Joy. Who in the world would not want to experience joy and happiness in their life? Many of us can find joy in numerous items, situations, or people that are in our lives. Now, let me ask you a question. Are you depending on those things to fulfill your life and to ultimately find happiness and peace? Let me tell you where I find my unspeakable joy.
Jesus Christ. The one who shed His blood for me. All I am is a wretched sinner who spits in God's face every single day, but somehow God was gracious enough to send His son in my place so that I may have everlasting life. Try and tell me that is something to not be absolutely joyful about? It's something that i think about and try to comprehend, but it is unfathomable . In Philippians 4:4-5, Paul says "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be know to everyone. The Lord is at hand." Paul had a reason to emphasize the word "Rejoice". You have an unchanging relationship with God and He is always with you. That doesn't mean every now and then, or maybe tomorrow. He is always with you because He is omnipresent. It says in Deuteronomy 31:6 that he will never leave you or forsake you. Tell me that's not something to be ecstatic about?!?!
When I go throughout my day and I face my daily struggles, I always keep in those verses from Philippians. My problems are so teeny tiny compared to what Christ has faced on the cross. I know that if I completely and fully trust in Him, He will guide me and I will carry out his will.
And just one final thought before I go. C.S Lewis said "Dont let your happiness depend on something that you can lose." That can be a number of idols that you put before Christ and in the end, those things won't matter anyway. My encouragement to all of you is to prioritize God in your daily life because that's where you will find unspeakable joy.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Why, Hello.
HEY GUISE. My name is Reece and as of today, I want to start this blog to talk about my walk with Christ and how He has changed my life. One reason I wanted to do this is because I want to share my heart and beliefs to everyone willing to read this. As Christians, we are known for being quiet and ashamed about our faith and I want to change that. I'm not saying that this is an excuse so I don't have to share my faith to others in person, but an easier way to get my thoughts, convictions, devotions, etc. out to others. Because we all know how awkward street evangelizing can be.
Anywho, I want to start out with my testimony. Lets see how brief i can keep this. The only church I have ever know in my life is Broadway Baptist. I was born and raised there all my life. It was until i was around eight years of age, I thought I got saved. For me, it wasn't the case. I know a ton of people that have gotten saved at a young age. I'm not saying that cant happen. I just didn't understand what salvation truly mean't. So life went on. As i grew up I started to become the problem child. My brother was an angel compared to me. Around that middle school age, things started to get a little rough. I started hanging around the wrong friends and was a definite trouble maker at school. My parents grounded me numerous times and told me to stop hanging around those friends. Of course I didn't listen because of my selfishness. Listen here kids, your parents have a lot of wisdom to communicate you if you're willing to listen and if you do not believe me? You'll figure it out down the road. ANYWAY. Enough life lessons. Back to my testimony.
8th grade hit and my life was starting to get somewhat back on track, and not in a spiritual sense. God was working in our youth group and I wanted in on it. So once again, I thought I gave my life to Christ. It was a "might as well thing". I mean, why not? I didn't really come to realize that I was an absolutely broken sinner that needed God's grace. It was selfish. Next, high school comes and i turn into a bum. All I did was bum through school, play video games, eat, sleep, then rinse and repeat.
After that 2 year phase, Youth Camp 2010 came. I was convicted up to my neck that week, but I didn't want to give my life to Christ because I was clinging onto my sin. I thought I'd get saved later because He can wait. So, the second to last night at Camp, Michael Lacobee said something that made me bust out into tears. He was bold enough to tell me that he doesn't see a desire for Christ in me at all. Talk about convicted. Then moments later, i couldn't take it anymore. I cried out to God and accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. A burden was lifted and that's where i found true joy, in Christ.
The week after camp i was pumped, but I didn't know where to start. Reading my Bible felt like an obligation and I honestly didn't want to do it. That emotional high stopped and I went back to my selfish ways. About a year or so passed and I was so stinkin' miserable. I kept telling myself that i was happy, but I wasn't. It took someone in my life that i cared for to give me a spiritual slap in the face. My life was so easy going and I never had any huge struggles that I couldn't handle myslef i.e a death of someone close, etc. So, one of my close friends had a niece pass away in an accident and she turned to me. I talked to her that night about it. I prayed over the phone for her and her family. I told her that I would continue to be prayer for her, but if I continued to pray for her in the spiritual state that I was in, I know my prayers would have just hit the ceiling and come right back down. So I decided to get grounded in my faith and take it seriously. Since then? My life has done a complete 180. As soon as I desired Christ once again, I just stopped sinning. Not completely of course, but the majority of sins I struggled with didn't seem so appealing anymore. I've never been so happy in my entire life.
Real brief, ehh? I promise the next one will be shorter. Lately I've been reading out of Philippians and John, so expect to see some more content from those books. Until next time.
Anywho, I want to start out with my testimony. Lets see how brief i can keep this. The only church I have ever know in my life is Broadway Baptist. I was born and raised there all my life. It was until i was around eight years of age, I thought I got saved. For me, it wasn't the case. I know a ton of people that have gotten saved at a young age. I'm not saying that cant happen. I just didn't understand what salvation truly mean't. So life went on. As i grew up I started to become the problem child. My brother was an angel compared to me. Around that middle school age, things started to get a little rough. I started hanging around the wrong friends and was a definite trouble maker at school. My parents grounded me numerous times and told me to stop hanging around those friends. Of course I didn't listen because of my selfishness. Listen here kids, your parents have a lot of wisdom to communicate you if you're willing to listen and if you do not believe me? You'll figure it out down the road. ANYWAY. Enough life lessons. Back to my testimony.
8th grade hit and my life was starting to get somewhat back on track, and not in a spiritual sense. God was working in our youth group and I wanted in on it. So once again, I thought I gave my life to Christ. It was a "might as well thing". I mean, why not? I didn't really come to realize that I was an absolutely broken sinner that needed God's grace. It was selfish. Next, high school comes and i turn into a bum. All I did was bum through school, play video games, eat, sleep, then rinse and repeat.
After that 2 year phase, Youth Camp 2010 came. I was convicted up to my neck that week, but I didn't want to give my life to Christ because I was clinging onto my sin. I thought I'd get saved later because He can wait. So, the second to last night at Camp, Michael Lacobee said something that made me bust out into tears. He was bold enough to tell me that he doesn't see a desire for Christ in me at all. Talk about convicted. Then moments later, i couldn't take it anymore. I cried out to God and accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. A burden was lifted and that's where i found true joy, in Christ.
The week after camp i was pumped, but I didn't know where to start. Reading my Bible felt like an obligation and I honestly didn't want to do it. That emotional high stopped and I went back to my selfish ways. About a year or so passed and I was so stinkin' miserable. I kept telling myself that i was happy, but I wasn't. It took someone in my life that i cared for to give me a spiritual slap in the face. My life was so easy going and I never had any huge struggles that I couldn't handle myslef i.e a death of someone close, etc. So, one of my close friends had a niece pass away in an accident and she turned to me. I talked to her that night about it. I prayed over the phone for her and her family. I told her that I would continue to be prayer for her, but if I continued to pray for her in the spiritual state that I was in, I know my prayers would have just hit the ceiling and come right back down. So I decided to get grounded in my faith and take it seriously. Since then? My life has done a complete 180. As soon as I desired Christ once again, I just stopped sinning. Not completely of course, but the majority of sins I struggled with didn't seem so appealing anymore. I've never been so happy in my entire life.
Real brief, ehh? I promise the next one will be shorter. Lately I've been reading out of Philippians and John, so expect to see some more content from those books. Until next time.
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