Taste and see The Lord is good
I was reading Galatians with my wife tonight and God really spoke to my heart. I want to share a few things with you. Please pray and read these few verses out of the book of Galatians.
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-8
As I read this I noticed that Paul marveled at people who walked away from Jesus so soon. It is sad to see the same thing happening today. People so badly want to follow Jesus because they understand that He is The Way, The Truth and The Life. People hear the gospel and they know that’s what’s been missing in their lives. I can go on and on. When the message is over, people make decisions or recommitments to follow Jesus. But it lasts only for awhile.
Before I was saved in November of 1998, there was a point in my life where I used to go to church every Sunday and hear the gospel preached. I would pray the sinner’s prayer and ask Christ to come into my heart almost on a weekly basis. But then I would leave church and go back to doing my own thing. Friends let me tell you that there was a spiritual war going on for my soul! God was competing with the things of this world and for me it was mainly baseball and girls. Now you can throw in other distractions such as there is a lot to do here in San Diego where the weather in 75 degrees 90% of the year, but there was a war going on. The bible says in John 10:10 “ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
It wasn’t until I surrendered everything over to Christ that I began to see my life change. As soon as I got saved in November 1998, I got plugged into a church and got discipled. I knew that I needed a foundation. I knew that for years God was trying to get me to stand up, go forward and get discipled. But I chickened out and never experienced God’s greatness in my life.
The Bible says in Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” You cannot experience God and walk away. Once you have tasted and seen His goodness you will never walk away. Let me encourage you if you are going through a time of doubt, give God all of you. What do you have to lose? Give God a chance. Taste and see that The LORD is good! Try it!!! I double dog dare you!!!
Here is a forty day challenge:
- Go to a Bible teaching Church every Sunday
- Pray everyday (as you pray ask God questions and journal)
- Read a chapter of John everyday
- Go to a Bible study once a week
- Whatever church you are going to, do 1 community service project with them such as feeding the homeless
In His Mighty Grip,
Mark
Are there good people?
I vote no! And by saying no I am including myself. I think that if we are to say that we are good, that means we are always good. This reality should see that that they is a measurement of good leading to perfection and no one comes near it.
Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. Psalm 53:3
So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. Luke 18:19
I can narrow down my badness to my thoughts. For example, I will be on the road and someone will cut me off and I have wicked thoughts of pressing a button that allows me to stand on top of my car and start throwing baseballs at them. Sounds like fun to me!!! All joking aside I do have those thoughts. Am I bad? Am I good? All I know is that I am a sinner saved by the grace of God. Before I was a Christian I had some major road rage and I would chase down people hanging out the window with a club (the one you are supposed to put on your steering wheel to prevent your car from being stolen) scarying people. Now I keep those thoughts to myself and when I get them I laugh I what I used to be, thankful that Christ has transformed me and am reminded that I am not good.
Now you might be asking, “If I am not good or ever can be good, what’s the point?” Let me encourage you that you will die miserable if you keep on trying to be good or keep thinking that you can be good. Surrender all to God, ask Christ to come into your life and allow Him to transform you, repent of your sins and seek to be Holy after God!
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy. I Peter 1:13-16
Our God is awesome! Let me encourage you to stop trying to think you have to be perfect to be a Christian. Simply seek after the Holiness of God and rest in the grace he offers you!
In His Mighty Grip,
Mark
Faith?
Maybe you are like me. Have you ever asked God to give you faith? Have you ever asked God to erase your unbelief and asked for more faith? I know that I have! Was I right in doing so? Was I wrong in doing so? I don’t think I was right nor wrong. I think I was truly seeking God and wanted to draw near to Him. I was driving home the other day and I was listening to a sermon and I heard this verse->
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
How does faith come? By HEARING & READING the Word of God!!! If you, like me at times are wanting more faith, let me encourage to to dive into the Word of God and let God’s Word give you faith. I think that we tend to complicate things or try to figure out an equation to having more faith. All we need is to intake the Word of God!
In His Mighty Grip,
Mark
Filed under Blogs
Worn out?
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9
Three things that I get form this passage:
1) Are we getting worn out trying to do things on our own strength? Draw near to God and lean on His strength! If you are doing good for the Kingdom then know that you will get through that obstacle, circumstance or season of life.
2) In due season–> It is a season of feeling weary, tired, worn out. Stay the course and fight through because God is preparing and shaping you!
3) If we do not lose heart! Key word… IF. Let me encourage you to not lose heart. God will get you through, just keep seeking and holding on to Him and His promises. Our God will not give any of us anything we cannot handle. Stay the course, run the race and fight the good fight!
In His Mighty Grip,
Mark
Filed under Blogs
Worship & Prayer Night
-
Worship & Prayer Night
You are all invited to a night of Worship & Prayer including a Baptism at CrossChurch San Diego! It will be Thursday November 5th from 7-8:15 pm. Bring you friends for a night of passionate worship and prayer!
Filed under Blogs
Born Again?
Are you born again? Either you are or you you are not. I read a passage from John 3
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
This was the question I asked to about 35 high school students in FCA today at Scripps Ranch High School. About a third of the students raised their hands that they were born again, that they have had a spiritual birth. As a result 3 kids gave their life to Christ today! God is good and I am amazed that He continues to use and bless me daily.
So what about you? Are you born again? Have you asked the living God to come into your life and forgive you of your sins?
In His Mighty Grip,
Mark
Filed under Blogs
