A Beautiful Goal

I then shall live as one who's been forgiven

I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.

I'll know my name is clear before my father.

I am His child, and I am not afraid!

So greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother;

The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who's learned compassion.

I've been so loved that I'll risk loving too.

I know how fear builds wall instead of bridges,

and I'll dare to see another's point of view.

And when relationships demand commitment

then I'll be there to care and follow you.

Thy kindom come around and through and in me.

Thy power and glory let them shine through me.

Thy hallowed name oh may I bear with honor

And may your living kingdom come in me.

The bread of life oh may I share with others,

Oh may you feed a hungry world through me!

I believe these words are by Gloria Gaither

Real Reel

Below is a video that is wonderful to watch.  This is such a typical response when confronted with God's righteousness and our sinfulness.  Self-righteousness is truly one of our favorite sins to hold onto, even after our conversion!  We must be honest with ourselves and listen intently to the Holy Spirit who will convict us of sins in our life.

This account is a good example and encouragement to us to speak to people.  Laura and I were going to a basketball game for a high school kid in our church and we decided to eat before the game....at subway, we wanted to eat fresh.  Anyway, once again we were the only people in the place, (that's a good time to strike up  conversation with anyone, 'cause their usually lonely and would love to talk with anyone) and there was a young high school kid working behind the counter.  As I paid for our cold cuts, I began to ask him some pressing questions, and as I commonly do, I lost complete track of time.  I didn't realize Laura had actually finished eating while I was still standing at the counter talking to this young man.  When someone else walked in, he actually said he wanted to hear more, and he would come talk to me after making a few sandwiches.  He came out after the other people had left and sat down with Laura and I, and continued to listen as I shared with him what I could of Biblical Truth.  He was soaking it up and listening intently with an extremely humble heart.  We left him with our number and encouraged him to find a local church that he could hear the Bible preached  in truth, and grow.  He understood his need for true repentance and we even got to discuss things like restitution and how important it is to be at peace both with God and man.  Christ sets us a peace with our Father but we have to make peace with our fellow man.  It was awesome to talk with him about the Gospel, but the most ironic thing was when we got to the game and apologized for being late, we found out that the AC couple, who's kid was playing, ate at the same restaurant we did.  They were dressed very modestly and she had her head covered and hair up and looked as Proverbs 31 and 1 Cor 11 as you can get.  To tell you the truth, I don't know what Laura was wearing, but she didn't look as AC as our good friend.  They were surprised that we talked with this kid and said, "Wow, we just smiled, said 'thank you' to him, and walked out."  Two couples from the same church entered the same restaurant, saw the same kid, one spoke, one simply appeared "different".  I say this not to lift anything up or put anyone down, but rather to make a point.  We have to realize that the way we look as typical AC's alone doesn't get people to a saving faith in Jesus.  It is wonderful that we have preserved these traditions, but don't rely on your looking "different" to be the factor that might cause someone to answer the call of God.  I think this is an especially easy thing to do within our church, where we outwardly stand apart from the majority of the world (also an easy way to hide inward darkness - so we must be real!).  We have got to supplement our exemplary living and outward modesty with preaching the truth.  If we preach the truth without living the example, it's perverted.  If we live the example without ever articulating to someone the truth of God's word, we've hidden the power of the Gospel from a dying world.  Let's pray for grace to WALK and TALK.

One of the first experiences that Laura and I had witnessing together happened in a clothing store where we were the only people in there and the clerk was a young woman that was well dressed and seemed to have everything together.  As usual, I don't know how God pushes me, but He does and I began to ask the girl if she went to college in the town.  She did and our conversation moved from all the pathetic things that professors shove down kids throats, to what she believed happened when we all die.  I started with sin, then tried to show her God's righteousness, then to his judgement and wrath weighing down on all mankind.  Throughout the conversation this young lady became very sober and as the spirit continued to work in her, she began to cry and share with us some of the things in her life that seemed to be working up to this conversation.  We shared with her about repentance and faith in Jesus and how he will convert our hearts and minds to want to serve him instead of serving ourselves.  She was so grateful that we talked to her and we were encouraged when we left that we had just spent about 10 minutes sharing with a human the most important and life saving truth, ever.  Laura and I were praying that God would give this young woman faith unto salvation and the grace she needed to repent and trust.  We don't know whom god will draw, but as it states clearly in Romans, how shall they believe on whom they have not heard?