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Mesianic Viewpoints
 
This blog features my humor, experiences and many others things on my walk to, into and through Christianity
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Communicating According to the Scriptures Apr 29, 2008 2:41 am
Mood: thankful, 1204 Views
I have read this for over 10 years since making it and I pray it helps all as much as it has helped me. Also, part of the motivation in writing this was I had an experience a little over a week ago. Another member of BigChurch and I had been talking on the phone. Upon hearing I was divorced and it was not from adultery, she broke off all communication with me after saying God only approves of divorce from adultery. Most of us are aware that scriptually there are 2 reasons and only 2 that he has allowed divorcing. They are yes adultery, but also abandonment.

It is moot anyhow, because what was worse in my opinion is that I was judged by a Christian and several of the things in this post were not done in this situation. I do not judge her, but only pray harder for her and that she searches God's word for the whole truth, and reopens Communicating According to the Scriptures. I also dedicate this post to her and pray that it will encourage her.


1. Listen and do not interrupt.

Prov. 18:3 (Amp ) He who answers a matter before he hears the facts, it is folly and shame unto him.

John 7:51 (Amp ) Does our law convict a man without giving him a hearing and finding out what he has done?

James 1:19 (Ph )Knowing this then dear brothers, let every man be quick to listen, slow to use his tongue and slow to loose his temper.

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2. Do not be hasty in your words.

Prov. 15:23 (KJV ) A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

Prov. 15:28 (LB ) A good man thinks before he speaks; an evil man pours out his evil words without a thought.

Prov. 29:20 (NIV ) Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

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3. Always speak the truth in love.

Eph. 4:15(Ph ) But we are meant to speak the truth in love, and to grow up in every way into Christ, the head.

Eph. 4:25 (LB ) Stop lying to each other, tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves..

Col. 3:9 (Living Bible ) Don’t tell lies to each other; it was your old life with all of its wickedness that did that sort of thing; now it is dead and gone.
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4. Do not argue when you disagree.

Prov. 17:14 (Amp ) The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out.

Eph. 4:31 (Living Bible ) Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives.
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5. Do not respond in anger.

Prov. 15:1 (NIV ) A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
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6. Be willing to admit when you are wrong.

James 5:16 (LB ) Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

Romans 12:16b (Ph ) Don’t get set in your own opinions.
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7. Practice forgiveness.

Eph, 4:32 (Ph ) Be kind to each other, be compassionate. Be as ready to forgive others as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.

Col. 3:13 (LB ) Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
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8. Do not keep pushing your point.

Prov. 10:19] (NASB ) 19When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Prov. 21:19 (NIV ) Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

Prov. 26:21 (NIV ) As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
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9. Do not judge or criticize.

Romans 14:13 (Ph ) Let us stop turning critical eyes on one another. Let us rather be critical or our own conduct and see that we do nothing to make a brother stumble or fall.

Gal. 6:1 (Ph ) Even if a man should be detected in some sin, my brothers, the spiritual ones among you should quietly set him back on the right path, not with any feeling of superiority, but being yourselves on guard against temptation.
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10. Do not avenge yourselves.

Romans 12:17, 18, 21 (Ph ) Don’t pay back a bad turn by a bad turn to anyone. See that your public behavior is above criticism. Never take vengeance in your own hands, my dear friends; stand back and let God punish if He will. Don’t allow yourself to be overpowered by evil. Take the offensive- overpower evil with good!

1 Peter 3:8&9 (LB ) And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it.

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(Amp ) = The Amplified Bible

(KJV ) = King James Version

(Ph ) = The New Testament, in Modern English, by J. B. Phillips

(NIV) = New International Version

(NASB ) = New American Standard Bible

(LB ) = Living Bible

Kudos to Raymond Hodge, a local elder who did most the work on this.
11 Comments
Submit does not mean slavery. Apr 26, 2008 4:07 am
Mood: relaxed, 578 Views
Seldom does a week go by that a woman tells me verbally or in an email that they submitted to their husband, but he…

Ok, that actually happened 5 times this last week. Therefore started my process on another blog post. First I prayed for the spirit to help me comprehend God’s will concerning this. Then I broke out several books in my collection; next I called a few Theologians I know to discuss this.

