Thursday, December 20, 2007

Grace is Borderline Scandalous

"Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see." Chances are by the time you finished reading that first line you were singing those words or humming along. Amazing Grace is probably the most recognized hymns ever. Chris Tomlin, a worship leader, has produced a song titled Amazing Grace (My chains are Gone) that expounds on the classic hymn. The chorus claims "My chains are gone I've been set free. My God my Saviour has ransomed me. And like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace." That is quite a claim! But, what makes Tomlin's rendition and the old hymn so popular?

Could it be because it tells of something so precious that it's seems too good to be true? How could someone love you and I that much. Sure I want to believe it but it is almost too hard to fathom a true "unending love."

Something about grace seems borderline scandalous. Philip Yancey has written a book What's So Amazing About Grace in which Part III is titled "A Scent of Scandal." Scandal usually carries a negative connotation with it. In fact Webster defines it first as "Libelous, defamatory." The second definition however is the one I love: "shocking." Why? Because grace is shocking!

The world in which we live is so incredibly performance driven it is no wonder that we would have a hard time understanding grace. Love in our world tends to come with strings attached. "Do this for me and I will love you. Don't do this and I won't leave you." Performance love; that is the common love we find in our world. Frankly, I think we are more comfortable with performance love. It makes more logical sense to us. Unconditional love full of grace blows our minds. It seems many of us want a love where we know what we have to do to earn it. However, grace says "I love you no matter what." Grace says "I forgive you." Grace claims that "your sins are remembered no more."

The truth of grace shocks us to our very core. That is part of what makes it amazing. Grace impacts an individual to the very core of who they are! When a person encounters the grace of God they are changed forever! It breaks down barriers we have built. It softens hard hearts! God does not sit on His throne with your life on a scale of good and bad deeds. The same grace He offers me is the same He would offer the world's worst serial killer on death row. Does that sound fair? No, it sounds scandalous!

Jesus' death and resurrection enables God to be perfectly Just and perfectly Loving. It is through Jesus that we are offered this amazing grace. Jesus' death and shedding of blood on the cross 2000 years ago paid the penalty for sin. He was the righteous lamb of God whom the angel prophesied to Mary in the book of Matthew
"...you shall call His name Jesus, for he will save His people from their sins." 1:21

Once we receive Him as our savior by realizing He is the only way to God we are offered that amazing grace. And the best part is it's free!

When I think about all the bad things I've done or decisions I have made in my 27 years on this earth it is hard to believe that I could be completely forgiven. Could I really have a clean slate without having to earn it? You bet! As Yancey states in his book "There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less." Not every church you enter will tell you that but it's true. God loves you completely! In fact, you can be wiped clean by a Holy God without having to clean yourself up first. It doesn't seem fair. That is the beauty of it. It's called grace and it's freely offered by the Lord. It's not fair; it's shocking! And it sure seems scandalous!

Hope you have an extra special Christmas!

Nathan

Thursday, November 15, 2007

A child-like mind can make a lot of sense

I was in the car last week taking my son to school. He is in first grade and rather intelligent. Heck, the kid can already multiply 12 x 12...ok, you don't care.

So, we were listening to the radio when a song called "East to West" by Casting Crowns came on. I was singing along when my son asked me what the song meant. I thought to myself, "how is he going to understand this?". I did my best. I told him that when we are born and we sin that separates us from God because He is perfect and does not do anything bad. But He loves us so Jesus, His son, came to earth, lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our bad things. Jesus took the punishment for our sins and if we accept Jesus as our savior then God removes our bad things from us. We aren't in trouble with God for them anymore. The Bible tells us that when He removes them from us they are as far from us as the east is from the west. Hence, the title of the song.

At that point I thought I had probably lost Him but what he said next blew me away. He said, "Dad, God moves our sins so far away so He can make room for Himself next to us?" I was so amazed at the simplicity in his statement that I almost forgot to answer him. Finally, I said, "Yes, son. That is right."

That was the end of our discussion that morning but I was dumbfounded at the logic of my 6 year-old son. Sometimes, a child-like mindset can make a whole lot of sense.

Enjoy your day!

