Today is Easter Sunday. It is a day where people gather to celebrate the Risen Christ.
I used to - a long time ago - judge people who went to church only on Easter or Christmas.
Who am I to judge?
Or who was I to judge?
What is the difference between someone going to church once a year and someone who goes every Sunday?
It all depends on what you get and what you give to the experience.
I do believe that going to church is a staple and it is a pillar for any one's spiritual life.
But - raise your hand - I'm raising mine - how many times have we enjoyed that Sunday morning fellowship only to forget about it by Monday?
So if you went to church today for the first time this year, great I hope you got something out of it and will continue to go.
If you went to church every Sunday this year, great, I hope you got something out of it and will continue to go.
There is only one Judge and He is also the jury.
I have a T shirt from the band Project 86.
On the T shirt there is a picture of a puppet and the words written:
"Who Do I Belong To? Not Wretches. Not Horrors.
Who Do I Belong To? Immortal. Eternal"
We should never forget who we belong to. Not today, not ever.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tear Down the Walls
Yes, it has been sometime since my last post.
Sometimes I learn a lesson I already know. Life has a way of setting it’s own priorities. Sometimes that is good and positive, sometimes …not.
If you have read this BLOG before, you know I had a goal of posting everyday. I would still have felt ok if I had accomplished ½ of that goal.
Sometimes – as in the recent past – I have not come close.
But I feel a little different than before. You know I used to stress when I couldn’t or didn’t post a BLOG.
Now I realize that “Hey, that’s life.”
So, I come back on the BLOG scene, but with a better attitude and a better feel for myself.
Yes, I will try to post every day, but no I probably won’t.
The material? Well, I don’t think I will set certain days for certain topics. I will take the “Whatever is on the heart” attitude.
But I will give you some tid bits to look forward to.
You can look for and hopefully receive a more spirit filled post and a more personal post. On certain days you mat really see my heart. On other days you may not.
So, what has been going on?
I haven’t read in a long time and I miss it. I had about 5 books on my nightstand and tried to pick them up periodically but that didn’t work.
I am going to try to stick with one. When I pick it I will let you know.
I did have a wonderful opportunity to speak at the Gulf States Mennonite Conference Youth Rally at Pine Lake Fellowship Camp on March 27 and 28.
God works in His own way. When I was originally asked, I had so many things inside of me telling me “NO DON”T DO IT!” “That will be more stuff added to your pile.”
So I said I would pray about it and let the Lord lead. Honestly, I didn’t pray too hard at first. Then I did.
I decided to take a “Leap of Faith” and speak. Even after the decision, I had a couple of second thoughts. I am not sure why.
Different stresses, etc probably had something to do with it.
But as I said the Lord works in His own way. Not mine and not yours.
I am so glad He led me to speak. We had a wonderful weekend with many wonderful kids and some awesome Sponsors and some great cooks and Camp leaders.
It has been a long time since I relaxed like I did last weekend.
We spoke on the GOD IS AWFUL theme and we tied in two important things to posses.
Faith and Hope. We were able to discuss both and (hopefully) tied them together to discuss Overcoming.
The camp was and always will be the perfect setting for a Youth Rally. There is no better place to make Faith and Hope come alive.
As I said before, God works in His own way. We heard a song (OH AND THE WORSHIP BAND THAT PLAYED FOR OUR PRAISE TIME WAS SO FANTASTIC). They played this song by Hillsong United. “Tear Down The Walls”. The amazing thing about it, IT SO tied in to the message. I was astonished as we were singing. I wrote down some of the song lyrics as they played to use in the message because THEY FIT SO WELL.
Some of the lyrics are: "And I don't need to see it to believe it..." that speaks of some great Faith. and "This life is yours and Hope is rising as your glory floods our hearts." And "Look to the skies hope arise See His majesty revealed."
WOW!
I love the faith and Hope messages because I told the kids that I wasn’t there to talk to them. I was there to talk with them. I hope they got that.
