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God In Us
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Lately, God has been dealing with my personal fellowship-part of that conforming to the image of Christ. It is discouraging sometimes how easily my flesh gets it's way and takes me from the things of God.
Our church had VBS. It is wonderful seeing God work in the lives of young people. During saw bus children about 6 or 7 talking to there friends. 'Are you saved?...let's go to the altar'. It is funny how little children do not worry about what others think, they just persuade their friends to go. Adults sometimes have to be begged to go...whereas little children-just stay out of their way.
I started reading my Bible again July 2009. I really wanted to read it through at least once a year. Here it is with only a few weeks to go, and I still have so much to read. Maybe I can in 13 months instead of 12. It I fail, then maybe 14 months. I know preachers that read it once a month sometimes. I do not have full time to devote like a preacher, but I wished I could.
God has been faithful to me no matter my condition.
There is much to learn in the faith of little children. I think back to when Jesus told His disciples to let the children come to Him, for people who are like these children will inherit His Kingdom.
Our goal is thus, strive to be like a child. Not in our childish ways that Paul instructs us to abandon, but rather in our faith. We as Christians have been told by the world that there are no absolutes but death and taxes. We need to relearn the basic truth that God's love is absolute, and to place our whole self in its healing warmth.
ok. I have put my eyes back on the person I should keep them on. Peter walked on water until he stopped looking at Jesus and started looking at the world (waves). My previous post yesterday seems a little meloncoly. There are blessings around my life if I just look. Today, I had a blessed day. I had to work, but it didn't matter.
Let me share one blessing. Tennessee has an average rehabilitation rate of 15%. That means that 17 out of 20 people released from TDOC will be caught committing additional crimes and return to prison. The wisdom of this world does not seem to be able to improve that number.
However, God can! A college level Bible correspondance course started in Fl prisons in the 80's has spend across the southern US. It is provided free to prisioners and requires them to read thousands of Bible verses to answer questions and complete the degree. Hundreds of prisoners have earned degrees. Some of those have also paroled or completed sentences. Of the nearly 200 that have completed the degree and been paroled only 2 have re-entered the prison system. That is a rehabilition rate over 98%!
I will tell you why I think God's wisdom suceeds; the world's wisdom fails; and the world cannot comprehend why. Is it the smart teacher (preacher) whose designed the classes? No! The world has smart people trying to rehabilitate criminals. Is it the workers (like me) who spend hours adminstrating the grades and grading papers? No! The world has plenty of harder workers and to spare. Is it the compassion expressed to the prisioners? While compassion is required-Ephesians 4:15 says we can speak the 'truth in love'-hindus, muslims, and buddists will be compassionate to others when trying to convert. No, the change is not from the compassion.
The answer is regeneration not rehabilitation. The world trys to change the man from the outside in. God changes the man from the inside and then raises the new man (a child) to manifest the inside out. God uses the Bible to do it. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (If they don't read Bible, they will not be able to pass because they will not comprehend the answers).
Wherewithall will a young man change his ways? By taking heed to thy word. I have hid thy word in mine heart, so that I might not sin against thee. The word of God is quick and powerful...dividing the flesh from the soul and spirit... and is a decerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The fat closed on the blade so he could not draw the sword out and the dirt came out (paraphases of Psalms 119:9-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; Judges 3:22).
I adminstrate a prison in Nashville. I started grading papers using answer keys when it started in 2006. The 14th student here just finished his 3-year degree. I do not expect them to be released. But if they are, that is 14, I do not expect to go back. I pray that all of them are spreading the gospel and encouraging others on the inside-'...a light shineth in a dark place...' (II Peter 1:19). All to the glory of God. (Praise God for the increase-I just work here)
God is good. That is evident in all He does. I thank you for posting your recent experiences. I am glad you find encouragement in your work, and I hope this story will help inspire others.
I supervise six men. Three are church of Christ. I think at least two are saved and probably the third. Two are Baptist. I think they are both saved. One is Pentacostal. I think he is probably saved. I realize that I cannot know, just they act like it. Two of them (different denominations) are very outspoken, positive and looking for ways to share their faith with other people in the building. The three of us often have good discussions. The lab has about 120 people and there are about a dozen serious, talk-the-talk Christians that I know. Of course there are many that say they are Christian, but you would never know it if you didn't ask and some that say they are have beliefs I cannot fathom. Of course I cannot know for sure, just my impression.
Anyway, pre-2003, we had lots of Kurdish and we have several Christians seriously sharing our faith to Muslims. One of my church of Christ emigrated from Iran and he is actively talking to some.
I guess in the previous comment, I trying to say that I am blessed to have a group of Christians to work with. I am also honored that God gave us am opportunity to witness to Muslims. There are also many agnositics and atheists.
We have to be really careful not to follow men, because men make mistakes. We have to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe to do that, we have to study our Bibles and test every decision and try the ideas we get with the Bible. Having said that, I think the man is on to something.
Israel: A Blessing or a Curse.
God's Finally Warning to America
and
As America has done to Israel
are three books by the same author. His research found that National tragedies correlate to National sin, specially to abortion, sodomy, and Israel. The best example I recall is 'the perfect storm' hit the president's home in Maine the day that he was in Madrid signing over Israeli land to Palestinians. However, other rejections of God are also judged: there was a school shooting that made Columbine, CO infamous the day that a court of appeals ruled a TX school could not pray before football games.
Now, for what I believe has happened recently. I say 'recently', because I just made the connection in my mind. The BP oil explosion happened the day that the current adminstration made a statement that Israel should not assume the US will back them regarding Iran. More recently, my city, Nashville experienced a 500-year flood the weekend that our govenor snubbed his nose by refusing to sign pro-life legislation for the state-he could not veto it, becuase it passed overwhelmingly.
I will be cautious and only say that it is possible these are linked. I believe God does judge people who forget him and turn from him. I am not a prophet and cannot say for sure, but I believe I see God judging.
Brothers, I believe our time is getting short; people are perishing on all sides; and we need to witness now more than ever.
It is also only a matter of time until we experience persecution in the USA I fear.
Our church is about to have a preacher conference. Starting Wednesday (4th?) at 19:00 (7pm) and ending Friday night whenever it stops (usually 10pm). On the 5th and 6th there will be three sermons during the day mixed with lots of special signing followed by a meal we serve to all our guests. We serve our guests breakfast also. So about 830 to about 1330 there will be fellowship, preaching, and singing. Then a break until about 1900 that night. These are preachers preaching to preachers and I always find several good sermons to listen to over and over. In anticipation I have been listening to past sermons from previous years this last week. I expect a huge blessing from this.
That sounds like an amazing opportunity to listen to God's appointed shepherds, and learn from their collective experience. PLEASE let us (or at least me) know what you get out of it!!!
it is online somewhere...sorry...I will find out.
This forum is for members to be involved in ACTIVE discussion of what God is doing in your life.
Currently God has been teaching me that He rewards those who seek His face through blind faith.