Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Busyness

Wow, my life has been busy lately! Between school, friends, music, and everything else, I hardly have a calm day! But it's wonderful... I've really enjoyed the busyness of the past few weeks.

One thing that is keeping me busy is: Practice for a musical! Yes, that's right, I get to be in "The Fiddler on the Roof" musical with a christian school nearby! I'm so excited. I don't have any lines; I'm a towns-person. I sing a lot of songs though, and I even have 3 words of a solo in one song! Haha. We have practices almost every day, and often I spend the evening with my best friend and her family afterward. It's so much fun!

I also am busy with schoolwork, church, youth group/youth events, and friends. Last Thursday and Friday I stayed at the home of a good friend who I hadn't seen in a long time, which was such a blessing! On Sunday I went to 2 youth group and 2 church services. It was very fun, very uplifting, and very tiring. ;)

Well, speaking of my busyness, I had better finish this post up because I've got a busy day today, too. Thanks for reading! :)

Friday, January 14, 2011

Eric Ludy - Depraved Indifference

"Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy." Psalm 82:3



Tuesday, January 4, 2011

The True Gospel!

I have so much I could say right now, but yet I'm at a total loss for words. I will try to tell you a glimpse of the wonders God has been showing me.

Oh, He is so good! I am absolutely nothing. I am the worst of sinners, deserving eternal punishment in Hell. Yes it's true. There is no such thing as a small sin. One sin is enough to send me to hell, because it is a sin committed against an infinitely perfect God. But yet, He is glorified by showing unconditional love to me. How is that possible? How is it that God is able to "let me off the hook" for my sin, and still be perfect and just? It is only because Jesus Christ, who is God and is perfect, was crushed for me. He was separated from His Father, whom He had been in perfect unity with for all of eternity past. He endured all of the righteous anger of God that I deserved. For me! And now, when God looks at me, He sees the spotless holiness of Jesus Christ. It's not a hardship, a burden, or a difficulty for Him to love and forgive me. He doesn't sit in heaven and say, "Well, you're a stinking, filthy mess, but I promised to forgive you, so I guess I will, even though you disgust me." No! He is delighted to love me! He tells me, "Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold you are fair! You have dove's eyes." (Song of Solomon 1:15) That is God, the perfect, infinite Creator, speaking to me!

This, my friends, is the gospel. The gospel is not a magical prayer that you repeat to get a ticket to heaven. The gospel is that I am eternally sinful, and God is eternally holy. In order to be a good God, He must punish my sin. But He chose to humble Himself and take the punishment for me - God the Father crushed God the Son, and now salvation is offered to me freely. God called me, and I cried out to Him, repenting of my sin. In that moment, He transformed my heart and made a covenant to love me forever, unconditionally. The fruit of that salvation, the evidence that it is real, is that He teaches me, day by day, to be more like Him, and to live righteously. And it is so wonderful!

Is He your Lord? Has He transformed you, and changed you into a new creation? I hope, I pray that He will, if He has not. And Christian friends, don't grow weary! Remember His love, His sacrifice, His forgiveness. Rest in Him, and serve Him. He is worthy!