So if you are reading this I hope the title caught your attention. That was the intention. This is the question that a speaker at Liberty this morning, Miles McPherson, asked us during convocation. The question was a pretty bold one, and it got me locked in so I hope it locks you in too. There are God's friends, and there are God's enemies. Some people are on one side, and some on the other. There are some people who are jumping back in forth between the two sides. It is a fact that the deciever, the Devil, is going to tempt you. We all have a relationship with the Devil, but where do you stand with that relationship?
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
Satan's intention is to seperate us from God. He wants to destroy us, and he ultimately wants to lead us to death. He wants sin to corrupt our lives, and he wants our hearts to be hardened. Getting wasted, getting high, sex as recreation, and pride are all things that he wants in your life to turn you away from God. He wants you to think that your life is about you, and that it is all about, "living it to the fullest", through all those things that I listed above. He is going to do everything he can to convince you of something different than what he even knows is true, that Jesus Christ is Lord.
"Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped on the land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, what have you to do with me Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." Luke 8:26-28
Even the demons declare that Jesus is Lord. They bow down because they know his authourity. Through the authority of Jesus we too can have authority over Satan in our lives. Jesus gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to put Satan in his place, and to live a holy life becasue a holy life reflects the presence of God. I heard Miles McPherson ask this question today, and it got be thinking. Is your life spontaneous enough to reveal the presence of a powerful God?
"Resist him, firm in your Faith, knowing that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all Grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm strength, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Our struggles we go through during the little amount of time we have on this Earth are nothing compared to the glory we will experience with God in heaven and for eternity! I can't fathom eternity. God promise's to restore, confirm strength, and to establish you if you put your faith in him. So I ask you again. What is your relationship with Satan? The presence of him through our everyday life is pretty evident. We are all going to experience temptation, but are we going to put our faith in Jesus to overcome his evil? There was something else that Miles said that I thought was pretty cool. If you turn on a light the darkness disappears. If you have electricity, light bulb, and a switch then you can eliminate the darkness. There is nothing that is faster than light except for the darkness that flees from it when you turn on that light. So what is stopping you from turning on the light in your life right now? You can overcome the evil you will face in this world through Jesus Christ our Lord. He died so that we could overcome it, and he rose again to empower us to have authority over the presence of Satan in our lives during our time in this world. So here is a verse that gives me chills.
"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12
Take what Jesus can offer you. Let him be the light of your life, and shine out all the darkness that causes you so much pain. Jesus can give you life, and the power to overcome. Don't wait any longer. Turn to God right now, and accept his eternal gift. He will shine his light on all the darkness in your life and darkness will surely flee as fast as the light appears. Let's pray.
Jesus thank you for saving me. I give you my life because You laid down your life for me. Thank you for being the Almighty God you are, and giving me the power to overcome Satan. I want to live a life that shows the presence of a Holy God. I want everything I do to glorify you, and to shine light in the darkest places of this Earth with the power you give me. Thank you for being the faithful God you are, and for showing me mercy. I can't wait to spend eternity with you, and all your Glory, but until then I dedicate the little time I have with this life to you Lord. AMEN
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
A New and Better Life
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the father except through me."
-John 14:6
Jesus is the only way to God. There is no other way to experience God. I am begging you not to miss out on all that God has to offer. I am committing my life to spreading the Good News because there is nothing greater than helping someone establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. God is Love. Here is a passage that I want to share, and I hope that you won't just skim through it, but you will really read it. This is the inspired word of God, and if there is anything that is truly inspiring in the world we live in today it is God. This is a passage on Christian Living.
"Put to Death therefore what is earthly in you: Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these things you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."
-Colossians 3:5-10
You say, "I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me." Behold I will bring you to judgement for saying I have not sinned.
-Jeremiah 3:24-25
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving eachtother; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on Love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and thankfulness in your hearts for God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him."
-Colossians 3:12-17
I don't know about you, but I am fascinated with scripture. There is not a doubt in my mind that those words are inspired by God, and those words are how we should live. I mean imagine how wonderful our lives would be if we applied the scripture to our lives. We will all be judged by God, and if we chose to live a self-centered life then we will face the wrath of God. This is not God's intention. He loves us and desires to have a relationship with us. Following Jesus is so much more than just following some rules. God loves us and wants the best for us. Just like any loving father would. If you were to raise a family wouldn't you want to apply all the principles above to your home. I know I would! Maybe you ask the question, If God loves us so much then why have suffering in the world? Maybe you are angry at God for something you went through or are going through. You might think that God knows nothing about what it means to suffer. What price would you have God pay for his failure to do more for his people facing suffering and evil? Would you inflict capital punishment on him? You are too Late! Jesus came to this Earth, lived a perfect life, and died for you and me. His purpose was to save people, yet he refused to save himself because he had a purpose. God sent Jesus to die for our sins, and to put to death our sinful nature through faith in him. It is by his Grace that we are no longer seperated from God.
