Extremely Tired Yet Blessed.

The title says it all. I wouldn't be so tired had I not gone to my cousin's house today and helped in their backyard landscaping. Not complaining at all. In fact I'm happy to have helped. it's good to work with dirt. It's what God made man to do.

Genesis 2:15 - The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. [NIV]

Also...

Proverbs 12:11 - He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgement. [NIV]

Fantasies. Wow. Film is fantasy. Hollywood in particular. At this moment in time I am repulsed that I ever sought that hopeless, desperate meaningless existence.

A lot has happened since my last blog entry. It's hard to keep up and I'm getting so busy that I'm forgetting what is important. It IS important that I keep you updated on the goings on of my life while I am in this time of renewal with the Lord.

Joining Impact195 was, is and will be the second best decision I have ever made for my own life. If you are in need, want, desperation, loneliness, any sort of shortcoming the absolute best thing you can do is to pray and submit yourself to the Lord God, Creator of all things. He is the only source of good in existence anywhere.

Amazing that He, knowing that we humans were going to make the simple mistake of sinning - that we would eat that fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - had a plan from the very beginning.

In the beginning...

John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God.

The beginning - Genesis.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

He made this world and in it a garden. He created through mere speech every living thing except man. Man was formed by God out of clay - a sculpture, a piece of art. And God breathed life into man and here we are - alive still to this day with a natural desire to serve, seek and know our creator.

Yet we are flawed. Rather than to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life which sustains us everlasting, we were deceived and chose the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This fruit which we thought would make us like God, and thus so holy that we would not need Him, actually separated us from Him and we are exposed.

This isn't about Eve eating the fruit. This is a stark reality about you and me in our daily walk. The truth is we are constant, daily sinners. We are as dumb as the dirt from which we are formed. No better.

If we were any better than we could go ahead and eat that fruit from the Tree of Life. We could, at any given moment, forgive ourselves of our sins and forever redeem ourselves.

Romans 4:2 - If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about - but not before God. [NIV]

Then...

Romans 4:4-5 - Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. [NIV]

We can't possibly save ourselves from condemnation. We are all amazingly horrible sinners. I am. I could blog about all the horrible, evil, selfish things I have done. But what would the the point? I'm just like you, dear reader. In need.

Yet still, despite me and my sins God sees me as righteous and holy and worthy of His love. Isn't that amazing?

Romans 3:21-24 - But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness comes thought faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. [NIV]

Wow. I couldn't do anything to help myself even if I wanted to. I am powerless. I am futile and pointless. God, alone, is capable of redeeming me, saving me, loving me - and He alone gave me breath. His breath.

I'm an deeply sorry if you have ever known me to have bad breath. That was all me. Not God in me. Not Christ in me. Not His Holy Spirit who resides in me and directs my thoughts and actions when I am obedient.

If He loves us this much - imagine what He wants to do with us! Imagine the places He wants to take us and the experiences he wants us to have in His name and for His Glory!?!!

See now why I say that joining Impact 195 has been the second best decision of my life? I am coming into a deeper understanding of the Lord God - Creator of all things yet intimate lover of my soul.

Everything aside from submission to Him is futile and useless. So what're you going to do about it right now?