In 3 verses, the Bible mentions to Submit or be submissive to your husbands.

Let’s take for our example: Ephesians 5:22-24 KJV
22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

J Vernon McGee writes, “I have been doing some research on that word submit, and I have rather startling things to tell you. The word submit relative to wives needs to be understood a little differently from the way it has in the past. It is not ‘Wives, obey your husbands.” Submit is a very mild word. It is a loving word. It means to respond to your own husband as unto the Lord. The way we respond to the Lord is that we love Him because He first loved us. And notice that it says “unto your own husbands” A very personal loving relationship is the ground for submission. Paul is definitely speaking to believers about Christian marriage,”

What men never bring up when they quote this, is that following these 3 verses, are 9 more that tell men what to do. I find it ironic that God uses 3 times the words in teaching men what to do and they are wondering why the women don’t do it when the family leader also fails to listen to the Bible. Monkey see, monkey do.

25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Some women get beat by men for not submitting. Do these men ” 28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. “ I don’t know about you, but I have yet to see a man beat himself, cuss at himself, or abuse himself.

Notice in the instructions to husbands that love is use 6 times. This validates that through love, one gets submission and that submit is the result of a loving relationship. Let me say that again because so often it is backwards and a woman things that by submission, her husband should love her. It is because the husband loves her that she submits. Because God loves us, we submit.
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One day a friend was telling me that his wife never tells him she loves him and that she is very cold to him. I responded immediately that it was his fault. He looked like a bomb had gone off at his feet. I asked him if he told her that he loved her. He said she knows I do.

When a man says he has a cold wife or girlfriend, it is because he is cold. Monkey see monkey do. A man is the one who proposes and the woman gets to say “Yes” No woman should also be asked to say I love you until the man does. Ephe 33. and the wife see that she reverence her husband. The husband is the spiritual leader and the wife the follower. In Song of Solomon 1:15 the bridegroom says, “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold thou art fair..."and she responds Song 2:16 "My beloved is mine, and I am his..."
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The final part of this post is about the unsaved.
25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Submitting to a husband was not meant to help produce a husband that is exalted that physically or emotionally is ungodly. I do not believe God intends for a wife to submit to an unsaved husband that would order her to do things that go against her walk with God.

Colossians 3:18 "Wives, submit yourselves unto you own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord."

Many times, a woman submits to drunkenness, adultery, gambling, and other things by their husbands. They feel that as a Christian that they should stay with them. This is dangerous because she loses her personality, dignity and she can find herself to his level if she submits to that. I have seen many young Christian girls go to bars because their boyfriends, dates or husbands go and take them there. She is to submit, “as it is fit in the Lord.”
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I appreciate the comments sent to me in emails, but feel sad for those that don't get to hear and see what others say to me that might help them too. Therefore, send emails if you prefer, but if it doesn't matter, please post them here so others might find them helpful as I do too. Thanks for reading.
11 Comments
Friend vs. Spouse Apr 23, 2008 1:00 pm
Mood: enthusiastic, 748 Views
One day I heard a saying that has stuck with me for many years. It was in regard to the question, What is a FRIEND?

The answer had a rhythmic bounce to it.

A friend is a person who knows ALL that is GOOD about you, and ALL that is BAD about you, BUT still loves you.

Doesn’t this sound like what a spouse should be too?

Several years later, I contemplated why so many people got divorced. Divorces were high regardless if people were Christians or not. I walked into a Bible bookstore in the summer of 1993. They had 12 books on marriage recovery. This was about a quarter of a shelf. Next to it they had 7 shelves on divorce recovery. I am not sure what it is today but would not be surprised if this anomaly still prevailed.

I realized (light bulb went on) that a lot of married people I knew who were having problems, were NOT friends!!
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Let’s look deeper into what a friend is.

