Excited

As you saw in my last blog, I was having some trouble adjusting to the idea of not going to Crown this semester. But the Lord has proved that His wisdom is far beyond mine, and He has much in store for me here.
I started classes this Monday at Virginia Baptist College and I have enjoyed each of them thoroughly. But what I am most excited about right now is the class I take on the book of Romans on Tuesday nights. What a great book! I have already gained something valuable from the first chapter; and that is what I would like to share with you now.
In the first chapter of Romans verses 6-7 we find an amazing truth about who we are as Christians. It says we are "the called of Jesus Christ" which means as Christians we all have a purpose. Yes, there are the general purposes that apply to all Christians: to pray, give, read the Word, and attend church faithfully. But there is more, we all have a specific purpose and plan from God that we are to accomplish. How exciting it is to find out what it is and seek to accomplish it every day of your life.
Then it says that we are "beloved of God", that is exciting to me. God loves us, he wants to take care of us and bless us. He watches over us and promises to supply our every need. We serve a God who takes personal interest in every human being!
The final thing in these verses is that we are "called to be saints". That is pure, morally blameless, and consecrated. We are to be set apart for service for the Lord, unstained by the world. What an opportunity and calling. We are more than just sinners saved by grace, we are called of Jesus Christ, beloved of God, and saints. Now that is something to get excited about!

Mixed Feelings

I am having quite a bit of trouble dealing with not being able to come back to Crown this semester. I undersand that it may be in the Lord's timing for me to be here right now, but at the same time I miss all the people, the opportunities, the classes, and even the lodge.
These past two days I have been getting calls from friends, roommates, even staff wondering where I am and why I'm not coming back. It is hard to tell them that I will not be able to be there this semester. I just have to trust that it is the Lord's will and if it is His will He will alow me to come back in His timing.

A Wonderful Day In The House Of God

Yesterday was a wonderful day at Broadway Baptist Church, my home church. In the 11:00 hour I had the privilege to sing and preach. I preached an extended version of my first blog "God Has Spoken" and during the invitation we had a young woman come forward and accept Christ as her personal Savior, and a couple came forward to join our church. It was a wonderful and fruitful day at church, and it just shows that it is always worth it to serve Jesus.

"A New Song"- Psalm 40:3

"And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord"- Psalm 40:3

This verse is the verse that I have chosen as my life verse; I believe it perfectly describes what the Lord has called me to do. When the Lord saved me He put a song in my heart and in my mouth as He does for all who are saved. So many times at home I get on my familys nerves by constantly singing. My Dad will say "Thats quite enough", I say "but there is a song in my heart", and he says to me "well, keep it there".
When we are saved we have something to sing about. The Lord has lifted us from the miry pit of sin from which we could never escape on our own, He has set us on the solid rock of salvation from which we can never be moved. This is reason to sing and praise the Lord.
A Christian ought to be joyfully singing the Lord's praises at all times because as the Psalmist says "Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord", people will see that we are happy and wonder why we have such joy in this depressing world, and we can tell them that we are saved and have no reason to be sad!
A lost person would have a hard time believing in Our wonderful God if we go around with a frown. So smile! sing! and praise the Lord; show the world what real joy is. The joy of the Lord.

"God Has Spoken"- Hebrews 1:1-2

"God,who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son...."-Heb.1:1

All through the centuries of time God has always had a way of speaking to man. He has always had a message to share and someone to share it. Through the Old Testament He used the prophets, they were His messengers for that time. They were used to warn of coming judgement for sin. They are not used to declare God's message today.
We have just celebrated the Christmas season, this is the time when we celebrate when God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and give His message. He was not just a prophet He was God in the flesh, the living Word of God, Immanuel, God with us. He came as a baby to show that He is approachable, He walked with and healed common sinners to show that He cares for the needs of every man, and He sent the ultimate message when He died on the cross to say "God Loves You" to the whole world. He did all of this because He had a message for us.
Now we have His complete Word in the Bible we hold today. It is the inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God. God's message preserved for us today-it is everything He wants us to know. He wants us to know that He loves us so much that He provided a way for us to be saved, He wants us to know that the only way is through His Son, Jesus, and His death on the cross.
This is the message, do you believe? And for those of you that do, it is our turn. Now God wants to speak through us, He has commanded us to "Go..into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Let's get busy!