Freedom

I work at Michael's craft store 15-20 hours a week.  There is a gentleman there who cleans floors, windows, bathrooms, etc.  This guy has always stood out to me and I knew I should witness to him but an opportunity never opened up.  Well, that changed today.

I was on my break toward the end of my time there and he came in to clean the break room.  After some small talk, I was able to share with him why I moved to Columbus.  I told him I have been wondering if he was a Christian.  He told me he doesn't always do Christian things but he is a big believer in God.  He continued to share with me that he believes his actions on earth will result in where your 'soul' ends up after you die--in heaven or hell.  I quoted to him Romans 10:9...

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

He said, "Well, I really believe that!"  

"Well then you know where you're going.  You are saved and are going to heaven."  I responded.  

He looked at me a little confused so I expounded by telling him that the born again seed is incorruptible and cannot be taken away.  Just like my son will always be my son by seed no matter if he obeys me or not, we will always been a child of God no matter what we do.  We will always be saved.  

He patted his eyes and walked out of the room because he was getting choked up.  When he came back, he told me that he has always been a believer and a good person.  That was a huge concept for him to understand from God's Word.  

I wrote Romans 10:9 out for him along with my number and The Way's website and told him that God cares for him and wants him to know the truth.  He gave me a hug and went home.  I went back to work with a HUGE smile on my face.  It's crazy to me how the simplest truths I have been taught as a child are literally freeing to people.  

Real Life.

This was the fellowship before Rev. Greene's visit.  We played

 "Book of Acts Jeopardy"--So much fun!!

On Thursday Rev. Greene came to Columbus to witness with us and teach at our fellowship.  Just as expected, we had an amazing time!  I was blessed to be the one who got to go witnessing with him.  What a time to learn and develop outreach skills.  We walked up to Columbus State University (our focus for the month) and witnessed to a good number of people.  We got everyone's contact information expect one who was in a hurry.  The main principles I learned were to not be ashamed of the truth you know and TEACH the Word you know!  He was certainly not shy to teach the people we spoke to.  It reminded me of Romans 1:16a

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is in the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. 

God's Word is God's Word--plain and simple.  There is one way to rightly divide the truth, every other dividing of it is not truth.  

Rev. Greene taught fellowship that night and we had 16 new people come.  He taught the Word like you wouldn't believe!  He shared why our ministry is here in Columbus (1 Timothy 2:4) and that there are over 4,000 denominations in the world today due to man's opinion.  He held up his Bible and said, "If it's not in here, I don't want to do it!"  He taught the record in Luke 5 about Jesus Christ telling Simon Peter to cast his nets (plural) into the sea.  Peter only cast one net in.  He "knew" what would happen because had been fishing all night and hadn't caught any fish.  He didn't put forth the energy to believe to catch anything so he didn't obey.  As a result, his net broke.  Rev. Greene taught that you can obey God's Word and enjoy the abundance God has just WAITING for you...or you can spend your life stitching up your net.  

It was an amazing teaching...it's difficult to even convey the greatness of what he shared.  God never forces anyone to believe but the benefits of knowing God's rightly divided Word comes when appropriate believing action follows the hearing of the Word.  

Jack wanted to drink the rest of Rev. Greene's water.  Cute cute.

DISCIPLE

John 8:31b and 32

"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.  

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

A disciple is a disciplined one. 

Know-to know by experience or EFFORT

 In order to enjoy the freedom that comes with knowing the Word, 

we actually need to be disciplined to the Word.  

Since Brent and I started our Way Corps program, we have been memorizing different scriptures that correlate to the Way Corps principles (there are five principles and 5-6 verses for each one).  The third Corps principle is "Utilize physical discipline making your physical body the "vehicle" of communication of the Word, as vital as possible."  Throughout my life I have known about Corps principle 3 (aka CP3) because my parents are Way Corps minsters.  I've heard them talk about it often in regards to setting time aside to fulfill their CP3 for the week.  Well, now that I am going through the same leadership program, I am experiencing the practicality of this principle.

 

During our candidate year, a Way Corps minister told me the physical discipline required in this principle carries over to daily life--being in control of your body, your words and your actions.  Very quickly after hearing this enlightening statement, I got more disciplined with my exercising.  I would plan out my distance to run and even though many times I wanted to stop I would tell myself "Way Corps don't do something because they 'feel like it.'  I can do this, so I'm going to do it!"  My endurance grew by leaps and bounds.  Even though I gained distance in running, I mainly noticed my endurance in daily life.  Particularly after very long and busy days, when I didn't want to do anything for anyone else, something would come up requiring more energy (often it had to do with my little guy).   It's so important to remember that our potential is Christ's potential.  When I can't do something, the Christ in me can.  God gives us what we can handle and we can do it with a thankful heart and perseverance to see the goal accomplished.   

So there have been different things in my life that haven't been a blessing to me.  I kept taking in this negativity until one day I thought, "What am I doing??  How is this helping me focus on Way Disciple??"  The answer is...it wasn't!  I cut out numerous distractions that were adding negativity to my life or that were simply taking up too many thoughts in my mind.  I can't say this has been the easiest thing to do but because I have spent so much time disciplining my mind in other areas of life (exercise and CP3), it isn't the hardest thing in the world.  It is so cool to see these Way Corps principles come to life and benefit different areas of need.  

Proverbs 13:19 says, "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul."

I have certainly experienced that sweet victory as I continue to discipline my mind to the Word of God and the framework of this awesome program!

The Father's Love

Life is a learning adventure.  The Way Disciple program is the 

fast track of learning about the practicality of God's Word.  

God is good always and wants the best for His children.  I was talking to a girl the other night and she told me that her husband can't comprehend why God brought an illness into his grandmother's life.  I told her that I also would not be able to comprehend it if I believed that God was the source of good AND evil.  I wrote down some verses to give her husband. One was of course, John 10:10:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

There are two forces at work in the world.  God, who is all good and all love, wants for His children to have the more than abundant life.  A life free of sickness, hurt, and disappointment.  The devil, our opponent, wants to steal our believing--pull it right out from under us, kill our love--so we miss out on those eternal rewards, and destroy the hope--to the point that we don't even think about it.  I never understand how anyone could trust in a God that they believes bring harm to them.  That doesn't make much sense to me.  One point I always bring up is the fact that I am a mother with an 18 month old child who I would literally die for.  There is nothing in the world I wouldn't give him if it was in my power to give.  I would also never put him in a situation to get hurt just so he can "learn a lesson."  Why would God do that to His children?

The last couple of weeks I have seen the contrast of darkness and light.  Seeing the evil out there, you know what this makes me want to do??  It makes me want to do exactly what I am doing right now...going out every day for hours telling people of God's goodness, grace, and love for their lives.  It makes me want to sit down with just one person and show them from God's Word HOW to see His power in their life.  No matter how ugly the world gets, God stays the same. 

The other night at fellowship, I felt like the weight of the world was on me.  During manifestations, Brent called on our branch coordinator (who was visiting our fellowship) and the first thing she said was, "My dear children, I love you."  I haven't cried during manifestations since college but hearing those words spoken with so much peacefulness and assurance made me cry.  That is all we need--the Creator of the heavens and earth loves ME!  His deepest desire is for me to truly know Him, which is to experientially know His love.  Being "out on the front lines" (as people like to say about Way D's) shows me the distinct contrast of "to steal and to kill and to destroy" and "LIFE and that they might have it MORE ABUNDANTLY!"