#mabc.us

[mabcstudents-blog]

When it comes to following God, there is something we often miss.  It actually comes from the way Greek works (which is what the new testament was written in).  Greek Verbs carry a lot more meaning than english.  One greek verb can contain the subject, verb, type of action, and the way it is received!  When scripture talks about following it is what is known as a continuous action.  There is a starting point, but it repeats unendlingly.  Think of sneezing: it has a specific moment in time; now compare that to breathing.  It is something that happened in the past, but is still happening today (I hope!).  When scripture communicates this idea of following Christ, it is not a one time decision, it is an ongoing process of life.  

  The challenge comes from this single command of Jesus, “Follow Me.”  It is a command with intended ongoing action.  Who? YOU! Do What? Start following and never stop.  What are we to follow? Him!  It is so simple, yet it changes everything if we truly do it!

-C

[mabcstudents-blog]

i am yours tonight. i am yours if you can break me down; break through these walls i hide behind.  come and break me down; won't you break me down?!?

lyrics "tenth avenue north- break me down"

[mabcstudents-blog]

Be Prepared!

Be prepared.  It’s the boyscout motto, or was it cubscouts…   Anyways, scripture tells us to  be prepared to preach the word any time.  Preaching the word is not something that is reserved for “preachers.”  The way it is described in 2 Timothy is crucial to our understanding of it.

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. (2Tim 4:2 NIV)

This includes using scripture to correct, rebuke and encourage others.  BUT BE CAREFUL!!!  Scripture is all too often someone’s weapon to bring someone down, or to put you up on a “holy” pedestal.  It is for neither of those.  It is to correct a believer who is wandering or toying with sin, for rebuking the believer who is flat out wrong, and encouraging them with the hope that is the gospel.

Preach the Gospel to the lost, correct the wayward believer, and encourage those who follow Christ!  Be careful how you do it, “speak the truth in love.” (Eph 4:15 NIV) 

Be prepared!

[mabcstudents-blog]

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Michah 7.18-19

      A pardon is something we don’t fully understand as normal citizens.  This week I heard an interview with a governor about an inmate who has the possibility to be pardoned from the death penalty to live out his life in jail without the possibility of parole.  He was not eligible for a full pardon, just pardoned from execution.  To him a pardon literally is the difference between life and death.

      As believers, God has pardoned ALL of our iniquity and passed over ALL our transgressions.  He does not hold a grudge, because he takes great pleasure in love without end.  And time after time he will continue to have compassion on us and will walk right over our shortcomings.  He will even cast our sin into the deepest reaches of the sea!

      We like to hold on to our sin like it’s our precious possession, think Gollum from Lord of the Rings.  When really it is no longer ours.  God has cast it into the sea.  There may be remaining consequences, but the sin itself has been removed.  Live in the freedom of true forgiveness and worship the God who has no match; after all, “Who is a God like you?”   … there is none like Him!

[mabcstudents-blog]

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand. Isaiah 41:10 I have a ridiculous fear of being chased. It's crazy I know. But sometimes if I am walking alone somewhere I have this creepy feeling that someone is chasing me. It's dumb ... trust me, I get that, but it still scares me. Lately something else has been scaring me: wasting my life I don't want to live my life in fear, afraid to do what I know God has called me to because I'm afraid of what people will think, afraid to tell others about His love because I'm afraid of how they'll act. I don't want to live my life out of fear. God promises in this verse that we aren't alone. He is our strength and our help. So regardless of what people say about us or how they treat us - He will uphold us. We don't have to live our life in fear. Step out today and do what He is calling you to do. Besides, what are you scared of anyways?? -A

[mabcstudents-blog]

Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Jeremiah 33:3 esv