Matthew 28:19-20

This past Tuesday, I came to the conclusion that I am not a missionary. I've never been on a missions trip, I've never attempted to go on a missions trip, I've never tried to witness to someone. Do I want to be a missionary? Of course! Not only am I called to be a missionary, but I truly want to be a missionary. Now let me clarify... when I say "missionary" I don't necessarily mean someone who travels to another country. While that is one definition of a missionary, to me it is someone who travels outside their front door. I don't feel God calling me to go to another country right now, but I'm not saying I won't happen in the future. I always want to be available to God if he wants me to go somewhere. But I heard a story once that someone came to America from another country and was asked why he came. His response: "I am here to share the gospel. America is my mission field." It made me think... Why leave America when we have a mission field once we leave out door?!

So I made a decision. I decided that I am going to go to downtown Lynchburg, Virginia just to talk to people. I'm not exactly sure what about, but I'm just going to talk and share with them. But today is Sunday, and I didn't go yesterday. Why? A couple reasons... After talking to friends and getting any ideas, I really had no clue what to do. I didn't have a plan. And you all know the famous quote: "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." When I do this, not if, I want to be prepared, I want to be ready. Being a college student, it is like taking a test, and not studying. I need to be prepared, I need to put on the full armor of God. It's going to be tough. I don't really know what to expect, but I'm going into this with a willing heart. I know the Lord will protect me, guide me, and use me. Again, I don't know how but it's not really my job to know what or who i'm affecting. I want to be like Isaiah. "Here am I! Send me!"

Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

"You were never holding me up"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyOIBnExlrw


please watch this... a post will be coming soon, i'm not done digesting it.

have a great day, and remember... BE INTENTIONAL!!!

G

Garden- Needtobreathe

I've been listening to this song all day now, and it's my prayer for my life, especially being a musician. If you don't own Needtobreathe's new CD, why not?! Go get it now. Thanks. haha

Enjoy... God Bless




Won't you take this cup from me?
because fear has stolen all my sleep.

If tomorrow means my death
pray you'll save their souls with it.

Let the songs I sing bring joy to you.
Let the words I say confess my love.
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune.

Father let my heart be after you.

In this hour of doubt I see
who I am is not just me
so give me strength to die myself
so love can live to tell the tale.

Let the songs I sing bring joy to you.
Let the words I say confess my love.
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune.

Father let my heart be after you.

Father let my heart be for you
For you
For you
For you

Let the songs I sing bring joy to you.
Let the words I say confess my love.
Let the notes I choose be your favorite tune.

Father let my heart be after you.

...Amen.

I Met My Wife Today

As I finished up Proverbs today, I got to the part where God talks about my wife. I didn't know she was that famous, but God wrote a whole chapter about her!!! It's crazy how God knew exactly who my wife is gonna be, exactly how she is going to be, and how beautiful she is. But then again, He knows everything so it doesn't surprise me. I'm kind of jealous tho... I wanna meet her!!! But seriously, I want to know her. I can't wait to meet her. Or have I met her already? Who knows...

Proverbs 31:29 "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

I can't wait to meet you... and I'm sorry if I'll be speechless the first time I see you. So to whom this may concern, wherever you are... I love you, I need you, and you're always in my thoughts and prayers. Seeya soon =)

Geren

Since I Have My Life Before Me”

By Brooke Bronkowski

I’ll live my life to the fullest. I’ll be happy. I’ll brighten up. I will be more joyful than I have ever been. I will be kind to others. I will loosen up. I will tell others about Christ. I will go on adventures and change the world. I will be bold and not change who I really am. I will have no troubles but instead help others with their troubles.

You see, I’ll be one of those people who live to be history makers at a young age. Oh, I’ll have moments, good and bad, but I’ll wipe away the bad and only remember the good. In fact that’s all I remember, just good moments, nothing in between, just living my life to the fullest. I’ll be one of those people who go somewhere with a mission, an awesome plan, a world-changing plan, and nothing will hold me back. I’ll set an example for others, I will pray for direction.

I have my life before me. I will give others the joy I have and God will give me more joy. I will do everything God tells me to do. I will follow the footsteps of God. I will do my best!!!

"To be simple is to be great"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's been a couple days since I've last posted, but there really hasn't been that much on my mind to write something. And I don't want these posts to be lame, so I decided to wait until something hit me pretty hard. However, on Friday Liberty had the privilege to hear from Sujo John, who talked about his experience on September 11th, 2001. His message was great, and his illustrations/imagery was phenomenal. He talked about how we put our "glossy trash on the old rugged cross." BAM! Not much more you can say about that... well there is, but that's not what today's post is about. But there is one thing that Sujo John did say that is relevant... He argued at one point that Christianity is simple and Johnnie Moore agreed in Campus Church yesterday saying that being a Christian is simple if we follow the two rules - Put God first, and love one another.

This morning I read about simplicity. Ironic how I've slowly been learning this idea of simplicity over the past couple of days. When I read, I don't always pick things up right away. It's not always a swift "smack in the face" or "running into a brick wall" moments. Sometimes God reveals things to me slowly. Sometimes it seems simpler when God slows it down so I can soak it in. I can even look back on the past couple of hours and see what God has taught me. It blows my mind how God teaches me.

