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.