We have an anchor
By Pricilla J. Owens,
1882
Will your anchor hold
in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love.
It is safely moored, 'twill the storm withstand,
For 'tis well secured by the Savior's hand;
And the cables passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy the blast, through strength divine.
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love.
It is safely moored, 'twill the storm withstand,
For 'tis well secured by the Savior's hand;
And the cables passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy the blast, through strength divine.
“For all who are being led by the
Spirit of God, these are the Sons of God.”
Romans
8:14
I
am bringing up a sensitive and seemly very dividing topic. The more time I’ve
spent In Christ and in the Christian culture the more I’ve come to realize how
big of a debate this topic is among Christians and even brothers and sisters in
my own congregation. I, by no means have the final word on the subject, nor
would I ever claim to. I also do not have the extensive knowledge or teachings
of a seminary student, or the years of experience as a pastor, however, neither
did Paul of Tarsus. The Holy Spirit spoke through the man for God's good
purposes of getting the good news out into the world.
Maybe it's that I don't like the idea of putting a "label" on the works of The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, because I’ve seen foolish debates over these labels and they are a far cry from Christ. “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:9
I wasn't brought up in a Christian home, where I was saturated in Christian culture where Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead was commonly known and talked about frequently.
I
was also not completely in the opposite boat either to where I had no knowledge
of Christianity or Jesus and had never even stepped foot inside a church.
I was into all the debauchery secular teenagers are into and it basically boils down to practicing lawlessness. I loved being rebellious and pushing all boundaries. I was angry at my parents for getting a divorce and I let them know it through and through and although my church family was there for me, I was left alone quite a bit and to put it bluntly; I was out to raise hell.
Needless to say; I wasn't sanctified, I wasn't holy, and if I was saved, the Holy Spirit surely didn't convict me into thinking what I was doing was wrong, well sometimes I’d feel guilty but I would just justify my behavior with my anger to my parents. I also became a meth addict for a little over two years, age 18-20. That sure doesn’t “seem” Christian to me. Nor do I think anyone saw Jesus in me.
God found me dead in my sins and He opened my eyes to who He was and the work he did on the cross and that He and Jesus were one. The realization of Jesus being the second part of the 3part God head, aka the deity of Jesus never occurred to me before. No matter how many times people would tell me, through sermons and believers in general. I was deaf and blind to it. But then-- He covered me in His grace. I kept thinking over and over “I am in the center of Grace” and I felt so unworthy and more loved then I had ever felt or believed in my life. I knew Jesus was the Living God. The Holy Spirit also convicted me of truly being a sinner on my way to hell and in desperate need of a Saviour.
I
don't know...
I do know that believing in Jesus this time was one of the hardest parts. There was no "easy believism" for me as I was very liberal and into New Ageism, astrology, witchcraft, tarot and basically a self appointed Oracle, and so were all of my friends. I was embarrassed to even think about going back to Christ because I firmly believed God had taken me beyond that base belief system to a greater more truthful one. I was living in complete and utter sin and thinking I was enlightened and more spiritual then any Christian could ever hope to be. My pride was so thick and so strong that even now it's a little hard for me to believe God penetrated through it and got to me. But if anyone could have- He can.
Matthew 13:1-23
The Parable of the Sower
“That same day Jesus went out of the
house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around
him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the
shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A
farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the
seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some
fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly,
because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the
plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other
seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still
other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or
thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to
the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom
of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever
has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have,
even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I
speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never
understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears
because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and
righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear
what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When
anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil
one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown
along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to
someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But
since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or
persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The
seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the
worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it
unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to
someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a
crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Jesus
Christ is my Lord and Saviour with whom I'm madly in love. I know what it’s
like to be in the center of grace and I know what it’s like to keep my Saviour’s
commands.
“The true light that gives light to
everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world
was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which
was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him,
to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s
will, but born of God.”John
1:9-13
{One thing I do know is you cannot have belief without faith and you cannot make Jesus your Lord without belief in Him, so it all has to work, together for Gods Glory.}
My Savior, My God
By Aaron Shust
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has
planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands One who is my Savior
I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For Him to be my Savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
My Savior loves, my Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God He was, my God He is
My God He's always gonna be
Yes, living, dying let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior
That He would leave His place on High
And come for sinful men to die
You count it strange so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God He was, My God He is,
My God He's always gonna be
My Savior lives, My Savior loves
My Savior lives, My Savior loves