"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

I am guilty of complicating things or rationalizing with God. I can think of countless times when I tried reasoning with God for my actions. It's so easy to become so legalistic and try to deceive our minds about things we want to do or sins we want to commit. But I need to realize that what God has for me is greater than what Satan wants for me. God cares about me. God loves me. God knows what I need. So why do I go to the one who lies, cheats, deceives, kills, angers, defiles and destroys? Because Satan has the "sweets." He has the candy jar, and what we need is solid food. We want the quick fix for our hunger or sweet tooth. That five or ten minutes of rich, milky, chocolaty "goodness." Whether its a snickers bar or a jolly rancher, we go for the quick fix. But once that's over with, we see our longing for the good food. I want that juicy steak, or that ample supply of fruit. "...as the serpent deceived Eve..." We know that Eve went through it, and I know I go through it daily. Just as we go to the Dentist to get our teeth removed, we need to ask God to remove our "sweet tooth" that will draw us into the hands of the devil. We need to think simple. I know that Satan is going to try to destroy me. Nothing he has is of eternal significance. WHY DO I GO BACK TO HIM?!?!?! I fall back to sin when I need to fall to my knees. Simplicity.

We hear it all the time, but it is the truth - we need to be like Children. One thing did hit me like a kick in the face - Matthew 11:25. "At that time Jesus declared, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children." How many times have we learned from a little kid. We don't realize that sometimes we need the perspective of a 9 year old. Their minds are so simple and basic. They don't rationalize, they don't argue, they don't reason, they're just kids. They don't know any better, but that's why God is calling us to be like children. I feel like it's the moments of those little kids when they ask a million questions, or keep asking "WHY?!" They don't know any better. They're clueless to Satan and his tactics. That verse says God hides things from the wise and understanding. Wise and understanding = you and me. We need to be simpler. We need to be like children. Why? Verse 28 - "Come to me... I will give you rest."

He's got our backs?! John 16:33 "But take heart, I have overcome the world." Oh just the world.. no big deal... ummm.... THE WORLD!!!! HELLO! It actually upsets me that I go to anyone else BUT God! He is the only one who will satisfy our needs, not our wants or cravings, our needs.

So today, I want to be simple. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "To be simple is to be great." I don't know about you, but I want to be great. I want to get to Heaven and hear God say, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant."

In His Name,

Geren

Hate it, Starve it, Outsmart it!

Over the past couple of days, it's been a struggle to fight. Last week, Clayton King talked about the three things we need to do in order to overcome temptations - "Hate it, Starve it, Outsmart it!" And I've realized that it is not easy nor fun. Learning to hate what you're used to is not an easy task. And then you have to starve it. Possibly the "easier" step, but all of these steps are still very difficult. This step is just to say "no." Don't surround yourself with it, don't think about it. Don't do it. Simple directions, difficult response. But if it were only as easy to just say no. It can only get you so far. This summer I read "Pleasures Evermore: The Life Changing Power of Enjoying God" by Sam Storms, and within the first couple of chapters he talked about how saying "no" will only get you so far. It's only the short-term solution to the problem. The long-term solution is to find pleasure and satisfaction in our Lord and Savior. And not just in his name, but our relationship with him. We can admire him and look at him as a symbol or figure, or we can look at him as God and Savior who wants a personal, daily relationship with us. This relationship is where we find our eternal pleasures, our everlasting peace and joy. So while saying "no" helps for a short term, it's easy to fall back into sin once that effect wears off. I encourage you to read the book and to fall in love with God.

Church today was exactly what I needed to hear, especially the praise and worship. The last song we sang hit the bulls-eye on my heart. While I love when these moments happen, I hate realizing that I have grown away from God in that particular area. Obviously, I wish I was were perfect, but I hate disappointing people. Today's song was "Search Me, Know Me" and it really hit home for me... I leave you with the words from the song as a prayer for you...

Search Me, Know Me - Kathryn Scott

"Search me, know me, try me and see
Every worthless affection hidden in me
All I'm asking for, is that you cleanse me Lord,
Create in me a heart that's clean
Conquer the power of secrets shame
Come wash away the guilty shame all of my sin
Clothe me in robes of righteousness
Cover my nakedness with grace
All of my life before you now I humbly bring"


- G

Class Begins!

It's official... classes have begun for me. I'm sitting in the bookstore and I just finished studying for my first quiz of the year. It's real now. The first week didn't really count because we didn't have homework and most of my classes consisted of reading the syllabus and doing icebreakers the whole class. But now it begins! First quiz, first grade, first class today!

On a more serious note, Clayton King has been speaking the last couple of days for Spiritual Emphasis Week and the Holy Spirit is sweeping through this campus! With almost 200 new salvations and many other commitments made, God has really spoken to us through Clayton. Over the past three days Clayton has spoken to us about true conversion, making faith your own, challenging your walk with temptation and relationships, and the way to break away from sin and temptation--fleeing not fighting! These messages have truly struck my heart to increase my faith and challenge my walk, and I know many of my friends have been touched as well.

I could go further into detail about what he's talked about, but it's difficult to sum up 4 or 5 messages without writing a book! And with classes finally "beginning," time is of the essence and I won't have much of it to waste or re-manage. Overall, Clayton really influenced a lot of people's minds and hearts. He had some great things to say, he had some tough things to say, and he was real about it all. He even said some things he probably wasn't supposed to. But with a public apology and repentance of those things, we forgave him and he moved on. God did wonders through Clayton King this Spiritual Emphasis Week. I'm always excited to hear him speak and to go to Spiritual Emphasis Week. If you haven't heard of Clayton King or Clayton King Ministries, I encourage you to check him out at claytonking.com.

Thanks for looking! Have a blessed day!

"This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
Psalm 118:24

Geren