Practicing Evangelism

   So, I am trying to get better at sharing my faith. A couple weeks ago, a guy from my Sunday School class went to the Galleria and handed out gospel tracks. We probably handed out around a 100 tracks. We started talking to a few people. We have been doing the Way of the Master study in our Sunday School class, which teaches how to best present the Gospel by using God's law. Hopefully he and I will be able to go again and do more then just pass out tracks. Hopefully we will have much deeper conversations with people.

Knowing God

     A few days ago I finished Knowing God by J.I. Packer. It was a really amazing book. It hit on the major themes of Christianity. Packer devoted a lot of time on the different characteristics of God. He was able to reconcile the love of God with the wrath of God. Packer reminds Christians that their primary study and desire in life is God. He says in his book that Christians should always be mindful of the fact that God has adopted us into his family. That statement ought to change the way Christians think about the Lord. David Platt listed this book as suggested reading material on his last Secret Church. I can definitely see how this book influenced that teaching. This will be a book that I will endeavor to read at least once a year. I would suggest that this book be read by new and old believers alike. This would even be a book for brothers and sisters in Christ to give out to non believers. 

Radical Together

       If you have not read Radical, you need to. The author, David Platt, is a pastor at a Birmingham church called The Church of Brook Hills.  I read it a few months ago. That book focuses on how the " American Dream" has perverted the way Christians in America worship. Platt spends most of book pleading Christians to wake up.  He uses verses from the Bible to challenge Christians to not be comfy and barricade themselves in churches, while ignore the dark and dying world.  Christians are suppose to use their time, knowledge, and resources to honor and reach the world for God. Radical will kick you in the head and make you realize that there is more to Christianity then good sermons, entertaining music, and fun programs. Christianity is living a life like Christ. Giving all or yourself to God, and not just Sundays.
       I decided to read David Platt's new book Radical Together. This book was written in a similar style as his first book, Radical. It had the basic themes of the first book. However, this one focused more on the church, instead of the individual. The book focuses on how the church's money and resources need to reflect on making an impact for the Lord. A lot of churches like to focus on carnivals, lock ins, and movie nights. These things provide good, clean entertainment, but Platt challenges the reader to examine if these things really make a difference for Christ. Or could the churches money be used to plant a church, help adopt children, take care of homeless, or help the millions of dying people in Africa and Asia. Platt argues that if one's heart has truly acknowledged Christ as the Lord then they will share the Gospel with the whole world.
      I personally think that if churches are not doing anything to enhance the Kingdom of God, then they are no different from a community center. I think churches are too concerned with traditions and "doing things like they have always done", that they lose the beauty of the Gospel.
     I also agree with Platt statements about the Great Commission. Matthew 28: 19-20 says " Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." It is the duty of all Christians to go make disciples. Not a few, but all. People think evangelism is inviting people to church. They believe that once they hear the words of the preacher they are saved. Even though I am someone who might be dead if now if someone hadn't invited me to church, I disagree with that. The church is suppose to equip Christians to take the gospel to "all nations".

Journaling

     On March 23 2011, made a change in how I study God's Word. I used to read the Bible on my bed. Most of the times I read it on my bed. Sometimes I would fall asleep. Occasionally I would make notes in my Bible. There were times I could not remember  what I had just read. In March I knew I needed to make a change. I decided that I would start keeping a journal. I went to Barnes and Noble and picked out a journal for myself. This has worked out very well for me. I write questions to ask people much more along in their faith then me. I write my own little commentary. I write how I can apply certain verses to my life. I keep track of what I learn. I also write down my prayers for each day. This has definitely helped with me comprehending what I read it. It has also made my quiet times more focused. Today will be my last entry into my journal. I have already bought a new one. Keeping a journal through my quiet times has been very helpful.  I recommend this for all.

This is my journal. Yes it has Harry Potter on it. Don't judge me.

Preaching to the Dead

      So, I just wanted to share with all of you who might come across this blog about something that I read in Jesus Rose for You, which is a book that is a collection of Charles Spurgeon's sermons that I have been reading. I would like to share what he wrote about preaching to unbelievers.

