Acts

Timeless Truth = 21:13 He who gives up his life will gain it.

The book of Acts is reiterating a message that God has been speaking into my life for the last five years. Since opening my eyes to the reality of his mercy, the reality of sins forgiven through the work of Christ, Jesus has been speaking into the depths of my heart that I have nothing to be afraid of. As I see the ways that the apostles lived their lives with reckless abandon I am encouraged to do the same… feeling God’s call in my life to be his tool that others would see his wonderful mercy in their lives. While reading through Acts and charting the many stories of disciples who have gone before me daring to abandon themselves for Christ’s sake, I realize that God has proven himself to be so faithful to his people. I find myself feeling called to abandon all things for the sake of Christ yet something inside of me resists. I haven’t heard a clear calling to any particular ministry but I have been in eager anticipation for the last few years that he would make his plans for me clear. As I see him speaking directly to Paul and pouring out his Holy Spirit to the apostles I find myself so desperately jealous. Jealous because I want more than anything to be in his will. The truth is that it is his grace and mercy that I am in this place of wanting to be his, wanting to be used by him in any way he desires. I will examine my heart that I am not pursuing things for my glory, for the reality of my desire is to honor him with my life because of the great mercy he has given me. I want to respond properly, and I see that the proper response… the response that had impact in the lives of others that they saw Christ’s love for them… is to abandon my life for the sake of Christ. The things that I fear are fleeting, yet I would fear that they would overwhelm me. This fear would be a reality if it weren’t for the truth that I see now in the Holy Spirit, that he will strengthen me as he did the apostles as I diligently ask for him to come and do as he wishes through me. I am so excited and eager with anticipation at what God has for me. All I want is him, to abandon for his sake, to see the world rocked that people would be set free by the incredible grace and mercy that Jesus has bought them. My desperate desire is that people would experience the freedom God has for them in Christ… and I want more than anything to be doing all I can that this would happen. I would fear that I cannot make a difference, or that God couldn’t use a sinner like me, or that I would become unusable. These things I will not fear, but I will cry out to God that he would make of me what he wishes. I will now live trusting in his mercy and begging for the grace to receive his Holy Spirit that I would see clearly the reality of Christ that I would be seeing every moment as an opportunity to be his witness.

These are some of my fellow SBS students. This was a local restaurant/general store we eat at sometimes after church on Sunday. The place has 10 cent coffee, nice big portions, and apparently is the happening spot for the locals. From left to right these are my friends Mia, Michael, Sam, and Jesse.