Saturday, October 27, 2007

My Ways are Watched and Pondered

What would you do if you knew every move you made, every step you took, every path you walked, and every thought was watched? That is kind of scary to think about.

I was reading in Proverbs this morning and God's Omniscience pierced me. Now, I was taught from childhood that God is all-knowing (Omniscient) but this morning it struck me in a new way. When I was growing up I viewed God as all-knowing and therefore was ready to paddle me when I did wrong. Unfortunately that view of God is more common than the factual view of God. One of my favorite lines from Bruce Almighty is when Bruce is feeling God hates him and he yells up to the sky "Smite me Almighty Smiter!" Beyond the humor is the perception of many in our world today that God is the Almighty Smiter. The beautiful thing for all of us is that this perception is not reality.

In all actuality, God is not an Almighty Smiter. He is the Lover of Our Souls! What does that mean? Well, in Proverbs 5 it tells us that He knows us and the decisions we make:
For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all His paths. Proverbs 5:21

Now, the context of this verse is Solomon speaking against the snare that is adultery and sexual immorality. So, it would seem that this is a word of warning to immoral people. That is true; it does serve that purpose. However, as I was reading this I was thinking about God's love for His people. God not only knows my ways and choices but Proverbs says that He ponders them. He is not just making checks for error or checks for good deeds; but rather, He is pondering my ways. There is thought and consideration as He views my life. As a Christian, saved by grace alone and faith alone, the Lord is active in my life and He is forming me to be more like Christ.

The point I am trying to make is that God knows what we do when we do it. Still, it is not to smite us when we screw up. If you are one of His children (saved by grace) and Jesus is Lord of your life take heart that He ponders your ways. So, live for His glory and allow Him to bring glory to Himself through you. If you are not a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ then know that God knows and ponders your ways as well. God is slow to anger and quick to show mercy, but as you read the rest of Proverbs 5 you will find that your sin will ensnare you if you continue. Our behavior is under constant scrutiny by a Holy God.

Nathan
Soli Deo Gloria!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Consuming Fire

I am in awe of what is going on in California. I heard today that there has been 700 homes lost to the wildfires; 800 buildings lost so far. That blows my mind. As I heard the reports on the radio my heart sank. I feel helpless here in Arkansas and I can't imagine how the victims feel.

Then, two thoughts struck me. First, what an incredible act of God it would be if He just dumped a whole bunch of rain on Southern California; a place that rarely sees rain and needs it now more than ever. God could do that! So, I began praying in my car that He would just open up the sky and dump unforeseen rain on those fires. I am positive that I am not the only one praying that prayer either. Now, it is His choice on whether He answers those prayers. He may stop the fires in another way or He may choose to allow them to continue. That is His sovereign choice to make. Still, it is something that we can do to help...pray for His intervention.

The second thought was how those flames were engulfing the desert of Southern California. As those flames spread over the state they leave their impression in their wake. Fire does not come and go without making an impact. Well, the Bible tells us that God is a "Consuming Fire" (Deuteronomy 4:24, Exodus 24:17).

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24

How incredible is our God! He is a Consuming Fire and when you come into contact with the Creator that is a Consuming Fire you will never be the same!!

Please pray for the countless victims of these wildfires.

In Christ,

Nathan

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Praying the Psalms

I am praying through the Psalms. It is a really neat idea that I was taught at a seminar by Donald Whitney, author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. He was teaching on how to pray scripture. The part that stuck out to me most was praying through Psalms for several reasons. First, they are full of a wide range of emotions. Also, they are truth from the heart of the writer to the Lord.

The method for choosing the Psalm for the day is simple. Take the day of the month and add 30 to it until you have 5 Psalms to read. For instance, October 10 would mean you would pray through one of these five Psalms: Psalm 10, 40, 70, 100, or 130. This way you cover every Psalm over the course of a month (150 Psalms divided by 30 days=five/day!).

So, as I have re-acquainted myself to this prayer method as of late, I figured I would blog what they were speaking to me. I am not teaching...it is more sharing how I relate to the objective truths of scripture and the Unchanging Holy God. Here we go...