God has suffering in this world for a reason. Suffering reminds us that we are in a fallen world, and the only thing that can make sense to the suffering we are inflicted with is having a relationship with God. It is shared suffering, and God can use suffering to bring us closer to him. Suffering reminds us that we are not in control, but God surely is. When I didn't know God I tried my hardest to make sense of things, and just about all my suffering I brought on myself living in sin. It is by Faith that we are redeemed. We are not promised tomorrow, and God is the only one who can provide us with something that has eternal value. What is stopping you from recieving it? Jesus Christ gives us Grace and salvation. If we put our faith in God he will bless our lives. God in not a lucky charm. A true Christian understands that you don't win all the time. You live for the glory or God or you die for the glory of God. You will be rejected by the evil ways of this world as a Christian. The rejection you face will not be forgotten. God will judge everyone in the end. Our suffering will be worth it. He will give us the Holy Spirit, and we will live lives that are out of this world, literally. We will do things that only God can inspire. Don't wait any longer. Allow God to give you life. This life is not about us, it is about God our father. We will live a prosperous life on this Earth full of Love, and we will spend eternity with God the father in Heaven if we only put our faith in him.
Lord, I pray that you will use me as a tool to show people the Truth. I pray that these words aren't just read, but they are applied to my life. God I know that if I control my own destiny I will lead myself into destruction. I know that I won't experience a life that is worth living. I want to have eternal value Lord, and I want my life to be pleasing to you. I want to grow closer to you Lord. I can't put your Love into words. Help me to Love like you have loved me. Thank you so much for giving me life, mercy, and forgiveness. I owe my life to you. Holy spirit fill my life! Amen
Let God bless you life on this Earth and the next,
Matt Marsh
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
-John 14:6
Jesus is the only way to God. There is no other way to experience God. I am begging you not to miss out on all that God has to offer. I am committing my life to spreading the Good News because there is nothing greater than helping someone establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. God is Love. Here is a passage that I want to share, and I hope that you won't just skim through it, but you will really read it. This is the inspired word of God, and if there is anything that is truly inspiring in the world we live in today it is God. This is a passage on Christian Living.
"Put to Death therefore what is earthly in you: Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these things you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."
-Colossians 3:5-10
You say, "I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me." Behold I will bring you to judgement for saying I have not sinned.
-Jeremiah 3:24-25
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving eachtother; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on Love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and thankfulness in your hearts for God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him."
-Colossians 3:12-17
I don't know about you, but I am fascinated with scripture. There is not a doubt in my mind that those words are inspired by God, and those words are how we should live. I mean imagine how wonderful our lives would be if we applied the scripture to our lives. We will all be judged by God, and if we chose to live a self-centered life then we will face the wrath of God. This is not God's intention. He loves us and desires to have a relationship with us. Following Jesus is so much more than just following some rules. God loves us and wants the best for us. Just like any loving father would. If you were to raise a family wouldn't you want to apply all the principles above to your home. I know I would! Maybe you ask the question, If God loves us so much then why have suffering in the world? Maybe you are angry at God for something you went through or are going through. You might think that God knows nothing about what it means to suffer. What price would you have God pay for his failure to do more for his people facing suffering and evil? Would you inflict capital punishment on him? You are too Late! Jesus came to this Earth, lived a perfect life, and died for you and me. His purpose was to save people, yet he refused to save himself because he had a purpose. God sent Jesus to die for our sins, and to put to death our sinful nature through faith in him. It is by his Grace that we are no longer seperated from God.
God has suffering in this world for a reason. Suffering reminds us that we are in a fallen world, and the only thing that can make sense to the suffering we are inflicted with is having a relationship with God. It is shared suffering, and God can use suffering to bring us closer to him. Suffering reminds us that we are not in control, but God surely is. When I didn't know God I tried my hardest to make sense of things, and just about all my suffering I brought on myself living in sin. It is by Faith that we are redeemed. We are not promised tomorrow, and God is the only one who can provide us with something that has eternal value. What is stopping you from recieving it? Jesus Christ gives us Grace and salvation. If we put our faith in God he will bless our lives. God in not a lucky charm. A true Christian understands that you don't win all the time. You live for the glory or God or you die for the glory of God. You will be rejected by the evil ways of this world as a Christian. The rejection you face will not be forgotten. God will judge everyone in the end. Our suffering will be worth it. He will give us the Holy Spirit, and we will live lives that are out of this world, literally. We will do things that only God can inspire. Don't wait any longer. Allow God to give you life. This life is not about us, it is about God our father. We will live a prosperous life on this Earth full of Love, and we will spend eternity with God the father in Heaven if we only put our faith in him.