A friend is someone you respect. Once again, regardless that you know ALL that is good and bad about them you are able to respect them. How can that be if a person is the scoundrel of the earth, that someone can be his or her friend.

It is because friendship is not decided by what a person is or isn’t, but by the interactions that person has with you.

Think of it as an EMOTIONAL BANK. Every time a person does something with another, a deposit (if good) or a withdrawal (if bad) is made. If there are more deposits than withdrawals, then you have a plus balance and a friend. If there are more withdrawals than deposits, then you have a deficit and are overdrawn, and possibly an enemy.

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So here I was with two golden theories or laws of relationships. The realization of them is:

Good or bad, we are willing to love a friend. We respect them, but our spouse is not afforded the same grace as a friend gets.

How often have we said or heard people say,

I couldn’t date them, they are my friend.

Deductive reasoning or common sense tells us that is the one reason why two should date. More times than I want to remember, I’ve heard someone say:

I wish my husband/wife was more of a friend to me.

My response is, Why don’t you become more of a friend to your spouse?

Wouldn’t a person want the one they vow to love and honor, to death do us part, to be their best friend with whom they can talk about anything?

How many times have we all heard that lack of communication hurts a relationship? We can talk about anything with a friend, so by not dating a friend it is no wonder lack of communication exists.

In conclusion, all this leads to a simple final observation which is….

LET’S DATE AND MARRY A FRIEND AND STOMP OUT DIVORCE.



Thank you Beth747 for your feedback while writing this and your excellent editing help.

Blessings,
Michael
14 Comments
The Love-Hate list Apr 20, 2008 1:54 pm
Mood: cheerful, 800 Views
Several months ago, at a couple’s retreat, we had the men and women separated. I had the men make 2 lists. First ones of things they wish they hadn’t done or do, and then a list of things why they love their spouse. It was an awakening to us all and made us think why we would ever do things on the smaller list when the 2nd was so much larger and powerful.

Just wanted to share it with all.

Being sarcastic to you
Criticizing your family and friends
Over committing to outside interests
Talking down to you
Using profanity or name-calling
Letting things go around the house
Criticizing the way you did things
Giving looks of disgust
Raising my voice in anger
Showing more attention to other things than you
Correcting you around others
Lecturing
Pressuring
Ignoring you
Breaking promises
Holding resentment about something you did
Being unsympathetic when you were tired, ill, upset, sad or frustrated
Not telling you that I love you
Not attending church as a family
Pushing for sex when we weren’t in harmony
Not being involved more with household chores and raising the kids
Unwilling to admit when I was wrong
Reading or watching pornography
Not eating meals with you
Complaining while doing something with you
Never going walking when you wanted to
Forgetting anniversaries and other special dates
Minimizing your efforts
Being impolite
Continuing bad habits (smoking)
Taking you for granted
Blaming you for most things
Being impatient
Monopolizing the TV
Being preoccupied with my agenda
Getting to involved with self-interests to the exclusion of you and the kids
Making jokes about you
Not consulting you on finances
Not fully appreciating all the many things you did as a mother, teacher and wife
Being unwilling to join you in things you enjoyed
Being unclean
Showing indifference instead or initiative and making plans
Not reading the Bible together

I am sure this list is just the tip of the iceberg, but helped me understand many of the reasons how men can harden their loves heart.
In the book 3:16 by Max Lacado, he, “’Moses permitted you to divorce your wives cause your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning’ Matt. 19:8, When one or both people in a marriage stop trusting God to save it, they sign its death certificate. They reject the very one that can help them.”
I believe rejecting God is one of the biggest causes of breakups and divorces..