    "Oh, sons of men, if you really want to know God,'ye must be born again' (John 3:7). 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God' (John 3:3); he cannot understand it; he cannot know it. The carnal man cannot understand the things of God, which are eternal and invisible, anymore than an ox can understand astonomy or a fish can admire the classics. Poor humanity is dead, not in a moral sense or in a mental sense, but in a spiritual sense, and this is the way in which the Word of God very definitely describes it again and again.
     Consider the many bodies that are sleeping in graveyards. They are quite unconscious are they not? What evergoes on around them neither brings them joy nor causes them grief. Friends they have left behind may water their graves with their tears, but no answering signs come from the gloomy caverns of the tomb. ...
     It is the same way with men who are spiritually dead. They are unaffected by spirtual things. They can hear of a dying Savior, whose groans might move the very adament and make the rocks dissolve, without being moved at all... The pangs of hell do not alarm them, and the joys of heaven do not entice them....
      Someone might say, 'If this is so, then why do you tell spiritually dead people to repent and be converted.' Why do I speak to the spiritually dead in this way and tell them to perform actions that they cannot do? Because my Master tells me to, and as I obey my Master's command, a power goes forth with the word that is spoken, and the dead are startled in their sleep. They awaken through the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, and those who cannot naturally repent and believe, do repent, believe in Jesus, escape from their former sins, and believe."

    If you are sharing the Gospel with someone and they reject it or do not understand it, it is because they are spiritually dead. It is as though you are speaking to a dead body and telling it to come alive. Do not be discouraged if you are preaching the Word and do not see conversions left and right. YOU can not save anyone. Only God can save someone through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Evangelism

    So, I am still reading, Jesus Rose for You by Charles Spurgeon. I wanted to share with you a couple of quotes from this book, which is a collection of his sermons. These particular quotes deal with evangelism. This is convicting for me and I hope that it convicts you.

"A preacher should never be afraid of getting in front of a congregation when the Gospel is his theme. Jesus, who gives him a consecrated tongue, will provide willing ears that will listen to him. At His command, deserted sanctuaries grow crowded, and the people throng to hear the joyful sound. Yes, and He can do more than that, for He can make the word powerful so that thousands are converted. ...It is our job to proclaim the Gospel and to believe that no one is beyond the saving power of Jesus Christ."

Alright, did you catch that. He said it was our job to proclaim the Gospel. By "our" he means all Christians. He didn't say pastors. He didn't say religious scholars. He didn't say super Christians. He said all. Don't believe him? "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20. Charles Spurgeon said it was our job to preach the Gospel, because that is what Jesus said. 

"Dear brother, dear sister, to how many have you told the story of redemption by the blood of Jesus? Perhaps you have been a believer for some time now. To whom have you spoken about Jesus, or whom have you written about Him? Are you distributing, as best you can, the words others have spoken or written about the Gospel, if you are not able able to formulate the words yourself? Do not reply, 'I belong to a church that is doing much for the Gospel'.  That is not the point. I am speaking of what are you doing personally. Jesus did not die for us by proxy, but he bore 'our sins in his own body on the tree' (I Peter 2:24). I ask then, what are you doing personally. Are you doing anything at all? I can imagine someone saying 'But I can not become a missionary.' Are you sure you cannot? I have been waiting for a time when numbers of Christians will feel that they must go to preach the Gospel overseas and will relinquish comforts and compensations for the Lord's sake."

This passage was very convicting to me. I tell people all the time about T.V. shows I like, movies I have seen, and books that I have read. I have not told a lot of people about what Christ has done for me. But I need to. Right now I am going through an evangelism study in Sunday School. Hopefully that will prepare me to share the Gospel with people. A lot of people think that evangelism is inviting people to church and letting the preacher's message speak to them. But this is not correct. The church is to prepare Christ followers to bring the Gospel into the world. People tend to focus on the church building and not on the work of the church.

He is not Here

    
     Today I started a book called Jesus Rose for You by Charles Spurgeon. Charles Spurgeon was an English preacher in the 19th century. It has been estimated that he preached to 10,000,000 people during his lifetime. Which was a pretty big deal in his day since there were no T.V.s or radio. He preached ten different times a week in several different places. He is referred to as the "Prince of Preachers" according to many. I wanted to share with you what I found today in the second chapter. He uses the Resurrection scene with the Angel and Mary and the other women to explain how we should live.
    
    " And does this truth, that Christ is not here but is gone, not fall upon our ears with a sweet force as it compels us to feel that this is the reason why our hearts should not be here? Since "He is not here", then our hearts should not be here. When this text, "He is not Here", was first spoken it meant that he was not in the grave. He was somewhere else on earth then. But now He no longer lives here in the flesh; He has gone to heaven.
    Suppose you are very rich, and Satan whispers to you, "You live in a stately mansion, surrounded by delightful gardens. You can take it easy." You should reply to him, "But He is not here; He has risen. Therefore, I do not dare to put my heart where my Lord no longer is." Or, suppose your family makes you very happy, and as the little ones cluster around you and you all sit together in front of a cozy fire, your heart is very glad. Though you do not have much of this world's good, you have enough, and you have a contended mind. Well, if Satan should say to you, "Be well content, and take your rest here, "say to him, "No, 'He is not here' and I cannot feel that this is to be my place of rest. Only where Jesus is can my spirit rest."
    Have you just started out in life? Have you recently been married? Are you now beginning the happy days of youth, the sweet enchantment of this life's purest joy? Well, delight in this, but still remember that "He is not here," and therefore you have no right to say to your self, "You can take it easy!" Christ is nowhere on earth that your heart may build its nest. Let your soul rise up to God, and let all your sweetest incense go toward Him who "'is not here: for he is risen.'" - Charles Spurgeon