Lord, I pray that you will use me as a tool to show people the Truth. I pray that these words aren't just read, but they are applied to my life. God I know that if I control my own destiny I will lead myself into destruction. I know that I won't experience a life that is worth living. I want to have eternal value Lord, and I want my life to be pleasing to you. I want to grow closer to you Lord. I can't put your Love into words. Help me to Love like you have loved me. Thank you so much for giving me life, mercy, and forgiveness. I owe my life to you. Holy spirit fill my life! Amen
Let God bless you life on this Earth and the next,
Matt Marsh
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Our Purpose
"All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established." -Proverbs 13:20-21
This is the latest thing that God has showed me. It is not always pleasant for God to shine light on the darkness in my life, but it 100% necessary. For the first time in my walk with God, he has revealed to me what is going to allow me to experience true intimacy with him. Here is a statement that caused me to weep. There is no greater thing in this life than allowing God to build me up for a purpose, and being used for that purpose. When I heard this I cried, and I am not a bit ashamed to admit it. I know in today's culture we are supposed to harden out hearts, and there is little Love and compassion shown. It is even hard to show real Love and compassion in our own families. Without God there is no true Love. I believe that with all my heart. That is something that I have experienced throughout my walk with God. I have never felt like this, loved like this, and was able to forgive people who had hurt me in my life without the grace of god.
"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted within my chest." Psalms 22:14
My heart was hardened before I met Jesus. Even when I first decided to follow Christ, my perception was all wrong on what his will was for my life. It is not just about me, it is about what God can do through me. God's desires are now my desires, and when I read his word I take that to heart. They used to be just words to me, and now the Holy Spirit have turned them into words that plant desires in my heart that are pleasing to God, and allow me to experience God in ways that I can't put into words. My perception of what it meant to follow Christ was all twisted. I thought it was just about going to church, living a life without sin, no premarital sex, drunkedness, and ultimately just being weird. That is how a Christian caught up in the man-altered way of following Christ made it seem like. I have met few Christians who really are 100% committed to living a life that carries out God's purpose for them. People take that verse out of context. "Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established" It is not commit your works to the Lord and YOUR plans will be established. If you really commit your works to the Lord then his plans for your life will be established. I believe the creator of the universes plans for your life are far greater than anything that we could think of ourselves. In our culture it is about having swag, being financially stable, having a nice home, having a great spouse, a family, and acheiving some respectable accomplishments. I am not saying all this is wrong, but thats not what living is all about. After this life when you are face to face with Jesus, and he asks you did you do all you could do to advance my kingdom? What are you going to say? If you are only worried about your own salvation, your own life, and the people directly in it then you are not experiencing God, and ultimately you are turning away people from Jesus beause Jesus calls us to do so much more.
I am saying this because I am done living a comfortable life. I am done living a life chasing dreams that in no way show God's glory. When I do something from here on out I will do it to advance God's kingdom. I will live a biblical life, and that doesn't stop at living a righteouss one. It starts there. God can do great things through me and anyone else who is willing to allow him to work through you. At the end of my life I want it to be known that I was different, and that it wasn't great in the World's eyes, but it was great in God's eyes. Don't kill yourself trying to live a life pleasing everyone because you can't do it. You can live a life that can please God and oh man is that a life worth living. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and for anyone else who commits to him. I am so grateful for the grace he has showed me. For showing me Love. For showing me how to live. For giving me a life that has meaning. We have an amazing God. Don't miss out on all that he can offer you.
Lord thank you for your grace. I pray that you will give me the courage to stand apart, and to spread your love. I want your desires to be mine, and I really want to know your will for my life. I want to live a life that reflects the presence of an infinite God living inside me. The greatest thing I can do in this life Lord is to have you build me up for a purpose and to be used for that purpose. Lord use me. Thank you for giving me life. Amen
May your plans be established,
Matt
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
This is the latest thing that God has showed me. It is not always pleasant for God to shine light on the darkness in my life, but it 100% necessary. For the first time in my walk with God, he has revealed to me what is going to allow me to experience true intimacy with him. Here is a statement that caused me to weep. There is no greater thing in this life than allowing God to build me up for a purpose, and being used for that purpose. When I heard this I cried, and I am not a bit ashamed to admit it. I know in today's culture we are supposed to harden out hearts, and there is little Love and compassion shown. It is even hard to show real Love and compassion in our own families. Without God there is no true Love. I believe that with all my heart. That is something that I have experienced throughout my walk with God. I have never felt like this, loved like this, and was able to forgive people who had hurt me in my life without the grace of god.
