Thursday, August 25, 2011

Reality Checks

Most days I find my mind wandering off into some distant thought of fantasy. As soon as a thought is triggered, I run fast toward all the possibilities of that thought and anything that correlates to it.

Sometimes on occasion I have snap-backs to reality and usually am humbled and ashamed by how far I had run from what actually is true.

Recently I feel that these reality checks have been more often, which is good I guess, if I'm getting my mind more in-tune to the Spirit and His power over me, which is true, when I chose to have Christ redeem me, I chose for the Spirit to come and help me.

So then I don't know why I still default into fantasy/dreamy mode. Is it a lack of contentment or a lack of discipline of my mind? Does it reflect how much more I need my Savior and the power of His Word in my life? I think so.

Today on my walk home I was praying the words to a song, Refiner's Fire,

Purify my heart,
let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart,
let me be as gold, pure gold.

(Chorus)
Refiner's fire,
my heart's one desire
is to be…holy;
set apart for You, Lord.
I choose to be…holy;
set apart for You, my Master,
ready to do Your will.

Purify my heart,
cleanse me from within
and make me holy.
Purify my heart,
cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

I so desperately need Jesus. I need Him in all aspects of my life. My default is sin, but with the change Christ has made in me, and the Help of the Spirit, I can be grace and love.

Purify me.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Gospel

"Jessica, I need you to come out to the hall with me, we need to talk."

She gave me that familiar scowl.

We took a seat just outside the cabin door.

"Jessica, you know the rules for camp. They have been the same all week. You must stay with our group when we go somewhere. Can you tell me why you were not with us tonight?"

"This girl was talking bad about me, I had to make things right with her, I just didn't think you would let me."

"You didn't ask! Had you asked and let me know what was going on I probably would have let you talk with her. I'm all about working things out with people and living in peace with one another."

"Yes, but I know I said things I shouldn't have."

"Do you think you can go back to her and apologize for the things you said and try to make it right?"

"OH NO!! Maybe you could do that BUT I COULD NEVER DO THAT!!"

"Can I tell you why I would want to make things right?
Jessica, I mess up all the time. But think about all the lessons and all the verses you've heard this week, it all is about the same thing. We ALL do bad things! WE are ALL unclean, unpure, and filthy! The only way to get cleaned and have all that stuff washed away again is to accept that Jesus is the only One who can clean you, believe that He died for you, and confess that you are a sinner and accept His forgiveness. I made that decision and even though I still mess up, I know that when God looks at me He sees Jesus first and accepts me for who I am in Him, He has forgiven my sins past, present and future, He can and will do the same for you, if you want Him to."

"I want that! I want that!"

"All you have to do Jessica is what I just said, just say it outloud, like you're talking to Jesus, say 'Jesus, I am a sinner. I need your forgiveness. I believe that You can take away my punishment for sin, please forgive me, I want to live for You' "



This was a little paraphrase of my last night at camp this past week with Jr. High kids from the inner city of Chicago. Having this opportunity to share Christ with Jessica and many others was such a joy and excitement I have not experienced in such a long time.

The power of the Gospel is real. And yes, there are people even in the USA who have never even heard of Jesus dying on a cross, I met a girl like that at camp too.

Praise God for this new life in Christ!