     Brothers and sisters remember that although we may find happiness on this earth through hobbies, our job, and arms of others, this is not our home. This is just a temporary stop. This life will be a blink of an eye compared with the eternity that awaits.  God does not want us to hear His Word and then not glorify His Kingdom. He does not want us to store up wealth, but use what we have to help others. He wants us to make an impact for Him and not camp out and barricade ourselves in our churches. If any Christian feels ill at ease about life on this earth then that is good because our home "is not here".

A Good Week

    So, this week was very eventful. This week we had VBS at Bluff Park Baptist. The youth had VBS as well. Last year I took an back seat to Libby and Chris as they were leading the youth. This year I took a more active role. However, I had plenty of help. Chris and Libby had other VBS obligations, but helped out when they could. Daniel Fuller led us in worship most of the nights. He also taught two of the nights. I taught two of the nights. And Chris Bloom taught one night. Daniel's wife, Beth, also came. I really wanted another woman, because our youth group is mostly girls and they need to see a godly woman. Many of these kids come from homes where they have been neglected or disregarded. Most of our kids from homes where Christ is not present. So, I was very appreciative of her willingness to come. In fact, she made a connection with one of our girls. Hopefully wonderful things will come from that. Daniel furthered his relationship with one of our boys who wants to know "something", but he is really unsure about Christianity. I hope that Chris Bloom comes back. He would be a huge asset in bringing the Gospel to these kids.

      
       Also, I finished New Testament Survey by Merril C. Tenney. I thought this was a wonderful book. It taught me somethings that I did not know about the Bible. Instead of going right into to talking about each book of the New Testament, it started out with a lot of history. Every book was analyzed in great detail. I highly recommend this for all preachers, Sunday School teachers, and anyone interested in learning more about the New Testament.

      I had kind of a rough day. Earlier today I couldn't stop ripping myself apart. I have been struggling over an issue in my life. Basically, I was just ripping myself apart and devaluing myself. I went to the Lord in prayer and things got better. Later today I watched The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader from Netflix (signing up for Netflix has been one of the best decisions of my life).  Many of the characters from the movie doubted their worth in a similar fashion that I was doubting my own. Some days I really don't think I am valuable to God. A lot of times I just feel lowly. Sometimes I just need to realize that I am valuable to God and that he has a plan for my life to glorify His Kingdom. Also, on a side note, I was very surprised that the movie ended like the book. At the end Lucy asks Aslan if she will ever see him again. He responds by saying that he will always be watching over her and that he "is known by another name in her world". Of course the name that Aslan means is Jesus. I also liked it when Reepicheep made the journey into Aslan's country (Heaven). He left his sword behind and went into Heaven, which would be a greater adventure then ever before. This was a very beautiful scene. I was very glad that they did not cut it out.
     

Beautiful the way you are

    Alright, so I like listening to Christian radio. 93.7 WDJC is a major one around here. I enjoy listening to Christian praise songs. It is a lot better then other things I could listen to on the radio.  I hate listening to all the political messages which I always turn off.  I think that is absolutely terrifying when they try to push a political agenda. I also get disgusted at a particular commercial that advertises for plastic surgery. I was truly angry.
    
     Brothers and sisters, God made each and every one of you in a very loving way.  It says so in the Bible.
13 For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. I believe that plastic 
Psalm 139:13-15

     This verse was of comfort to me when I was struggling with depression a few years ago. I really hated myself. I hated the way I looked, the way I talked, and the way I was. This verse helped me understand that God designs each and everyone of us with a particular purpose and reason in mind. He created our personalities, the way we laugh, the way we walk, and the even the way our dimples are formed on our face. We were made for His glory sake.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
      I am not saying that all plastic surgery is bad. If you have an accident or you are horribly injured, I can see how plastic surgery could be a great comfort to many. But to drastically alter the way you look, is a terrifying thought for me. We (meaning Americans) are so image driven. Just because a doctor recites some verses from the Bible for a radio ad and talks about his" faith" does not mean that what he does is good.
     Brothers and sisters, you were formed by the creator of the universe who made you with love. He designed you before the foundations of the world were in place. Do not believe the lies of the world. Your worth is not measured by who you are on the outside, but who you are on the inside. I know it is cliche to say that, but it is the truth.