"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it is melted within my chest." Psalms 22:14
My heart was hardened before I met Jesus. Even when I first decided to follow Christ, my perception was all wrong on what his will was for my life. It is not just about me, it is about what God can do through me. God's desires are now my desires, and when I read his word I take that to heart. They used to be just words to me, and now the Holy Spirit have turned them into words that plant desires in my heart that are pleasing to God, and allow me to experience God in ways that I can't put into words. My perception of what it meant to follow Christ was all twisted. I thought it was just about going to church, living a life without sin, no premarital sex, drunkedness, and ultimately just being weird. That is how a Christian caught up in the man-altered way of following Christ made it seem like. I have met few Christians who really are 100% committed to living a life that carries out God's purpose for them. People take that verse out of context. "Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established" It is not commit your works to the Lord and YOUR plans will be established. If you really commit your works to the Lord then his plans for your life will be established. I believe the creator of the universes plans for your life are far greater than anything that we could think of ourselves. In our culture it is about having swag, being financially stable, having a nice home, having a great spouse, a family, and acheiving some respectable accomplishments. I am not saying all this is wrong, but thats not what living is all about. After this life when you are face to face with Jesus, and he asks you did you do all you could do to advance my kingdom? What are you going to say? If you are only worried about your own salvation, your own life, and the people directly in it then you are not experiencing God, and ultimately you are turning away people from Jesus beause Jesus calls us to do so much more.
I am saying this because I am done living a comfortable life. I am done living a life chasing dreams that in no way show God's glory. When I do something from here on out I will do it to advance God's kingdom. I will live a biblical life, and that doesn't stop at living a righteouss one. It starts there. God can do great things through me and anyone else who is willing to allow him to work through you. At the end of my life I want it to be known that I was different, and that it wasn't great in the World's eyes, but it was great in God's eyes. Don't kill yourself trying to live a life pleasing everyone because you can't do it. You can live a life that can please God and oh man is that a life worth living. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and for anyone else who commits to him. I am so grateful for the grace he has showed me. For showing me Love. For showing me how to live. For giving me a life that has meaning. We have an amazing God. Don't miss out on all that he can offer you.
Lord thank you for your grace. I pray that you will give me the courage to stand apart, and to spread your love. I want your desires to be mine, and I really want to know your will for my life. I want to live a life that reflects the presence of an infinite God living inside me. The greatest thing I can do in this life Lord is to have you build me up for a purpose and to be used for that purpose. Lord use me. Thank you for giving me life. Amen
May your plans be established,
Matt
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
Monday, January 9, 2012
Don't Hold Back!
All I can say is WOW. I have never experienced God like this. I was on the verge of tears with with how God was working. The amount of feedback I got back from my testimony was really encouraging, and it made me realize that when I submit to the Holy Spirit that God can really do some great things through me. For the first time in my Christian walk God has revealed to me what it truly means to be a Christian. I was holding back on what God's plan was for me because I was scared and I was really nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone. God spoke to me, and as nervous as I was about trusting him and carrying out his will....I can say whole heartedly that it was the best decision I have ever made. My little sister called me this morning telling me that she gave her life to Christ, and it was the greatest feeling she has ever experienced. I tried my best not to cry, and I couldn't be more happy for her. I know she is in for an amazing journey, and a true Love story. I can't thank you enough for taking a few minutes to allow God to inspire you through the story of how he inspired me. God is doing great things, and I am so thankful to be a part of it.
My second blog is to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. I will take you more in depth through what God has revealed to me through my walk with him just recently in my life. Yes I said the sinners prayer, I knew that I had faith in God, I wanted to make that step to try to live a life led by him, and I asked Jesus to save me. I was ready to start my spiritual growth, but I didn't know where to start. I just put my faith in God, and seeked him in whatever way I could. I tried to eliminate some of the sin in my life, read my bible, tried to do the right things, and seeked God with all my heart. He was slowly transforming me, and it was a really exciting time. Things were not perfect though. It was a painful process, and I am still battling sin in my life. The fallen state of this world is something we can never get away from, and we are sinners. God is the only thing that can deliever us from our sinful nature. You will know you have Christ in your heart though because God will reveal himself through your sin and you will get convicted. God was pounding me about the Holy Spirit. I was reading how the disciples were just ordinary, uneducated men, and how when Jesus went to heaven he sent a better counselor(Holy Spirit). I wanted it, but I didn't know how to get it. I prayed for it just about every night. I had faith that this verse was true.
