Reflections from Saranac

I was away for a week in Saranac Lake, New York. While I was there I decided to write some notes down, as a sort of journal. I will share those things I wrote, and learned.

Day 1 (Friday)
Didn't sleep. Ate and drank very little. Why? I wanted not to work on my own devices or strengths, but on God's strength through the Spirit. So far, so good. I am operating now on the Spirit, and not on Thomas. I've had fun connecting with the kids. We did an obstacle course, and I was covered in mud. But despite the dirt and grim, we worked together as a team. How wonderful. Cabin time tonight was GREAT. The Holy Spirit allowed me a chance to speak my testimony to the kids, and this is just night one. They seem to GET IT. Praise God.

Day 2 (Saturday)
Wow. How can I say more? God has blown my mind beyond all comprehension! Spending time with the teens is a great experience. They were asking the important life changing questions. "God, I pray that these questions break the hearts of the kids. Lord, tear them down. Let them know of their need for you. Please God, give us seed to soil upon this fertile soil. Give the water. give the sunshine. Provide the growth and multiply the increase. Lord shower your grace and mercy upon this camp. Drown us all in your love. Amen"

P.S. Blacklight party was great. Oh, and did I mention that someone caught my eye? Oh well, gotta keep focused on the mission.

Day 3 (Sunday)
Today has been the PERFECT day. I had to overcome some fears of mine. The two I had to face head on were the fears of failure and what others think of me. Today we did first did the ropes course. I won't lie- I was flipping scared. But I knew I had to be brave so the kids could overcome their fears. A leader always puts others first, despite his or her fears. We got all but 1 to go through the course. I say this is a success. One of our kids had an unfortunate experience or two, but at the end I spoke this to him "Do you know Espiritu Santo? He has gone before and will catch you before you fall". After that, he got up and jumped to the end of the course. Maybe it was what I said? Maybe he felt the Spirit speak to him? I know not. All I know is I came away feeling confident, both as an individual with fears and a leader. After this, we had half of our crew on the parasail boat. Again, WOW. Fear came over me. They go up like 200 feet! And it was cloudy, windy and sprinkling off and on. But, I did it. I embraced my fear and trusted in the Lord. And guess what? I enjoyed it. I wanted to go again! I see how everyone has that fear deep inside them, which will consume those who don't check it. Some choose to be ruled by fear, but I must allow Christ, who overcame the grave, to overcome my fears for me. I choose to live my life to the fullest, as God intends it. I will NOT be consumed by fear.

That is just part of the day. I am writing an addition to the day. Remember that girl that caught my eye? We danced. Okay, so she came over and asked if I would, and my roomie, Aaron told me to go for it....So I did. Evidently she is a good dancer, and I am such a terrible one. I was so nervous about dancing with a beautiful woman, but now...Well I feel more comfortable. Did I mention her eyes and smile are very nice? Heh. Anyways....

Today I have overcome so many fears, and God is working it to the best. He is providing me with a great time, and I see that life should be enjoyed. It is a praise to Him, so long as we don't let those things consume us.

Day 4
Remember how I talked about dancing last night? Well, I did a lot more dancing tonight at dinner time. And this time, I was the one asking girls to dance. Heh. My boys would say I have "swag". But something more impressive is happening outside of the sudden appearance of gusto in my life. These guys are opening up to one another and being completely vulnerable. They, like me, have looked fear in the face, and have chosen freedom over oppression. And their vulnerability causes me to be even more vulnerable to their needs. This both delights and frightens me. I am delighted to help the helpless to find hope in hopelessness. But I am very afraid of not being to help them. On my own, I WILL fail. But through Christ within me, their needs will be met and nurtured. God, bless me with the Spirit, that my life may be a testimony to your great works. Amen!

Days 5&6 didn't have entries, because i was busy talking to the guys about their need for Christ. I was also able to share my testimony with the camp with a cardboard testimony time. God really changed me through this experience. Since coming back, I have been acting out of faith in so many ways, and its just amazing me. Praise God!

Poems

I felt the sudden urge to write some poems. They happened to come out as love like poems..Whoops.

You had me with that smile you wore
And those eyes, mmm
So inviting.

Swaying, like a tree in the wind,
We danced into the night
Feet not in synch,
But our hearts,
Pounding like drums,
Were in beat.

Lost in the midst of a sea of people,
Tossed back and forth among the waves
Frightened I would lose control
And down we’d go
But your eyes spoke to mine
“Peace, be still”
And all was well.
And we danced upon still waters,
The moon our guiding light
Just you and I,
A heavenly sight.


-------
Lovely eyes, lovely eyes
why the look of surprise?
As if love wasn't possible
But just a minnow in a sea of lies.

Lovely eyes, lovely eyes
Why are you so scared
to embrace what we had
or the future we could share?

Lovely eyes, Lovely eyes
Turn away from despair
Love is before you
Your love is here.

O lovely eyes,
Come, smile once more
Let your joy met my heart
Like waves meet the shore

Lovely eyes, o’ lovely eyes
No words can suffice
The way that I feel,
When I look into your lovely eyes

Reconciliation

Turn on the news. What do you see? Some pretty depressing stories, right? It seems non-stop, hearing stories about wars, rebellions, murders, fights, etc. Even in the highest offices of our country, there is constant fighting, name calling, and attempts to undermine what the other side does.

For example, consider the debt ceiling talks that are going on. Or a few years back, the talks about health care reform. Or there are always talks about social issues like abortion, gay marriage, welfare, immigration, and so on. These are all issues which have deeply divided the political realm, all of which have spilled into every day conversations.

Now, as a political science major, these ‘conversations’ are very interesting to me. It is a great passion I have! And as it is a passion, I, of course have my opinion on everything. Opinions are not wrong, mind you. However, the way we present our opinions has become so hostile! People use fear mongering tactics, fallacies, and outright lies to discredit the other side, without even coming to the table to discuss the issues. Now we have a problem where if one affiliates with a particular group, they are automatically written off by an opposing group! If I am a liberal, I will write off the conservative and she will write off me! Jesus famously said “A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand”. It is clear to me that if this, or any country wants to prosper and continue, there needs to be reconciliation!

Reconciliation is a very powerful word. The dictionary lists these definitions for reconcile:

To settle or resolve.
To become compatible or consistent
To reestablish a close relationship, as in marriage

Just within the example of politics that I listed above, one can see how far from reconciliation things really are. But it is not just in politics! What about those people who are at odds with a spouse? Parents and children? Co-workers? Churches that have split? How about the divide that exists between classes, races, and religions?

What about the divide between man and God? Isn’t there a gap between us? Scripture indicates so:

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior” (Colossians 1:21)

And

“… while we were enemies of God…” (Romans 5:10)

An enemy of God?!?! WHAT? Isn’t that like the Devil or something? Yes, the devil is the enemy of God, but if man is called God’s enemy, due to the depravity and inclination towards rebellion against God, then man will face the same fate as that old wicked Devil- God’s eternal wrath.
Sounds depressing, eh?

It would be, but God has given us hope. Let’s look at the rest of Romans 5:10, 11:
“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

And Colossians?

Colossians 1:19-23
“ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.”

2 Corinthians 5:16-21 says it like so:

“16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

WOW! How great it is to know we are no longer enemies of God is we are in Christ! God’s wrath is satisfied, and we are made righteous before Him. We are reconciled to God, through God, for God. How insanely awesome is that?

But you know what?

While being reconciled to God is what saves us, it is just the beginning of reconciliation in our lives. What about those who we are separate from? As I said above, what about family, spouses, ex’s, children, co-workers, churches, friends, etc? There is indeed biblical proof to bring about reconciliation:

Ephesians 4:24-27
“24…put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.”

