Timothy asked the other day, "Who created God?" I said that no one created him, he was always there. Then he asks, "Did God create God?" Hmmm.....tough one.
Today he asked, "Did George Washington live before God?" Looks like we are going to have to work on this one...
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Preaching the Gospel to Myself
Preaching the Gospel to myself everyday. Someone said that this involves getting to the cross everyday. As I was thinking about this it was... Because...
At the cross everything changes.
At the cross, there is nothing we can give or do.
At the cross, there is only Jesus and his sacrifice for my sins.
At the cross, there is the only assurance we have & need: “It is Finished.”
At the cross, there is only me, looking up to, trusting, and depending on Jesus for everything. Everyday, we wake a Pharisee and live the day, getting to the cross, nearer to Jesus, nearer to Grace.
Some days we get there quicker than others. Some days we don’t get there at all. But the cross is always there, Jesus is always there for us. He will never leave me nor forsake me. When we run to the cross, He waits to embrace us. Many times, when we crawl to the cross, he stoops down to embrace us.
At the cross everything changes.
At the cross, there is nothing we can give or do.
At the cross, there is only Jesus and his sacrifice for my sins.
At the cross, there is the only assurance we have & need: “It is Finished.”
At the cross, there is only me, looking up to, trusting, and depending on Jesus for everything. Everyday, we wake a Pharisee and live the day, getting to the cross, nearer to Jesus, nearer to Grace.
Some days we get there quicker than others. Some days we don’t get there at all. But the cross is always there, Jesus is always there for us. He will never leave me nor forsake me. When we run to the cross, He waits to embrace us. Many times, when we crawl to the cross, he stoops down to embrace us.
Friday, March 27, 2009
My Exodus
Our home in STL is finally sold! After around 6 months on the market. So much has happened since we moved back to LA from STL. It's been quite the journey. This whole thing has led me back to the book of Exodus and the Israelites being saved from Egypt and their wandering in the desert for 40 years.
I am realizing that life for us is that wandering the desert for 40 years. And the biggest lesson is trusting in God daily for all things, big and small. The Israelites were saved, yet they complained and even wished to live back in slavery. God gave them all they needed and yet they complained & were ungrateful. I have seen so much that in my life as well. How Good God is, and yet how ungrateful I am. It's amazing how much God did for the Israelites:
1. Saved them from Slavery
2. Saved them with amazing miraculous signs through Moses & Aaron.
3. Saved them through the splitting of the Red Sea!
4. Saved them throug the giving of food and water everyday.
5. This food & water came via miraculous means, ie, water from a ROCK!?
6. Sunlight by day and Fire by night. Daily God giving them all they needed for life and safety.
And YET, through this, they complained.
I find that in my life, God does amazing things for me everyday, miraculous things. And yet, they are not enough. Selling our home wasn't enough, we wanted a profit! Selling a home today in itself should be considered a miracle!
Life is a wandering through the desert, but it's a desert with all that we need... and more. A desert where we are being led by the very hand & grace of God, saved from slavery. It's also a journey that leads to the Promised Land. Yes, we wish that the journey didn't have to be this long and this hard, but we are pilgrims, living in a strangeland, on our way to Canaan. And it's only while we journey in this life that we are able to show the world how Good our God is, and how amazing life in a desert can be, bc of Jesus Christ.
I am realizing that life for us is that wandering the desert for 40 years. And the biggest lesson is trusting in God daily for all things, big and small. The Israelites were saved, yet they complained and even wished to live back in slavery. God gave them all they needed and yet they complained & were ungrateful. I have seen so much that in my life as well. How Good God is, and yet how ungrateful I am. It's amazing how much God did for the Israelites:
1. Saved them from Slavery
2. Saved them with amazing miraculous signs through Moses & Aaron.
3. Saved them through the splitting of the Red Sea!
4. Saved them throug the giving of food and water everyday.
5. This food & water came via miraculous means, ie, water from a ROCK!?
6. Sunlight by day and Fire by night. Daily God giving them all they needed for life and safety.
And YET, through this, they complained.
I find that in my life, God does amazing things for me everyday, miraculous things. And yet, they are not enough. Selling our home wasn't enough, we wanted a profit! Selling a home today in itself should be considered a miracle!
Life is a wandering through the desert, but it's a desert with all that we need... and more. A desert where we are being led by the very hand & grace of God, saved from slavery. It's also a journey that leads to the Promised Land. Yes, we wish that the journey didn't have to be this long and this hard, but we are pilgrims, living in a strangeland, on our way to Canaan. And it's only while we journey in this life that we are able to show the world how Good our God is, and how amazing life in a desert can be, bc of Jesus Christ.
Here we go again...
Ok, a good friend of mine sent me a link to encourage me that pastors should blog. So, here goes. I've blogged before, but as usual, the thrill runs out soon. Though being a church planter has given me many more reasons to blog and journal.
The blog is called "Where Life Happens" bc that's the motto of our church plant, GracePoint, here in the Santa Clarita Valley. I got it from the NBA slogan: where ____ happens... etc.
So, I want GracePoint to be a place where life happens, not just doctrine, fellowship, & worship, but LIFE in general. It's the best common thread in all of us and for those non-church goers: Life. Christian or non-Christian, we all live life together in the same world. With many of the same struggles, pains, and joys in life. So, let's do it together.
But as believers, we have Jesus Christ to lead us in life and to show the way, to give comfort, to assure us with his amazing promises, and to show us grace and mercy every step of the way. More to come on that later... to my friend who encouraged me... you better subscribe and read this everyday :)
The blog is called "Where Life Happens" bc that's the motto of our church plant, GracePoint, here in the Santa Clarita Valley. I got it from the NBA slogan: where ____ happens... etc.
So, I want GracePoint to be a place where life happens, not just doctrine, fellowship, & worship, but LIFE in general. It's the best common thread in all of us and for those non-church goers: Life. Christian or non-Christian, we all live life together in the same world. With many of the same struggles, pains, and joys in life. So, let's do it together.
But as believers, we have Jesus Christ to lead us in life and to show the way, to give comfort, to assure us with his amazing promises, and to show us grace and mercy every step of the way. More to come on that later... to my friend who encouraged me... you better subscribe and read this everyday :)
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