GREENE STREET LETTERS: Verbal Conviction

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Verbal Conviction

When was the last time you spoke something from your heart that was a conviction?
That what you spoke ran contrary to the ways and ideas of the people around you and it costs you something because of your conviction.
Most of us would be hard pressed to come up with such a comment or speech or whatever you want to call it.
For the most part, we don't want to rock the boat or create confrontation with others. We are so insecure in what we believe that we keep it hidden, afraid that if we speak up we might be wrong and someone might correct us. Is this truly the way God desires us to live? I think not.

I have spent the better part of this evening pouring over somethings that the Apostle Paul wrote. In Romans 8:18, we read "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Heady stuff.
Now when Paul speaks of "present suffering" he is speaking of suffering that comes because of our faith and belief in Christ. Not economic hardship due to our own ignorance, or choice we make that run contrary to God's teachings. That hardship profits us nothing other than to teach us how not to make bad decisions. Paul is speaking of paying a price for following this Christ. He (Paul) says that every thing that happens to him because of his relationship with Jesus pales in comparison to the coming glory of God to be revealed in each believer.
These were not flowery words to inspire and uplift that Paul wrote. NO! This was the conviction of his heart. The foundation of what he truly believed. Paul saw the world and everything it had to offer and said, "No thanks! I'll take Jesus."

That is where I want to be.
I want to speak the conviction of my heart.
I want to see the truth of God in my own life as I become less so He can become more.
I hunger for you, Lord.
Come tonight!
Come in 2009!

God on you.........
mb

2 comments:

Bobby said...: We're called to speak the truth in love. Your verbal conviction can get you killed in some countries. Let's risk a little ridicule this year, by standing up for the right thing ... that would be Jesus and his perspective on things.; December 30, 2008 at 10:00 PM
David Finlayson said...: just try not to offend anyone; December 31, 2008 at 8:34 AM

Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Verbal Conviction

2 comments:

THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD