first post

well, i liked the idea of putting my spiritual ramblings on the web, mainly because it keeps me organized. but also, i think it has the potential to reach out to people. so i'm hoping if you're reading this, you'll check back here every once and a while and see if you find something interesting to wrap your mind around...

here is a little something i wrote on december 29th. it's kinda crazy, but hey, it's me. ok then.

i just watched the exorcism of emily rose.

i love the epitaph at the end... it's philippians 2:12 (and i've added on 13 as well). here are some different translations of it. and if you don't have time to read all these, just read the first one and skip down to the important part of all this.

"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" -NIV

"Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure" -the message

"And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him." -new living translation

"...work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ). Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." -amplified bible

SUMMARY:

i just think this verse is interesting. i heard bill watkins preach a sermon at crieve hall church of christ last night that touched on what he said was a huge problem in churches of christ everywhere, and i couldn't agree more with what he said... he said that the 2 biggest problems he sees with church of christ congregations are that the people's faith is based on 1) guilt, and 2) fear. and this verse hit home with me because i went through the salvation process in a lot of fear... but i'm not afraid anymore... i was afraid when i wasn't saved, but not now, because i have the assurance in my heart of my salvation. and that's the problem with so many churches... they are SO faithful because they're SO scared... scared of slipping away... scared of not being saved on judgment day... convinced that the christian faith is all about who goes to heaven, and are YOU going?? and i'm definitely not trying to hate on the church of christ... but having faith is so much deeper than that. there is just so much more to it that that. just think about it. just go to bed tonight knowing that if you've done what you need to do and you know it, then you're gonna be okay. start living without fear. don't let fear get in the way of all the ways you could let christ shine in your life if you were free. wake up and live tomorrow knowing that you can be FREE... and try it for one day--try living just one day with that mindset. and just remember what that feels like. live free in christ. let him free you up. i promise, you will never want to go back.

leave comments if you feel moved to do so (or if you just want to...)