Sunday Sermon

The sermon series at the Bayou right now is Encounters, talking about different encounters people had with Jesus. Today's sermon was on the rich young ruler. He had it all: money, youth, political status, religious status, and morality. When this man was confronted with Jesus, he wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus knew his heart. He knew that outwardly he was a good person but that his heart was focused on his money and not on God. Jesus told the man to give away everything and follow Him. The man turned away from Jesus and kept his money and power as his number one.

The sermon reminded me that at times we have to lose the things we love the most if they take the place of Jesus in our lives. Though it has been very painful, I am glad that I had to lose what I loved the most to know that Jesus must be what I love most. It also comforts me to know that I can never lose Jesus.

Getting what you need...not what you want

I'm sure I'm not the only one; but when I was younger I used to try and imagine what my life would look like when I was older. I am approaching my 27th birthday and I must say my life has not turned out like I wanted it to. I thought I would be married with kids and have a successful career. It was like most dreams I assume. This weekend God has really shown me that I have everything I NEED not want and in the end it doesn't really matter what I want.

I wanted to be married but I need Jesus who loves me more than anyone else and died to show me that love. He will never leave me or forsake me. He will never disrespect me or treat me poorly. He has my heart because He will protect it.

I wanted a successful career but true success is not measured in what you do but who you are. Am I a person who loves and gives completely to others? Do I put others before myself and serve where God wants me. Have I completely and utterly surrendered everything to Christ? I need to be successful in the eyes of Jesus not the world.

So I may not be where I wanted to be but I am so better off than I could have ever imagined.
I have an amazing church family and friends. I have a ministry to serve that will push me outside of every comfort zone I have. I have a relationship with the Creator of the universe. So, I say bring on being 27 to love more, give more, serve more, and experience life more. After all, I am single, independent, and unrestricted.

Do You Really Love Him?

I was reading my daily devotion from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers and this passage just moved me so much I thought I should share it.

To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look,out of fear of offending God. "...but perfect love casts out fear..."once we are surrendered to God (1John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of use?" and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use,but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.