Be A Berean
This is a religious blog dedicated to presenting and spreading the good news that Christ is our Savior. I encourage everyone to "study to show thyself approved".
The Day I Discovered Grace (Part I)
The Day I Discovered Grace - Part I
Let me begin by asking a question: Do you know for sure you’re going to heaven? I’m surprised at the number of people that will answer this question with an “I sure hope so” or "yeah I’m pretty sure”. And for the record – those are just two ways of saying “no, I’m not sure at all.” And in all fairness that is pretty much where I was in my life up until fairly recently.
For those who know me they know that I have been a faithful "church go-er" since about the day I was born. For 50 years I’ve worshipped at the same congregation with the exception of one year when my family and I were in Minnesota - but that’s another story.
In the 50 years I attended services I don't recall ever hearing a sermon on the Holy Spirit and very few on Grace. Oh these topics were touched on occasionally but I was never subjected to an in-depth study of them. Now I'm not blaming "the church" mind you. Fact is, in that 50 years I never once took it upon myself to do an in-depth study so the fault of me not knowing much about Grace and/or the Holy Spirit is my own.
Recently however, in the last year or so, some of my close friends and I have been pursuing the topic rather vigorously and having many discussions about it. In addition, certain events at the church I attended for so many years made it necessary for me and my family to find another place to worship. Oh there were no doctrinal differences. It’s just that unfortunately sometimes churches are as subject to people acting in a non-Christian like manner as any other organization – a sad but true fact of life. It's even sadder when it's the very people that are supposed to be the leaders. But as has happened so often in my life, God has been able to turn what could have been a very negative event into a wonderful blessing.
Around October of last year my wife and I started looking for a new church home. After sampling different congregations in the area we happened across a congregation we had never visited and immediately felt right at home. Now let me be the first to say I don't believe Christians should go looking for a church based on what "fits" them. Our utmost concern was to find a group of like minded Christians where we could worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. And let me add that every single congregation we visited would have been perfectly acceptable places to worship. Its just that the one we ultimately decided on made us feel welcomed and needed.
After being there a few weeks the minister did a week long series of lessons on "Covenants" in the Bible. Now here was another subject that was oft touched on but never really delved in to. And I can only guess that the Holy Spirit wanted to make sure I got the message because it was about this same time that a friend of mine sent me a PDF "book" by Jay Guin - "The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace". Both the Covenant series and Jay's book were able to (finally) convince me that I was saved. (NEXT WEEK Part II – Covenants – the story continues)
For those who know me they know that I have been a faithful "church go-er" since about the day I was born. For 50 years I’ve worshipped at the same congregation with the exception of one year when my family and I were in Minnesota - but that’s another story.
In the 50 years I attended services I don't recall ever hearing a sermon on the Holy Spirit and very few on Grace. Oh these topics were touched on occasionally but I was never subjected to an in-depth study of them. Now I'm not blaming "the church" mind you. Fact is, in that 50 years I never once took it upon myself to do an in-depth study so the fault of me not knowing much about Grace and/or the Holy Spirit is my own.
Recently however, in the last year or so, some of my close friends and I have been pursuing the topic rather vigorously and having many discussions about it. In addition, certain events at the church I attended for so many years made it necessary for me and my family to find another place to worship. Oh there were no doctrinal differences. It’s just that unfortunately sometimes churches are as subject to people acting in a non-Christian like manner as any other organization – a sad but true fact of life. It's even sadder when it's the very people that are supposed to be the leaders. But as has happened so often in my life, God has been able to turn what could have been a very negative event into a wonderful blessing.
Around October of last year my wife and I started looking for a new church home. After sampling different congregations in the area we happened across a congregation we had never visited and immediately felt right at home. Now let me be the first to say I don't believe Christians should go looking for a church based on what "fits" them. Our utmost concern was to find a group of like minded Christians where we could worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. And let me add that every single congregation we visited would have been perfectly acceptable places to worship. Its just that the one we ultimately decided on made us feel welcomed and needed.
After being there a few weeks the minister did a week long series of lessons on "Covenants" in the Bible. Now here was another subject that was oft touched on but never really delved in to. And I can only guess that the Holy Spirit wanted to make sure I got the message because it was about this same time that a friend of mine sent me a PDF "book" by Jay Guin - "The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace". Both the Covenant series and Jay's book were able to (finally) convince me that I was saved. (NEXT WEEK Part II – Covenants – the story continues)
