Conviction Power!

Over the past few weeks, I have been convicted of several things!

1) Not spending enough time with God.
2) Not relying on God to work through things.
3) Not relying on God financially.
4) Limiting God, putting God in a box.
5) Lack of faith.
6) Lacking trust.
7) Blaming others.
8) Being critical of others.
9) Not keeping my blog up to date.
10) Thinking about what others might think.
11) Not going on a mission trip that I believe that I am called to go on because of money.

- The list could go on and on.

Mainly the one that I am most concern with is not spending enough time with the Sovereign God that gave me life through Jesus Christ. Don't get me wrong, I spend a little time with God, but not nearly what I should.

"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11 NASB)

Paul is telling us of the people of Berea, they are looking into the Word closely to make sure that the things they were being told were right and many believed! We are to be digging daily into scripture, seeking to grow so close to God that every essence of who He is, is who you are! We cannot live, not spending time with Him daily, and not just quickly reading through a few scriptures and saying "I've spent my time with God today!" There has to be a digging into scripture, an examination, of the text. This is so that you can know that what you have been taught is correct!

Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Many people will not like you when you stand for the truth, so do not worry about people when you know you are standing for what is right!

So, my brothers and sisters, I know that this all comes from a lack of faith and trust. So, I have a renewed spirit and I hope that an overflowing of God's spirit would be evident over my life. I hope that every essence of who God is, is who I am. Having the same love and passion as our Lord, Jesus Christ.

May God Bless and Keep you!

Operation Christmas Child!

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse and each year they deliver thousands of shoe boxes around the world to children who may not have anything at all this Christmas. Each box contains the gospel message and a simple gift for a very appreciative child. My Chase the Lion bible study group and I have set to raise 250 boxes with all students at the University of Mobile. I believe it can be done because nothing is impossible with God. So, I urge you to get involved with Operation Christmas Child and create a shoe box that will impact a child's life forever. All you have to do is pack gifts such as school supplies, hygiene products, and toys, excluding war toys or flags. Include $7 in the box to ship your box around the world and that's it! You will greatly impact a child's life and spread the gospel. Please consider packing a shoe box!

May God Bless and Keep you!

What makes us righteous in God's eyes?

Today I was thinking about my interview for a student pastor’s job at Gateway Baptist Church. God truly spoke at this interview throughout the night. I realize that I have been worrying about what everyone else thinks of me, not realizing God’s purpose in it all. I realized that people look at the things that you do and try to imply something totally different than the original meaning. God knows everything; currently, I am waiting on God to show these people…confronting them may be the best option. The fact of the matter is that I am a new creation in Christ, and at times I do stumble and fall to temptations that I am faced with, but God’s grace abounds. I was told that Gateway, as of yet, does not have a formal youth group. This would definitely be a missionary venture. I want to share the following passage with you; it was the passage that I shared with the students at Gateway, Philippians 3:1-12.

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

This passage of scripture tells us a lot. To begin with, Paul was a man that was a man that went though a complete conversion. He is writing to the church at Philippi and telling them to REJOICE. He has told them this previously as we can tell from his wordage, he tells it to them again for their sake, so that they will know. He tell them to look out for “dogs,” “evildoers,” and “mutilators.” He is talking about people who try to tell them that they are to abide by the law. The phrase “dogs” were used by Pharisees to describe Gentiles. So, Paul is telling them to be extremely careful to what they listen to and discern what is true, to not listen to people that are trying to tell them to put confidence in what they have done. Paul goes on to say that if anyone should have confidence in the flesh it should be him because he was a Pharisee, one who upheld the law to the tiniest detail, he was a Hebrew of Hebrews, he had it all and was considered righteous by the law. He then tells the church that he counts all things as loss for the sake of Christ, he laid all those things down for the sake of following Christ. He realized that you can only be righteous by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. So, he goes on to say that he strives to be like Him through everything. Lastly, he admits that he is not perfect and is constantly striving to be like Christ and urges them to do the same.

May God Bless and Keep you!