List of 100 Reasons Why I Love You
(Compiled from all 28 men at the conference)
1. Your compassion for everyone around you
2.Your selflessness
3. Your integrity
4. Your strength
5. Your devotion
6. How you are always 100% honest no matter what
7. Your kindness
8. The way you always try to help others
9. Your generosity
10. Your gentleness
11. How you are always understanding with me even when I don’t deserve it
12. How much we share in common on the way we think about so many things.
13. How you make me smile even at times when I don’t want to
14. How you are always kind to animals
15. The fact that you aren’t afraid to cry
16. How you always help me when I need or ask you to and sometimes even when I don’t ask
17. How you are always concerned about my well-being
18. Your loyalty to everyone or everything that matters to you
19. The way you liven up a room just by being in it
20. How much you’ve taught me about life and myself
21. Your intelligence
22. Your zest for life
23. Your excellent people skills
24. Your amazing voice
25. Your awesome hair
26. Your incredible eyes
27. Your love of life
28. Your uncompromising belief in God, family, and country
29. The fact that you would make the best mother anyone could ever ask for or hope to have
30. The way you walk
31. The way you talk
32. The way you hold my hand
33. The way you hug me
34. The way you kiss me
35. The way you touch my foot with your’s in bed
36. The way we cuddle
37. The way that you always look for and find the positive in everything
38. The fact that there is nobody else in the world like you and nobody will ever come close
39. How you are always good at everything you put your mind to
40. The annoying fact that you are right 90+% of the time
41. All the amazing new experiences that I’ve shared for the first time with you and only you
42. The way you make me feel about myself
43.How you tell me and show me everyday how much you love me
44. How you don’t mind holding my hand or showing me affection even in public
45. How you sometimes give up things you’ve wanted just for other's benefit
46. The way you kiss me and touch me
47. The fact that you were willing to take a chance on me
48. The way you use to encourage and believe in me
49. Your faithfulness
50. The fact that you know how to be a real woman
51. The sweet gifts you’ve given to me
52. The way you open up your heart and life to me
53. The fact that I learn new amazing things about you everyday
54. The way you look at me and on rare occasion even now that makes me melt inside
55. The love you always show me
56. The way you always say awesome things about me to other people
57. How much excitement you bring into my life when I think about you
58. How you always bring out the best in me
59. How you don't take many of lifes little things for granted
60. The way you always still inspire me
61. The fact that you are the first and only person I’ve ever loved and the first person who ever truly loved me
62. The fact that you dream like me at times.
63. How forgiving you are
64. Your incredible big heart
65. How you know what to say and how to say it in any situation
66. The fact that I know you will be one of the most successful women in the world someday because no one deserves it more than you
67. How we always say or do the exact same thing at the same time
68. Your extreme patience with me even when I push it to the limit sometimes
69. Your charm and charisma
70. Your wisdom
71. How you always listen to me when I need an ear to listen
72. How awesome you have been to my parents and even my pets and how they all love you so much too
73. How cute and adorable you can be
74. Your determination and conviction and how once you set your mind on something nobody can change it
75. The dreams and visions you have for our future
76. How much you know about me now and that you’ve seen both my good sides and bad and that you still care for me and at times love me anyway
77. Your walk with God
78. Your praying for me
79. Your example to our children in their learning of Christ.
80. Your example to me in studying Gods words and doing the right things
81. The way you are my best friend even when I didn't deserve it
82. The way I can always trust you
83. The way I can make you laugh
84. The way you ooo and ahh at the beautiful things God made
85. The way you are my first thought so many mornings
86. The way you are my last thought so many evenings
87. The way I can come to you for advice when I have a problem
88. The way when I am having a tough time, thinking of you encourages me to do my best
89. The way you love to dance with me
90. The way your face brightens up when you see me
91. The excitement you show when I say Iove you
92. The way you use to squeeze my hand 3 times
93. Your great cooking and how you always thought it wasn't that good
94. The way you love go exploring new places with me on trips
95. The way you were never shy about anything with me
96. The way you put up with me when I am hard to put up with
97. The way you give the best back scratches
98. The way you moaned whenever I use to snuggle up to you in bed and just cuddle
99. The way you loved my massages
100.Every little single detail about you that makes you who you are and the fact that you are the best woman in the whole world

Bonus Reason 101. The fact that this list was so easy to write, but also so hard because I had to limit it to just 100 reasons when I can think of at least a million plus reasons why I love you and why I am the luckiest man in the world to have had you in most of my life and touching my world.