Psalm 70

v. 1-3
One thing I find interesting about the Psalms is the way the Psalmist (many times it is David) is fleeing for his life or feels oppressed by his enemies. As far as I know, I am not being hunted. So, to relate to this I think about spiritual oppression; spiritual warfare. I KNOW I am being hunted there!
In reading these three verses and using that context for myself, I can relate to these verses better.
"1 O God, hasten to deliver me; O Lord, hasten to my help!"
See the exclamation point. I didn't add that myself...it is written that way in the NASB translation. Also, there is urgency in the word "hasten." The Psalmist is pleading to the Lord to act quickly. Why is that interesting to me?? Well, because it shows that he was real with God. He cries out to God in a moment of desperation and pleas with the Lord for deliverance from the oppression.

v. 4
David then pauses from his pleas for a moment to praise God.
"Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.'"
We need to give God glory even in affliction. God points us to Himself during those times. Rejoice, be glad, love God's salvation and let Him be magnified. This is not always easy; however, it is always the best route.

v.5
We wrap up with one last plea. Notice David refers to God with four different names in this verse...God, Lord, Help, Deliverer. Each name carries a different meaning; yet, they all fit the moment. Remember when you are speaking to God in prayer to refer to Him by His attributes depending on your moment...Deliverer, Redeemer, Lion of Judah, I Am, Jehovah, Prince of Peace, (the list goes on).

I hope you find this encouraging.

Nathan

Monday, September 17, 2007

The Wilderness

I know it seems every post I have made lately is depressing. Well, I am one honest dude. And it seems as though this blog is my best release of tension, request of prayer, and outlet for my emotions.

I have never been more miserable in my life...emotionally and spiritually. That's it...plain and simple. I have too many important responsibilities to feel this way...I am a single parent with two small children who depend on me for everything. I facilitate an amazing small group on Sunday mornings where God is truly working. I have a new career I am trying to get off the ground. Still, when I don't have those responsibilities in front of me I sink deep into thought and lay motionless on my couch.

I told my small group yesterday morning how I am going through a "wilderness" experience. I told them to trust God and walk through that wilderness; don't lie down and throw a pity party. I told them God wants us to let go of self and hold on to Him when we are in the wilderness so we can do that when we get out of the wilderness. I told them that we should "limp away" from our wilderness experience just as Jacob did from his wrestling match with God when God re-named him Israel. I told them all of this...truth from God's word.

Yet, on Monday I am so scared to let go and trust God with my future. Why? Has He not proved Himself trustworthy in my life? Of course He has. But right now I am at a point where it's either trust Him or take matters into my own hands. The latter has never worked out for me. Why would it work now? It wouldn't.

So, I must trust that God is in control...even when it seems like He is not. I have to trust that He put me in this job for a reason. I have to trust that my children will be alright in the long run if I put them in His hands and leave them there. I have to trust Him while I am in the wilderness trying to heal from everything that I have gone through in the last 2 years. I have to trust that He will be waiting for me on the other side of the wilderness and that He is with me even now while I am in it.

I do know one thing for sure. He has led me to the wilderness. He has led me to what John of the Cross called "the dark night of the soul." My quiet times that were once exhilarating have lost their luster. God has virtually become silent to me. I can see His activity around me in our small group, our church body, and my children's lives. But the activity between God and I personally has basically come to a screeching halt. And as I said yesterday to my small group..."When God leads you into those wilderness times in life you have to walk through it, hold on to God, and limp away a changed person, forever." It is just as true today as it was yesterday. I know.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Psalm 34:18

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

Wow, I needed that.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Decisions, Decisions

Making decisions can be extremely hard...especially big decisions. Some people can make a decision in a split second and live with that decision. I, on the other hand, have to pray, ponder, pray some more, ponder some more, ask for advice from people I trust, and then pray some more. Sounds ridiculous...I know.

It is actually great to pray about big decisions. God does care about the big decisions we face. However, at some point you have to trust where His spirit is leading you. Sometimes He leads you into a very hard decision. That is where I find myself now. In doing what I believe I had to do for the best of everyone involved, I am left with a troubled heart. Does that mean I made the wrong choice? No. It is a natural development. Therefore, for those that have stumbled upon this blog I ask for your prayers that God's strength will be made perfect in my weakness.

