|
jesussetmefree
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Andrew
Birthday: 1/9/1988
Gender: Male
Expertise: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," but, "without Him I can do nothing."
Occupation: Designer
Industry: Graphic/Web/Multimedia Design
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
3/2/2006
|
|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| We will travel 8,000 miles to be a missionary to 40 people, but will not move 40 miles to be a missionary to 8 million people.
Photo Courtesy of SkyShaper
I believe that God has a burden for people, and because of that burden, is burdened for where they predominantly reside: cities.
Every prophet, with the exception of John the Baptist, but including the Prophet/Priest/King Jesus Christ, have been sent to cities.
If we read the Bible, we read of Tyre, Sidon, Ninevah, Capernaeum, Bethsaida, Sodom, Gomorrah, Samaria, Babylon, Jerusalem. . . these are the names of cities.
Jesus prophesied a powerful statement in Matthew 11:21: " Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
Where were the mighty works? Why was there not a godly people to shine as lights in Tyre and Sidon, so that they could have been spared the judgement pronounced against them?
Jesus goes on in verse 23: "And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."
We know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah: God would have turned back the looming judgement for a mere TEN godly men! Where were the people of God, the salt, that would have kept the city from being turned to dust and ashes?
I believe that many Christians pronounce what they think is God's judgement on cities and flee them, when they are called to stay and shine. They throw in the towel on millions of souls that, believe it or not, are more open to hearing the love and forgiveness of Christ than many Bible-belt churchgoers.
We must listen to the burdened heart of God, not our own heart of fear. Do we so lack confidence in God's ability to keep us and our loved ones holy and blameless, even in the middle of temptation? Temptation will follow us to the ends of the earth, not suddenly leave us once we leave a city. In fact, it is by facing and passing temptations that we grow in Christ, just as Christ grew in the power of the Spirit as He passed the temptations in the wilderness.
Shame on us.
Shame on us for resisting Christ's prayer to His Father: "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."
Shame on us for saying: "Greater is he that is in the world, than He that is in me."
Shame on us for running away to duck-and-cover in a suburban foxhole, instead of resisting temptation steadfast in the faith: faith in the Son of God who, being tempted and yet without sin, is able to keep us who believe on Him from falling, too.
Shame on us for fleeing the City for fear of what Christ has promised to keep us from, instead of staying for the souls He has commanded us to give our lives for.
How many more Tyre's and Sidon's must there be before we see this City as God sees it?
Shame on us, the people of God. . . | | |
|
Papa. . .
Papa, I ran away from You. I ran away and I've scraped my knee.
I ran because I was scared, Papa. I was scared that You didn't care about me.
So I ran. I ran so hard that I fell down. I fell down and scraped my knee.
I called for help, but no one helped me. Not even my friends. They just walked on by.
So I cried. I cried because it hurt. I cried because I missed my Papa.
I thought I knew better than You, Papa, but I don't. I was wrong to run from You. You loved me. And I ran away. . .
But you came, Papa! You came for me and You found me! You missed me, too, when I ran away. . . so You ran after me.
Pick me up, Papa. I'm tired of running.
Kiss my knee, Papa. Make me all better.
Tell me You love me, Papa. I know You do. You always have. But please, tell me once more that You love me. Just once more. . . | | |
| I was hearing some friends talk the other day about the "type" of guy/girl that they want to marry. The conversation ranged all over, from height to hair color, personality to purpose.
That got me thinking. . . what do I want my wife to be like? Now don't get me wrong, I am very flexible when it comes to outward appearance and personality. What I am talking about here is the "make-it-or-break-it" things that would decide whether I would pursue a young lady or not, or accept her overtures or not.
So for my own satisfaction, and now for your curiosity, I began writing down a few minor "requirements."
As you will see, however, these points turned into more of what I myself want to be, so that I will meet the requirements of a princess of the King of Kings.
(Note: If you are one of those princesses reading this now, my number is 1-800-PICK-AJB)
Now without further ado. . .
I want to marry you if:- You are fanatically devoted to the Word of God. You think by it, speak by it, and live by it. You are not too concerned about having your own opinions because after all. . . your opinions could be wrong. (Whereas God’s can’t be wrong.)
- You proof-text anything anyone (including yourself) has to say on any subject with the Word of God. If the two do not match: God wins. You lose.
- You are more concerned with Christian living than Christian theology. (You are doer of the Word and not a hearer only.)
- The thought of being “in control” of your own life scares you. You find comfort, love, and safety in being under the complete guidance and control of God.
- “Submission” is a word that is music to your ears, since you are totally devoted to being completely obedient to God; just like the Jesus you love and admire.
- No area of your life is considered off limits to God. You are open to anything His Word has to say, and therefore, you are open to change in any area of your life that He sets His holy eyes of conviction upon.
- You believe that the Holy Spirit is more than the imaginary person of the Trinity. He is real, has real power, and is able to work in both your heart and the hearts of others. (For real.)
- You find the concept of drinking alcohol absolutely ridiculous, since you are filled with the joy, peace, and comfort of the Holy Spirit.
- The thought of bringing shame to the name of Christ makes you cringe. And since nothing brings more shame to Him than hypocrisy, you are very careful in the expressions you use, the clothes you wear, the movies you watch, the music you listen to, the topics you study, and the life you lead, so that no acquaintance will be tempted to think: “Do Christians actually do that, too? I thought they were supposed to be different than the rest of us?”
- You think that being hated, persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed because of your Christlike testimony is the highest honor that your fellow humans could "bestow" upon you.
- To be conformed to the perfect image of Jesus Christ is your life's ambition.
And finally. . .- You want your husband to be like-minded.
| | |
| Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
-Zechariah 14:21 | | |
|
