"The promise we can claim and be thankful for is Gods covenant with Noah outlines Gods unconditional love to abide with man, even though we are always going to be wicked in our hearts. Thank God he brought the "Ark of Salvation" in our lives through Jesus Christ to save us from the eternal "Flood of condemnation"/separation from God."
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I think its about time you all had a chance to get to know me just a little bit deeper… Mine is a story of Sanctification… I grew up just outside of Baltimore in a smaller town where we could leave our doors unlocked and there were no fences separating yards. In the summer, we could leave the house in the morning and not come home until dinner and parents didn’t freak out about where we were. My grandfather was a Baptist pastor and my parents just celebrated 44 years of marriage. I’m the middle child with an older brother and younger sister. Now I’m the uncle of 4 nephews a niece. We were the family that went to church every Sunday and talked regularly about what Jesus had done for us on the cross. I remember accepting the Good News when I was 11 years old – I distinctly remember praying with my dad to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. And life has been amazing with zero struggle ever since!!! Hahaha – if you believe that, I’ve got some investments to sell you!
I was fortunate to grow up in a house full of believers and the vast majority of my closest friends were believers as well. In fact, when I was in high school – I went to a Tuesday morning bible study every week that was led by my buddy’s father, Mr. Pete. The verse that he beat into our heads was Jeremiah 29:11 –“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 12 and 13 are awesome as well… “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I WILL HEAR YOU. You will seek me and FIND ME, when you seek me with all your heart.” What these verses meant to me (and I believe to Jeremiah) was “stop being and idiot! My plans for you are far better than your own… And believe me, I do have plans for you and a purpose for your life. I’m begging you – grow in your relationship with me – not this world! But I’m one of those people where you can’t just tell me the stove is hot, I’ve gotta experience the burn for myself! My second year of college was a hard one. 1 Peter 5:8 became abundantly clear that year. “Be Sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” He tried really hard that year. About two weeks prior to returning to school I had to go to the funeral of a friend from high school that was murdered. It was surreal seeing someone I knew lying in a casket that was just a year younger than me who had her whole life in front of her but it was cut short by evil. Just a few short weeks later, I would be confronted with something very similar. Now that I lived off campus with 3 other guys, our refrigerator was full of beer and liquor bottles covered our counter top. We were doing our best to live the college experience the best way we could – and that meant PARTY! On September 5,1998 my roommate, Chip, drank way too much and wrecked his truck. He was physically ok, but when he got home that morning, he decided to take his own life. A few minutes later, when I finally picked the lock on his doo,r the 911 operator told me I had to check for a pulse. I got up closer and it was evident that he was gone. The cops came and sat us in the back of his car and read us our rights for my first time. Unfortunately, not my last. That day was the first time I cried in 9 years but I do remember God whispering – “I love you and I do have a plan for you”. To be honest – I was really angry at God. I couldn’t understand why Chip would make such a permanent decision for a temporary problem. I couldn’t understand why his parents wanted us to take lie detector tests and said such hurtful things to us. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t get the image or smell out of my mind. I couldn’t understand a lot but he was working through my family and friends to show just how much he loved me. My brother was there for me to crash with for a while and my buddy Jarred (the son of a preacher) was a coworker and really good for me to talk to – constantly encouraging me in Christ. In my years on this earth, I’ve known too many people who’s lives have been cut short due to suicide and drug overdoses. This questioning and frustration with God combined with the knowledge of who He ultimately is, led to a lot of partying on Fridays and Saturdays and going to church a tad hungover on Sunday mornings. I believe I was a Christian but I also think the devil had me right where he wanted me – one foot in and one foot out - totally ineffective at showing anyone else Christ in me. If you didn’t really know me – you might say I was a nice guy but Christ is not a priority in my life! After college, I moved to Texas with 4 other guys from school. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of men, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand”. I can tell you that we had big plans! We were going to work really hard, make a ton of money, and have as much fun as we possibly could… and go to church on Sundays. That first year in Texas my plans had me working 60 hour weeks, living below the poverty line, chasing after the wrong women, and included me spending a night in jail on a felony evading arrest charge. I think that night specifically, God was saying – Hey idiot! I have a plan for you that is a much better path!! Seek me – You will find me!! My way is better! By God’s grace, those arrest charges were dropped, I started a new career, and started getting more involved at church – even going on a few mission trips here and there. I’m certainly not saying I’ve made all perfect decisions since then! In fact, I feel like a lot of times its two steps forward and one step back. But each time that step back was met with that familiar whisper “I love you. I’m not going anywhere. I have better plans for you. Please seek me!” After my last serious relationship ended a few years ago and I was left with a ton of really big trust issues, it was pretty cool to be able to look back on my life and think – God has this. He has brought me through the fire before and he has a purpose in this too. He has also been faithful to surround me with solid believers that push me in His direction as opposed to this world. Let’s be honest – the world looks good and fun and tempting but ultimately, chasing after it never satisfies!! I can be a forgetful person so I had that verse tattooed on the inside of my right arm as a daily reminder. God has a plan and a purpose for my life and it is good. It may not always be easy but ultimately, it is good! I sometimes slip back into thinking that my way isn’t so bad… But I find that His ways are just better! I am still a sinner but Christ died for sinners just like me. He rose again so that I may have life and have it to the fullest – as a Co-Heir of God! That is who I am, and that is where my worth is found. - Jon Lantz You are God’s Masterpiece
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV) The reason you have value is because of what God says about you, not because of what other people say about you. Many people lack self-esteem. They don’t feel good about themselves because they’re always trying to pump themselves up by the kind of clothes they wear, the kind of car they drive, what they post on social media and the things they say. They’re always trying to pump themselves up to make them feel better about themselves because they really don’t accept themselves, which in reality is rebellion against God. If God wanted you to be somebody else, you wouldn’t exist. But he wanted you! He made you to be you. Real self-esteem comes from three facts: 1. God created you. 2. Jesus died for you. 3. God’s Spirit lives in you. The Bible says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10) The New Testament was written originally in Greek. The Greek word for “workmanship” is “poema.” It’s the word we get “poem” from. God says, “You’re my poem. You’re my masterpiece. I don’t want you copying somebody else. I’ve put gifts in you — heart, abilities, personality, and experiences — and I want you to use them.” You have worth because of what God says about you and has done for you. You’re not just wanted; you’re needed! The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person” You are needed. You’re needed in your family, church, work/school and community. You are needed in this world. If you weren’t needed, God would not have made you. He didn’t create you to just sit and sulk. He brought you here to make a contribution with your life. And everybody is needed. There are no little people in the family of God. Every role is important. You are important. You have value because God said so and because he paid such a large ransom for your life when he sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for you. So…. What is your role in your church? Your family? Your community? Your job? In the world? How are you fulfilling it? In what ways have you been trying to boost your self-esteem? By Maggie Marshall Reich |
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