You see, I struggle on an almost daily basis, with Faith and Hope. Some may ask, “Then how can you speak on them?” all I can say is that there was only one perfect human being and that was Jesus. So I ask, “Why can’t any of us speak on anything?”
So the weekend was a true blessing and it helped me so much in my personal life. I hope the feel I have today lasts forever and all I can do is pray that it will.
If you are reading this and you do want more information on the Youth Rally message: GOD IS AWFUL: CONTEMPLATING FAITH, HOPE AND OVERCOMING, feel free to email me at wadecortez@yahoo.com.
Sometimes I learn a lesson I already know. Life has a way of setting it’s own priorities. Sometimes that is good and positive, sometimes …not.
If you have read this BLOG before, you know I had a goal of posting everyday. I would still have felt ok if I had accomplished ½ of that goal.
Sometimes – as in the recent past – I have not come close.
But I feel a little different than before. You know I used to stress when I couldn’t or didn’t post a BLOG.
Now I realize that “Hey, that’s life.”
So, I come back on the BLOG scene, but with a better attitude and a better feel for myself.
Yes, I will try to post every day, but no I probably won’t.
The material? Well, I don’t think I will set certain days for certain topics. I will take the “Whatever is on the heart” attitude.
But I will give you some tid bits to look forward to.
You can look for and hopefully receive a more spirit filled post and a more personal post. On certain days you mat really see my heart. On other days you may not.
So, what has been going on?
I haven’t read in a long time and I miss it. I had about 5 books on my nightstand and tried to pick them up periodically but that didn’t work.
I am going to try to stick with one. When I pick it I will let you know.
I did have a wonderful opportunity to speak at the Gulf States Mennonite Conference Youth Rally at Pine Lake Fellowship Camp on March 27 and 28.
God works in His own way. When I was originally asked, I had so many things inside of me telling me “NO DON”T DO IT!” “That will be more stuff added to your pile.”
So I said I would pray about it and let the Lord lead. Honestly, I didn’t pray too hard at first. Then I did.
I decided to take a “Leap of Faith” and speak. Even after the decision, I had a couple of second thoughts. I am not sure why.
Different stresses, etc probably had something to do with it.
But as I said the Lord works in His own way. Not mine and not yours.
I am so glad He led me to speak. We had a wonderful weekend with many wonderful kids and some awesome Sponsors and some great cooks and Camp leaders.
It has been a long time since I relaxed like I did last weekend.
We spoke on the GOD IS AWFUL theme and we tied in two important things to posses.
Faith and Hope. We were able to discuss both and (hopefully) tied them together to discuss Overcoming.
The camp was and always will be the perfect setting for a Youth Rally. There is no better place to make Faith and Hope come alive.
As I said before, God works in His own way. We heard a song (OH AND THE WORSHIP BAND THAT PLAYED FOR OUR PRAISE TIME WAS SO FANTASTIC). They played this song by Hillsong United. “Tear Down The Walls”. The amazing thing about it, IT SO tied in to the message. I was astonished as we were singing. I wrote down some of the song lyrics as they played to use in the message because THEY FIT SO WELL.
Some of the lyrics are: "And I don't need to see it to believe it..." that speaks of some great Faith. and "This life is yours and Hope is rising as your glory floods our hearts." And "Look to the skies hope arise See His majesty revealed."
WOW!
I love the faith and Hope messages because I told the kids that I wasn’t there to talk to them. I was there to talk with them. I hope they got that.
You see, I struggle on an almost daily basis, with Faith and Hope. Some may ask, “Then how can you speak on them?” all I can say is that there was only one perfect human being and that was Jesus. So I ask, “Why can’t any of us speak on anything?”
So the weekend was a true blessing and it helped me so much in my personal life. I hope the feel I have today lasts forever and all I can do is pray that it will.
If you are reading this and you do want more information on the Youth Rally message: GOD IS AWFUL: CONTEMPLATING FAITH, HOPE AND OVERCOMING, feel free to email me at wadecortez@yahoo.com.
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