I got hit by a train

    So, it has been a long while since my last post. Graduate school has consumed a lot of my time. Both this blog and my library blog have fallen by the wayside.  I just wanted to share something that has been on my heart for a while.  Would you believe me if I told you that I was hit by a train a couple days ago. Of course you wouldn't. If I was hit by a train I would probably be dead. If I survived I would probably be in a hospital bed with a bunch of bandages. After that train hit me, I would not engage in the same activities and think in the same way.  After I got hit by that train, everything about my life would change.   A few weeks ago I was in Colossians and I was reminded of the time that I had an encounter with God.   Having an encounter with YHWH, the creator of the universe, is like getting hit by a train. If you were to get hit by a train and lived, everything about your life would change. Everyone would know and be able to see that something incredible happened to you.
      The same happens when someone becomes a believer in Christ. It is like you get hit by a train. If your life is not completely different after becoming a Christian, you need to examine yourself. When you say that you are a Christian you are saying that the creator of the universe lives inside of you. Think about that for a moment. When you have the LORD living inside of you, who is pure, righteous, just, and holy, it is impossible for you to love the things of the world. When someone becomes a Christian, you no longer live for yourself. You live for God. One major aspect of that is that you live a life different then the one that you lived before you were saved. Our desires are to be completely different. Do you think I am making this up? Read these passages in Colossians.

"so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, beating fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10

"¹ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4

    A friend of mine, Andrew Seay, said many years ago that Christians are supposed to have an eternal mindset at all times. Believers need to focus on the things of God, and not the things of man. Here is another passage from Romans that talks about how the life of believers change after giving their lives to the Lord.

^"1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:1-3

    When you get hit by a train it obvious to everyone. When you have an encounter with God, it should be apparent to everyone. Your life should not and can not be like it was before you were saved.
     Also, I wanted to ask prayers about a certain aspect of my spiritual life. I am trying to study back over what I have written in my quiet time journal everyday.  I am trying put into memory and application the verses that I read over.  Pray for me as I endeavor to do this.

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.