Thursday, October 20, 2005
Today is the day of salvation
What do you do when you care about someone so much, yet they don't understand this kind of love? When someone is searching for life, and that Life lives inside of you, yet they look right past you? How do live, honoring God and loving life, yet fearing for the life of this person who needs Him so desperately? They are in a time of deep searching, and they know that they are missing something, but what if they come up empty, believing that there is no hope? Oh, Lord, we can only pray. Pray for their salvation, pray for hope, pray for life, and most importantly, never give up, because today is the day of salvation! I look forward to the coming days with anticipation, waiting to see when my friend will come to know You, Lord. Every day is "today", so it may be years, but I pray that you will draw near to him as he searches. If the Lord moves your heart, those of you reading this, please pray with me also, so that another brother might be added to the fold. Amen.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Daddy's Dance
Tonight was a night to be remembered forever. It was the first annual Father-Daughter Tea and Ball. I went with my sister and my dad and we shared a special dinner together. We watched as several father-daughter teams shared a song, or a special thought, and then we danced for hours. My sister taught Dad and I to dance only two nights ago, so we pretended to know what we were doing as we tried our new swing steps. The joy in my heart as I realized how blessed I am to have a daddy that cares, that spends time with me and loves me with all his heart, was indescribable. I haven't felt that joy since my best friend's wedding last December. We all had a very special time together, and I thank God for such a special family that he has blessed me with.
Just as a side note, I discovered that Baylor University has a swing dance society and they dance every Tuesday and Thursday night. My sister and I went last thursday and it was so much fun! All the guys made sure we got to dance, and they didn't care that we didn't know how. "Just follow me," they said, and we took off in a whirl of fast footwork and twirls. If you haven't tried swing dancing, definately do so! It will enrich your life :)
Just as a side note, I discovered that Baylor University has a swing dance society and they dance every Tuesday and Thursday night. My sister and I went last thursday and it was so much fun! All the guys made sure we got to dance, and they didn't care that we didn't know how. "Just follow me," they said, and we took off in a whirl of fast footwork and twirls. If you haven't tried swing dancing, definately do so! It will enrich your life :)
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
My Song
You choose this life,
to live as one,
walking in the present,
forgetting the past, and what He has done
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
holding the weight of the world,
with the nails in his hands.
You choose to walk away,
rejecting His love,
You live a life of pride, and insecurity,
but your heart cries out, for the emptiness inside,
is something you can feel deeply.
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
holding your empty heart,
with the nails in His hands.
He holds out those pierced hands,
reaching towards you, calling you
you can choose to listen, or you can walk away again,
but he love will follow you...because...
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
Loving you, giving His life for yours,
with the nails in his hands.
to live as one,
walking in the present,
forgetting the past, and what He has done
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
holding the weight of the world,
with the nails in his hands.
You choose to walk away,
rejecting His love,
You live a life of pride, and insecurity,
but your heart cries out, for the emptiness inside,
is something you can feel deeply.
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
holding your empty heart,
with the nails in His hands.
He holds out those pierced hands,
reaching towards you, calling you
you can choose to listen, or you can walk away again,
but he love will follow you...because...
Long ago, before your life began
He chose the cross so you might live
He died a death unknown to man,
Loving you, giving His life for yours,
with the nails in his hands.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
The Judgement Seat of Christ
Tonight I'd like to retell a story that was told during college church last Wednesday night. An author named Richard Howard was going through a time of searching, and at the end three full days of searching God's word and praying he fell asleep, exhausted. He dreamed a powerful vision that has changed my perspective on eternity. This is what he saw.
Richard Howard was in Heaven, standing in the throne room of Jesus. He saw great masses of people, just as it says in Revalation 20:11-13, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to thier works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works." Richard stood in that throne room, facing the Jesus of Revalation, who was glowing brightly and had fire in his eyes. He heard two sounds: a massive praise greater than the largest sporting event. This praise resonated through the heavens. The second sound was a great wailing, a sound that Richard tought he would only hear in Hell, but he was in Heaven. These were God's children wailing.
