Hello everyone! Hope you are all having a good week.
Last night was youth group for me. But for me it wasn't just a normal youth group night. God really, and powerfully, spoke to me that night. Opened my eyes to what needs to change in my life. Worship was really good, a time to just meditate on my powerful God and to praise His beautiful name.
But even more, the sermon was powerful.
At Refuge (our youth group is called "Refuge" btw) we watched this sermon on Luke 15, the prodigal son. The speaker spoke on how BOTH sons are lost. Both the wagering son, AND the religious son. Both are lost and need help.
And we also can be one, or the other. We cannot earn God's love.
In away, freaking out & going: "OH! I haven't read my Bible in two days! I'm so sinful! God will never love me now!" And then when we do read God's Word we go "Ah!Check that off! See how good I am everyone?! Now I'm a good christian!" Right there, we are kinda creating an idol of the "doings". We spend all our time thinking on how we are good Christians because we just read the Bible instead of just loving Jesus and having a true relationship with Him. We try so hard to earn God's love. Reading our Bible is a thing we can just check that off the list! A way to get to Heaven. We think when we do read our Bible that's how we are getting to Heaven. But we really don't often enough look at our relationship with God. Instead just do the "doings".
We are standing so close to God but we are so far away from Him. Because we are just thinking about what we are DOING.
Wow, right?! My youth pastor just said it all! Totally amazed me. And to be honest I am that, right there, what he said. I try so hard to earn God's love by being a doer. When all Jesus really wants is a relationship with me. He just wants me to really love Him.
Now, I am NOT saying you shouldn't read your Bible from now on. NO! Reading the Bible is away to understand our great God better. Away to grow in Him. To learn His great truths! Just don't make it a project. A thing to check off the list...
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:5-7 (ESV)
A Servant 4 Christ,
Lizzie
Last night was youth group for me. But for me it wasn't just a normal youth group night. God really, and powerfully, spoke to me that night. Opened my eyes to what needs to change in my life. Worship was really good, a time to just meditate on my powerful God and to praise His beautiful name.
But even more, the sermon was powerful.
At Refuge (our youth group is called "Refuge" btw) we watched this sermon on Luke 15, the prodigal son. The speaker spoke on how BOTH sons are lost. Both the wagering son, AND the religious son. Both are lost and need help.
And we also can be one, or the other. We cannot earn God's love.
In away, freaking out & going: "OH! I haven't read my Bible in two days! I'm so sinful! God will never love me now!" And then when we do read God's Word we go "Ah!Check that off! See how good I am everyone?! Now I'm a good christian!" Right there, we are kinda creating an idol of the "doings". We spend all our time thinking on how we are good Christians because we just read the Bible instead of just loving Jesus and having a true relationship with Him. We try so hard to earn God's love. Reading our Bible is a thing we can just check that off the list! A way to get to Heaven. We think when we do read our Bible that's how we are getting to Heaven. But we really don't often enough look at our relationship with God. Instead just do the "doings".
We are standing so close to God but we are so far away from Him. Because we are just thinking about what we are DOING.
Wow, right?! My youth pastor just said it all! Totally amazed me. And to be honest I am that, right there, what he said. I try so hard to earn God's love by being a doer. When all Jesus really wants is a relationship with me. He just wants me to really love Him.
Now, I am NOT saying you shouldn't read your Bible from now on. NO! Reading the Bible is away to understand our great God better. Away to grow in Him. To learn His great truths! Just don't make it a project. A thing to check off the list...
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 John 1:5-7 (ESV)
A Servant 4 Christ,
Lizzie
That's so true!
ReplyDeleteBTW, was the preacher you watched Timothy Keller? I've just heard some of his sermons on the same topic, i.e. the prodigal sons.
The flower pictures are pretty!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this great reminder, Lizzie! I have the same problem.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Emily.
I awarded you!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://horse-crazy-girl.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-was-awarded.html