Wonderful teaching on Sunday

Sunday's sermon was one of the best ones I've ever been to. Not only was the lesson absolutely fantastic, but the place we had the service was an awesome example of God's marvelous creation. The power was out in our regular building, so we had the service at one of the members house in their back yard. It was gorgeous, lots of trees for shade, and everyone sat on quilts on the ground. The breezes, the birds, insects...it was all just a constant reminder of God's presence among us.

So, the sermon was...well, I can't really think of a name actually! My notes seemed to be, one of the preachers sentences, with a lot of my thoughts added in.

I find it amazing how talky and angry people can get nowadays. The Bible tells us that we are to be slow to anger, and slow to speak. If we think about it a little bit, if we're always talking or mad, how will we be able to hear God's guidance, His still small voice speaking to us when we are in need of it? We rush around with our lives, and "don't have time" to go talk with God or even just listen to Him...then complain about how terrible everything is going. Is there really any sense in that? We are so stubborn about doing everything for ourselves, and are VERY good at saying we don't need any help, then when we mess up, who do we blame it on? Of course, God. I think..well, let me write something else before I say this.

We have a relationship with God, sometimes it can be sort of hard, because He's to be like our Father, best friend, leader, judge...there are SO many things God is to us, and I think we all get a little bit confused as to what He is. Mostly, He's to be treated with the love and respect that we would have for a dear friend. Here are four good examples.

1. You meet someone and really think they'd make a great friend, you seem to have a lot of the same interests and such. However, after you first meet them, you don't every try to get in touch again...it was a short lived friendship.

2. You meet someone new, talk for awhile and learn they're a doctor! You remember this the next time you or a friend has a health problem, so you call them up to see if they can help. No friendly calls, they only hear from you because you really need them right then.

3. You meet someone, find out you have lots in common and really enjoy your talk. You tell yourself, and them, that' you'll keep in touch. Well, your life just gets terribly busy, and you make a call...maybe once a month, maybe every few months...but you just don't have the time for them that you'd like.

4. You meet a person, sit and learn about who they are, what they like, and just all about their life. Once the two of you part ways, you keep in touch...you call or see them daily! You truly love this person, and would go help them out whenever they needed it, no matter the time or day, and know they'll do the very same for you. You are true friends and know you can count on each other, and are always there for one another.

Which one of these do you think should be the kind of relationship we have with God? We forget quite often that to have that sort of friendship (number 4) it has to go both ways for it to work right. God is ALWAYS here for us, He loves us more than anyone ever will, and He SO wants to keep in touch with us! The question is, are we there for God when He asks us to do something, do we love Him with all of our hearts, and lastly...DO we keep in touch with Him? Do we want to, are we too busy, do we not know what to say...why aren't we giving God the kind of friendship He's trying to give us?

Our faith is shown by our walk. We say we believe Gos is in control, but at the first sign of trouble, so we stay and do what we SAY we believe, or do we run and hide. Do we REALLY believe, and live a life that shows, God is in control?

Unconditional love

God's unconditional love is one of the most amazing things ever. When HUMANS think of love (whether it's spouse, friendship, etc) we tend to use money when we talk about it. Don't think so? Do these sound familiar?

"I value our friendship"
"I owe you one"
"You're priceless"
"I'm ready to invest more into our relationship"

We say these things without a second thought. However, the simple act of saying them is almost like unknowingly telling others and ourselves that love is something we expect something back from. God loved us since before we were born...yet when someone doesn't do something we want them to do, we get mad and that anger turns to hate. Seriously...we should love EVERYONE whether they love us, hate us, are mean to us or whatever! The Bible says that if we only love those who love us, we are no better than the rest of the world. Marriages and friendships are being broken because people nowadays are going into them thinking every drop of love they give, they will receive twice as much back. Unconditional love is the kind of love where you CHOOSE to love someone, not do it for something in return. It's just so sad to see people not give the love they are given by God. It's like we think we're here for the receiving line, and not the giving line. People say they love someone, but it's only for a short time, because of the way the world has been taught...you only love someone if you can get something out of the relationship. God has CHOSEN to love us, it's not something that was forced upon Him...and it should not be something that we think we HAVE to do. If that's what we think, we don't really love anyone.

The multiple gifts of God

You know, people have a HUGE tendency to think way more of themselves than they ought to. Some people can hate themselves, yet still think a lot of themselves. They may hate the way they look or something of the like, but at least their attitude is better than "his/her" attitude! Maybe that is why God told us to "love your neighbor as yourself." If we all did that all the time like we are supposed to, there wouldn't be the arguments and such like we have to often. We ALL have problems, yet we constantly blame them on everyone else. We will also point out every little "sinful" detail in other people's lives, but if they do the same to us it's judging, and we all know that's wrong! I think a lot of us, most of us, get wrapped up in the fact that we're Christians, and that Christ died for us, therefore we're really something. We forget the pureness and perfection of Christ, because we don't compare ourselves to HIM, but rather to other people. We look pretty good next to those rotten sinners out there, don't we? If we would compare ourselves, even if it was just one thing in our life, to Christ, we would be so humbled that we'd be on our knees begging God to forgive us. There is a saying that I think should be memorized and posted all over the place. "If your heart were Christal clear, what would people see?" There's so much corruption in the heart of man, and I think we neglect our hearts and minds thinking since nobody knows about it it's ok to leave it unclean. I mean, God is always right beside us, and he can hear every thought, and knows our hearts every desire...would you be embarrassed at what He would see/hear? What is your parents, friends, or spouse could so the same...would that scare you? We are to live what we believe...if the things in our thoughts and hearts aren't what we believe, they should be taken out and never brought back....unless you'd be willing to live what's in them. We are to live our lives as if we are completely see through. If we make sure our hearts are set on Christ, and our minds are always thinking of Him, and ways to please him, do you know just how much of a difference that would make in other people's lives? Quite a big one....but nobody is willing to do that.

Ever heard the saying, "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you?" It's actually a pretty good way to sum up everything God feels. When He sent the flood to the earth, he saved 8 people, because they found grace in the eyes of the Lord, but the rest were terrible people...I mean, you can't imagine what all they did. However, they chose that way, and is SO grieved God to wipe them out (I know, that's sort of a harsh way to put it). It will hurt God again when He comes back, and the earth is destroyed with all the ones who haven't come to Him. Why does He feel that way? Because He was loving enough to send His son to die, that was the ONLY way He could make a way for us....yet most of the earth rejects that great gift. God wants ALL to come to Him, to take the way out He made, to come live with Him one day with everything He has made for us...people just don't care. The God that made them, gave them life and blessings abundantly...they don't give a care about any of it. We all know just HOW corrupt man is; I don't think we truly comprehend how humbling it was for God to come down and become one of us. He was mocked, ridiculed, beaten...the anguish was unbearable yet He bore though it for us. We think, "well, God thought a bunch of people would take that gift...He sort of wasted His time." Nope. God KNEW many would reject what He gave up, but to Him, it was worth the few that would come. I think many of us take most everything God has done for us and gives us for granted. He gave His son, we took that gift, and now we're Christians. We can go live our life as we please as long as we live "better" than everyone else. That's not what we're supposed to be doing, and we all know it.