And

Matthew 5:23,24
“23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Scripture makes it absolutely clear that reconciliation between people should be a top priority for the believer. You are even supposed to leave your worship towards God at the altar to first make right what is wrong between you and another. And we are not to let the sun go down on our anger, because this gives a foothold to the Devil. Footholds, as my mentor told me, become fortresses over time. In war, you send up a small force to hold a strategic spot. It’s not big and glamorous, but it gets the job done. From that small foothold, the forces can call in air or naval bombardment, to clear out the oppositions’ defenses. Once the opposition is on the run, the attacking forces can build up the small foothold to become fortresses- large bases of operation which can continue to call strategic strikes against all defensive positions. In the same way, if we give the Devil an inch, he’ll take a mile. We should not give him a strategic spot to allow him to completely bombard us with attacks! Therefore, we should not even go to sleep without first having reconciled our differences with another. The longer you hold it off, the easier it is to be attacked.

It is quite clear that God takes reconciliation serious. It was said to me that the greatest problem in this world isn’t the myriad of sins out there. There are some pretty wicked things that go on, but at the root of them all is a broken relationship and subsequent alienation. What did Christ do? He “reestablished a close relationship, as in marriage” making us “compatible and consistent” with God’s will, by “settling and resolving” the issue of sin. Now we are made right with Him, and we can be made right with others. Reconciliation without Christ is doomed to fail.

This issue of reconciliation has hit home with me. Within the last week, there was an issue that came about which put a rift in a friendship of mine. Instead of immediately reconciling, I went away from the friend angry and hurt. In that anger and hurt, I began to think some pretty bad things about this person. But I was so blessed to have the Holy Spirit speak conviction in my heart, showing my sin. Immediately I sent a message to this person, asking for forgiveness for any wrong I did, and for feeling that way. Now, things seem okay. So I praise God for showing me a clear example of reconciliation in my life!

Yet, I ask for prayers! There is another who I desire to reconcile with. This person has been very important to me, but circumstances caused a rift between us. Before, we would talk every day, but now we no longer speak at all. I want nothing more than to be the friend of this person once more, even knowing that we cannot have that same friendship as before. So please pray that the Holy Spirit would discern to me what must be done to reconcile with this person.

I pray this message will convict your heart, my friends. I hope my experiences would cause you to think of your own experiences. I pray you make things right with whoever has wronged you, or who you have wronged. Who has been forgiven of many things should, in turn, forgive others of their many things. Don’t let the sun go down before you reconcile with whoever it may be.

Grace and peace,
Thomas

A poem

This is sort of a sad poem. Sorry for the emoness. I find it to be a good release, writing poems. And after being brokenhearted twice in the past year, on top of an ever burning desire to find someone who will love me,I feel like I have a lot to release from within.

Thank God that HE alone is faithful to love me, even when others will not!



I dreamt today that you let me love you,
Of the flowers I’d pick
The gifts I’d buy,
The poems I’d write
All for you

I dreamt about waking up beside you
Your flesh caressing my flesh
Your heart beating in rhythm with mine
Your eyes meeting mine in a moment of first light bliss

I dreamt about children we’d make
Their precious names,
Their matching silly little outfits
And who was on diaper duty.

I dreamt about all our misadventures
Lost down country roads
Without a care in mind
For we had each other

I dreamt about the passionate nights
The childish pillow fights
Two lovers, between the sheets
Under dimmed lights

I dreamt about you, my bride
I yearned for your touch,
I craved that covenant,
Sealed with your kiss

I dreamt today that you let me love you,
I dreamt I was whole and complete
I dreamt today that you let me love you,


But dreams end,
Soon fading from memory
How I wish today, that you’d let me love you

Sinful Lifestyles.

I admit the fact that I don't shy away from controversy. There is just something in me that thrives on speaking on those topics which normally make people cringe or even get put on fire. I am forewarning that this is one of those topics. In this topic I am going to call out a lot of people. Now, this is not for the sake of calling people out. You see, I have noticed this lack of consistency among evangelical Americans. I always hear about how terrible it is that so many people live a homosexual lifestyle. This has come back into the vocabulary with last week's decision to allow same-sex marriages in New York. I've heard all about how so and so pastor is declaring that God will destroy America for allowing the homosexual lifestyle to go on.

