God is GREAT!
I had an opportunity to share the story I told you last with my friend from work. We had a good laugh about it but it so impressed him that he actually took pictures to show people. I think he thought it cool to be a part of that story. The whole thing kind of reminds me of the opening sequence of It's a Wonderful Life. Remember, the movie opens with a heavenly discussion of George Bailey's crisis day?
Things written long ago were placed in front of me to send the most powerful message of all. God loves you! It's a message worth sharing. If I thought that was all for me, that would be arrogant thinking, of course. I am saying God used those things to help me see something I needed right at that moment in my life!
Today's post, though, is about how sharing that story also furthers God's kingdom.
Caring is not an option. As I told my friends at church, I was concerned about not caring about the things that were happening around me. I don't think it was so much that I didn't care; more that there was so much I couldn't do anything about, I just kind of shut down. It wasn't indifference more than just being numb. Numb isn't an option, though and didn't last long.
I am taking a class, I think I mentioned, called Caring for God's People. This week's lesson was about....
CARING!
So, how do I know things are from God? This one this week was a no-brainer. Earlier in the week, I'd read 2 Corinthians 1 and it was a topic of discussion in my class. Christians aren't immune from suffering but God can use those experiences for His purposes. In my case, it was an understanding that God does love me, even in the middle of things I don't understand and a friendly reminder that the ship won't sink.
I just read a Scripture verse that kind of puts the rest of today's story in perspective. Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV) says: 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
I had my Bible in the hangar on Friday and I told an LDS co-worker about my story. I showed him the devotional and the Bible pages. On Saturday, my friend who doesn't work in the same area I do anymore stopped by the hangar (I invited him to stop by because I had a story to show him after he posted a reply to a Facebook post about the broken dryer I have). We had a good laugh, but on Saturday I had the same Bible with me.
My LDS co-worker and I were talking about what my religion taught about homosexuals. I told him it's not what my religion teaches (I'm a Christian who attends a Baptist Church where the Bible is taught and preached), it's what the Bible says about the matter. I also told him that my ideal solution is that calmly, Christians explain to others with differing viewpoints that we believe that the Bible is the Word of God and because of that we can't be expected to condone that lifestyle because it's in direct conflict with Scripture. But we should also be quick to point out that it's our hope that by sharing Scripture not to condemn, but out of love, that they would come to that realization and by such, saving faith in Jesus Christ. I didn't say that exactly in those words, but that's the point I was making.
My co-worker then told me that he had a problem with the whole "Born Again" thing because some use God's grace extended to us for forgiveness of sins by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and believing that He is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected from the dead on the third day and now sits on His throne at the right hand of God the Father. He didn't say all that either, but it's germane to the point of what a Christian is. For some reason, some folks in the LDS faith have a hard time accepting that forgiveness of sins as a free gift from God. I had to explain to him that grace is not a license to sin but his experience was that some who claim to be born again live a lifestyle that seemed to him that grace was little more than an excuse to keep on sinning.
I explained to him that if that were true, then Jesus' act on the cross was cheapened. There's no such thing as cheap grace. I also told him repentance is expected to bring about a change from past behaviors, with God's help of course. And then I had the chance to use some scripture to back it up. The Apostle Peter has some pretty strong words to say on the subject in 2 Peter. My friend listened as I read Peter say that for those that claimed Christ as Savior and then fall away that it would be worse for them at the end than if they'd never known Him. It's the second time in a few weeks I've had a chance to share that part of scripture where Peter compares such people to dogs returning to their own vomit or freshly washed sows returning to wallow in the mud.
Strong words.
I did not have a good week last week. This week isn't shaping up any better, but the thing is that I do care today. I cared enough to take the opportunity to share some scripture with an LDS friend that left him thinking about what was said. I shared the story about the devotionals with another co-worker who has been having a rocky time as well. His reaction was "wow". They knew the co-worker whose name was in the devotional and could see that those things put together were maybe somehow more than just coincidence. I got to tell that particular co-worker (sorry without names it's confusing, I know!) there's really something to God working in my life. Even in the midst of feeling down, I wasn't out and continued to share my faith with others, even without recalling Psalm 126.
God is working in my life. He's not abandoned me. It may feel like His hand has been on me, but even if it was, He was using it for my good and His glory. I hope by sharing all of this, you can see for yourselves that God is alive and active in the lives of His children.
And I feel so much JOY! that the sadness and numbness are gone!
