You probably read the title and might be wondering what in the world I am talking about. Atheism was not as hard as what? The answer is atheism was not as hard as Christianity. At this point some of you are probably thinking I am crazy, but hold on. Am I? Do you find Christianity easy? If you do then I simply have to ask which Jesus you are following.
I know, before some of you even say it, loving a wonderful, merciful, savior is easy. Loving God as Father is easy also. He is so very easy to love when you get a taste of His incomprehensible mercy, amazing grace, and unsurpassable peace. The very real fact that He rescued me from the jaws of death, literally, and an eternal destination far from Him, and even from enslavement by sin and service to the enemy makes it easy for me to love Him.
But is that all Christianity is?
No, it is not. Christianity, no matter how a postmodern society and church defines it, is really about or should be about, following, serving, and doing as that easy to love Savior-King, Jesus, commanded us. And He commanded us not only to love Him but to love everybody else too. We must love our spouses as He loves the church-His body and bride. We must love our families by obeying our parents and caring and instructing our children. We must love our brothers in the family of God because anyone that hates his brother is a murderer. We must love our neighbors even as we love ourselves and we know that we love ourselves very dearly. We must even love our enemies and show it by turning the other cheek and giving them our coat when they steal our shirt.
This is a love that goes against our very natures. When someone does not love us like we love them we tend to draw away, to hold back. But this is in direct opposition to our instructions. When I am faced by someone that does not reciprocate the love I try to develop I must try even harder. When I am faced with bitter words coming from a loved one I am to keep quiet instead of retaliating. When I am faced by ridicule, slander, or hurtful invective I am supposed to pray blessing upon that person. None of this is easy. But it is necessary.
It is necessary if we are going to be effective in our mission. It is necessary if we are going to help win some to the cause of the Kingdom. It is necessary if we are going to achieve unity in the Body. It is necessary if we are going to be like our King.
Yes, atheism was easy in comparison. All I had to do was be self-centered and admit it instead of deny it like we seem to do when we are born again. Joining Christ’s cause did not automatically take away my self-centeredness. I also recognized that I pretty much hated everyone and cared little about anyone except sometimes in a self-centered way. Hate is easy but the eventual destination is not anything I would wish on my worst enemy. And that is what love is all about. It is about being truly concerned for the eventual eternal destination of everyone we know or meet. But loving everyone in a magnanimous, sacrificial way is so very hard at times.
Atheism was not this hard. But where was the challenge in it.
Love you all
Tags: amazing grace, Atheism, Christian, Christianity, Church, Death, Enemy, Father, God, Grace, jesus, Kingdom, Lie, Mercy, mission, Murder, neighbor, Self, Service
Gods grace is so amazing. This was one of the determining factors in my acceptance that the God that reached out to me, the God that loved me before I loved Him, that wanted to save me from an eternity without His love, was, in fact, the God that Jesus came to present to us.
Amazing grace, how truly sweet the sound.
Enjoy
Love you all
Tags: amazing grace, God, Grace, jesus, Love
It is a little past midnight and I am sitting in the living room praying, praising, and worshipping the Alpha and the Omega, The Lord of all creation, the God who came down to earth to live as one of us and to die so we can be reconciled back to Him. Jesus is just so very amazing. I love you Lord and am so thankful for your Amazing Grace.
It was the summer of 2007 and it was another first for me in my walk with Christ. I was down, empty, feeling so very far from God. I had been in His service for a little over five years and had been pretty much ‘up’ the whole time. Then, sort of out of the blue, it felt like God was so very far away. It was nothing I did or did not do and it was not because of anything bad in my life at that time. Work, home life, church, all of these were fine and even great actually. I could not explain it then and still can’t.
But I can honestly say that my worship was not exactly how it had been. I may be different than most, but I have some of my best experiences in His presence while alone with Him. Like right now after Tammy has gone to bed with our youngest grandchild and I have my headphones on and have been reading the bible and listening to music. Sometimes it is in the truck, just praying or worshiping as I drive alone down the highway.
But maybe that summer I had been just a little too busy. Work had escalated to a level where it was almost like having three full time jobs. I believe that maybe it was me and not God that had been too far away. No matter what or how or who, I felt terrible for a while, at least in spirit.
Then I heard this song on the radio. It was powerful but I could not find out who did it or its name. But I did not forget it.
The Church of God held the annual camp meeting at Metro Church of God that year and I wanted to go but was not only too busy but actually not very motivated. But I finally made myself go on the Friday night service.
I talked to a few people, found a seat and sat waiting, not expecting much. I had talked to a dear friend and minister for a short time and had told him a little about what I was feeling and he had let me know that God was still good and that maybe He would be there for me that night. I doubted it really.
Praise and worship started and I stood and I did worship God but it was not as refreshing as it had been at times. Then the praise team started singing this song. I am attempting to embed this video for the first time and I hope it works. Watch it now if you want and I will finish up below.
If that did not wake you up to the awesome reality of God then I don’t honestly know what will. It did it for me. I don’t know whether it was me or God but the things this song woke me up to that night changed me once again. And it was right on time because not long after that the bottom started to fall out.
Work ground to a halt in September 2007 and is still not good. Every month I have to go into a rapidly dwindling savings to pay the bills. The kids started getting into more and more trouble and are currently at an all time low or high maybe, which is devastating to me and especially to Tammy, my wife. And she is also having some mysterious and hard to identify health problems, as some of you know.
Before anyone thinks I need a special song to move me, know that I don’t. Most of this time that I have served Christ; it has only taken a thought of how He reached out and snatched me from the very gates of hell, to spur me on. But I now believe He used this powerful song to wake me, humble me, and prepare me for these rather dark days I am in right now. This song that night had me in tears and totally immersed in His presence in a way that I have not often felt. It has that effect to varying degrees even now. And I am at peace with our situation in a way that I might not have been.
As I sit here listening, crying and typing I just want to say to you all, that He is our everything, He is Holy, He is Lord, He was and is and is to come and I can’t speak for you but I ADORE HIM. We must dare to worship the Holy Lord God Almighty in all situations. Otherwise we just might not make it.
Love you all
Tags: alpha and the omega, amazing grace, Bible, camp meeting, Creation, Grace, Hell, jesus, lord of all creation, Love, metro church of god, Power, Praise, Self, Service, spirit
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