On a mini vacation, we did not find a church close by that we chose to attend for the weekend. I personally had never been to the area before in my life and knew not any of the churches around.
Therefore, we as a family decided to watch a service online of a church that we all know of and have received the Word of God from many times before.
The worship was engaging, and the sermon was as well. But many, especially those from traditional backgrounds, would say that church would have to take place in a building. In a pew, with a preacher in front of the entire watching congregation.
But tell me, is the Spirit of God hindered by space? Is the Holy Spirit stopped by a computer or technology? Absolutely not! The Bible says that when two or more are gathered together in His name, He is in the midst! That means that church is NOT the bricks, its the people that come together to give God glory!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Living Hope
Do you remember while growing up, your mother would always tell you not to touch the stove top? She would warn you time and time again as she ran to stop you from touching the top so that you would not hurt yourself.
At school, you maybe read books that warns against the danger of touching a hot stove top and heard teachers talking about it as well, however, that was just talk. Until that dreadful day, when you decided to go against the advice of those around you and touch the stove top! And boy did you feel the burn! Now, at that point, you had a living experience!
Christ is our living hope! However, He is only the LIVING hope to those that have had a LIVING experience in Him! It takes me than just reading a Bible once a week and attending a church service, it takes a complete submersion in the Lord and for Him to completely transform and renew someone! Then, Christ is more than just a figure of history or religion, but a True Living Hope!
At school, you maybe read books that warns against the danger of touching a hot stove top and heard teachers talking about it as well, however, that was just talk. Until that dreadful day, when you decided to go against the advice of those around you and touch the stove top! And boy did you feel the burn! Now, at that point, you had a living experience!
Christ is our living hope! However, He is only the LIVING hope to those that have had a LIVING experience in Him! It takes me than just reading a Bible once a week and attending a church service, it takes a complete submersion in the Lord and for Him to completely transform and renew someone! Then, Christ is more than just a figure of history or religion, but a True Living Hope!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Do Unto Others
The famous phrase that you heard everyone generally say is, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." This is an amazing and, I believe, true statement that should be followed! We should treat others with love and kindness as we would want others to treat us.
However, tonight I would like to introduce another phrase to you. Do unto others as Christ has done unto you, to the best of your ability! Try that one for "radical!" This phrase could be summed up into one word- forgiveness!
We have stated the Gospel many times, of how Christ died for our sins so that we may be with the Father in the end and forevermore! That is the Ultimate Forgiveness!
So if we are to treat others in the way that Christ did and does us, does that not mean we are supposed to forgive even those who pierce our sides and crown our heads with thorn, curse us and forsake us, calling us everything but holy? I challenge all of you, do unto others as Christ has done unto us!
However, tonight I would like to introduce another phrase to you. Do unto others as Christ has done unto you, to the best of your ability! Try that one for "radical!" This phrase could be summed up into one word- forgiveness!
We have stated the Gospel many times, of how Christ died for our sins so that we may be with the Father in the end and forevermore! That is the Ultimate Forgiveness!
So if we are to treat others in the way that Christ did and does us, does that not mean we are supposed to forgive even those who pierce our sides and crown our heads with thorn, curse us and forsake us, calling us everything but holy? I challenge all of you, do unto others as Christ has done unto us!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Most Important Story
Imagine for a second that you and a bunch of your friends decided to hear a case about someone accused of committing a crime! Both physical and everything inside of you know that this person is innocent, yet you and all of your friends decide to convict him anyways!
The man is tried and convicted, as the father just watches all of this happen. See, it was destiny for the son to have to die, so the father forgave those who asked him for forgiveness. He offered forgiveness to all of those who convicted his son and gave it to those who accepted it.
However, there are some that heard of the forgiveness offered by the father, and did not want to accept it. Therefore, they were not spared from the wrath of that father.
You see, the father in this story is God the Father, and the Son is Jesus! We are offered forgiveness and a path to the Father through the Son Jesus Christ, and if we choose not to accept it, we void our chance to be spared from the wrath of the Father! Jesus isnt a fairytale, this is the most important story of Life! Accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers!
The man is tried and convicted, as the father just watches all of this happen. See, it was destiny for the son to have to die, so the father forgave those who asked him for forgiveness. He offered forgiveness to all of those who convicted his son and gave it to those who accepted it.
However, there are some that heard of the forgiveness offered by the father, and did not want to accept it. Therefore, they were not spared from the wrath of that father.