BUT, I have also began to notice something; a lot of these people who are out there yelling about gays being evil living a sinful lifestyle, are themselves living sinful lifestyles. How many times have you seen one of these people yelling about this and that, and you look and realize they are way overweight? Now, I am not poking fun at anyone! God forbid me to do that, when I have a few pounds to lose myself. However, I am all for consistency. Scripture says that we should avoid gluttony. Proverbs 23:20 and 21 says this:

Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags

Just a few verses before that:

Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.

Now, we know that people become overweight for a few reasons. One of them is a poor diet, such as overeating(gluttony). Of course, there is also the lack of exercise(sloth), that also plays part in this. It really is a lifestyle choice, being overweight. I mean, you can say no to that extra helping right? You can get up early and go to the gym? You can change yourself, right?

It is quite upsetting to me to see so many brothers and sisters hollering about sinful lives, yet the church has made a sinful lifestyle a staple of church services! How many times have you been to a "fellowship dinner" and seen people just eat and eat and eat. All the men have big bellies, and just go to make them bigger. And these men are leaders in the churches. How can they lead a church, if they cannot control their tummies? ( I am sure that is scripture! I just can't find it, at the moment). If they cannot remove their own plank, how are they supposed to ask a gay man or lesbian woman to remove the speck from his or her eye?

But this isn't just about overweight people(I'm serious, I am not against them!). Let's look at other sinful lifestyle that are common in the church:

*Gossip. This one is outright forbidden, especially for the wife of a leader (1 Timothy 3:11). Yet gossip is one of the top things I hear among Christian circles. The other night I had to leave a conversation on Skype because some of my Christian friends began to talk about another Christian on a forum. This is common. This is not acceptable. This is a sinful lifestyle.

*Failure to Pray and read the Word. Scripture says we are to always pray(now, that's not meaning like every second of the day, but to do it as often as possible). Most Christians do good to spend two minutes in prayer a day. I am confident that this is a sin because it is a failure to do what God tells us to do (pray), and it shows our true devotion to Him. If a person can spend 5 hours on the internet, playing a game, going out to see a 2 hour movie, going out to spend hours dancing in a club/bar, etc, then can't that same person spend a few moments in honest, humbled, devoted prayer to God? I would imagine that should be the case. The same can be said of reading scripture. We manage to make excuses about why we can't read the Word(I'm too busy, except when I am on Xbox Live, or texting my friends all night long), but yet we have ample time to do anything else out heart desires. I say with certainty that failing to come in contact with God on a regular basis is indeed a sinful lifestyle.

Now, I can go on and on with other examples, such as pride, being too lavish(which can fit in with pride), not attending a church, etc. However, I think with just the few examples I gave, I hit most American Christians. The point, again, is not to call people out for the sake of being a jerk. Instead, it is a call to get serious.

I am not saying we cannot call sin out. However, I believe firmly Jesus gave the teaching about the plank in one's eye for a reason. How can we, who claim to be redeemed and different from the world, show the change that Christ brings, if we live exactly like the world. If a Christian truly believes a person is sinning, he or she should obviously try to correct them. But how can you correct a person if you live in the wrong? If I cannot properly do mathematics, can I be a teacher of mathematics, correcting students when they are wrong? Surely not!

I think it is time we pull a Nehemiah. There is a lot of junk in our churches. And by junk, I mean sin. And I don't mean "those" churches down the road. I mean the church you and I sit in every Sunday (or SHOULD be sitting in). Nehemiah, when he came from captivity to rebuild the wall, also went into the Temple to clean out the idols in there. Idolatry was the sin that caused God to pour His wrath on the Jews in the form of captivity. We are being held captive in our own Church, by the sin we continue to let go on. Once more I ask: How can we tell the world to repent and leave their sins behind, when we have all these idols stored up in the temple, living JUST LIKE THE WORLD?

