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Sharing Christ story

I just talked with a worker at Panera about God, Mother Nature, organics, and the fair treatment of animals.  I mentioned that in the Bible it said that in the end times, "the love of most will grow cold.  They will be lovers of self, and lovers of money."  I continued to say that that is what we are seeing with people putting steroids into cows & making food unhealthy.  They could really care less about us but just about themselves & their money.

She rolled her eyes and said, "I don't really believe in God...I believe more in Mother Nature.  She punishes us when we treat her bad."

I said, "So you are saying that Mother Nature is actually a deity?"

She said, "I guess so. And when we treat the world bad & litter & smoke, she gets mad."

I agreed with what I could but said, "I am a pastor & when I read the Bible I see that God created us to care for the environment.  In fact, in Proverbs it says that you can tell the character of a man by how they treat their animal."

As she continued to listen and make my hot chocolate, I continued, "So I guess God is kind of an environmentalist.  She smiled, I took my hot chocolate & thanked her for the good conversation.

Father, I thank you for this brief opportunity to share your truth & passion with this girl.  May You use this to draw her close too you.

Relax

"Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved.  In quietness & confidence is your strength."

-Isaiah 30:15

A few thoughts:

1.  How is a person saved?  By returning to God (repentance) (now this is seen by depending in Jesus Christ).  It looks like-quit ignoring God & start obeying His ways.

2.  What is this resting? To finally settle down in the way of God, rest satisifed in the will of God (Matthew Henry's commentary).  To be content with God & trust your safety to Him.

3.  In quietness (antynonym-freting, restlessness, busyness) & confidence (antynonym-insecurity, being a control freak) is your strength.  A Christian who stills themself before God , even amidst the storms, & has confidence in God is a strong Christian.

4.  Have you returned to God?  Are you resting in Him?

5.  Based on the second sentence of this verse- are you a strong CHristian or a weak one?

Results of the Fall (revisited):

My journal entry from Saturday, August 11, 2007.  Enjoy-

"I think I am still dealing with perfectionism.  And I am a control person.  And I get stressed about there being stress.  I worry about somethhing stressing me out.  I have becmome super sensitive, phobic about my body (like an old church, ingrown to my problems).  I desire You to rescue me from this.  Help me to relax.

I am trying to live, to thrive, to prosper, to enjoy life, to maintain heaven on earth.

The fact is-this world sucks.  It is broken, imperfect, stained, tainted, barely habitable because of sin.  My body is dying and there is nothing I can do about it.  It will be sore, injured, anxious, sick, headached, numbed, cramped, tired, hungry, naucious, stressed, tight, a mess.  The kids will act up in the vehicle because there is sin, stresses on them too, our minds are all fallen cloudy.  Things will never be perfect here on earth, because of sin; it is a broken existence.  Mars is no better either.  Expect that things are going to go wrong and learn how to function on that. 

The pool water is going to be too cold, the hot tub too hot and will probably mess up your body.  The lights will probably be all read and the fact that there are lights shows that the world is fallen.  Car repair will always be expensive and your car will always faulter.  This is the result of sin.

Even in yor marriage0Shellie is going to get you mad daily, as you will make her mad twice daily!  You honor God.  In fact, you will probably be somewhat off, sick for the rest of your life on earth.  So don't become utopian and try to fight something much bigger than yourself.  you honor God and let Him be your joy.  And think much of Heaven, which is unmarred by sin.

Oh, and your time with the Lord will be clouded and you will be distracted.  Deal with it.

Father, thank you for your clarity.  Love, your son,

Jeff

PS- So when God blesses you & thinkgs work out well, know that God is showing you how much He loves you and that you are one of His favorites...and be thankful."

How to handle people who hate you-

"God's kindness leads you toward repentance..." -Romans 2:4 (JKV)

"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for...", "For God so loved the world..."

1.  God is kind toward people who are living in opposition to Him, so we as Christians should show kindness to those who sin against us.  Just maybe, our kindness will lead them to repentance too- and into a deeper relationship with God!

2.  If you choose this route- being kind to those who oppose you/hate you- you may find that you really do love them & want them to "grow up" or to do well.

It is easy, if you decide in your heart to do it.  That is the way I see it, maybe you will see it that way too!