Tweet
Trash? Yes. "For He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." I am just a crummy work in progress until He is seated in His rightful place on the throne of the kingdom of heaven.
Unsaved? Not last I checked. Let me see. In a thoroughly excellent book study that walked through the book, "What is a Healthy Church Member" by Tabhiti Anyabwile, we discussed what it means to be truly converted. We discussed the need for a heart change that radically changes the way we think, act, and perceive our sins. Last I checked, I have a Biblical understanding of my own sin, my condition and condemnation apart from Christ, the Redemptive power of what occurred on the cross, and the repentance needed for Salvation in Jesus Christ. I begged God then and there to give me a desire to obey His will and to redeem my wretched worthless soul and to use me as an instrument for His glory. I asked Him for humility, teachability, grace, mercy, and love as one of His children. I did not find Jesus. He came and plucked me from the fathomless depths of my sin. My understanding is not mine. It is only granted by Him. Daily I strive to overcome my sins, and by God's work in my life, I am able to overcome a little more each day.
I believe that the whole Bible is equally profitable for education. I suppose my favorite verse would be in Ephesians 1:
" 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5heb predestined us for adoption to sonshipc through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9hed made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11In him we were also chosen,e having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spiritf of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
The beauty, power, and awesome authority that God holds over every creature on earth and in heaven rings through to me here in the above verses.
I call Westside Baptist Church in Florida my home church.
Unsaved? Not last I checked. Let me see. In a thoroughly excellent book study that walked through the book, "What is a Healthy Church Member" by Tabhiti Anyabwile, we discussed what it means to be truly converted. We discussed the need for a heart change that radically changes the way we think, act, and perceive our sins. Last I checked, I have a Biblical understanding of my own sin, my condition and condemnation apart from Christ, the Redemptive power of what occurred on the cross, and the repentance needed for Salvation in Jesus Christ. I begged God then and there to give me a desire to obey His will and to redeem my wretched worthless soul and to use me as an instrument for His glory. I asked Him for humility, teachability, grace, mercy, and love as one of His children. I did not find Jesus. He came and plucked me from the fathomless depths of my sin. My understanding is not mine. It is only granted by Him. Daily I strive to overcome my sins, and by God's work in my life, I am able to overcome a little more each day.
I believe that the whole Bible is equally profitable for education. I suppose my favorite verse would be in Ephesians 1:
" 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5heb predestined us for adoption to sonshipc through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9hed made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 11In him we were also chosen,e having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spiritf of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
The beauty, power, and awesome authority that God holds over every creature on earth and in heaven rings through to me here in the above verses.
I call Westside Baptist Church in Florida my home church.
Comment