This is a call, not to be silent, allowing the world to slip by. RATHER, this is a call for the body to purify itself, that it may go into the world with boldness, authority, and the Grace of God. As it is now, we are laughed at, mocked, and ignored, not for the sake of the Gospel, but because we, ourselves, are failing to understand what the Gospel truly means for US. Is it not a lifestyle changing power? Then let our planks removed.

God I pray you will remove the planks from my eyes, that I may see your truth and show that truth to a world that is dying. Amen

Christian Community.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

What is the image you conjure up when you think about the body of Christ? What do you picture when you hear the word "fellowship"? I was reading an article today which said this:

Today, churches have fellowship halls, fellowship dinners, and fellowship retreats, but very few have real fellowship.

This quote really caught me off guard. I, like many, have taken up the idea of fellowship as meeting once in awhile to have a lunch, movie night, game time, etc. Those are all nice, and can be part of the fellowship experience. However, if our community is limited to a game night once every few months, or a dinner every few weeks, doesn't it seem as if we are missing out on something?

I've seen both sides of the coin, regarding this issue. I have been in churches where there was no community. I look at those churches today, and I see them struggling to hold on as members pass away, or other move on to other churches. At the same time, I have been blessed to have been involved in ministries where my brothers and sisters in Christ are as close as my biological brothers and sisters. I was very blessed to have become a follower of Christ and accepted into a body of believers who I lived with, worked with, played with, ate with, lived with, shared my entire life with. Even now, a few years after leaving them, I am still touched by their willingness to love me and accept me. I love them more than any of them will ever know.

Yet, I realize I cannot live in that past, as nice as it was. Since then, I have both struggled and flourished. There were months of darkness, when I gave up on going to church and being with believers. Sin crept back in. It destroyed me. It destroyed my hope. It destroyed my relationships. I changed from one who know their purpose in Christ, to one who barely knew how to move on. Yet, in that darkness, I was able to find light. I re-established old friendships, and even met new people. Three dears brothers helped pick me up out of the dirt and showed me what it means to be a body of believers. I am forever indebted to Eric, Billy, and Blake. They helped me see the love that Jesus told us to have for one another. That love rekindled the fire in my heart, and soon after I was in full fellowship once more.

And here I am now. I thought I would move out to DC and have a hard time finding a place to connect. Yet, I have found a church that I adore. I have been connected to a group of teens that I think I would honestly die for, to protect. I have people who I barely even know, who are bringing me into their home. I have others who will invite me to breakfast, to pray with me, to mentor me, to help me find my place in the world....only after two talks! I am so blown away by the generosity, the love, the support, the willingness to help and mold. They are simply living out Christ's command to us all; love another, as He has loved us. This love will show the ENTIRE world that we are different from any other group. We are the elect in Christ. Nothing can break the bond that we have. Our bond is Christ, who reigns forever. Death could not stop Him. Hell could not overcome Him. If we are bound in him, together as one, then who can stand against us and prevail? Jesus himself said that the gates of Hell could not prevail against His Church!!!

If you are like I was, and are avoiding connecting with your brothers and sisters, then I HIGHLY suggest you get out and mingle with them! Hebrews 10:25 says;

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

I know that some churches are totally lame. I know there are places where they judge you, or where cliques are formed. I FULLY understand those places. I have been to plenty. Don't let that stop you from meeting regularly with a group of Christians though! Make those relationships, water them, and watch them blossom. I promise that the effort is worth it in the end.

I will leave you with part of the prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden, according to John's Gospel:

I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Something New.