Just wanted to share this because I feel all women would want a man that could write this and I know me and most men would love God to send a woman that we felt this way about.

Blessings,
Michael
16 Comments
Christ in the cells of our body. Apr 19, 2008 8:06 pm
811 Views
We are fearfully and wonderfully made, We are build to last. We are built to be image bearers. The choice is ours, God has already chosen. But at a microscopic level. God has stitched us together for a purpose. Have you ever heard of something called Laminin. Most likely not.

Laminin is a protein. A microscopic level protein, that is a cellular adhesion molecule. Kind of like rebar, concrete, steel things that hold every thing together. Your organs hold together, your skin stays together because of this protein called Laminin, that God has put into you and put into me and is what keeps us from falling apart. Here is a picture. (Click it to enlarge)



Sort of shaped like something we've seen before. If you look at a biology book it will describe its shape as a cross. That the cross is what holds you and I to God. The cross is what links you and I to God. The cross is what links you and I from this life into the next life. Colossians 1 puts it this way:

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: (by Christ, he created you, he created me) things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (You and I spiritually, physically, emotionally, eternally are held together by Jesus Christ. Even at a microscopic level. We are held together by something that looks like a cross.) 18And he is the head of the body, (Just like those 23 chromosomes from Mom and 23 from Dad knitted together in the image of God.that was stamped into them so you and I are built to last and we have eternity in our hearts and we are wondering what is out there. He is the head of the body from a microscopic level to the ultimate level.) and the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, (to bring together sinful man, judge the sin on the cross and link us together to God through the cross) whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. In our blood floats around little microscopic things that look like a cross. By Jesus' blood we can be linked to our heavenly father. The cross holds it all together. The road to heaven has been provided to us. God has already chosen. I pray that all that read this has or will too.

I want to thank Encourager514 for inspiring me to add this post. Bless you.
6 Comments
Second Church: Testimony Part 2 Apr 17, 2008 10:03 am
503 Views
(This is chapter 2 from the First Church: Testimony Part 1 post)

The second church was not exactly a church, but a family. From when I was 7, Mark was my best friend. His dad was a doctor and mother a housewife. He had 2 brothers and 2 sisters. All but one brother was older that him and me.

Although Mark's family were very strong Christians, I can't remember us ever having a discussion about religion. Believe me we had 100s of opportunities. We would play 3 sets of tennis a day during one summer, and played many rounds of golf together. Most days after school, you found us outside my house playing Basketball. He lived past my house 1 block away.

We were the type friends most have where you didn't have to knock on each other’s door. We were each considered part of each other’s families. When we were 10, I asked him to spend the night one time. His mother said they had a family rule that none of the kids were allowed to spend the night until they were 11.

Upon hearing this, my mother, being the "A" personality type called Mark's mother up to pursue her to let him come. His mother agreed. For years I was embarrassed that my mother did this. It was their rule and she talked them into breaking it, which in my opinion showed little respect for them. Later in life, upon thinking about this episode. I realized why Mark's parents agreed to let him come, for I would not have broken the family rule if I had to do it at that time.

You see; Mark was the type of guy that everyone liked. Like the Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days". Actually all of the siblings were liked. They attended church regularly, but now I realize it was more than that. They not only lived a Christian life but also practiced it. I cannot remember ever not seeing them with a smile on their face. I also never remember seeing Mark in a playground or other fight; he was usually the one breaking them up.

I remember when I accepted Christ in 1993; I received a letter from his sister in Houston who was several years older than us. She wrote that although due to our age difference that we never got to know each other real well, but that her and the family had prayed for me often to come to Christ and was so please to hear the news that I had.