You see, the father in this story is God the Father, and the Son is Jesus! We are offered forgiveness and a path to the Father through the Son Jesus Christ, and if we choose not to accept it, we void our chance to be spared from the wrath of the Father! Jesus isnt a fairytale, this is the most important story of Life! Accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers!
Monday, June 4, 2012
It Takes Patience
Since HOPE Ministries of the Upstate is a discipleship program/ ministry, I wanted to make the subject of tonight's post discipleship itself. I'd like to start by stating that discipleship in this ministry does not stop because of has graduated the physical program! Discipleship continues for the rest of the lives of all those who follow Christ!
Discipleship is a following of Christ, through the inevitable fellowship of others that follow Christ as well. Through this sharing of each other's experiences and lives in essence, we are to grow in Christ together, those stronger in Him leading those that are not so strong!
As one can derive, and as the founder and CEO of this ministry can surely attest to, this surely requires a mass amount of patience in many ways. The patience to listen, understand, share, evaluate, learn, and respond to the lives of others who yearn to be disciples! However, this patience brings wisdom upon yourself leading to growth. I encourage you all in your discipleship to realize that patience is a great gift that brings wisdom and growth to all of those that endure it!
Discipleship is a following of Christ, through the inevitable fellowship of others that follow Christ as well. Through this sharing of each other's experiences and lives in essence, we are to grow in Christ together, those stronger in Him leading those that are not so strong!
As one can derive, and as the founder and CEO of this ministry can surely attest to, this surely requires a mass amount of patience in many ways. The patience to listen, understand, share, evaluate, learn, and respond to the lives of others who yearn to be disciples! However, this patience brings wisdom upon yourself leading to growth. I encourage you all in your discipleship to realize that patience is a great gift that brings wisdom and growth to all of those that endure it!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Death: Our Servant
Now before you get upset or make many detrimental assumptions about the title of this blog entry, let me explain. If you are not in Christ, let me say, it is the most important life changing, better yet life saving, decision that you will ever make and could ever make! Jesus Christ lived 2012 years ago.
He lived an absolutely perfect life here on Earth. Knowing that we all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of the Lord, something had to be done to deliver us to God. For the wages of sin is spiritual DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
So Christ died on a bloody cross that He was nailed to so that we may be forgiven for our sins. Three days later, He was risen from the grave and shall live forever more. Therefore, if we accept Him, we will live forever with the Father!
How do we get there? Does God live right beside the RadioShack down the road? No. We are going to the temporary resting place of Heaven. How do we get there? By shedding our physical body back to the ground,, through death (hence the title) as our spirits go to God! Therefore, although sad, death is actually our servant to bring our spirit to the Father if we are in Christ!
He lived an absolutely perfect life here on Earth. Knowing that we all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of the Lord, something had to be done to deliver us to God. For the wages of sin is spiritual DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
So Christ died on a bloody cross that He was nailed to so that we may be forgiven for our sins. Three days later, He was risen from the grave and shall live forever more. Therefore, if we accept Him, we will live forever with the Father!
How do we get there? Does God live right beside the RadioShack down the road? No. We are going to the temporary resting place of Heaven. How do we get there? By shedding our physical body back to the ground,, through death (hence the title) as our spirits go to God! Therefore, although sad, death is actually our servant to bring our spirit to the Father if we are in Christ!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Where is our Time?
Have you ever seen the family in which the parents do not have that much money to spend on their children? The reason is that they simply do not have a lot of money so on Christmas and birthdays and such, they give what they can but as far as material things go, that is usually not that much. However,m anyone who saw the family knew clearly that the love of the parents to the children was very evident.
So I bet you may be wondering how I can be so sure of that. Well, the family does not have a lot of money, but everywhere they go they seem to be smiling and content. Why are the children so happy, they know that they are loved. How are they so sure? Because even though the parents did not have money, they gave something of much more importance, their time!
Some say that they absolutely love the Lord. They have a Bible in their house and in their car. But one question that will either disprove or justify their statement is how much time is actually spent with Him! We put our time into what we love! Where is your time with the Lord?
So I bet you may be wondering how I can be so sure of that. Well, the family does not have a lot of money, but everywhere they go they seem to be smiling and content. Why are the children so happy, they know that they are loved. How are they so sure? Because even though the parents did not have money, they gave something of much more importance, their time!
Some say that they absolutely love the Lord. They have a Bible in their house and in their car. But one question that will either disprove or justify their statement is how much time is actually spent with Him! We put our time into what we love! Where is your time with the Lord?
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