The dryer is broke. It'll either be fixed or a replacement will come from someplace. I'm not upset. I do care and have to take care of the problem one way or the other. I'm just not letting it get me down!
Things written long ago were placed in front of me to send the most powerful message of all. God loves you! It's a message worth sharing. If I thought that was all for me, that would be arrogant thinking, of course. I am saying God used those things to help me see something I needed right at that moment in my life!
Today's post, though, is about how sharing that story also furthers God's kingdom.
Caring is not an option. As I told my friends at church, I was concerned about not caring about the things that were happening around me. I don't think it was so much that I didn't care; more that there was so much I couldn't do anything about, I just kind of shut down. It wasn't indifference more than just being numb. Numb isn't an option, though and didn't last long.
I am taking a class, I think I mentioned, called Caring for God's People. This week's lesson was about....
CARING!
So, how do I know things are from God? This one this week was a no-brainer. Earlier in the week, I'd read 2 Corinthians 1 and it was a topic of discussion in my class. Christians aren't immune from suffering but God can use those experiences for His purposes. In my case, it was an understanding that God does love me, even in the middle of things I don't understand and a friendly reminder that the ship won't sink.
I just read a Scripture verse that kind of puts the rest of today's story in perspective. Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV) says: 5 Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. 6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
I had my Bible in the hangar on Friday and I told an LDS co-worker about my story. I showed him the devotional and the Bible pages. On Saturday, my friend who doesn't work in the same area I do anymore stopped by the hangar (I invited him to stop by because I had a story to show him after he posted a reply to a Facebook post about the broken dryer I have). We had a good laugh, but on Saturday I had the same Bible with me.
My LDS co-worker and I were talking about what my religion taught about homosexuals. I told him it's not what my religion teaches (I'm a Christian who attends a Baptist Church where the Bible is taught and preached), it's what the Bible says about the matter. I also told him that my ideal solution is that calmly, Christians explain to others with differing viewpoints that we believe that the Bible is the Word of God and because of that we can't be expected to condone that lifestyle because it's in direct conflict with Scripture. But we should also be quick to point out that it's our hope that by sharing Scripture not to condemn, but out of love, that they would come to that realization and by such, saving faith in Jesus Christ. I didn't say that exactly in those words, but that's the point I was making.
My co-worker then told me that he had a problem with the whole "Born Again" thing because some use God's grace extended to us for forgiveness of sins by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and believing that He is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected from the dead on the third day and now sits on His throne at the right hand of God the Father. He didn't say all that either, but it's germane to the point of what a Christian is. For some reason, some folks in the LDS faith have a hard time accepting that forgiveness of sins as a free gift from God. I had to explain to him that grace is not a license to sin but his experience was that some who claim to be born again live a lifestyle that seemed to him that grace was little more than an excuse to keep on sinning.
I explained to him that if that were true, then Jesus' act on the cross was cheapened. There's no such thing as cheap grace. I also told him repentance is expected to bring about a change from past behaviors, with God's help of course. And then I had the chance to use some scripture to back it up. The Apostle Peter has some pretty strong words to say on the subject in 2 Peter. My friend listened as I read Peter say that for those that claimed Christ as Savior and then fall away that it would be worse for them at the end than if they'd never known Him. It's the second time in a few weeks I've had a chance to share that part of scripture where Peter compares such people to dogs returning to their own vomit or freshly washed sows returning to wallow in the mud.
Strong words.
I did not have a good week last week. This week isn't shaping up any better, but the thing is that I do care today. I cared enough to take the opportunity to share some scripture with an LDS friend that left him thinking about what was said. I shared the story about the devotionals with another co-worker who has been having a rocky time as well. His reaction was "wow". They knew the co-worker whose name was in the devotional and could see that those things put together were maybe somehow more than just coincidence. I got to tell that particular co-worker (sorry without names it's confusing, I know!) there's really something to God working in my life. Even in the midst of feeling down, I wasn't out and continued to share my faith with others, even without recalling Psalm 126.
God is working in my life. He's not abandoned me. It may feel like His hand has been on me, but even if it was, He was using it for my good and His glory. I hope by sharing all of this, you can see for yourselves that God is alive and active in the lives of His children.
And I feel so much JOY! that the sadness and numbness are gone!
The dryer is broke. It'll either be fixed or a replacement will come from someplace. I'm not upset. I do care and have to take care of the problem one way or the other. I'm just not letting it get me down!
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