I Won't Settle

  
 **** Librarian Warning!!! This one is somewhat long, so if you get tired of reading go get a snack and come back. ****

       I just wanted to write this post to show that I am by no means perfect. I do admit that some of this is hard for me to admit. For so many years of my life, I was content to just exist. I would spend whole days watching T.V. and movies. I don't think that these things are bad, but I used to do them in excess. So many years of my life, I believed in what David Platt calls in his book, Radical, something known as "the Super-Christians".  Those were the people who memorized and studied scripture. These were the people who shared the Gospel, read their Bibles everyday, and prayed without ceasing. I just thought that there were the supers and the average performing. I really thought and believed that. I remember all throughout high school, I would just leave my Bible in the car on Sunday. I wouldn't touch it again until the next Sunday. That was just how I lived.For so many years, I did not truly acknowledge everything that Christ did for me. I did not understand the gravity of it. For so many years, I shortchanged God.
     By the grace of God, I got into a really good college ministry at The University of Alabama.  The college minister at First Baptist, Tim Simpson, was very serious about truly knowing your Bible. He constantly promoted Bible studies where you could be encouraged by fellow believers. I remember Tim always claimed that Bible studies are where you truly learned about God. I remember Tim always telling us to take time out of the day to study the Bible. I can even remember him saying,"Oh, you think your too busy to read the Bible. Give me your planner, I bet can find time for you."
      My lack of knowledge in the Bible always enforced my belief in the "Super-Christians." But of course I didn't know my Bible, because I never read it. When I first started at Alabama, I always had to flip to the table of contents to find a book of the Bible. I simply did not know where they all were. Nor could I tell you the names of all of them.
     Over time, as I entered a Bible study and made an effort to have a quiet time, I was able to learn more about the Bible. I do thank my Bible study leader at First Baptist, Andrew Seay, for investing into my life. Even though, I learned more about the Lord, I still always felt like I was lacking. Through reading the Bible every day, I was able to get through the whole Bible. I still had trouble memorizing scripture and making the most out of my Bible readings.  At this point, I could tell you all the books in the Bible, but I still could not tell you the order to save my life.
     Within the past year, I have gotten stronger in my walk with Christ. I am being constantly encouraged by friend, Daniel Fuller. He continues to teach me and increase my understanding of the Bible. My Sunday School teacher and friend, Chris Bloom, has helped connect some gaps I had about the Bible in my mind. He has also let me borrow books that have helped me understand the Bible a little better.Teaching the youth at Bluff Park Baptist Church has made me study the word more diligently and carefully than ever before.
      In March, I decided that my time with the Lord needed to be better. The way that I have usually study the Word is that I read from both the Old and New Testaments. It works out pretty well. However, I needed to change how I was reading the Bible. I would usually just read the Bible on my bed. Most of the times I could not tell you what I read after I would get through. Sometimes I  would even fall asleep. In March, I decided to change that. I decided I would get a journal to write down verses that I found interesting, questions I had, write my own little commentary, and keep up with prayers. I also go to a desk or table to study the Bible. Doing these have really changed how I study the Bible. It has made my time learning about the Lord and praying to Him more intimate. Since, I am writing and stay more focused, my quiet times are longer.
      A few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to learn the order of the books of the Bible. I knew roughly where most of them were, but I was determined not to settle for "roughly". By the power of the Holy Spirit, I was able to do it. I felt the Lord working in me as I split the books of the Bible into sections. However, I still needed to get better at memorizing scripture.
    I e-mailed Daniel to ask him if he knew of a tool or something that could help me. He sent me this plan that helps me people memorize a whole book of the Bible. So far I have I John 1 memorized. I am working on I John 2. It has been amazing to see the Holy Spirit work.
    I still don't know as much about the Bible as I would like to. Right now I feel like I am catching up on all the time I wasted pursuing other things in life. But I absolutely refuse to settle for "a rough knowledge" or "occasionally reads the Bible". No, that attitude is gone. There is no such thing as a "Super Christian" or an "Average Christian". You are either pursuing God or you're not.
    

How It All Fits

So, if any of you have been reading my blog lately you know that I have been reading a book called A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman Geisler. It is really wonderful. It presents each book of the Old Testament in a very concise way. I just wanted to share with you another quote from the book that explains how the Old Testament fits together.

