll leave you guessing) unless you really know me then you probably were there with me watching me struggle.  This path I stayed on for 10 years. 

I went through divorce at this time and felt angry with God.  I wondered how he could take away the very thing I thought He blessed.  But He didn't take it away, we ruined it with one bad decision after another.  I still blamed God and even the church for not caring enough.  It wasn't God, it wasn't the church.  It was an evil liar who comes in the form of pleasure/temptation that made me believe God didn't love me.  Sound familiar to the serpent in the Garden of Eden? 

I met my husband now and we were two very different people. After being engaged I finally told him that I didn't want to sit at home and worry who he was with or when he'd be home from the bar with his friends.  This is not who I wanted to be married to.  I wasn't perfect of course.  But he stopped going to bars and I was happy.  We didn't live a wild lifestyle but we didn't live for any purpose than our own.  We raised our kids the best we could but they often witnessed some bad decisions. 

We often talked about what we believed about God and the Bible.  My husband had some mixed feelings because of his upbringing, which a very forced and mechanical religion played into that.  I remember sharing with him my beliefs but still felt like I couldn't live the life I once did.  I felt like I was never going to be able to restore my faith. 

We started looking for a church to try to piece together our lives and have a foundation to raise our kids on.  Once in church again, the songs stirred up feelings in me.  Especially songs like "At the Cross" or "Oh the Blood of Jesus"  So I got baptized again when my husband decided to confirm his faith.  He was really digging in.  He was studying the Bible and his faith was growing.  Mine was getting there but I sometimes felt I was just clinging to his faith instead of my own.  I was still having a hard time putting my trust in God again.  He hadn't let me down, put I still believed He had.  I believed my life should of been perfect when I was trying to be a good Christian.  And when it was less than perfect I blamed God. 

I didn't get what I so profoundly understand now.  People that truly put their trust in God withstand the trials of life and they grow through them.  God allows his children hard times so they learn and they learn to help others.  I often resented my husband because even though I called him my spiritual leader I felt he was better than me.  I had an opportunity to allow God to keep me from a painful situation but I choose to ignore Him and do what I wanted.  This is where that led if you care to read this poem I wrote. http://lojdandelion.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-spirit-struggled-i-heard-whispering.html

However today I have to say God has been working in my life and I've felt redeemed, forgiven and my faith restored beyond what it ever was.  My childlike faith has turned into a deeper faith I feel.  One that I depend on in good and bad times.  One I believe will be rewarded not in this life, but in my next.  I may still be tempted to make selfish decisions and I may mess up but I know that God is available to provide me a way out though if I just listen to Him.

 

 

 

"In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand"

~lyrics from "Christ Alone" 

The Roman's Road/ He Lives!

Not only Easter but everyday we should recognize our need for Jesus Christ. A personal relationship can begin by following what is called "The Romans Road" It is the path a person takes to recognize we are sinners, accept God's redemption and believe on Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

Romans 5:12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 10:9 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. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

After confessing, believing and calling on the Lord we can begin a personal relationship. It will change your life. Through the Bible, God has spoken to me. In Worship, I have felt God's presence. In fellowship with other believers and attending church, I have felt my faith strenghtened. I urge anyone reading this to experience this life changing difference.

"I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say; I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him He's always near. Refrain: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives?He lives within my heart."- hymn "He Lives"

Passion

This picture is titled "It's all about You."


Easter truly is the most powerful Christian holiday. When I think of Easter, I think, of course of the death of Christ and the resurrection.
Two years ago Mel Gibson produced the movie "The Passion of Christ" I had mixed views on the movie but not on the message. Christ suffered beyond what we could envision or even Mel Gibson could portray. But more remarkable was the passion behind his suffering. Passion- (meaning in context to the movie) "the sufferings of Christ on the cross or His sufferings subsequent to the Last Supper." -The Random House dictionary.
However I believe Christ's true passion; "any powerful emotion or feeling , as love or hate."-Random House dictionary, was his love for mankind. As demonstrated by the love of Christ for the thief on the cross. One thief mocked Christ saying "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" This is all of us. We doubt Christ, we doubt his power. We don't understand his plans for us. We are too proud to admit we are wrong. Of course, like the first thief, there are those who would rather mock than believe. But the other thief humbly said, "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." To which Jesus announced to the thief and anyone who then and now will believe. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:39-43 This thief did not let his pride get in his way. Jesus' life, his death, his resurrection were all for this purpose. This was his passion. His greatest desire, his "most powerful feeling" of love for mankind was to take our sins upon himself.
Judas pretended to be Jesus' friend, plotted and betrayed Christ and never sought forgiveness. Judas' life ended in despair as he hung himself. Where his tortured soul is God only knows? Peter denied Christ three times before Christ's death. However Peter sought forgiveness and received Christ's redemption.
Christ died for the thieves, the Peters, the ones that are accepting of his Passion.
"He who finds his live will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." Matt. 10:39. We can seek to "find ourselves" We can look in success, money, education, love, fun.
I have a passion for adventure. Seems mostly that my adventurous side is waning (as a friend once told me). I still long for adventures. I don't think I will risk my life to do anything adventurous, (even though hiking at Turkey Run during a lightening storm was pretty risky). I probably won't rob that bank either, okay Roger?:) I think the most adventurous thing I have done lately is hike at Tippecanoe State park with Erik (We did see a snake...Okay... A baby snake and we went on a restricted pier that was roped off:) But I don't get discouraged about my lack of adventure. I feel if I keep running the race for which I've been called the biggest adventures await me - not in this lifetime.
I had gotten away from my faith for a period of time. I chose to find my life in fulfilling my desires. I was enjoying things about life. I was mostly happy with my job, my family, my marriage. But still I was empty and very discontent. I often felt compelled to come back to my roots. I found my roots when I walked into church and heard the old familiar hymns and praise songs I grew up listening to. I remember the joy it stirred up in my soul. I remember wanting part of that again.
Music is so powerful. I've been to concerts like "Lynard Skynard" where the crowd will stand the entire concert, clapping, singing, jumping up and down. Now that is exciting to a degree but it pales in comparison to the feeling I get when I hear worship music. I can be moved to tears by a powerful hymn like, "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus." and I can feel elated when I hear a song like "Blessed Be Your Name." written by Matt and Beth Redman or "Great is Our God" sung by Chris Tomlin. Songs like "Thief" and "Love Song" sung by Third Day speak a message so real and powerful. I mentioned to Jess and a friend of mine the power of worship music. It lifts me up when I'm down. It inspires my faith.
I believe that thru music, God brought me back to that "Old Rugged Cross" (my dad's favorite hymn)
I thank Jesus for his Passion. "I am the resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me shall never die." John 11: 25,26