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Weak to be strong

This morning I am wrestling with the idea that God is strong when I am weak.  How often do I spend all my time and energy relying on myself and not of God.  However do I think my way is better than Gods? Yes I am a believer and yes I try to be transformed by Christ but how often do I not allow God to work?  Why is it so scary to be broken before God?  Why can't I allow God to put my broken pieces back together in Him rather than try to hold them together myself.
Recently I was asked to write a letter of encouragement and tell about a great memory I shared with this person.  I realized through that process that I have so much hurt and resentment under the surface for this person.  I didn't have good things to say because I have never really allowed God to completely heal me.  Every time I have got close to healing and be freed of the bitterness I have chose to hold the grudge.  I believe the reason is that my grudge gives me the upper hand.  They have never really apologized or taken any responsibility for the pain they caused in my life and I think for me forgiving them means that I let them off scott free.  Some of the situations I have been through in life I don't want to let this person off scott free.  I want them to own up to what they did in my life.  I want them to take responsibility.  Can I be broken and weak enough to leave this at the foot of the cross?  Jesus came he lived a perfect life, he died on the cross and rose from the grave for me... Can I trust Jesus the one I call my Lord and Savior enough to know that there will be consequences or justice for what has happened?  Can I forgive even if there isn't consequences or justice?  Is is ok to be weak in order that God can be strong?  The self talk in my head just said Forgive as you have been forgiven.  Revive my heart for you Lord, make straight my path in order that I may walk the narrow path.  Purify me from sin, and set my heart a blaze for you.  Lord be my all! I am hopeful to continue to grow in my love, dependence, and brokenness for you.
Love your son who just wants to bring honor to your name.    

New in Christ

For so many years I stressed, I hurt, I held grudges, I lived in shame and thought I would never be good enough for anyone and I am free.  In Christ, I am a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.  There is so much power in those words for me.  I feel free.  Free at last.  The biggest thing for me will be leaving it in the past.  God has delivered me and yet I still want to go back and pick it all up.  Why?  It is time to leave it were it in the past.  

This Sunday I am preaching at Clifton Christian Church on these verses.  I am pretty excited about the opportunity.  I am hopeful that God will use me and my gift of gab to actually be productive for his Kingdom.  Let the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you God. I will have to post after I preach to update you all on how things went.  Until be praying for God to use me this weekend as I teach.

Sunday

I continue to realize how awesome it is to be teaching kids about Jesus and see the light come on.  I never realized how much culture had effected us.  The idea of being a good person is enough to go to heaven.  Heaven is a real place and part of the journey of getting to heaven takes us accepting Christ.  To confess our sins, acknowledge Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, Be immersed in Baptism, and live a new life in Christ.  Just like I blogged about the other day.  After accepting Christ we are new creations, and the old is gone and the new is here.
As Easter approaches it makes me thing more and more about the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross us.  No one but Christ has died for me.  No one has sacrificed for me like Christ has... No one loves me like Christ. I am his and he is mine.

Beautiful

Today was beautiful and I really enjoyed the rich blessings of being able to ride my bike, and go out to eat with my beautiful wife.  Today was great because I was able to just get out and exercise, relax and clear my mind.  This year long blogging is going to be harder than I thought.  It is only day 2!  Wow!

Spoken words

Words are so powerful.  The words that people speak can be so inflating or so deflating... or maybe just blah... I can't tell you how many times I have let a little comment completely tear me apart and ruin my day.  I also can't tell you how many times a little complement has inflated my head so big that my neon yellow shirt with flashing letters that said I"M HUMBLE has been worn.  I struggled with words for so many years growing up.  People often called me names and after so long you start to believe those lies.  Peoples words from middle school  have carried through into my adult life and at times have been the source of some of my biggest struggles in life.  I am writing this because I realizing the importance of the truth.  What could we all be like if the truth was spoken over us?  You are able, You are Beautiful, You are loved and the list could go on for days. We could have less doubt, less fear and more confidence.  This is all sparked from a discipleship training I am apart of and as our pastor was teaching he read a verse that I am pretty sure I need to hear everyday of my life. It is from 2 Corinthians 5:17 and it says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."  

The old is gone... I don't have to live the lies, believe the lies or be apart of the OLD because it is gone.  I am the one who keeps bringing it back up no one else.  LET GO of the past and move to the present (the new has come).  The here and know!! 

Whenever I hear this verse it makes me think of how the days of struggle are the past because I am a new creation in Christ and he is my strength and refuge in times of trouble.  God is comfort in times of sorrow.  He is my sustaining, provider, deliver, friend... He has to be my everything so I can embrace my newness... 

Discipline

Can I blog for 1 year?  Once a day sit down and just write out what is on my heart and mine.  This is my attempt.  We will see how I do.  I hope you all enjoy my thoughts, rambles, and my heart.  Talk to you soon!

Inner- city church

I find myself today at the beginning of an awesome journey.  I am currently serving as an interim student minister at an inner- city church in Louisville, KY.  The past week I have found myself burdened with the question of what is going to take to make an impact and reach people for Christ in this area?  I feel inspired and alive again.  I am excited to get to know and love people who don't know Jesus.  As I was reading Bart Campolo's blog he said that he is loving this person not because of there potential but because he can.  Wow that hit me hard.  How often have do I not offer love when God sent his son out of LOVE?  I don't think I will ever wrap my mind around the magnitude of love that God has for me.  When I sin, he forgives... When I fail, he says he is strong in my weakness.... When I doubt, he shows his faithfulness... When I don't trust... God continues to show me his trustworthiness... How do I communicate all this to people I know who need Jesus? Lord teach me to love, live, and care for people like you do.... Please don't give up on me...