We give One, He gives Ten.

Last winter break, I'm not sure I spent it the best I could have.  But this break I've got a lot to catch up on and I've been able to spend some really sweet time with Jesus.  Today I got to read some from the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis!  And I listen to a couple of Gateway sermons by the one and only Kyle Volkmer! 

So I listen to the sermons from the Knowing God series: Active and Wisdom.  

In the sermon about wisdom a few things really hit me.  Kyle mentions how "Soul winning is the highest form of wisdom."  If that is the case why aren't we going out so eagerly.  I asked someone the other day what they were thinking, and I was really impressed by their answer.  They said "I've been praying that I could make a friend with someone who isn't a believer ... 'm thinking about how inside of all of the mystery and complexity of God the truths are still simple.  I just want to meet someone who can learn those and catch on to them."  Why can't we all be thinking that way?  Kyle goes on to quote E. Stanley Jones -- In the Kingdom the only thing you have is what you share.  If Jesus is so precious to us why don't we share that with others.  

I think the Lord is really working in my heart this break as to what He wants me to do next semester.  

Another thing from the sermon on wisdom was when Kyle was talking about how we can walk in wisdom.  If we follow the footsteps of Jesus.  If we abide in Him we abide in wisdom, and therefore we walk in wisdom.  All the attributes of God are found in fullness in His son Christ Jesus.  If we allow Jesus to be our barrier we cannot fall.  

In the sermon Active, Kyle talks about how God is still ACTIVE, He is still WORKING.  

I've had a conversation with a friend quite frequently about; that Jesus healed people, why don't we still have faith that people can be healed, why don't we see healing or miracles happen as frequent.  And Kyle quotes scripture that we've all read before.  But says, "Greater works we will do, now that Jesus is with the Father."  This comes by FAITH and HUMILITY.  Kyle says 2 more things that are really sticking with me.

1) Christ in us is the only hope of the world receiving Glory.  As ambassadors for Him, Jesus has set up work for us. 

2) We are the bride of Christ and whne we come along side the Lord and help Him do what he is doing, nothing brings Him more joy.  

What can we do more of for the Lord to bring him more Joy?  We can do things in the name of Christ, if we can set our pride aside and walk along side our Father.  How wonderful is it that we don't have to go talk to strangers alone?  We don't have to go about any of our life alone!  EVER.  "Take one step towards God, and he will take 10 steps towards you." -- Kyle.  We just have to try. 

that'sallfornow.

Amanda

 

 

 

Jesus Wept

I flew home to Amarillo today, HOME HOME HOME finally!  Even though I haven't even been here for 12 hours and I don't even have my room because it's all in San Antonio, there isn't any other place on earth I'd want to be right now.  I've gotten to just sit and enjoy my momma's wonderful Christmas decorating, and I've got to play games with my family already.  Just being under the roof though is enough for me.  

But as I flew home today, I was reading through the gospel of John again, I've tried to take this book slowly, really trying to grasp the life of Christ.  And one thing really stuck out to me.  We are in Chapter 11, where Jesus is comforting Martha and Mary due to Lazarus's death.  

Starting in verse 29

When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.  Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him.  When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.  

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feel and said, "Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died."  

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.  "Where have you laid him?" he asked.  

"Come and see, Lord," they replied. 

Jesus wept. 

Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

Jesus wept, because he love Lazarus.  We may not get to see Jesus in the flesh, but Jesus loves us enough to weep over us, when we don't give our whole lives to Him.  We are dead, when we are not living in him.  But Jesus wept because Lazarus was his friend.

Go on to John 15 now, to verse 12, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."  Move on to verse 17, "This is my command: Love each other."

In one chapter, Jesus commands us twice to love each other.  Even as far as to say, "As I have loved you."  I call this Jesus love.  When we can love one another as Jesus loved us with our "Jesus Love" nothing can penetrate that bond.  If we loved everyone the way that Jesus loves us, what would be so wrong with everything going on around us.  Now it is impossible to love completely as Jesus did, Jesus had no imperfections.  But why aren't we striving to have a heart as much like Christ's as possible?

that'sallfornow.

Amanda

3 Semesters Down, 5 to go.

So last night I was sitting in a place very familiar to me, reflecting on the past year and a half.  Thinking about friends and family around me, and how important so many of them have been to this new life.  It's so strange to me that I wasn't walking with the Lord when I first started college, but how beautiful that what I have now is so much more! 

I never planned on coming to college, falling in love with the Lord, falling in love with so many wonderful people that I get to surround myself with, and honestly falling in love with all of college in general.  But I am surrounded by true men and women of God!  Dorothy Yan said it perfect one time.  "We are a fortress that the devil is going to have a hard time penetrating inside of."  How true is that!  We've got so many people that are going to make sure we don't live dumb lives! 

When I left San Antonio this morning, I was amazed by how many people I had to say goodbye to.  Even though we are only going to be gone for a short time.  We care so much about one another that even that short amount of time seems like forever.  Thank you Lord for community and fellowship!

So I originally was going to do this blog as a local restaurant and coffee shop blog.  But that is not why I am in San Antonio.  I'm here because the Lord sent me this direction!  So that's what this is going to be.  But look under the "Places" tab, because I will still put suggestions up in there! 


that'sallfornow.

Amanda