       "The Law laid the foundation for Christ by the election (Genesis), redemption (Exodus), sanctification (Leviticus), direction (Numbers), and instruction (Deuteronomy)  of the nation through which the Messiah was to come.
     In the books of History preparation was made for Christ by giving Israel the Holy Land for their possession (Joshua). Despite the oppression of foreign powers (Judges) due to Israel's sin, there remained devotion within the nation (Ruth). God gave stabilization to hte nation under king Saul (I Samuel), expansion underKing David (II Saumel), and glorification of the nation during Solomon's reign (I Kings 1-10). With Solomon's death came the division of the nation (I Kings 11-22) into Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Both suffered deterioration and final deportation by foreign powers (II KIngs). Likewise, the Temple suffered deprivation (I Chronicles) and finally destruction (II Chronicles) at the hands of the Babylonians. But God was faithful in the reconstruction of the Temple (Ezra), the restoration of the nation (Nehemiah) and the protection of His People (Ester). The Holy nation returned to the Holy Land and preparation was made for Christ.
     Meanwhile, in the Poetical Books there was aspiration for Christ. Whereas the Law laid down the moral basis for the people of God and the books of History provided the national framework, the books of Poetry revealed their spiritual aspirations, The implicit longing for what Christ alone would provide was fivefold. In Job the aspiration is for mediation by God and in Psalms for Communion with Him. Solomon's aspiration for wisdom in Proverbs, for union in love in the Song of Songs, and ultimate satisfaction in Ecclesiastes completes the spiritual longings of Israel for what was to be provided through Jesus Christ.
    The Books of Prophecy look forward to Christ in expectation. The Earlier prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos) expect a national restoration by the coming of Christ. But Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk and  Zephaniah warn of God's retribution on the nations. Lamentations grieves over God's retribution on His People but Jeremiah looks for a convenantal reaffirmations in Christ. Ezekiel expects the nation's religious restoration and Daniel predicts its political restoration.  After the Babylonian captivity Haggai and Zechariah exhort the people in their religious reconstruction and Malachi in their social and moral reconstruction as they await the coming of the 'sun of righteousness that shall rise , with healing in its wings' Malachi 4:2."

God and Modern Science

So, I am continuing to create copyright infringements. This is an excerpt from the book, A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman Geisler. It talks about science and creation.

" Some gernal principles of reconciliation between science and Scripture. There is no contradiction between the facts of Genesis and facts of science. There is a difference between some interpretations of Genesis and some theories of science. Since God is revealed in both His Word (Scripture) and His world (science) (Ps.19:1; Rom. 1:19), there is really no contradiction between them. When the Bible and science appear to be in conflict, we must remember that scientific theories change, and they be wron today. In addition, there is more than one way to interpet the early chapters of Genesis. Finally, through the years science has come to support many things the Bible which it once taught were untrue.
     Some areas where science supports the Bible. Archaeology has discovered thousands of things which prove the historical accuracy of the Bible. Astronomy agrees with Genesis that the world had a beginning. Geology supports the order of creation presented in Genesis 1, following its approach that the universe  came first, the world was formed next, that life began in the sea, with the lower forms of life appearing first, and that man is the highest and latest form of life to appear. Physics (the second Law of Thermodynamics) shows the world is running out of available energy. Hence the world cannot be eternal buy must have had a beginning. Mathematics (the Law of Probability) shows that the world did not happen by chance but was designed by an intelligent power. Biology teaches that each creature reproduces its own kind, and Anthropology shows that there is only one race of mankind (Acts 17:26) with different ethnic groupings within it. This indicates a common ancestor for all men."

I believe that God and science are not too different things. I believe that when one study science one is studying the mind of God. To me science does not disprove God, in fact it further proves that their is a God. 

It is all about Him

My friend and Sunday School teacher, Chris Bloom, let me borrow a book called, A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman L. Geisler. I am only about seventy pages into, but so far I gotten a lot from it. This is a list that Geisler gives about how all the books of the Bible point to Jesus. I think that this is an awesome list and I just wanted to share this with all of you.