"If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot recieve, because it never sees him nor knows him, for he dwells with you and in you." John 14:14-17
I had faith in God, and I was seeking him. I was still battling with my sin, and I was using that as an excuse to not carry out God's will. Satan was using the sin I was battling to hold me back. I wanted to do more for God, but I thought that I needed to be more educated or more knowledgable on the material. I thought that I had to have a respectable streak where I didn't sin at all. I was trying to figure out how I could make a difference for God. I followed the call of the Holy Spirit with this blog, and I am amazed with how God was able to inspire so many people through this. Living a Christian life is a three step process. Having faith in God, accepting Jesus Christ as your savior because he died for your sins, and submitting to the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit our words do not inspire. If you are a believer I pray that you will live a spirit lead life. The Holy Spirit gives you understanding, and the words to peirce hearts.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and a marrow, and the discerning of thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 3:12
I want to encourage you to stand apart from the world. Have the courage to stand apart for God's glory. Ask God for courage, and for the Holy Spirit. It is a shame that the disciples died for the sake of spreading the Gospel, but we are too scared to be open about our faith from the fear of rejection. They all were persecuted beyond anything we could ever imagine. Why is it that we are scared to live a spirit-filled life beacause of what people might think of us? How can you be quiet about what God has to offer if you are really experiecing him. Trust me I know it's hard, but our God is greater! God will bless your life in ways you never thought possible. God is constantly changing me, and we are never "complete" Christians. It is a process, but we must truly seek his will for our lives with ALL of our hearts for our lives to be changed the way he really wants. Let me lay it down like this. God loves you so much he died for you. The Lord will fill your life with more love and meaning than anything else ever could. You live a life for God because that is the best way to live this life to the fullest, and you get to spend eternity with an infinite God in Heaven, a place so glorious that our minds can't even grasp the glory of. It is a pretty sweet deal because we have an amazing God. Faith will go along way, and again I pray that you will allow God to work in your life as much as he has mine.
Thank you so much for the support, and it is time to take a stand on what Life is all about! The time is now to be couragous believers! Now let's close this out in prayer,
God thank you so much for loving us like you do. It is a love we can't carry out to share with others without the Holy Spirit. I pray that you will give us the strength to be couragous believers,and to live lives that shine your light. You say that if we commit our works to you our plans will be extablished. Establish our plans Lord because I want to commit my works to you.. I want to live a life like Jesus, and grow closer to you lord. Thank you for changing my life.
Amen
Inspired by God,
Matt
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
My second blog is to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. I will take you more in depth through what God has revealed to me through my walk with him just recently in my life. Yes I said the sinners prayer, I knew that I had faith in God, I wanted to make that step to try to live a life led by him, and I asked Jesus to save me. I was ready to start my spiritual growth, but I didn't know where to start. I just put my faith in God, and seeked him in whatever way I could. I tried to eliminate some of the sin in my life, read my bible, tried to do the right things, and seeked God with all my heart. He was slowly transforming me, and it was a really exciting time. Things were not perfect though. It was a painful process, and I am still battling sin in my life. The fallen state of this world is something we can never get away from, and we are sinners. God is the only thing that can deliever us from our sinful nature. You will know you have Christ in your heart though because God will reveal himself through your sin and you will get convicted. God was pounding me about the Holy Spirit. I was reading how the disciples were just ordinary, uneducated men, and how when Jesus went to heaven he sent a better counselor(Holy Spirit). I wanted it, but I didn't know how to get it. I prayed for it just about every night. I had faith that this verse was true.
"If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot recieve, because it never sees him nor knows him, for he dwells with you and in you." John 14:14-17
I had faith in God, and I was seeking him. I was still battling with my sin, and I was using that as an excuse to not carry out God's will. Satan was using the sin I was battling to hold me back. I wanted to do more for God, but I thought that I needed to be more educated or more knowledgable on the material. I thought that I had to have a respectable streak where I didn't sin at all. I was trying to figure out how I could make a difference for God. I followed the call of the Holy Spirit with this blog, and I am amazed with how God was able to inspire so many people through this. Living a Christian life is a three step process. Having faith in God, accepting Jesus Christ as your savior because he died for your sins, and submitting to the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit our words do not inspire. If you are a believer I pray that you will live a spirit lead life. The Holy Spirit gives you understanding, and the words to peirce hearts.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and a marrow, and the discerning of thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 3:12
I want to encourage you to stand apart from the world. Have the courage to stand apart for God's glory. Ask God for courage, and for the Holy Spirit. It is a shame that the disciples died for the sake of spreading the Gospel, but we are too scared to be open about our faith from the fear of rejection. They all were persecuted beyond anything we could ever imagine. Why is it that we are scared to live a spirit-filled life beacause of what people might think of us? How can you be quiet about what God has to offer if you are really experiecing him. Trust me I know it's hard, but our God is greater! God will bless your life in ways you never thought possible. God is constantly changing me, and we are never "complete" Christians. It is a process, but we must truly seek his will for our lives with ALL of our hearts for our lives to be changed the way he really wants. Let me lay it down like this. God loves you so much he died for you. The Lord will fill your life with more love and meaning than anything else ever could. You live a life for God because that is the best way to live this life to the fullest, and you get to spend eternity with an infinite God in Heaven, a place so glorious that our minds can't even grasp the glory of. It is a pretty sweet deal because we have an amazing God. Faith will go along way, and again I pray that you will allow God to work in your life as much as he has mine.
