This is my first post in something like ten weeks. I've had a lot to think about and I tend to think in silence. At the end of December last year, I was introduced to a series of sermons by David Platt of Brook Hill Church. Mr. Platt is a young pastor of a large church in the are of Birmingham, Alabama. Beginning with his family, and taking the lesson out to his church and then the Christian population as a whole, Mr. Platt has asked people to do something radical. He wants us to read the gospel of Jesus and accept every word as true. I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. I have tried to apply it to my life and live according to its principles. Yet, hearing the passionate words of this pastor convicted me of the truth that I have lived a me-centered Americanized brand of Christianity that minimizes certain teachings of Christ that would be uncomfortable to accept. I have gone back to the scriptures and re-read them for myself. What Mr. Platt is teaching is not a new interpretation or his own twist on the scripture. It is a call to take Jesus's words exactly as they are given and resist the temptation to make them say something they do not.For me this has meant thinking about my life and my stuff differently. If I believe what the Bible says, then I have given my life to Jesus and that means it is his. Truly it was his before then, he having the claims of the maker upon the made thing. Either way, my time, my strength, my devotion, my all BELONG to him. If I were to dedicate my every living moment to his service it would be nothing more than what he has a right to. Every penny I earn, every possession in my house MUST be available and not merely in a wishy-washy "willing to" kind of way. I need to put everything I have to work for Jesus to meet the demands he places on those who choose to follow him; love each other, help the poor, and preach the gospel.
It has taken me some time to weigh this out. I can't tell you for sure what all the implications will be, but I can say that since God has gifted me with a drive to write and I already have this blog established, I will be trying to use it for Him in someway. Bear with me and I hope we will all draw nearer to God.
Finally, I strongly urge everyone, believer or non-believer, to listen to and consider the words of David Platt. I'm not lifting up one particular man, but I think he has hit on a critical truth and the emotion he shares it with is very compelling. Please take the time hear his message. He has also written a book containing much of the same materials as his sermon series if you would prefer that format. I've included links below.
http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/radical/
Radical by David Platt available at Amazon.com
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