What was it the blind man knew?

This question was asked in church this morning and alot of people had a different answer and I thought about it for along time actually and here is my answer and why...

When Jesus was roaming the country sides doing miracles his reputation began to proceed him....So when he came to the blind man, the blind man knew that Jesus could heal him from what afflicted him.

It was after he was healed that he beleived the he was the Christ....he knew that this man could do miracles but it was not until after his healing did he "see" the big picture.

So often that is the way it works....first comes the experience but then comes the real truly beleiving in who God says he is.

Does that make sense

Lifes awesome like that!!!

Today was cool bacuase me and the kids spent time with some very close friends of ours...The Howard family.

Shawn and I spent some time dicussing theology and our faith (which we do alot when we visit)....Most of the time (ok almost all of the time) we are on the same page and we view the state of the church in some of the same light.....but like any good healhthy relationship there is always going to be something that you might not agree with no matter what side of the conversation you are on.

This is where I am going with this....I beleive alot of people are unable to hold healthy conversations when it comes to our beleifs because so often someone has to be...Listen that person you are talking to can have an insight that you would never have thought about.

When push comes to shove we all serve the same GOD!!!

It's Friday.....again

It's been a long week for some reason. The word has not come easy to me this week and neither has my prayer time.

Last Sunday was my first SUnday not working for almost 2 months and I went to fellowship at a church called Living Word Fellowship (http://www.lwfdinuba.com). It was really awesome....a great time of ministry and worship but I am ready to get back to Wellspring and just pray God something great in that church.

Right now one of the things I think about is how much I want GOD to begin to pour out his spirit and I see it starting to happen in different places and I want to see it happen in the central valley because I feel if it starts to happen here it will pour out of the valley and into So and Nor Cal.

I am almost done with the book of John and I think I am going to start back into Acts again. I just need God to reveal himself to me.

I should never have started this book....

I am in the middle of at book called "Starving Jesus". I am finding it to be one of the best things I have ever read next to "Screwtape Letters".

When I am done reading it I am going to write a long blog about the book and what I am learning from it (I am also reading my bible at the same time).

I have learned two things.....GOD IS GOD and being a Christian goes beyond the walls of our sad little lives. Being a Christian effects everyone around us (family, friends, strangers...etc).

If you have not read this book you must read it.....you must your view should not be the same

Truth is sometimes simple.....

I NEED TO GET TO DALLAS!!!

Conferance is paid for...I just need to get there. I will squat on the street if I have to!!

Grace Doctrine....Sometimes A Bunk Doctrine!!!

So here it is folks....I am going to do my best to get my thoughts out with scripture to back it up so be patient. If you disagree with me that fine, disagree with me!!

Here is what is going on inside me right now. I feel that there are people teaching Grace and Love (which are wicked important to our salvation) but are fogetting about faith and forgiveness. I undersatnd we do not want to push people away but want to draw them in towards the kingdom but this is where my issues come into play. We can not use GRACE as a crutch to live in sin and be a Christian under our own rules.

IT IS BY FAITH WE ARE SAVED....

Romans 3:21-31 goes into the fact that it is by faith we are saved. "(v.22)The Righteousness of from GOD comes through FAITH in Jesus Christ to all who beleive." It goes on to talk about we all have sinned (which I do not deny that that I am as much a sinner as anyone) and fallen short of the glory of God.

Ephesians 2:1-10 puts it quite plainly that yes it is by Grace we have been saved. But what I see happening is that people are forgetting the importance of (v.8 and v.9)For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (v.9)not by works, so that no one can boast.

Romans 5:1,2 "Therefore since we have been justified through FAITH we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace we now stand."

Mark 1:15 says what I am trying to say "The time has come" He said "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and beleive the good news". This is from Jesus himself...A call to not only repentance but Faith.

I guess what I am trying to say is this....YOU CAN NOT LIVE ON GRACE ALONE. We mus live in faith that is why it says "By Grace we are saved through faith".

Salvation means coming to a place of repentance....Grace means living by faith....and being a Christian means having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Please do not get my wrong....Jesus had the right idea...Love your neighbor as yourself....Love the sinner and hate the sin (1 John 4:8-9). But if we are not also teaching Faith and Repentance we are not giving people the whole truth.