Thank you so much for the support, and it is time to take a stand on what Life is all about! The time is now to be couragous believers! Now let's close this out in prayer,
God thank you so much for loving us like you do. It is a love we can't carry out to share with others without the Holy Spirit. I pray that you will give us the strength to be couragous believers,and to live lives that shine your light. You say that if we commit our works to you our plans will be extablished. Establish our plans Lord because I want to commit my works to you.. I want to live a life like Jesus, and grow closer to you lord. Thank you for changing my life.
Amen
Inspired by God,
Matt
mattmarsh70@gmail.com
Sunday, January 8, 2012
My Testimony
God laid in on my heart to create a blog in a powerful way. Obedience brings blessings is what he spoke to me so I am creating this blog in an act of obedience to my God. Some of you that are reading this may know me, and if you have kept in touch with me recently you would know that my life has been drastically changed. For those of you who don't know me very well let me feel you in with what has happened in my life.
My Mom and Dad were divorced when I was very young, and that is all I have ever known. My Mom has been married four times, and my Dad twice. My Mom's first husband died of luekemia leaving Lucas (my brother) without a father. My Mom then met my dad who had me, my brother (Marc), and my sister (Miranda). My mom did the best she could to raise four kids as a single mother. Times were tough, but I was a child and didn't know the difference. Life was alot more simple when I was a child. My Mom married her third husband, and I would have to say that was the most stable time in my life. We were in church every time the doors were open, and we did our best as a family to have a Christ-centered home. It is truly amazing the foundation that is established in a family when God is present. He truly does bless a family that is seeking him. My older brother was on his own when tragedy struck my family when he took his own life. He left a note of how it was my Mom's fault, and how much he hated her. He was my age, 20. My brother never had a father figure, and he was always in trouble. He was constasntly seeking to feel the hole in his life with drugs, alcohol, or anything else this broken world has to offer. This path of seeking fulfillment ultimately led to him into a state of mind that he could no longer live his life. You can imagine the affect this had on my Mom. All of a sudden my Mom became dead to everything around her. Once again another marriage failed, and they got divorced. I was in 8th grade, the stage of first facing temptaions and making life changing decisions. My brother's selfish act completely tore my family apart. I started to have to deal with coming to the reality that my Mom was not perfect. I saw first hand the devastation that sin does in someone's life. She was abusing drugs, and alcohol heavily. My mom lost her sense of reality, and ultimately that began to make me question it as well.
My mom began to threaten to take her life to me, and as a child that was very hard to deal with. She ended up meeting a guy in her vulnerable state that contributed to her problem. Things were unstable. They were constantly getting in fights, and she was getting beat up. Her new husband would kick us out after a fight, and we would have no place to go. I was constantly living with friends throughout high school. I felt so alone. I started to seek fullfillment in other things. I started to use alcohol, experimented with drugs, and began to have sex. There was one thing in my life that kept me somewhat stable, and that was a wonderful father and baseball. I saw my Dad quite a bit, and he was always really involved with everything I did. I didn't live with him though. Baseball was great when I was playing or in season. I got the opportunity to play baseball in college with a baseball scholarship. I thought for sure that when I left home all my problems would go away, and I picked the farthest school that offered me (Austin Peay).
I was happy to get away from all the problems at home, and to play the game I loved. I still drank alcohol, did the drugs, and seeked a sense of intimacy with girls. Now I had every opportunity to make a new life for myself, but I was even more misereable than I was when I was home. I used my home life as an excuse for the lifestyle I was living. In my eyes it wasn't wrong. As far as I was concerend I was doing pretty good beacuse I was playing ball and going to college. I tried my best to justify what I was doing, but I couldn't. I was numbing myself with all the sin that was in my life. I resented people who didn't think like me, and I got angry at the thought of someone telling me how I was living was wrong. I was running from God, and the thought of me submitting to some kind of authority was far-fetched. God was running me down. I ended up causing alot of problems at Austin Peay and I left. I went to Chipola in Florida, and I continued to live in sin. I also started to seek God. I felt him calling me, and I kept having spiritual experiences because of it. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13
I was up to my neck in sin, and I had no idea where to start. But I was curious. I had a pretty good year at Chipola, and my best offer was Liberty University. That was no coincidence. For those of you who don't know what Liberty University is, it is a Christian university. For the first time I began to seek God with all my heart. I was thrown in a Christian bubble, and with all the other things I did to seek fulfillment I figured this was worth a try. I was surrounded by people who came from great Christian families. I felt like an odd ball, and I was kind of embarassed of my past. I was attepting to do the right things, but I had no idea what it really meant to be a Christian. I was overwhelmed one Sunday morning by the presence of God. The message was about how some of the greatest people in the bible were people with a sinful past. It began to click to me what it really meant to be saved. I was a sinner, but I was ignorant to sin. With my own understanding there was know possible way to grasp what it meant to live a righteous life. Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I could have life. I broked down and cried. I was by myself that Sunday, and I cried like a baby. It was the most overwhelming feeling I have ever experienced. I asked Jesus to rule my life, and that I wanted to live a life that pleased him.
