I love church - the praise and worship, that calm feeling of being in the presence of God, the fellowship, the sermon ... well, you get the point. We go to an amazing church, and I feel incredibly blessed. I love listening to our pastor; he just breaks things down so well, and makes the word feel easy to apply to everyday life. And while I love listening to him preach, there are two times during church that really make me smile - when they read the testimonies of the things God is doing and the altar call at the end. I love hearing how God is healing people, restoring marriages, providing financially, etc. It's just a reminder that he still cares and he still works miracles. It builds me up and gives me renewed hope that he's going to answer my prayers and meet my needs. I also love the end of service when you see people coming forward to be saved or to rededicate their lives. It almost always brings tears to my eyes because I know they are about to experience something they will never forget. They're about to meet God, and he's about to become very real to them. I love that we all clap to encourage them and celebrate with them.
While many people probably enjoy the testimonies more, I have often thought during the altar call, "This is the part heaven gets excited about." It's awesome to hear the testimonies, but the bible tells us the angels and all of heaven rejoice when someone gets saved. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the angels love a good healing miracle and a restored marriage, but it's people being saved that gets them up and celebrating!
I have had the privilege of going on three missions trips to Jamaica with the missionary Terry Mize. He is an incredible man of God who preaches the word to the lost around the world, and if you ever get the chance to hear him preach, GET THERE!! And no matter what the topic is that night, I promise you he will come back to one simple principle - missions is the heart of God. Going into all the world and preaching the gospel to everyone is why we're here. We are here to share the Good News with all mankind. What is the Good News? I think it is as simple and as complex as this - God loves you. He loves you exactly as you are. He knows your faults; he knows your past, and he doesn't care. Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (ESV). And we all know John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (ESV).
This is the message we should be taking to the world - GOD LOVES YOU!! He's not out to get you. He loves you so much that he gave up his only son. Stop and think about that. We all know someone who does not like us, for whatever reason. Now imagine that you, without being asked, give one of your children to save that person. That makes no sense! Yet, God, while we were all still living a life we shouldn't, gave up his Son so that we could spend eternity with him and live a life of heaven on earth. That is so hard to wrap your mind around.
It's then what comes out of that love that leads to wonderful testimonies. He loves us so much that after we make the decision to follow him he just wants to bless us. He wants us to have the best and be prosperous. He does all this to further demonstrate that love, and that's what we have to show the world. Not a God of fire and brimstone, but a God of pure, unconditional love that no human can understand.
This blog is based on Psalm 139:13-16:
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of
the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
You were created for a purpose, and God made you exactly the way you are on purpose! You truly were created to be fabulous!
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