Always seek the Lord in all decisions; big and small. He cares about your every need. Have a blessed day.

Monday, July 2, 2007

In Dying We Live

In dying we live?? How does that make sense? It sounds to me like an oxymoron. What makes this statement even harder to except, at a surface level, is that we are talking about living by dying to selfish pleasures, ambitions, and goals that are outside of what God desires for our life. Now...even more confusing??? How could dying to my own desires and aspiring to achieve someone else's desires for my life really equal living?

Believe it or not, that is exactly how anyone on this earth achieves lasting satisfaction, contentment, adventure, and purpose. So if I am to really live...if I am to die to my own selfish desires and ambitions...if I am to strive for something different...who should I strive for and what should I strive to do? The answer...Jesus Christ and his plan for your life.

Now, before you stop reading this blog and tell me that you are not religious or worse...that you are religious...let me explain. I have lived the party life. Those of you who know me from college know. I am not afraid to admit it. I do not hide it. Let me tell you, I WOULD NEVER GO BACK! I don't miss it. It is empty, meaningless, and creates more problems than anything. Sure, it can be fun in the moment. But it still lacks substance.

Jesus came to this earth to show a strayed humanity how He originally intended us to live. He came with compassion for the poor in spirit. He came to seek and to "save that which was lost." (Matthew 18:11) He loves me and He loves you. He wants to save us not only from our sins but from a meaningless existence.

Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Open up a Bible and begin reading the book of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. These are the books written predominantly about the life of Jesus Christ as he walked on earth. Make no mistake. This is not myth. This is history. There really was a man named Jesus. No other man has stirred history like this man. He wants to stir up your life...AND I PROMISE YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

In love,

Nathan

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Taking a trip from Good Friday to Easter

Hey all. I just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Easter. What a privilege to worship and serve the risen savior, Christ the Lord.

Last night I attended a Good Friday Vespers service at my father's church in Hot Springs, AR. It was such a blessing to recognize the events of Good Friday and how it has impacted eternity. As we worshiped with classic hymns about the cross I was reminded of the brutality of Jesus' death. As I reflect on the cross and the punishment endured by Christ my heart breaks again; like the first day that I accepted him as my savior.

Christ, who exists uncreated, created the world.
16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were
created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things
hold together. Colossians 1:16-17
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3
So, if Christ was "in the beginning" then what did he give up for us to come to earth and take on a fleshly body? In heaven we learn from scripture that angels surround the throne and sing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. The earth is filled with your glory. It is paradise. It is perfect. He is exalted and sits at the right hand of the father. He gave up worship to come to earth as a baby born of a virgin Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit. In heaven he was worshiped, on earth he was ridiculed. He had to flee to Egypt as a toddler for King Herod was killing all baby boys in an attempt to murder this Messiah he had heard about. By the time of his ministry he was not even welcomed in his home town of Nazareth. He was rejected during his time on earth and even now he is still rejected by many human hearts all over the world. In heaven he is adored. Isaiah foretells of his treatment on earth.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his
wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
He was perfect, sinless. So, to receive unwarranted punishment like this begs the question "why?"

Would you believe the answer to that question is simple...because he loves us. Period. Regardless of what you have done. Regardless of your past. No matter how ashamed you are or who you have hurt. No one deserves his love. Not I, not you, not Paul, not Billy Graham, not your children, not your parents. No one. Even though we don't deserve his love he offers freely. That is called grace. And his grace is sufficient because it is based on his perfect ability to forgive broken hearts not our ability to earn it. He loves us so much that he gave up worship in heaven for insults on earth. He was, and is, high and lifted up in heaven while on earth he was just hammered and lifted up on a cross to die in public humiliation. And don't think for one second that he had to this. He CHOSE to do this. Without his sacrifice there was no chance for us to be reconciled. Adam's sin brought on the fall of man. Jesus came to sympathize with his creation. He came to walk among us and love on us. He came to bring mercy and compassion and truth. He came to set us free. He came to lead us back to paradise. And he was crushed for my sin and yours because he loves us.