Next, Richard saw a lady from his childhood. This lady had long since passed away, but when Richard was growing up she would alwasy come up to him in church and say "I'm praying for you Ricky, God has a great purpose for your life." She had been the one to eventually lead him to The Lord. In front of her was a pile of wood, hay and straw. The Lord Jesus held a flaming torch in his hand. He approached her, called her by her full name, and dropped the torch on her pile. As it burned it revealed a massive pile of precious jewels. She began throwing them at the feet of Jesus, praising Him with all her being.
Richard's attention was now drawn to one of his college buddies. This man had been a powerful prayer partnerer and dear friend, and had felt God's calling on himself to be a pastor and a missionary in Africa. He had fallen in love with a beautiful Christian woman, but when he proposed to her, she made him promise to give up the mission field, or she would not marry him. He did. The Lord approached him, called him by his full name, and dropped the torch on his pile of wood, hay and straw. When it finished burning, there was left a charred circle on empty ground. Richard's friend began to wail and cry with deep pain evident on his face.
Next, Jesus approached Richard. "Richard Howard," he said, and he dropped the torch. At that moment, Richard woke up.
Put yourself in this vision, and imagine Jesus walking up to you with his flaming torch. He dropps it on your pile of wood, hay, and straw. As the pile burns the materials with which you have built your life are revealed. Are you weeping or praising?
1 Corinthians 3: 9-15 says, "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he as built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
Can you imagine yourself entering heaven scorched, slightly burned, and with a charred pile of nothingness. All you have built your life on is gone, because it was not of God. I definately don't want this to happen to me! I hope this ministered to you as it did to me. Let this truth remind you to build your life up with things of God, walking in the works that He has preordained for you to do, instead of following after the world. I pray that we will all have the grace and perseverance to walk with Him.
Richard Howard was in Heaven, standing in the throne room of Jesus. He saw great masses of people, just as it says in Revalation 20:11-13, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to thier works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works." Richard stood in that throne room, facing the Jesus of Revalation, who was glowing brightly and had fire in his eyes. He heard two sounds: a massive praise greater than the largest sporting event. This praise resonated through the heavens. The second sound was a great wailing, a sound that Richard tought he would only hear in Hell, but he was in Heaven. These were God's children wailing.
Next, Richard saw a lady from his childhood. This lady had long since passed away, but when Richard was growing up she would alwasy come up to him in church and say "I'm praying for you Ricky, God has a great purpose for your life." She had been the one to eventually lead him to The Lord. In front of her was a pile of wood, hay and straw. The Lord Jesus held a flaming torch in his hand. He approached her, called her by her full name, and dropped the torch on her pile. As it burned it revealed a massive pile of precious jewels. She began throwing them at the feet of Jesus, praising Him with all her being.
Richard's attention was now drawn to one of his college buddies. This man had been a powerful prayer partnerer and dear friend, and had felt God's calling on himself to be a pastor and a missionary in Africa. He had fallen in love with a beautiful Christian woman, but when he proposed to her, she made him promise to give up the mission field, or she would not marry him. He did. The Lord approached him, called him by his full name, and dropped the torch on his pile of wood, hay and straw. When it finished burning, there was left a charred circle on empty ground. Richard's friend began to wail and cry with deep pain evident on his face.
Next, Jesus approached Richard. "Richard Howard," he said, and he dropped the torch. At that moment, Richard woke up.
Put yourself in this vision, and imagine Jesus walking up to you with his flaming torch. He dropps it on your pile of wood, hay, and straw. As the pile burns the materials with which you have built your life are revealed. Are you weeping or praising?
1 Corinthians 3: 9-15 says, "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he as built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
Can you imagine yourself entering heaven scorched, slightly burned, and with a charred pile of nothingness. All you have built your life on is gone, because it was not of God. I definately don't want this to happen to me! I hope this ministered to you as it did to me. Let this truth remind you to build your life up with things of God, walking in the works that He has preordained for you to do, instead of following after the world. I pray that we will all have the grace and perseverance to walk with Him.
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