And I'm Off...

Well, this is new. My very first blogspot thing. I'm kinda stoked about it and I'm not sure if that makes me a dork or what, but I really don't care. You might have read some of my blogs on myspace and if so, this blog site will take the place of that. So, welcome.

Can I just say right out of the gate that my weekend rocked. I spent Friday night and Saturday in Nashville with a good friend of mine Kelly Simmons. Kelly and I went to UNA together and she was one of the loyal ATO ladies who just flat out rocks. Anyway, my friend Kenny Bozich is in a band called The Almost (www.myspace.com/thealmost) and they played a show at The Anchor. At this show, I got to meet one of the best drummers on the planet Aaron Gillespie (the red headed kid). Aaron created The Almost and plays guitar and sings lead vocals in the band. Kenny was nice enough to get Kelly and I in for free and we hung out before the show. Nashville is officially my new 2nd Favorite Place. Second to, of course, Birmingham.

To the real point of this blog. Lately, I have totally neglected my quality time with Jesus. I was doing good there for a while. I was really into reading Donald Miller. Not that reading books makes me any better of a Christian, but I was growing in my faith and that is all that matters. However, the last couple of weeks with the holidays and stuff, I have neglected reading anything. This Sunday at church my pastor, who is amazing, preached a message on The Cross and God starting moving in me. He made me realize that I had been ignoring Him. Tonight, I finally hit my face and listened to Him.

I put the iPod on a worship playlist and just spent some time in quiet worship and prayer. And thru some advice from my friend Ted, I began to read Galatians. Here's what I got.

It amazes me tha tI am so much like the people Paul is talking to in Galatians 1:6. I am so constantly turning and going in the opposite direction of the very God who rescued me. I place my hope in other gospels: MUSIC (big one), money, and even my great group of friends. And like Paul says these aren't gospels at all, but simply perversions of the truth. These things in their pure form are not too terribly bad, matter of fact, they are stinkin awesome. But my selfish pride makes them my own worst enemy sometimes. In other words, these things will not bring me peace. I heard Pastor/Teacher Harry Reeder talk about not getting the complete peace of God today on the radio. I don't want to miss out.

I also love how Paul asks in v. 10 "Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God?". I wake up everyday and try to win God's approval. I think that is probably the desire of every Christian that I know. However, I do a lot of things simply to impress people. I do them with the best intentions, but are these intentions the will of God. I think I have to constantly ask myself that in order to keep in check with what He wants for my life.

God revealed Himself to Paul in such an awesome way. It was an absolute revelation. I wonder how I would react if Christ, God, The Father showed up in that magnitude. Yes, I believe it can happen. However, at this point in my life and spiritual walk I may not be ready for it. I have to ask myself the uncomfortable question: Are there things (perverse gospels) that are in the way of God.

The Gospel of Jesus is not something that man made up. I cannot receive it from any man. It can only be received by a revelation from Jesus Christ. And there it is, I have received revelation. God's grace is my saving revelation. Now, I just have to live like it. What do you think?

One Love...