That was just the beginning. It wasn't like things were perfect after that. It was a painful process for God to reveal alot of the sin in my life. I began to see life from a different perpective. My life began to change, and the sin in my life began to break my heart. I have since then experienced a love that is truly overwhelming, but here recently God has started to reveal to me the most important thing, The Holy Spirt. Jesus said this, "But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your rememberance all that i have said to you." John 14:26 Without the Holy Spirit we have no understanding. The Holy Spirit is what speaks to us, and makes us understand God's word. The Holy Spirit is what makes a true Christian. Nothing I accomplish on my own will bring me any kind of eternal value. A life led by the power of the Holy Spirit is a life worth living. I life lived for ourselves is really insignificant compared to a life empowered by an ifinite God. If you are not experiencing God, you aren't experiencing true love. God loved us so much that he lived a perfect life, suffered, bled, and was crucified to pay a debt that we could never pay, our sins. He loved us so much that he died for us. That is love. Can you say that you have ever loved someone that much? God loves you, and he wants the best life you could ever have. God gives you peace, hope, and love that you can't get from anything else. I would not deny what God has to offer to my worst enenmy. I mean that with all my heart. I pray that you will seek God with all your heart because he will reveal himself to you. I was not really living when I wasn't experiencing God. I was going through the motions, and I was literally a dead man walking. God gave me life! Jesus died for my Sins! The Holy Spirit will Guide me through this life! I am nothing, but a sinner without God. You can do your best to make sense of this life on your own, but it isn't going to happen. If you are ready to make this change in your life, pray this prayer.
Jesus, I am sinner. I want everything you have to offer. Thank you for dieing on the cross for my sins. I want to have a relationship with you, and I want you to come and change my heart forever. Thank you for saving me Jesus, and thank you for a better life. Amen
Now that prayer prayed from the heart has eternal value, and a life submitted to an infinite God is living. Ever since God has been in my life, I have been picking up the pieces of a broken family. I have had the chance to see what God is doing with my family and it is amazing. I got a chance to share with my Mom the peace that God can bring her. Only God can comfort you through the hard times this world will take you through. I see God at work everyday in my life, and I am constantly transforming. I am still not perfect, but I know when I sin. I want to live a life like Jesus, and it takes me seeking God everyday, spending time in his word, and surrounding myself with spiritual support. I am only human, but God is what brings me understanding. I pray that you will seek God with all your heart because it will add so much more value to your life. If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email. mattmarsh70@gmail.com
May God Bless your life,
Matt Marsh
My Mom and Dad were divorced when I was very young, and that is all I have ever known. My Mom has been married four times, and my Dad twice. My Mom's first husband died of luekemia leaving Lucas (my brother) without a father. My Mom then met my dad who had me, my brother (Marc), and my sister (Miranda). My mom did the best she could to raise four kids as a single mother. Times were tough, but I was a child and didn't know the difference. Life was alot more simple when I was a child. My Mom married her third husband, and I would have to say that was the most stable time in my life. We were in church every time the doors were open, and we did our best as a family to have a Christ-centered home. It is truly amazing the foundation that is established in a family when God is present. He truly does bless a family that is seeking him. My older brother was on his own when tragedy struck my family when he took his own life. He left a note of how it was my Mom's fault, and how much he hated her. He was my age, 20. My brother never had a father figure, and he was always in trouble. He was constasntly seeking to feel the hole in his life with drugs, alcohol, or anything else this broken world has to offer. This path of seeking fulfillment ultimately led to him into a state of mind that he could no longer live his life. You can imagine the affect this had on my Mom. All of a sudden my Mom became dead to everything around her. Once again another marriage failed, and they got divorced. I was in 8th grade, the stage of first facing temptaions and making life changing decisions. My brother's selfish act completely tore my family apart. I started to have to deal with coming to the reality that my Mom was not perfect. I saw first hand the devastation that sin does in someone's life. She was abusing drugs, and alcohol heavily. My mom lost her sense of reality, and ultimately that began to make me question it as well.
