Sunday Mornings

Good Morning!  I love Sundays!!! Sundays are my favorite day of the week.  I owe it all to my church.

It all began when I first moved to this town, in January.  My best friend recommended this church.  I had also heard from another friend about the same church, so I thought, "why not?"  I'd been attending at the small town that I had previously been living and I wanted to continue.  I thought with two recommendations -- and high ones at that - perhaps I was in for a treat.  Little did I know, my life was about to be completely transformed.

I'd never been to a church such as this.  I attend a 'Grace' ministry.  We are a New Covenant church.  We don't do condemnation.  We don't do 'sinners saved' in the same way as most Christian churches do.  We believe to repent means to change your mind.  We are a Jesus based faith.  It all begins and lives in Him.  His life, His teaching, His death and resurrection.  Some have called us a cult.  It is far from a cult.  However, folks can believe what they want to believe.  I think it is mostly because it is different.  We fear what we do not understand.  Just because I don't have to be preached down to every week, and be "re-saved" in order to feel (which has nothing to do with my salvation) like I'm going to heaven - it makes us different.  We are a very Biblically sound church, we just believe that when Christ died on the cross - our salvation was completely paid for through grace, in His suffering - He died for all of us.  I don't have to "do good to get good."  I let Christ's holy spirit shine through my life, and not be conformed of this world.  Focusing on the law - which we are no longer under through Christ's finished work - brings more sin - because that is the law's focus.  I am no longer under that  law.  You cannot take part of the law and leave the rest behind.  Christ was the final lamb of God.  There are no more sacrifices.  It is finished in Christ.

Christ's death made me the righteousness of God in Christ.  I am a child of the most High King.  I will not be diminished to a mere sinner.  This is low level christianity.

Of course this is just how I believe.  However, it has transformed my life.  I am no longer who I used to be.  I do not worry about sin, and sin has left my life.  Christ's life shines through mine.  I am more Christ centered than I have ever been.  This is the major argument of most christians about our faith and belief as Grace christians.  We are free to sin, because we believe that our sin debt is paid from birth to death.  It's all paid for in Christ.  I've been redeemed.

So, I love Sundays!  And Wednesdays, and actually I love everyday.  My life is so much different now.  I am not perfect, but I do not have to be, none of us do.  Christianity is not about perfection, which is what I used to think under the law.  I used to put so much pressure on myself.  Now I live in peace.  Trust me, with the  life that I've had, this is immeasurable.  Not that my life was horrible, and I was a complete wreck but there was addiction and this always brings hurtful behavior.

I share because there is hope.  Hope for heath and happiness.  Hope for belief in oneself.  Hope even for a perfectionist.  My pastor is online.  All of his sermons are free, available for download.  I go to Midland Church.  His name is Paul White.  Our site is Paul White Ministries.

I am filled with hope today, it keeps me going, in the midst of depression recovery.  In the midst of a very strong self-centered ego.  I'm amazing because of what God has done in my life, not because of me.  Everyone is amazing in one way or another.  We just have to find out how.  We have to let our lights shine in the world.  My Father taught me this.  I hope he is proud of me.