Reflecting on my first days as a Chrisitian

I was just thinking the other day about when Jesus became real and came to live in this temple of mine. About 3 years ago now, I can remember opening the Bible and reading things that just blew my mind. Many of the Scriptures did not make any sense. But there were those small pieces I came across that just amazed me with the Truth they contained. Things no one had ever explained to me before. Looking back I can not imagine living without the Truths contained in God's Word. It's no wonder I got into so much trouble without the Word of God in my life as a non-Christian.

Anyway, I can remember reading some passages like this one: Whoever finds his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39

I remember saying this to myself and to God: How can I do that? Is that something I really want to do? Who in their right mind can read that and really just accept that right off the bat? That is just craziness. And I encourage all to take those words in as a True statement by Jesus. That really is what He meant, and we really have to digest those words and understand the reality of what following Jesus is. It is a new life. It is a new way of living. It is a great adventure. It is living to care, living to risk in ways we never would have before. It is rearranging what you consider important in your life. It is putting something other than yourself first in all you do. It is a life that seeks God first and puts Him as the most important part of every day of life.

I highly recommend honesty with God. If you read something that catches your attention, something that bothers you, or intrigues you....talk to God about it. Tell Him how you feel. He will lead you in, if you are willing to lose all for the truth.

At some point we have to make that decision. We have before us total commitment no matter the cost with God, OR we walk away alone and seek only what our single feeble minds can imagine without the Creator of the universe to guide us. There has to be that trust, that faith, that God will do us right. That He is Good and He is Worthy to follow and whatever we lose by following Him will not compare to what He has instore, because He is so much bigger and better than we are as little humans. Walk in faith...this is where faith comes from. We move on acknowledging, my life is in your hands, do with as you please, I am fine with losing it, BECAUSE I believe you God, I love you.

I hope I did justice exploring the thoughts I was having. God help me to be relevant to help my fellow believers.

Other than that, I highly recommend making such a commitment to follow God no matter the cost. I can speak from 3 years of experience now, you will not regret making that decision. God has blown me away with His love. Anything I have laid down that God showed me I needed to, none of that junk compares to a life lived with God. Thats all I can say about that.

Liberty

As our American brethren are now totally disentangled both from the state and from the English hierarchy, we dare not entangle them again with one or the other. They are now at full liberty simply to follow the Scriptures and the primitive church. And we judge it best that they should stand fast in the liberty wherewith God has so strangely made them free.
John Wesley, 1784

I think sometimes I look too negatively at our position here in America. I look around at all the corruption, greed, sex, and lust of fleshly desires and dysfunction and I just am overwhelmed with grief and a sense of inability to do anything about it.

But John Wesley has some aptly opened my eyes that at the same time the liberty in America is available to walk away from God, THERE IS ALSO the same aptitude to walk toward Christ with full liberty! We still have such a great opportunity to pursue God with no holds barred from the government and with such freedom within our current religious climate. God is open for the common man to pursue with all he has. We have the Word we can read from, we have no interpreters like they used to have. We have a personal relationship to pray/talk with God. All throughout history nations have been under authority and dictated on how church and religion would function. There was a state religion and laws and bylaws and non-Biblical ideas intertwined. We have the oppotunity to restore the Biblical church. We have the opporunity to live like the Word shows us.

So let us be thankful for liberty that God has so blessed us with in this land. The liberty we have to pursue Him no holds barred. There is so much opportunity for us to effect this nation, this world, this generation. It starts with us. It starts with you and me. Let us not waste this liberty we have on temporary and fleeting pursuits. Let us fulfill Christ's prayer, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven! Let's make it happen. Let's light up this dark country and remind them of the history we have so quickly forgotten and the oppotunity in our hands.

Christian Perfection

John Wesley:
To explain myself a little further on this head (Chrisitan perfection): (1) Not only sin, properly so called, (that is, a voluntary transgression of a known law,) but sin, improperly so called, (that is, an involuntary transgression of a divine law, known or unknown,) needs the atoning blood. (2) I believe there is no such perfection in this life as excludes these involuntary transgressions which I apprehend to be naturally consequent on the ignorance and mistakes inseperable from mortality. (3) Therefore sinless perfection is a phrase I never use, lest I should seem to contradict myself. (4) I believe, a person filled with the love of God is still liable to these involuntary transgressions. (5) Such transgressions you may call sins, if you please: I do not, for the reasons above-mentioned.
From "A Plain Account of Christian Perfection"

Lord help me to be a man, a Christian, that loves to do your will. Your will in leading me into such a love as to keep me pure and holy in your presence. Give me a fear of you that kepts me from willful sin. Let me walk in your ways. Guide me in your truth. Show me what you want of me, of this life. It is yours anyway. Let me bend my will to yours. Have your way. Give me the strength and wisdom to know when to run from temptation and when to fight. Lord burn away my desires that are not of you.......

Any thoughts on the Wesley passage are welcome....what has God shown you about "sinless perfection" or "christian perfection" As when Jesus said, Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. As Jesus bids us to go and sin no more.

Set Me Free

Following is a poem I wrote...I wrote in the throng of fighting against sin in my life. I am coming to understand that the Holy Spirit is convicting and gradually changing my fallen nature into something different. I encourage you all to fight sin in your life and let the Holy Spirit purge you of what it seeks. One day we may just find the Spirit has made ready a spotless bride ready for Jesus.

Set me free, Set me free
From the chains of misery
Oh please, set me free!

My soul longs and even yearns, to be Free
Please set me free

Struggle in darkness, looking for light
I fall in the dark, looking for the Light

Oh please Saviour set me free
from the bondage to this earth, that worries me
no more fear and no more distress

Set me free, Set me free
Oh Lord, my God, my Rock, set me Free!

This place holds for me, struggle and fight, to do whats right
though I strain and cry out in pain
nothing I can do to attain, freedom from sin
I'm shackled to the dark
Oh merciful God, set me free
Your Son came to earth to be
The Key to set me Free

Oh how I love you Lord, My God
You came to take my place on high to the cross
My Lord, My God
you took my place, My Saviour, my God!
Oh how I love your shining face
You are my strength and my song
You have come To set me Free
Will I walk? and believe
You have come to set me free
Your Son, came to be, the key to set me free!