I've Never Felt His Love Before...

Well, I mean, I knew it was there, but I’ve never felt something so different that I would go “oh, so this is what love feels like!”

After a really horrible morning/afternoon/evening/overall day, I drove home from work around 10pm. Listening to one of my favorite radio stations, “Mighty to Save” came on. I only kept it on because I felt like singing in the car, and I knew all the words to this one.

“Everyone needs compassion, a love that’s never failing, let mercy fall on me”

I needed a love right there. Being the selfish person I sometimes am, I thought to myself how no guy I would ever love in that way would ever love me back. Not even lust. It just hasn’t happened in the 20+ years I’ve been alive. Then I wondered what a love like His was like, to love every one of His children and be merciful towards them. It had to be surreal, right?

“Everyone needs forgiveness, the kindness of a savior, the hope of nations”

I sure needed forgiveness. I had been arguing with my sister and both parents on several occasions earlier that day, so I knew I had sinned multiple times today alone. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if my family just forgave me and meant it? Again, surreal.

“Savior, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave”

Now how could any ordinary person rise and conquer the grave? I mean, once you’re dead you pretty much stay dead, right? Not this dude.

“So take me as you find me, all my fears and failures, fill my life again. I give my life to follow everything I believe in. Now I surrender”

Surrender, that’s kind of like giving up, right? Maybe that’s what I should do. Not give up, but surrendering myself, my fears, my failures. If He can love me and forgive me, maybe He will accept my surrendering of my fear of my next step in life: choosing another school. Maybe He will accept my failure at being a good daughter, good sister, good student, good role model. Maybe He will accept me as I am, take me as He finds me.

“Savior, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave”

Author of salvation. Mighty to save. He has all the power in the world and He chooses to use it to save us, the sinners, the murderers, the adulterers, the criminals, the prostitutes, the mothers, the fathers, the children, the neighbors, the brothers, the sisters. He uses His power to save us!

“Shine your light and let the whole world see we’re singing for the glory of the risen King!”

Right before this part, I felt something tingling in my body. The only things I can compare them to are shivers from being cold and happiness. I wasn’t cold, but I had goosebumps and a sudden lifted spirit. I started smiling, then giggling, and finally laughing out loud as I was singing. There was nothing funny to laugh at, no humorous lyrics or sights on my drive, yet I was laughing and smiling and genuinely happy. The only explanation I have is that God’s love filled me up right then and there. Or at least this time I was fully aware of it. He shined His light inside me, I was just trying to let it out in the car.

Euphoria.

“You’re the Savior, You can move the mountains. Lord, You are mighty to save, You are mighty to save. Forever, Author of salvation, You rose and conquered the grave, yes You conquered the grave!”

Never had a love like this.

At Christian Fellowship, we had several people share little bits of information that either God put on their hearts or that their pastors were talking about recently. I wanted to share them with you.

• ESPN = we are granted Eternal life, our Sins are forgiven, we have a Personal relationship with God, and we are Never forgotten. (Dan)
• Put on your armor. For every new level, there is a new devil. We are equipped with the breast plate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of truth, and the sword of the Spirit: His word. Be strategic in warfare: we have to decree it, expect it, and believe it. (Songa)
• God doesn't expect you to be perfect. He isn't surprised by your sins. (Allison)
• In Charlotte's Web, Charlotte does all the work for Wilbur, but she doesn't expect any of the attention or rewards. She does it because she cares. We should start doing things for others and not expect a reward, because that takes away the whole purpose of doing things for others. (Amanda)

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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. -- 1 John 4:18

Movie Miracles

Yesterday, we had a movie showing sponsored by Christian Fellowship at our college. The movie was called “The Board” and was about a man’s conscience, mind, memory, emotions, will, and heart coming together to accept Jesus Christ. It was a really moving film. We had had one other movie showing last semester of “Facing the Giants” about a football team who gives God all the glory of their successes. That movie only attracted a few members in our club and one or two people outside our club, only one who came back for a few meetings. This time, we decided to have pizza with our movie, and once you advertise pizza, people will come from all around to get a slice. Fortunately for us, the majority of those people (about 25 outside the group) chose to stay for the movie out of respect. That surprised me that they wouldn’t just take the pizza and leave like so many others had. Nonetheless, they stayed and watched the movie in its entirety. At the beginning, there were a few skeptical people in the audience wondering why we were showing such a film. But at the plot progressed and especially at the climax, we heard several “Amen’s” coming from their mouths. It’s amazing how pizza can bring people together, even fellow Christians who would otherwise not associate with our club. At the end, we had several people come up to us and ask the times and place of our meetings. Next week, we will find out if any of them follow up on the offer. Also, there was a non-Christian in the room who came up to us after the movie. She told us flat out that she wasn’t a Christian, but she liked to hear from people from other denominations. She was very respectful, and I hope we meet up again in the future.

It’s amazing what God can do. We don’t know how many lives were touched or changed that day, but God will find them and work through them to bring them to the truth.

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"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." -- John 16:33

You Are Welcome Here

As you may or may not have known, I went to a Christian convention last Christmas (2009) called Urbana in St Louis, Illinois. While here, the 18000 of us all studied part of the Bible: John chapters 1-4. We didn't skim it or only read what parts we wanted to; we read the entire thing word-for-word. This way, we were able to soak up the entire message conveyed to us. John 4 really stood out to me recently. I wanted to share a bit of what I learned with you today.

Jesus was a Jew, if you recall, and Jews did not get along well with Samaritans. You would never ever see a Jew conversing with a Samaritan. It just didn't happen. Jesus needed to get back to Galilee, and instead of finding an alternate route he walked right on through Samaria. By now it was noontime, the hottest time of day, so nobody would dare go out into the sun. Jesus was there, wanting to drink water from a well, and he met a Samaritan woman who was also there to draw water from the well. Thirsty Jesus asked the woman to get him a drink of water. She was shocked that he was talking to her. First of all, Jesus was breaking down social barriers here, being a Jew and talking to a Samaritan. He wants to show us that he doesn’t care who you are or where you came from, but his love will extend to anyone who is willing to accept it.

Moving on, he asks her for a drink, she wonders why he asked her. He makes a statement we will review later. But now, he tells her to go call her husband, to which she replies “I have no husband.” Jesus confirms this, knowing that she didn’t have a husband, but that in the past she had five husbands, all of whom she divorced, and that now she is living with a man who is not her husband. This is another barrier Jesus broke down. The woman was at the well at noon when nobody else would be out because she was shunned by her community. Everyone else would go in the early morning or late afternoon when it was cooler, but she had to go in the middle of the day. Any person, Jew or Samaritan or otherwise, would frown upon the fact that not only has she had multiple marriages, but she is living with someone who is not her husband! Jesus takes her in anyways, a five-time divorced Samaritan woman. He doesn’t care; he still wants to show her God’s love, kindness, and mercy.

Now the message: Jesus tells the woman that anyone who drinks from his fountain will not thirst ever again, that is, anyone who follows him will be forever satisfied and all their needs taken care of. Jesus also warns her about the future, that soon it will not matter how you worship or when you worship or where you worship or even who you are to worship. It just matters that you worship fully and honestly to the Lord our God.

“It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” –John 4:23-24