The Old Testament
 Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15)
 The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12)
 The Atoning Sacrifice (Leviticus 17:11)
 The Smitten Rock (Numbers 20:8, 11) {This one confused me a little. It is mentioned again in I Corinthians 10:4)
 The Faithful Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18)
 Captain of Lord's Host (Joshua 5:15)
 The Divine Deliver (Judges 2:18)
 Kinsman's Redeemer (Ruth 3-4)
 Anointed One (I Samuel 2:10)
 Son of David (II Samuel 7:14)
 The coming King (I and II Kings)
 The Builder of the Temple (I and II Chronicles)
 Ezra represents Christ as The Restorer of the Temple (Ezra 6:14, 15)
 Restorer of the Nation ( Nehemiah)
 Ester portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation (Esther)
 Living Redeemer (Job 19:25)
 Praise of Israel ( Psalm 150:6)
 Wisdom of God ( Proverbs 8:22- 23)
 The Great Teacher (Ecclesiastes 12:11)
 Fairest of Ten Thousand (Song of Solomon 5:10)
 Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:11)
 Maker of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31)
 Man of Sorrows (Lamentations 3:28-30)
 Glory of God (Ezekiel 43:2)
 The Coming Messiah (Daniel 9:25)
  Lover of the Unfaithful (Hosea 3:1)
 Hope of Israel (Joel 3:16)
 The Plowman (Amos 9:13)
 The Savior (Obadiah 21)
  Jonah represents The Resurrected One (Jonah 2:10)
 Ruler of Israel (Micah 5:2)
 The Avenger (Nahum 2:1)
 The Holy God (Habakkuk 1:13)
Desire of the Nations (Haggai 2:7)
The Righteous Branch (Zechariah 3:8)
Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)

The New Testament
King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)
The servant of the Lord (Mark 10:45)
The Son of Man (Luke 16:20)
Son of God (John 1:1)
Christ is the Ascended Lord (Acts 1:10)
The Believer's Righteousness (Romans 1:17)
Sanctification (I Corinthians 1:30)
Sufficiency (II Corinthians 12:9)
Liberty (Galatians  2:4)
Exalted Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22)
The Christians Joy ( Philippians 1:26)
Fullness of Deity (Colassians 2:9)
Believer's Comfort (I Thessalonians 4:16)
Glory (II Thessalonians 1:12)
Christians Preserver (I Timothy 4:10)
Rewarder (II Timothy 4:8)
Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13)
Substitute (Philemon 17)
High Priest (Hebrews 4:15)
Giver of Wisdom (James 1:5)
The Rock (I Peter 2:6)
Previous Promise (II Peter 1:4)
The Life (I John)
The Truth (II John)
The Way (III John)
The Advocate (Jude)
King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelations 19:16)

The Wrong Attitude

     Before I begin this post, I want to say that I am by no means perfect. I have failings just like everyone else. I just wanted to share my thoughts with all who might be reading this. I think that many people who gather together in church have the wrong attitudes when it comes with reaching the lost.
      Less then a year ago I was sitting down with a group of Christians. One of the people in this group (whom we will call John) started talking about how the ex-husband of a friend of his was hurting  her.   I have heard about and met this friend before. Her ex-husband psychologically and emotionally abuses her and the children they have together. I have yet to hear anything good about this ex-husband. After John finished the story about his friend. Another Christian (whom I will call Carrie) responded by saying, "That man is going to be burning in Hell." John then replied by saying,"He sure does. I hope he burns in Hell." (This conversation actually happened) I have heard this ex-husband mentioned before. Every time I do it ends with "I hope he burns in Hell."
      Okay, first of all every single human that has ever walked this earth deserves to spend an eternity in Hell for their sin. Only by the grace of God we are saved through Christ. Paul writes in Romans 3:10 "As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one".  Paul also writes in Romans 3:22-24 that "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Alright, so even someone like Paul, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Billy Graham, or you the person reading is no better than the worst possible sinner imaginable.
      Second, when Carrie said "I hope he burns in Hell" scares me. I have a half sister. She hasn't spoken to me in almost two years. She cut of all connection to me and my family when she left her husband. I don't know where she is or how to contact her. Before she left her husband, we were never close.  She never treated my parents very well. She hardly ever called at the house.  My sister and I have rarely hung out. Her ex-husband and her took me to go see the Lord of the Rings in 2001. I remember her taking me to the mall once. Those are probably the only two times we ever hung out. She has driven my parents to cry many times. I say all that to say, I forgive her. I don't hate her. Heck, I barely know her. Yes, she hurt me. Yes, she hurt my family. But I have the love of Christ in me. And if I could contact her I would share Christ with her. I can not imagine hating some one so much that I would wish them to burn in Hell forever. There is no excuse for Christians to wish Hell on to someone. "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colassians 3:13
     Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we are not to fortify ourselves in our churches. We are commanded to love and reach every single person on this earth. We are not suppose to love only people of our race or people who honored us. We are not suppose to love only  Love all. Hell is serious. Hell is real. Christians are suppose to reach people for Christ.