My mom began to threaten to take her life to me, and as a child that was very hard to deal with. She ended up meeting a guy in her vulnerable state that contributed to her problem. Things were unstable. They were constantly getting in fights, and she was getting beat up. Her new husband would kick us out after a fight, and we would have no place to go. I was constantly living with friends throughout high school. I felt so alone. I started to seek fullfillment in other things. I started to use alcohol, experimented with drugs, and began to have sex. There was one thing in my life that kept me somewhat stable, and that was a wonderful father and baseball. I saw my Dad quite a bit, and he was always really involved with everything I did. I didn't live with him though. Baseball was great when I was playing or in season. I got the opportunity to play baseball in college with a baseball scholarship. I thought for sure that when I left home all my problems would go away, and I picked the farthest school that offered me (Austin Peay).
I was happy to get away from all the problems at home, and to play the game I loved. I still drank alcohol, did the drugs, and seeked a sense of intimacy with girls. Now I had every opportunity to make a new life for myself, but I was even more misereable than I was when I was home. I used my home life as an excuse for the lifestyle I was living. In my eyes it wasn't wrong. As far as I was concerend I was doing pretty good beacuse I was playing ball and going to college. I tried my best to justify what I was doing, but I couldn't. I was numbing myself with all the sin that was in my life. I resented people who didn't think like me, and I got angry at the thought of someone telling me how I was living was wrong. I was running from God, and the thought of me submitting to some kind of authority was far-fetched. God was running me down. I ended up causing alot of problems at Austin Peay and I left. I went to Chipola in Florida, and I continued to live in sin. I also started to seek God. I felt him calling me, and I kept having spiritual experiences because of it. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:13
I was up to my neck in sin, and I had no idea where to start. But I was curious. I had a pretty good year at Chipola, and my best offer was Liberty University. That was no coincidence. For those of you who don't know what Liberty University is, it is a Christian university. For the first time I began to seek God with all my heart. I was thrown in a Christian bubble, and with all the other things I did to seek fulfillment I figured this was worth a try. I was surrounded by people who came from great Christian families. I felt like an odd ball, and I was kind of embarassed of my past. I was attepting to do the right things, but I had no idea what it really meant to be a Christian. I was overwhelmed one Sunday morning by the presence of God. The message was about how some of the greatest people in the bible were people with a sinful past. It began to click to me what it really meant to be saved. I was a sinner, but I was ignorant to sin. With my own understanding there was know possible way to grasp what it meant to live a righteous life. Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I could have life. I broked down and cried. I was by myself that Sunday, and I cried like a baby. It was the most overwhelming feeling I have ever experienced. I asked Jesus to rule my life, and that I wanted to live a life that pleased him.
That was just the beginning. It wasn't like things were perfect after that. It was a painful process for God to reveal alot of the sin in my life. I began to see life from a different perpective. My life began to change, and the sin in my life began to break my heart. I have since then experienced a love that is truly overwhelming, but here recently God has started to reveal to me the most important thing, The Holy Spirt. Jesus said this, "But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your rememberance all that i have said to you." John 14:26 Without the Holy Spirit we have no understanding. The Holy Spirit is what speaks to us, and makes us understand God's word. The Holy Spirit is what makes a true Christian. Nothing I accomplish on my own will bring me any kind of eternal value. A life led by the power of the Holy Spirit is a life worth living. I life lived for ourselves is really insignificant compared to a life empowered by an ifinite God. If you are not experiencing God, you aren't experiencing true love. God loved us so much that he lived a perfect life, suffered, bled, and was crucified to pay a debt that we could never pay, our sins. He loved us so much that he died for us. That is love. Can you say that you have ever loved someone that much? God loves you, and he wants the best life you could ever have. God gives you peace, hope, and love that you can't get from anything else. I would not deny what God has to offer to my worst enenmy. I mean that with all my heart. I pray that you will seek God with all your heart because he will reveal himself to you. I was not really living when I wasn't experiencing God. I was going through the motions, and I was literally a dead man walking. God gave me life! Jesus died for my Sins! The Holy Spirit will Guide me through this life! I am nothing, but a sinner without God. You can do your best to make sense of this life on your own, but it isn't going to happen. If you are ready to make this change in your life, pray this prayer.
Jesus, I am sinner. I want everything you have to offer. Thank you for dieing on the cross for my sins. I want to have a relationship with you, and I want you to come and change my heart forever. Thank you for saving me Jesus, and thank you for a better life. Amen
Now that prayer prayed from the heart has eternal value, and a life submitted to an infinite God is living. Ever since God has been in my life, I have been picking up the pieces of a broken family. I have had the chance to see what God is doing with my family and it is amazing. I got a chance to share with my Mom the peace that God can bring her. Only God can comfort you through the hard times this world will take you through. I see God at work everyday in my life, and I am constantly transforming. I am still not perfect, but I know when I sin. I want to live a life like Jesus, and it takes me seeking God everyday, spending time in his word, and surrounding myself with spiritual support. I am only human, but God is what brings me understanding. I pray that you will seek God with all your heart because it will add so much more value to your life. If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email. mattmarsh70@gmail.com
May God Bless your life,
Matt Marsh
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