My father past away in 2002 after 14 months of being sick. I would travel the 300 miles to see him and take care of his affairs 2-3 times a month. Many Sundays while there, I would visit different churches. One Sunday, while visiting theirs, Mark's mother saw me and insisted I sit with them. So there I was sitting between his mother and father. With the long drive and little sleep taking care of my father. You guessed it; I fell asleep during part of the service. Although, I am still embarrassed about that today. I feel in my heart that they understood.

The week after Christmas this last year, I was in Orlando with a friend at Disney World. Mark lives about 30 miles away and I phoned him and we were going to go that Sunday to his church and have lunch afterward with his wife and children. Due to my friend’s mother having to go into the hospital Friday night from blockage in 2 veins to her heart, we had to cut the trip short and rush back. When I phoned him, he was understanding.

So in conclusion, here was my best friends family that never once mentioned the Bible to me verbally, but spread the gospel to me through their love and actions in a much more stronger way than words could ever do. They lived it. In my First Church: Testimony Part 1 post, I mentioned we can't just talk the talk, but have to walk the walk., and this family in doing that walk had a great influence on where I am today.

I now understand why it was more important for his mother to let him spend the night than to uphold a rule. His mother let my mother have her way versus digging her feet in and causing disharmony. It reminds me of Jesus at the well not getting irate with the prostitute, but instead calmly saying go and sin no more. His parents chose to take the calm route and show peace and love.

Mark went on to seminary and seeded a church near Melbourne. They started in a space at a shopping strip and he is now the senior pastor of a thriving church with over 1100 members that is continuing to grow.

Still today, these memories help me to strive daily to walk the walk with everyone I meet.
6 Comments
One Mission Apr 15, 2008 10:56 pm
447 Views
Since becoming a Christian and converting from Judaism in 1993, many churches and groups have asked me to come speak on some of the things that led me to Christianity. I wish it could be pinpointed to one or two things which is what most of them want to know, but it was many people and experiences that God led me to and through on my walk to a growing Christian.

If there was any main commonality in them, the most significant ones involved other Christians that you could see the spirit shining in them. My sermons always center around instead of looking for what you can do to reach more Christians, be looking for what you can do to make your life more Christian. If we want to be an example to others, then we can't just talk the talk, but have to walk the walk.

I tell them no more gossiping and putting down other denominations (see Psalm 1:1); There should be no mocking others, no more splitting up of churches over what color to paint the bathroom. Laughing at that one is easy, but it has happened before. We all know too many people that pray, go to church regularly and profess to follow God's commandments. Then they will say they hate...something (rather it is a Democrat or Republican candidate, gays, abortionists, or whatever.) The commandment is very plain and straightforward. Love thy neighbor as thyself.

It is not enough to watch what we do and say, but what we think is just as important or more so. Out character is determined by our thoughts. And our actions revile our character. So if we don't start loving everyone in our thoughts, it will be eventually reviled in our actions, and hypocrisy is the easiest way to turn others away from Christianity.
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First Church: Testimony Part 1 Apr 15, 2008 10:55 pm
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When I was 16 and not a Christian, I had this girlfriend for the summer that went to church. I would go with her every Wednesday night. (Did I say she was cute). Well the pastor would always look right at me when giving the sermon. On several occasions I would remark to Becky about it. She always said, "No, he is looking over the entire congregation and it only appears that way to all." The next Wednesday, we were about to sit next to her parents in the middle and I grabbed her hand and led us to the very front pew and sat at the far left side of the church.

You guessed it. Pastor Donavant gave the complete sermon with his chin on his right shoulder looking right at us. Becky didn't know what to say. After church since sitting at the front we were the last to the door out where the pastor was saying goodbye to all. He looked at me and said, "I hope you don't mind, but I feel God brought you here for me to help get his message to you." I told him I didn't and I view these events even today at 46 years old as some of the path God led me down to becoming a follower of Jesus.
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Thanks Mar 10, 2008 11:03 pm
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Thanks for reading and any comments. Come back to see more in the near future.
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