In the early days of the church, people would gather on the roof tops to talk and share their lives with one another. I hope this blog can serve the same purpose.
This blog is designed to serve as an Online Growth Group for The Bridge Church in Cleveland, Ga, but everyone is invited to join in on the discussions about how God is working in our lives. Please feel free to watch the podcasts and join us in our walk.
Luke 12:3
What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Red Letter Moments
Please share your great religious experiences with us all on this thread.
Had dinner last night with some new friends who have started attending The Bridge. One woman in particular shared how she had prayed to die weeks before her first visit with us. She was not suicidal - but "without hope and without a purpose" (her words). Life has been hard on her and filled with rejection and constant struggle. She begged God just to take her.
During her first week with us I mentioned in my message "You exist to be the shadow of God - the shadow of Christ - to everyone, everywhere, in every situation. Every other purpose in life will come to a dead end." This is the only purpose that is eternal - to be the image of God in a broken world and eventually for all eternity in a restored creation.
The Spirit of God drove this message deep into her heart and she found hope, purpose and the courage and strength to endure hardship by searching for ways to reflect Christ in the midst of it all. She is planning to be baptized this week and is so thankful to God for sparing her life and giving her purpose and meaning and new community of friends who are helping her connect faith and life.
I lay in bed last night thinking about my greatest religious experience.I remember the first time God spoke to me,not audibly but to my heart. I had a tough childhood and was sick my entire life.My first of many surgeries was when I was 6 years old.Thankfully,I had parents and grandparents with an incredible faith in God. Church was our second home.I had the privilege of seeing true,praying saints of God who would stay at the altar until they had a breakthrough. At an early age,I knew God was real and that has carried me through difficult times. When I was 17,a senior in high school,I was finally diagnosed with SLE-Lupus,Mixed Connective Tissue Disease,Arthritis,and several other autoimmune diseases.My doctor had told me if I wanted to live as normal of a life possible,I would have to follow his instructions;take my medicines,get plenty of rest,listen to my body and know when to stop.Of course,there's the instructions that we should all adhere to;eat a healthy diet,light exercise, and manage stress.However,I was only 17.I thought I was invincible. After graduation,I began college,volunteered at my church,also with a dear evangelist friend doing secretarial duties,and I worked nights for a paycheck.Then I would go home and do homework, grab a couple hours of sleep and do it again.So much for not over-doing it! One morning,I woke up and I was so sick I couldn't get out of bed.I started praying,"God I can't be sick.I've got so much I have to do for you today.I can't miss school,exams are coming. I've got to get everything completed for the deacon/deaconess program at church.I have newsletters that need to go out.Plus,I can't miss work.I have all this stuff to do for you and your kingdom.Please help me get out of bed!" God spoke to my heart and said,"You're doing everything for me but you're doing nothing with me.More than your works,I desire a relationship." I was blown away!That had to be God because I would've never thought of that!I've replayed that moment over and over again.I realized that God wants more than our tithe-that is for our blessing.He wants more than our talent-that is how we bless others.He wants our most precious gift,our time. Time is so precious.Once it's gone,it's gone.We only have so much time in a day,and in a life. Sometimes we get so distracted in our business; we forget to give our time to those who deserve it the most-God,our families and friends. I doubt anyone on their death bed wishes they had spent more time at work or in the craziness of what a day can bring.I think I would look at my loved-ones and wish I had more time to spend with them,to tell them how much I love them.I would wish I had spent more time with God and following his will instead of my own. I'm reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42.Martha was busy serving the Lord and others but her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.Mary chose to listen and talk to Jesus and enjoy their relationship. Martha was frustrated.She went to Jesus and said,"Don't you care that Mary left me with all the work! Tell her to come and help me!"(Interpretation mine) But Jesus said,"Martha,Martha,you are worried and bothered about so many things;but only one thing is necessary,for Mary has chosen the good part,which shall not be taken away from her." Sometimes we get so caught up in "doing" we forget about just being there for God,and for others. There's a country song that's called,"Live Like You Were Dying."It says,"...And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying.Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying."Today is a gift. Tomorrow may never come.We should live each day as if it were our last because it might be.Then, maybe we will live a life of no regrets and stand before God with a clean heart. For when time is gone,eternity awaits.
