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| i've been thinking a lot lately about our views on sin. I feel like basically our Christian lives are focused on not sinning. my question is if this is really the way we should be living. I think that we focus way too much on sin and not near enough on grace which is what Jesus came to give us. We as humans are judgemental and almost never truly merciful to anyone. Sin is what we see. We do not understand grace. For that reason we feel like our lives have to be perfect for us to be used by God. However, romans 5:8 says that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. That means to me that God knows we sin but he's not concerned with it because his grace is sufficient. Don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to justify sin at all. sin is blatantly wrong. However, to live our lives guilted and heavy laden under sin is ridiculous after we have come to Christ. Instead of focusing on sin all the time we should continue to keep our eyes on Jesus. This should be the case when looking at those around us too. Instead of judging others and gossiping, etc. We should look around and see that God's grace is great enough to forgive all of our sin. It's just kind of a soap box of mine. I've spent most of my life worrying and fighting sin so i could be great for God, but now i think maybe i just need to let God's grace cover all and just love him to be great for him. | | |
| I saw a shirt tonight that said Jesus Loves You (And I'm Trying). I love that. I've realized over the last few days that I want to love. I don't want to be critical, hateful, condescending, or hard. I want to love. I want to love everyone with the passion that Jesus loved. I want to reach out to lepers and sinners and backbiting Christians with the love of Christ. That is my prayer. Make me love.
If you are a Christian, or even truly know the story of Jesus then take a minute to reflect on the cross. It's not something we do very often. Christianity has turned into a bunch of children's stories for the weak minded who need something to cling to. However, that's not what Christianity is. We forget that our savior Jesus died on a cross. He was beaten to within an inch of his life, mocked, denied, accused of wrong when he was so right, and hung on a cross to die in humiliation. And yet, some of his final words were prayers to God that he might forgive the men doing these things. It is truly incomprehensible. Beyond that, he died and was dead for three days and then he arose from the grave. Jesus beat death. That's how he can offer us eternal life. I think of Jesus death on the cross and I am so ashamed. Ashamed of my life. I wish I could have died on the cross. I'm not just saying that. I realize the weight of those words, but I am the one who deserves it. It makes me just fall at Jesus' feet and thank him and repent. And he is always there. Thank you, Jesus.
I dont know if anyone is reading this and really I could care less, but I pray that somehow this touches someone's life. I love you, at least I'm trying to love you for real.
If you need anything let me know.
chad A
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| I just felt the need to start this site. I don't really know why. I'm not a huge xanga fan. I've had a xanga for what seems like forever, but I rarely post anything. Mostly, I see it as a waste of time. However, lately I've been seeing some positives that could be in xanga. That's why I have created this site. I see that if some of the world chooses to fill xanga sites with pornography and other such filth then there should be no reason why I should not fill a xanga site with spiritual matters. I hope to fill this site with devotionals, spiritual thoughts, and my general ramblings on the life of a follower of Jesus.
As to the name "voice from the desert". It has two significances. The first of which is the idea of the desert as a spiritual wilderness. I've heard more than one Christian author/speaker refer to the idea of a wilderness. It is a time where it seems that God cannot be found. The soul cries out but seemingly to no avail. This is a period of trial and testing. God is with us in this period, but we have to rely on him without training wheels, basically. At this point in my life I am in a deep spiritual wilderness. I continue to seek God, but feel as though I could not be farther from Him. However, I know he is with me and will be with me throughout this desert. For that reason I am the voice from the desert.
The second reason is a little different and not at all connected. You see, I have always had kind of an abnormal obsession with John the Baptist. The guy was crazy. But he was crazy just as God had called him to be. He walked out of the desert saying "prepare the way for the Lord" and while doing it he looked crazy and ate crazy things, but people listened. That is truly incredible to me. I think that maybe we as Christians need to look at that and realize that maybe that's who we need to be. I don't mean that we should all wear camel skin and eat locusts, but I do think we need to look different. And let me clarify look different. That does not mean that we need to be emo, or goth, or we can't wear gap clothes or anything like that. I don't think it has to do with our physical appearance. I think the difference will be seen when we truly begin to follow God's commandments to us. These can be summed up in loving God with all our heart, mind, body, and spirit, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. If we truly loved the way that Jesus loves then we would look so very different than anything that anyone has ever seen, and people would listen. Instead, we as Christians get belligerent and hateful. We say things like God hates fags and fight gay marriage like communism, and we criticize politicians and talk about our Christian brothers behind their backs and live only for ourselves. That shows no love. That is wrong. We should love people no matter who they are. I'm not saying that sin is right, but Jesus came to seek and to save the lost not to condemn. He said so. And if that's the case then who are we to condemn. That was a tangent, but back to the name thing. The other part of this second reason is that it always seems like after I've been away from God and the Bible for a while and then come back to it I always seem to come to Isaiah 40. This is where the Isaiah prophecies John the Baptist and it talks about a voice crying out in the desert. Every time I read it I break down in tears because I know that that is why I am here. I am to be a voice in the desert. Not just me, but all of us. Voices in the desert. Philippians 2:15 says that we are to be shining stars in a crooked and depraved generation. Sounds like voices in the desert to me. Therefore I am the "voice from the desert."
I'm sorry this post is so long. I'll try to generally keep them shorter but this one just sort of happened. Leave comments or call me or email me or let me know what you think or anything. I want to be here for you whoever you are. I don't know what that means but if you have a need just ask and I'll do what i can. I love you. I want to love you anyway. I'm trying.
chad A
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