I think I have too grand of plans at times. When I started this blog I wanted to get into the pressing issues of Christian faith. I wanted to explore the complexities of theology, and fashion myself after the great thinkers. However, I get burnt out on the heavy thinking, to be quite honest. I think most people do. I am not saying it is bad, that I will stop, or anything of this sort. I am simply saying I am going to switch things up a bit, every now and then, and return to more simple posts. I think this will help keep me writing on a more consistent basis. I know that there were several weeks in between me saying "I will do blog posts on Heaven and Hell" and actually doing the one blog post on Hell. I am not sure Heaven is going to follow anytime soon. It isn't because I don't dislike Heaven, or think it is an important issue to discuss; I do. However, I believe there are other issues which people deal with on a daily basis, and they need to be addressed. For example, I have been thinking about how to address the typical Evangelical church is very inconsistent in thought about sin. Or how do Christians handle politics and government? What about the Spiritual disciplines? These are all things which shape our world view, and need to be addressed.

SO, I will still have theological discussions (things like hermeneutics, soteriology, eschatology, etc). However, I will add in simply devotionals and talks about everyday topics.

I will start with this, a mini devotional.

Grace and Mercy

I admit it. I struggle with the two most basic concepts of Christ and Christianity: Grace and mercy. It isn't that I doubt God is gracious and merciful. Nor is it that I wrestle with the idea that God is Good and loves man and desire to see man be redeemed, through His grace and mercy. The reason I struggle with these concepts is because I know how unworthy I am. I feel like part of me is Jonah, and the other part is Nineveh. Jonah saw the sins of Nineveh and saw they were evil. God desired for the city to be redeemed, but Jonah couldn't see past the sin. He limited God to just a god who brings destruction and justice to evil. God indeed does this, yet it is only part of who He is. Jonah, and this part of me inside, both fail to see God in the full picture. Not only is He the judge who brings justice, but he is the redeemer who cancels the punishment for those who repent.

Imagine it like this: A man is driving well over the speed limit and is caught by the cops. He is put before the judge, who has the power to get him real bad for his transgression. The man, sorrowful for his crimes, reveals how sorry he is for the crime. The judge, instead of punishing, acknowledges the man is guilty of the crime but says his crimes are forgiven. Not only are they forgiven, but the judge will take the man out for dinner! The crime is completely forgiven, and the judge gives something wonderful to the criminal!

This is what Christ has done for us. He didn't just say "Thomas, you crimes against me are forgiven", but rather, said "Thomas, your crimes against me are forgiven, and here are all the riches of Heaven that I alone have the authority to give away".

Apostle Peter said this:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Think about what this means. We are not simply 'saved' from a bad thing, but are given good- no, the BEST- things from God above. Who can say they deserve it? Can the liar, whose lies have distorted reality and hurt people? Can the thief, whose envy has lead him to take from others? Can the adulterer, whose lust and sexual depravity has divorced them from their God-give spouse? No, NONE, for "none are righteous, no not one".

This is why I struggle! I know the depths of my heart, and the darkness that has filled it! I know the sin I commit, even if it remains hidden. I know that sin has separated from God in the beginning. That should have been the end. BUT, (and a MAJOR but it is), God took my punishment...OUR PUNISHMENT... and when He rose from suffering our punishment, He rose to Heaven and now blesses us with all the treasures of above, not only to know now, but to know forever! These are not simply treasures like gold or silver, women or men, or whatever. But the greatest treasure is the full communion and fellowship with God. How can any gift be greater? Even more, how can I say that I deserve that gift?! How can I say I deserve the gift of God himself?!? And this is why I, a fallen man who has sinned and deserves death, struggle. I know I am not worthy. I know I deserve only my punishment. Yet, God is so good, and has given hope.

This is my challenge for my friends. Since you know the gift you have is a gift, something you can NEVER earn, but is given by God's grace and mercy, I want YOU to show this same thing to someone else. Take something which you find precious and give it to someone who doesn't deserve it. Go to a person who has hurt you and hug them in love. Go to a homeless man and give him money/food/time/etc. Go to a prisoner and give them time and forgiveness that they don't deserve. Go to anyone, anywhere, anytime and impart some gift to them. Let them know you are simply doing what God has done for you. Share the love. Share the hope!!!