Had dinner last night with some new friends who have started attending The Bridge. One woman in particular shared how she had prayed to die weeks before her first visit with us. She was not suicidal - but "without hope and without a purpose" (her words). Life has been hard on her and filled with rejection and constant struggle. She begged God just to take her.
ReplyDeleteDuring her first week with us I mentioned in my message "You exist to be the shadow of God - the shadow of Christ - to everyone, everywhere, in every situation. Every other purpose in life will come to a dead end." This is the only purpose that is eternal - to be the image of God in a broken world and eventually for all eternity in a restored creation.
The Spirit of God drove this message deep into her heart and she found hope, purpose and the courage and strength to endure hardship by searching for ways to reflect Christ in the midst of it all. She is planning to be baptized this week and is so thankful to God for sparing her life and giving her purpose and meaning and new community of friends who are helping her connect faith and life.
THAT'S a Red Letter Moment!
I lay in bed last night thinking about my greatest religious experience.I remember the first time God spoke to me,not audibly but to my heart.
ReplyDeleteI had a tough childhood and was sick my entire life.My first of many surgeries was when I was 6 years old.Thankfully,I had parents and grandparents with an incredible faith in God. Church was our second home.I had the privilege of seeing true,praying saints of God who would stay at the altar until they had a breakthrough. At an early age,I knew God was real and that has carried me through difficult times.
When I was 17,a senior in high school,I was finally diagnosed with SLE-Lupus,Mixed Connective Tissue Disease,Arthritis,and several other autoimmune diseases.My doctor had told me if I wanted to live as normal of a life possible,I would have to follow his instructions;take my medicines,get plenty of rest,listen to my body and know when to stop.Of course,there's the instructions that we should all adhere to;eat a healthy diet,light exercise, and manage stress.However,I was only 17.I thought I was invincible.
After graduation,I began college,volunteered at my church,also with a dear evangelist friend doing secretarial duties,and I worked nights for a paycheck.Then I would go home and do homework, grab a couple hours of sleep and do it again.So much for not over-doing it!
One morning,I woke up and I was so sick I couldn't get out of bed.I started praying,"God I can't be sick.I've got so much I have to do for you today.I can't miss school,exams are coming. I've got to get everything completed for the deacon/deaconess program at church.I have newsletters that need to go out.Plus,I can't miss work.I have all this stuff to do for you and your kingdom.Please help me get out of bed!" God spoke to my heart and said,"You're doing everything for me but you're doing nothing with me.More than your works,I desire a relationship."
I was blown away!That had to be God because I would've never thought of that!I've replayed that moment over and over again.I realized that God wants more than our tithe-that is for our blessing.He wants more than our talent-that is how we bless others.He wants our most precious gift,our time.
Time is so precious.Once it's gone,it's gone.We only have so much time in a day,and in a life. Sometimes we get so distracted in our business; we forget to give our time to those who deserve it the most-God,our families and friends.
I doubt anyone on their death bed wishes they had spent more time at work or in the craziness of what a day can bring.I think I would look at my loved-ones and wish I had more time to spend with them,to tell them how much I love them.I would wish I had spent more time with God and following his will instead of my own.
I'm reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42.Martha was busy serving the Lord and others but her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.Mary chose to listen and talk to Jesus and enjoy their relationship. Martha was frustrated.She went to Jesus and said,"Don't you care that Mary left me with all the work! Tell her to come and help me!"(Interpretation mine) But Jesus said,"Martha,Martha,you are worried and bothered about so many things;but only one thing is necessary,for Mary has chosen the good part,which shall not be taken away from her." Sometimes we get so caught up in "doing" we forget about just being there for God,and for others.
There's a country song that's called,"Live Like You Were Dying."It says,"...And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying.Someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying."Today is a gift. Tomorrow may never come.We should live each day as if it were our last because it might be.Then, maybe we will live a life of no regrets and stand before God with a clean heart.
For when time is gone,eternity awaits.