He will preserve me and allow me to persevere...

Sometimes I have a tough time understanding how exactly my life should be conducted as a Christian. I know that I need to be in prayer and in His Word more. I need to be asking for wisdom that only comes from our Savior. My biggest fear ever and the worst thing that I could possibly imagine happening is for me to lose focus on Christ and fall into sin and away from Him. This life is without purpose apart from living for Him. It seems that I am often percieved to just be conservative with my standing as a Christian, but in reality that conservativity sems from a fear of losing focus spiritually. God has given me the only source of true happines in both this life and the next--salvation in Him and eternity in heaven to glorify Him. This is what makes my heart glad. And I guess that maybe I'm not confused as to how I should live, but I'm confused as to the standard that others hold to. I have difficulty confronting issue in others for fear of just being condemned of being a legalist. This is not my desire at all, rather, I just want to live for Christ and I want to see his standards upheld on this earth!!! When He is taken lightly or mocked or handled in a joking matter it is like a punch to my ribs. I feel pain when He is not treated with sincerity because He is my Savior and the Savior of every believer! I want to keep my heart stayed on Him to keep from stumbling. Of course I still struggle spiritually and with sin issues as every believer does, but I don't feel that this is an excuse to say "no one is perfect". Rather, where is one's heart aimed? That is the bigger question. Are you wanting to be who Christ calls you to be seriously? Or is it just some sort of game? For me, and only by His grace, my heart wants to be like Him. Maybe this is why I get confused. It's hard for me to tell if others around me are really serious about being Christians or if it is just a game to them. Now there is no way for me to be assured completely of who is a true Christian or not, but know this, the day will come where every man will have to give an account of his life before God. This is when the truth will come out and the games are all over. And eternity in hell is the punishment for those who were just playing the game, never truly seeking Christ but always just floating around and being the "spiritual people" in the Christian realms. This really should invoke fear in us. Are you serious about Christ and, thankful all that He has done for you, seeking to be like Him? Or are you just floating? If you are just floating, you are in a frightful position and I pray that the Lord will awake you from your "fakeness" before it is too late......In summary, I know that I shouldn't worry about losing salvation in Christ. Phillipians 1:6 says,"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Therefore, I know that my salvation is secure in Christ. However, this does not mean that, since my salvation in Christ is assured, I can't lose focus on Him. This is why I must be in prayer, in God's Word, and following my convictions. It is far to easy to lose sight on the goal, I am well aware of that and maybe that is why I would rather be on His side of the fence than to test the border of righteous vs. sinful conduct. I would rather be conservative than to lost sight of the goal, becoming distracted, and failing to accomplish all that He desires of me in this life. This is why it is imperative to stay in commune with Him. Otherwise we can and will forget His presence in our lives. We are sinful, depraved humans and our lives cannot meet a Christ-like standard apart from His grace. I pray that He keeps my heart stayed on Him throughout this life. This is why I live. This is why I live. This the only reason that I live. "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13-14

Stop complaining! and remember that He is in control

You know, I've really been struggling with wanting to be diligent in school. I love activity and my favorite hobbies often consist of outdoor events, like sports and any other adventurous adrenaline stirring event. I've had thoughts like," Man I should just quit school and go dirtbiking." Or feeling like I just want to take a long road trip away from all existence into a nice, peaceful, clean-aired open valley where I can enjoy the Lord's creation and the solitude and quietness of the country life that I've grown up in. But you know what, when I really think about it, this is a spirit of complaining and complaining is a sin before God. Who am I to complain when He has brought me through so much, saved my life, delivered me from the hand of the evil one, and used my life for His purposes. So if he wants me to sit in this encapsulating dorm room and study so that I can be used by Him by using this knowledge that I obtain, that's what I want to do. If he wants me to sweat it out and learn diligence, patience, perseverance, and ultimately trusting in Him for my every need, than that's what I want to do. That's the road that I want to walk. Whatever it takes, I pray that the Lord will give me a heart that is set on accomplishing His purposes for me. That's all that this earthly life is about. What a selfish thought for me to want to isolate myself for the world so that I can enjoy the life that, in the flesh, I would want. As a verse in Proverbs says,"A man who isolates himself seeks His own desire." I am here to be a testimony of Him!! Why do I have so much trouble understanding this? Because I am a wicked sinner apart from His grace, a foolish man in need of wisdom and direction. Only wisdom and direction that His hand can provide. I pray that He gives me a heart that is commitited to His purposes no matter what tries to distract me in this life. Why worry? Dou know what the solution is to worry? Phillipians 4:6-7 tells us,"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." All that we are commanded to do is pray. He will take care of us. He is in total control. And what a tremendous blessing that is!!!! I am weak, but He is in control and He is strong. Therefore, I am strong by His grace but I am absolutely nothing but depraved dust apart from Him. I pray that He helps me to be constantly trusting in Him and realize that He is in control. This life is not my own. It is His and I pray that He will use in whatever way He sees best. And the blessed part is I know that He will :) Good night. In Christ, Josh

I'm feeling really encouraged! And it's a great blessing!

I absolutely love these three verses from Colossians 3:2-4 (NKJV): "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." I guess that the "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." is the part that is especially encouraging to me....I went to Skid Row for the first time last night. What had prevented me from going in the past was fear. But thinking about that portion of the verse really encouraged me as I went/prepared to go yesterday night. As believers, like the verse says, we have died and our lives are "hidden with Christ in God." We are here for His purposes. We aren't alive to entertain ourselves with worthless things or to preoccuppy ourselves with ourselves. We are here for His purposes. We are here to be a witness of Him to the unbelieving world and to worship Him. That means that as believers we should place our trust in Him and stand boldly for Him. We shouldn't be scared or intimidated by this fallen world. We should realize that only by God's grace are we His children. That should spur us to spread our testimony of Christ to the world which is so desperately in need of Him. When I was walking on the sidewalk at Skid Row on Friday night I was thinking about how all sin will come to look like Skid Row one day. Those who are wealthy, smart, popular--all of that stuff will come to an end and without Christ their lives will end in ruin. The same type of ruin and dismay that the setting of Skid Row offers. It's really sad if you think about it. Only the Lord can bring salvation but he will most definitely use us as instruments to accomplish this purpose if we truly desire to honor Him. Let's remember that we'll only be on this earth for a short time. Let's use that short time to accomplish His purposes for our life by His leading. That's all that matters. That's all that will last. Persevere and stand strong for the cause of Christ. Be faithful to Him and He will use you in whatever way He sees fit. What a trmendous blessing to know that our life is ''hidden" with Him. With that we can rest assured :) Have a good night. In Christ, Josh Gilbert

An enouragment from His Word....

"My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." -Psalm 73:26 (NASB)