So, as we look at the cross and it's grusomeness we should feel broken. For an eternity with him is within our reach as a free gift. We should feel broken because we deserve the lashings, beatings, spit, and brutal death that he took for us. Yet, in that sorrow of reflecting on his suffering and death remember one thing. Friday was good. Good for you, good for me, and the Father saw that it was finished. His death cancelled our sin for those who accept him. And don't forget either that the story doesn't end there. When Satan and this world thought they had put an end to this Christ; when they watched him be buried in that tomb, no doubt they were having a party. Only, their party was premature. It was only Friday...and Sunday was coming!
Sunday Jesus was raised back to life! Sunday meant victory over death! And some days later Jesus ascended to the Father and now he sits in heaven receiving glory and honor and praise. The Holy Spirit is now here to guide us and direct us as we wait for his return!

This Easter worship the risen savior, Jesus Christ, in spirit and in truth. Our Joy Comes in the Morning!

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Personal Relationship? Part 3

Ok...time to tackle part 3 of the "how" involving a personal relationship with God, the creator of all things. The first two parts are archived here and may access them to your left underneath my goofy picture! (not my normal smile...I was laughing...that is why you can't see my eyes)

The third key part of the foundation is self sacrifice. Let me share an example of this between two individuals. When I moved back to Jonesboro in April of 2005 my neighbors, and good friends, came over to help us pack a U-Haul at about 9pm. Little did we know that it would take us until 4am to finish loading the truck. That is 7 hours of packing! I was beat but it was my house. Our neighbors had no obligation to help us; especially that late. They had to work the next morning at 8am. Yet, they knew we could use the help offered to without hesitation. That was a huge sacrifice; one that I will never forget.

Example number 2. Last summer a couple that I am good friends with opened up their spare bedroom for me to sleep in for two weeks. I was going through a trying time and needed a place to crash for awhile. They would stay up and talk and listen to me. I felt like I could rest there. They will never know what their prayers, listening ears, and trusted advice has, and will always, mean to me.

Personal sacrifices, great or small, are very important. They are investments into the lives of others. They tell the other person that your need or life is more important than their own. They make impacts that last a lifetime.

Well, God made a sacrifice for you with an impact that will last an eternity! His sacrifice is the ONLY reason we can even have a personal relationship with him. As a holy, just God he cannot be in the presence of sin. It disgusts him. That creates a big problem for us. Although he loves us unconditionally, we are not worthy to be in his presence, much less worthy to have a personal relationship. Good news: he fixed the chasm between us and him. The cross that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on has bridged that chasm. The actual cross itself did not fix the problem but the shedding of Jesus' innocent blood on that cross did fix it. You see, Jesus was God's sacrifice to bring us back to him. The only perfect man to ever live, the God-man, 100%God, 100%man, God the Son, the Lamb of God, was sacrificed for you and for me. Let me tell you...that was enough to reconcile us back to God.
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16



So, what are we to sacrifice to God? Well, specific things to sacrifice are really between you and God. On a grander scale God does request us to give him our whole life!
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27
God is not interested in half-hearted service, lukewarm Christianity, or church "players." He is looking for devotion and sacrifice. And he wants us to be joyful in the laying down of our life for him. Again, God desires most to bring glory to his name. And we can most glorify him by denying our desires that fall out of his will and living for his will and his glory.

Nathan

Friday, March 23, 2007

Personal Relationship? Part 2

In the last post we discussed the first part of the foundation to a deep personal relationship with anyone...whether it be your family, friends, or God the Father. The first part of the foundation was trust. No one would call a relationship deep or personal if they don't even trust the individual enough to share their thoughts, struggles, joys, and passions. It takes trust in relationships with other people; therefore, much more so with God. Review the previous blog (just below) for more discussion on why a personal relationship with God is vital to your current situation and your eternity. Remember, God longs to have a relationship with His children.

