I was thinking back to my childhood and going to that small country church half way around the hill from my house. My dad's family was raised in that church, and everyone knew me and half the cemetery across the street was kin folk, even my mom is there now. I loved going to church, but as I reflect on it now....Was this a country girl's way of getting to hang out with people? I walked the aisle to the alter there as a young child during Bible School; then I grew up and totally forgot about that walk and what it meant. When my parents gave me the option to stay home or go to church about the time of my senior year.....I chose FOOTBALL, if that option would have come during another sport season it would have been church.
Fast forwarding to my adult life about 9 years ago exactly, now divorced with a child, remarried and expecting another one, I wanted to change my mind, football wasn't my answer anymore. I needed something more. So, I started looking for a church to call mine. I was living in Florida at the time and went to one of the local Baptist churches there, where my husband's family would sometimes go....I was felt so welcomed as I was introduced and with the family....but Mother's Day came, my husband was back in Georgia, where he was working, and I, my son, and my very pregnant belly went to the service....I was crushed....where was that warm welcome I got when I was with the people they knew? It's Mother's Day....all the mothers were given flowers, but me. Everyone was greeted with a handshake or a smile, not me. I sat through the service and listened with a saddened heart....not because I felt so mistreated but, this is supposed to be the house of God...where is the love....I am so glad that I am not a person in dire need of finding God, I wouldn't find him here. SO.... I didn't go back but 2 more times with family. Now Sundays are for NASCAR at this point.
Fast forward to 3 years ago....we walked in Mt Gilead Baptist Church in Dothan, AL. There is love all around, you physically feel it. They didn't know who we are and once they introduced themselves, you're their family. God does live here. To shorten this story, I walked the aisle that very next Easter Sunday , for the real time and totally gave myself to Him. I had given myself to Him before Christmas but not totally...I was too proud to totally humble myself in front of so many people...but, I'll save that story for another day.
Just because the building has a steeple, doesn't mean it's God's house...and just because you walked the aisle, doesn't mean you are saved. You have to confess your sin, turn away from sin ( repent), and proclaim Him as your Savior . Doesn't mean that you won't sin again...just means you won't go to Hell for sinning and you continually are working on that "not sinning part" and always seem to be confessing.
Now Sunday's are for CHURCH then NASCAR, maybe that is why God provided us with DVRs to get more NASCAR and FOOTBALL fan's to come visit HIM.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
A can to the head could be a message from God
Wow, packed house at Mt Gilead Baptist in Dothan, AL, and Brother Bradley was right on the money again this week. He demonstrated how God crushed Jesus to be our scapegoat and our sacrifice. He crushed a pop/soda/coke can ( as politically correct as I get) to show then stomped it flat and kicked it....Just as God had done to Jesus on that cross. When he kicked it, my husband had a sudden thought...what if it hits me in the head. When he shared that with me, I told him it wouldn't from Bro. Bradley, it would be a message from God.
Why do we need to be hit upside the head to get God's messages? In our house, we call those 2X4 moments....because we are so hard headed, that God needs to take one upside our heads sometimes. I have a real problem of waiting for God, I see/need something, I pray about it, then I go blindly into the situation, and not wait on God to respond. In reality, I am telling God that I don't trust you to fix or take care of the situation. I think about when my son or daughter asks for help and then proceeds to go on with out my direction...I get so frustrated and wonder why they bothered me with it in the first place....I wonder if that is how God feels with me...I have been getting a little better with not stressing out over situations that don't go how I planned it to go. I use that as a hint from the Holy Spirit to pray, and it works. When I feel the need to go out on my own again...I pray again. I still struggle, but pray more often, and hopefully I am not making a mess of what God had in mind for me. Thankfully, God has a plan for me and a rework to bring me back to the blessing He intended for me. He made me and knew exactly how I would handle problems and exactly how long it will take me to figure out that I have messed it up entirely. He may actually get so frustrated that He sends a kicked can at my head, and it would be a blessing.
So, thanks to God, my husband did not take a crushed soft drink can to the head in church this morning, and I have not had to have too many 2X4s lately. I feel like the extra talks with my Father is paying off, because, I feel more at peace now then I did before the constant time in prayer.
Thank you, Jesus, for taking my punishment and providing me a relationship with your, and now my, Father.
Why do we need to be hit upside the head to get God's messages? In our house, we call those 2X4 moments....because we are so hard headed, that God needs to take one upside our heads sometimes. I have a real problem of waiting for God, I see/need something, I pray about it, then I go blindly into the situation, and not wait on God to respond. In reality, I am telling God that I don't trust you to fix or take care of the situation. I think about when my son or daughter asks for help and then proceeds to go on with out my direction...I get so frustrated and wonder why they bothered me with it in the first place....I wonder if that is how God feels with me...I have been getting a little better with not stressing out over situations that don't go how I planned it to go. I use that as a hint from the Holy Spirit to pray, and it works. When I feel the need to go out on my own again...I pray again. I still struggle, but pray more often, and hopefully I am not making a mess of what God had in mind for me. Thankfully, God has a plan for me and a rework to bring me back to the blessing He intended for me. He made me and knew exactly how I would handle problems and exactly how long it will take me to figure out that I have messed it up entirely. He may actually get so frustrated that He sends a kicked can at my head, and it would be a blessing.
So, thanks to God, my husband did not take a crushed soft drink can to the head in church this morning, and I have not had to have too many 2X4s lately. I feel like the extra talks with my Father is paying off, because, I feel more at peace now then I did before the constant time in prayer.
Thank you, Jesus, for taking my punishment and providing me a relationship with your, and now my, Father.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Reflections from Good Friday
I have been reflecting on what Good Friday means. I still tear up thinking that Jesus had to die for our sins, carry that load alone and suffer as God had turned his head during all this. I had added so much to that burden. I was/am an expert at sinning. Look at the list of the 10 commandments....I can check off every one of those. Nothing to be proud of, and yet I thought I was still a good person. If someone was to tell me differently, I could have argued my point tirelessly. What I didn't realize, Satan is the best deceiver out there...I always said...if you going to do something, do it right.
Good Friday, the day we observe that Jesus was crucified. He was without sin so that he could take the place of us for our punishment. We deserved that beating and hanging and so much more. He was betrayed by his closest followers, and knew all along they would do what they did, and even told His followers that they would. I still to this day can not understand that kind of love. I question myself...would I die for Jesus, if I had a way out? I would love to know with 100% certainty that I would...but would I? I know that if I was to be asked if I am a Christian or told to renounce Him as Lord, that I could stand up for Him. I am pretty hard headed and hold my ground..I can be defiant when told to do or say something I don't believe is right...but would I be doing it to glorify God or just being me?
Good Friday, the day we observe that Jesus was crucified. He was without sin so that he could take the place of us for our punishment. We deserved that beating and hanging and so much more. He was betrayed by his closest followers, and knew all along they would do what they did, and even told His followers that they would. I still to this day can not understand that kind of love. I question myself...would I die for Jesus, if I had a way out? I would love to know with 100% certainty that I would...but would I? I know that if I was to be asked if I am a Christian or told to renounce Him as Lord, that I could stand up for Him. I am pretty hard headed and hold my ground..I can be defiant when told to do or say something I don't believe is right...but would I be doing it to glorify God or just being me?
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