Praises

      The Lord has truly blessed me over the past few months. I have seen Him directing my path. During Spring Break I was doing an assignment for my public libraries class. We had to analyze a library and the community it serves.  I decided to check out Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest. It is a new facility. The building was made from trees from the site and recyclable materials. The whole library was made to be friendly to the environment.   I was talking to one of the adult services librarians. I told her that I was a library student. She then asked me if I would be interested in doing an internship there.  I of course said yes. Over the next week I got an internship set up there for the summer through the university.
       This week the Lord blessed me again. On Thursday I received notification that I would be getting an assistanship for next semester. I would either be working at a library or working for a professor. I am very excited by this prospect. I would get six hundred dollars a month and half of my tuition paid for.  Yesterday, I received another letter from the library school that I would be getting a scholarship this summer to help pay for my internship and another class. The Lord keeps providing for me.
      I remember this time last year I was feeling downtrodden. My major was Social Science Secondary Education and History. However, teaching was not working out for me. He directed me to library school. I have found a wonderful community there.  I know that God has a plan for me.

Robert Burgess: Origins

      So, it was suggested to me by my friend, Beth, that I put my testimony on this blog. I will try not to bore you with all the details of my life, so I will endeavor to inform you of the most important things. However, if you take Facebook breaks while reading this, I will understand.  I have been a member of the same church since I was very little. The name of the church is Bluff Park Baptist. I was baptized when I was six years old. Honestly, I do not think churches should allow children to become baptized at such a young age. At age six I had never sat through a sermon, ahad no concept of the the Trinity, and was unable to understand over ninety-five percent of the Bible. But I was absolutely convinced I was saved.  Don't get me wrong, I think children need religious instruction. I believe that it is the responsibility of the parents to walk their children through the Bible and explain that the purpose for our existence is to glorify God.  All I am saying is at age six I did not understand what it meant to be a Christian. All I remember was saying a prayer once. 

      Anyways, for the most of my upbringing I never read the Bible much. Don't get me wrong I was a good kid. I  never had sex, got drunk, looked at pornography,  or got addicted to drugs. I didn't do those things then, I still haven't done them now.  I always went to church. Although until I was ten I would either draw pictures or sleep during the sermon. I really wished someone had stopped me from doing that.

      I started to learn more about God as I got older. I had some really good youth ministers who seemed to care for me and made sure I understood the Bible. I came to church wanting to learn from them. However, none of the youth ministers stayed around for more than a year. There were periods from the time I was in middle school or high school when there simply was no youth minister. I found the other people in my youth ministry to be very discouraging. Very few of them seemed interested in learning about Christ. Many of them seemed as though they just wanted to come to church to play outside or flirt with one another.  The guys who went to the church frequently made fun of m since I was different from them.  I was different because I was not athletic and liked reading science fiction and comic books.  There was a core center in the youth group that made fun of other people.  Many of them cared nothing about learning the Word. In fact there were very few people in our youth ministry who did not end up on drugs, get pregnant, or leave the church completely. There were about a dozen of us in the youth ministry and less then five are serving the Lord now.

      In middle school I started developing depression.  There were many factors in me developing depression.  It was a combination of getting made fun of in P.E. for not being athletic, hating the way I looked, never having girls show a bit of interest in me, and feeling as though I was unintelligent.  The truth is that I am a very awkward person. Conversing with someone has always been difficult for me.  I have never been a master of words and may never be.  It has gotten a little easier now through practice. But I have to try much harder then other people. My time with depression was a time of sadness for me. I had even contemplated committing suicide. After months of therapy, I was able to put that part of my life behind me.  In those months I spent a lot of time with the Lord.  However, once I came through that my life returned to the way it had been.    

      When I was in high school, I still was not reading the Bible.  I read it every once in a while, but never read it on a regular basis. I still did not understand the magnitude of being a Christian. To me it was saying a prayer to God every night(in which I would just fall asleep while doing) and going to church a couple times a week. I just didn't get it at all.  I had a few friends at school, but not many of them were following Christ.

     Things really did not change for me until I went to college.  I went to a church within walking distance of my dorm. I went there every Sunday that I was in Tuscaloosa.  No one from that church really welcomed me in.  I still remember shaking the hand of the college minister every week. She never remembered me and would always introduce herself.  She never once invited me to check out the college ministry or Sunday school.  I went to that church the rest of my freshman year, because it was close to my dorm and I did not have a car.

     At the start of the next year I was eating at Burke Cafeteria and I saw some people I knew from high school. There names were Beth Lester(now known as Beth Fuller) and Laura Fewell. A guy named Russell Platt was also eating with them. I knew Beth and Laura, but not very well. I had an AP Music Theory class my junior year with Beth. I knew Laura a little bit, but I hadn't spent a lot of time with her in high school. I joined them for a little bit. They started talking about the church that they went to in Tuscaloosa.  The name of the church was First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. They talked about the things they were doing there and how much they liked the church. 