As we try to tackle the "how" of having a personal relationship with God let's look at another common characteristic of personal relationships that is as important as trust. Time together brings about knowledge of one another; increasing the depth of the relationship. Think about your best friend...could be your dad, mom, sibling, or someone you hang out with all the time. Whomever that person is how often a week or month do you spend time with them in conversating, corresponding, or enjoying their company? Hopefully, it is often. Even if they are far away email, facebook, myspace, and other internet sites allow for you to keep in touch from virtually anywhere. Most people would concede that time together with others creates a deeper bond between you and that individual.

Guess what, it works the same way with God. There are different ways to spend time with God; all of which are important.
(1) Conversate with God. Talk to Him. That is commonly referred to as prayer. Tell Him verbally how you feel--even though He already knows you voicing it to Him pleases Him and blesses you. You don't have to have your eyes closed either. Pray in the car, in the shower, while you cook, clean, shop, work, even falling asleep. Prayers are to be reverent but can be conversational as well. Just like with your close friends tell God when you are happy, sad, angry (even if it is Him you are angry with), worried, weary, etc. Do it in reverence but do it all the same. Prayers shouldn't be haughty but heartfelt.
(2) Revere and Relish Him in His presence...
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
God reveals Himself to His children if we would slow down, listen, and be still before Him.
(3) Correspondence. Write out on paper or journal what God is doing in your life. Putting those feelings and thoughts on paper will help you to mature as you express you love, gratitude, and passion for Him. God has left His correspondence with us...His scripture. That is His love letter to humanity. Spend time reading his letter and write some back.

You fill find as you revere, relish, conversate with, and correspond with God that your personal relationship will grow.
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah
29:13

These points may seem obvious to some. Still, as Christians we may have many close friendships but feel distant from God because we are not using common sense in deepening our relationship. God is always the one who initiates the relationship first. Now, it is up to you whom He has initiated a relationship with to deepen it with trust and time together.

Have a blessed day.

Nathan

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Personal Relationship? Part 1

If anyone has been to a bible believing church they have probably heard that life is all about having a personal relationship with God. But what does that mean? How can you have a personal relationship with the creator of the universe?

First, you have to know that God longs to have a personal relationship with you. We mean more to him than we can possibly fathom. Throughout the Bible the Lord's passion for His people is obvious and humbling. God desires to know you and for you to know Him. While it is hard to understand why such a perfect, holy, and righteous God would pursue those He loves, it is important to accept this as truth.

Let's start simple. What does a relationship with another person require. All solid relationships in my personal life, whether it be with my family or friends, is based on trust. You normally don't open up yourself to someone you do not trust for fear of rejection, safety of feelings discussed, or many other reasons. Yet, once you trust someone it is easier to bear your innermost feelings and build a relationship that transcends the "hey, how are you" level.

The same is true with God. Until you fully trust God is who He says He is you may not have a deep relationship with Him. Still yet, to have a personal relationship with God the Father you MUST have a personal relationship with God the Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus' death and resurrection has paid the penalty for the sins of those who put their faith and trust in him.
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21
You see, without trust in Jesus a personal relationship with God is impossible.

Deep personal realtionships with others are founded on trust. Let's take it one step at a time. If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus and have not accepted Him as your savior to pay the penalty for your sins (which must be paid for by either you or Him); then, you must start there. If you have made a profession faith in Jesus as you savior, and have a personal relationship with Jesus, how would you rate your closeness to Him? Evaluate today how much you trust Him; that he has your best interest in mind(your will Lord, not mine), that He will provide for your needs (daily bread), that He has forgiven you and is preparing a place for you in Heaven. That is the starting point for a truly deep personal relationship; the kind of relationship He longs to have with you.

Have a blessed day.

Nathan

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Welcome

Hey all. Welcome to my blog. Maybe I should be saying thank you as well. As I have stated under the title of this blog site "For His Renown" my goal for this blog is to tell others of the Lord and His renown. There may be times that I actually post thoughts dealing with issues outside of the spiritual realm; however, all thoughts are from me and where I am at in life. I am a pretty transparent individual. I guess that can be good and bad, right?

I hope this blog allows you to get to know me better. Some of you may know me very well and others may not know me or have ever met me. Either way I pray you are encouraged, uplifted, touched, or anything else needed by viewing this blog and hearing my inner thoughts. Feel free to post comments as well.

Check back soon. This will be fun!