Just a Sinner Saved by Grace...

I have been feeling the Lord leading me to this post...if that would even be something He would do. This is going to be a long one, so stay with me until the end, and it just may change your life.

I feel as though I need to address a few things, that need to be read more by some of my friends who may not know the Lord, or who may know Him, but have not held His hand in a while...

Many of you know that I was in a fraternity in college, Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE). While there I developed some of the best friendships a person could ever ask for. I have a bond with these guys that cannot be explained, and many people don't understand the brevity of the relationships I hold with these guys. When you live with 75 or so guys, eat dinner with them, share stories with them, and watch them grow into men, it is a life altering experience. I still enjoy having fellowship with them every few months, and we can have upwards of 50 guys show up and hang out. Again, the average Joe can't comprehend maintaining friendships like that, which in and of itself can be a chore.

I say all of this so those who weren't in my fraternity can maybe understand a little of the bond I have with these guys.

What I am leading into is this...Being that it was a social fraternity I did not always uphold my covenant to God and His Son Jesus. I don't know if I want to get into all the details here, but let's just say I enjoy a beer every once in a while, and maybe even one or two more than what I should. I also have to be honest and say that my tongue needs a taming that even James may not be able to perform. (this is in reference to the book of James in the Bible, and is a very tough read, but highly recommended from the author of this post). I am seeing where my friends who know me better than most people, could read some of the posts Kel and I have put on this Blog, and shout at the top of their lungs that I am the biggest hypocrite they've ever laid eyes upon. I would have to agree with all my heart, that they have a point, but that's not the end of the story.

With all my heart, I need to mention that it is BECAUSE of Jesus I am able to hold onto the hope that His will is all I need in my life. Jesus was sent to this Earth, by God, to save each of us from our sins. Not to turn us into "perfect" people, but to take our sins on to himself and wipe us clean when we stand in Judgment before God. The one and only thing a person must do to obtain this forgiveness is to believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for your sins, and rose again on the 3rd day. I worship a God who is still alive and well, doing miraculous works in the lives of all who believe in Him. Buddha, Mohammed, the Hindu gods, all the other gods that are worshipped by other religions are dead. They are either lying somewhere in a grave, or they are made of metal or stone.

There will be many who have probably already shut me out by now, but for those who are still with me I want you to think about something for me...one of the most interesting things I've had brought up about the story of Jesus is this: Prior to Jesus going on to the cross, His disciples were afraid to stand up for Him as it would also mean they would suffer the same persecution He did. So, many of them denied knowing Christ or following Him when people pointed them out to the authorities. However, after Jesus was crucified on the cross, he appeared to the disciples to show them that He was alive and well, and at that time He allowed the Holy Spirit to come upon them. From that point on, each of the disciples drastically changed their stance on Christ, to the point where several of them were killed due to the fervor they maintained for HIM...let me say that again, they were KILLED for that stance. So, I would ask, why the change of heart? If Jesus wasn't the Messiah, or the Son of God, why would they decide to stand up for Him and preach the Gospel, only to suffer and die for the cause? Let me ask it more personally, what in your life would you die for? Would you die for a lie or a hoax? Or would you lay down your life for the one and only person who has the power to change your life...to save your soul for eternity?

Let me finish with this...Again, I am only a sinner saved by grace, the grace of Jesus. That does not make me a perfect person, who will never sin. It makes me a sinner, who will continue to sin for the rest of my life, everyday...but one who is saved by the blood of Jesus. I will stumble everyday, probably even every hour, but that sin is covered by the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, which I believe in my heart was done for me as it was for everyone. I do my best not to be a stumbling block, or to hurt my witness for Jesus, but I am human and will make many mistakes the rest of my life. What I hope is that thru my actions you can see the love of Christ thru me, as I am only a vessel which God uses for his glory.

If you've read this far, thank you for letting me share with you my stance, I hope it wasn't too much rambling. :) Double D