       The church in Tuscaloosa that I had been going to got a new pastor.  One week he compared spiritual gifts to having Jedi powers.  I thought that was a little weird, but I gave him another shot. The next week the preacher taught a sermon about how we need to make ourselves holy because we all have the power to control God. The preacher used Exodus 32: 7-14 to back up his sermon. In this passage Moses asks God to not to destroy the Jews when they were worshiping the Golden Calf. Moses pleaded for the people, but he did not control God. God is sovereign and is not dependent upon us.  I believe that the preacher completely misunderstood this passage.

           After this sermon, I left that church.  Later that week Beth sent me a message on Facebook to invite me to First Baptist. Through her I met many Christ following people. I got to meet a lot of Christian men that I could study the Bible with. I was able to cultivate friendships with men who were not following after the things of the World, but who were pursuing God.  This was significant since it was hard for me to cultivate friendships with guys since they were the ones who always made fun of me for not being athletic.  Tim Simpson, the college minister, is a very kind and welcoming person. I learned many things about the Bible. That year I began to start reading the Bible from cover to cover. It took me about a year, but I did it. I really think it is ridiculous for Christians to say they believe every word in the Bible, but never read it.  The Bible is at the top of the best seller list every year and yet so many people choose not to read it.

           During my second year of college, I started developing depression again. I did not want to commit suicide this time around. However, I did physically hurt myself quite a lot.  I did not damage my body long term, but I did hurt my self. It was a terrible time for me.  I really hated myself and wanted to strike back at myself.  During this time I felt the love of God. He was trying to release me from my burdens, but I just kept hating myself.  I went to therapy for a little bit, but I just did not click with my psychologist.  After time I
realized God was the only one who could heal me. God was the only one that I could find contentment in.

     Also, during that year I began to pray more to God. I realized that the Christian life was more than just sitting at church twice a week. I had been pretty good at doing what I was not suppose to do. However, I was not doing what I needed to do. I was not studying the Word.  I was not serving the Lord.  I was just sitting passive. I was not effective at all. I decided to make a change.  I decided that I would no longer be content to just sit in the pews.  I was determined to make an effort to know God and help others know Him.

       Now, I am a youth leader at Bluff Park Baptist.  I am serving with a young couple from the church named Chris and Libby Lee.  Also, my friend Daniel Fuller (Beth's husband) has been helping me out. He is a wonderful teacher of the Word. I am thankful for his friendship and his willingness to serve. My goal is to make sure that these kids know Christ.  It is hard a lot of the time, but it is rewarding to see them grow.  Even if that growth is minuscule.  By no means am I the best teacher.   Talking to a crowd or having a conversation is still hard for me.  I am still awkward and it is sometimes difficult for me to even make a phone call.  However, lately I have been starting to get over some of my issues with approaching people.  The Lord has made me a little better at conversation.  When I do teach, I do feel the Holy Spirit with me.  I may not ever be an eloquent preacher who is full of knowledge and charismatic stories. But I really don't have to be. All I need to do is preach the Word.

     So, this is where I am at now. Anybody is free to ask me questions or tell me what I am doing wrong.  Sorry this was a little long, but I hope it gives a little better of an idea of who I am.
    

Sarah or Hagar

 

From the 1993 movie Abraham. It is good you should watch it.

      So, I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Robert Burgess. The purpose of this blog will be to give details on my walk with Christ. I am a graduate student at the University of Alabama. I am studying library science. I am a youth leader at Bluff Park Baptist Church. We do not have a youth minister since our church can not afford one. So, I am one a few people who are trying to make sure that our kids know the Gospel.

    I was reading about the story of Hagar and Sarah the other day. My whole life I have felt like I was Hagar. I have had times when I felt like an outcast. There have been times when I have felt rejected. As I was reading Genesis 16 I started thinking perhaps that I am more like Sarah. God told Abraham that he would have a son. Which sounded crazy since Abraham was in his nineties and Sarah was in her eighties. Instead of waiting for God and trusting in Him, Sarah took matters into her own hand. She decided to have Hagar conceive God's promised child to Abraham. I think we are all more like Sarah then Hagar. Too often we want to do things are own way and we do not trust God. Then when we try it our own way, we get mad. I have tried to live a lot of my life my own way. When I do I get mad when things do not turn out how I want them too. We need to trust God, especially when it has to do with things that seem impossible.