"Sanctification" - Religion VS Relationship (Continued)

"It's NOT about making Jesus Christ Lord OVER my life, but about making Him Lord OF my HEART. Many do the first, but few do the latter." - JJ

Let me explain…

I believe that many well meaning Christians after trusting in Jesus Christ as their Savior begin to put a good effort into changing their lives. We go to church, we try to read the Bible every day, we try to obey the Bible, we try to get as involved as we can in "ministry" serving the church, and so on... This is all good, but I believe as Christians, we have neglected and lost focus in our discipleship of new believers in the most important area…

“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.
- 1 Peter 3:15

Let me break down this verse and then continue to explain my thought above…

Step 1) Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart (Surrender and brokenness before the Lord; total Surrender of all your life. Trusting God in all areas of your life, not just your eternal destiny)

Step 2) Be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you (your testimony and sharing the gospel)

Step 3) YET with gentleness and reverence. (Showing love, compassion, kindness and gentleness, and demonstrating God’s love to others, not just “Bible Beating.”)

Ok, so what I was saying before… I believe that our Christianity has become all about religion and we have neglected the most important process of becoming truly broken before the Lord in total and complete surrender of our hearts (lives). When someone accepts Jesus Christ into his/her life, we quickly get that person plugged into the church, we start giving them Bible studies, we begin to train them in how to share their faith with others (Step 2,3) and we complete bypass the most important step, “Sanctification of Jesus Christ as Lord in our hearts.”

I believe that the church is doing great at sharing the good news of eternal life. The Great Commission is being obeyed. God’s church is growing, but I think that not enough real true, DEEP healing is occurring in the lives of those we disciple. Don’t get me wrong, I think the healing process is occurring. God begins that process the moment we open our hearts to Him and we accept Him as our personal Savior, but I think that the Healing process has been neglected when it comes to discipleship of new believers. Why do I think so, because of my own experience, because of this NEW place in my life of brokenness before my God and King, because of the amazing healing that has occurred in my heart, because God has been showing me what the process was in my life, because as my heart has been healed, and because I now can see past my own wounds and hearts. Before, I was neglecting “step 1” because I was wounded and hurt myself. I could not see past my own insecurities, sins, hurts, pride, etc. So as I gave of myself and shared my life with others, as a man who still needed healing, I could not help others in that process of healing in them. As I stand now, healed, I look about me and I see SO MUCH hurt within the walls of the church. Yes, church is a place for those who need healing, but I find the ratio of those who are healed enough to help others in that process to those who need healing to be way off! The pastors cannot do it all...

My prayer is that God continues to do the Miracles (as He has been doing in me) and that more believers may come to that place of 100% brokenness before Him. That they may be healed to the point where they can turn around and help lead those around them to that same place of brokenness before God.


Disclaimer: Don’t miss-understand, One ONLY needs to believe in Jesus Christ and put their trust in Him for eternal life in order to be saved (Titus 3:5, Eph. 2:8-10, John 3:16, II Cor. 5:21). I just think that God as our Heavenly Father wishes to heal our broken hearts, so that we may better serve Him. God wants to do great things in us and through us (Eph. 2:10). Again, we first need a Savior, we then choose to make Him our Lord. But we ONLY need to "Believe in Him." - If you do not know how you can be 100% sure you are going to Heaven the day you die, click here and find out how you could know. I serve God, not for my salvation, but out of gratitude for what He has done for me. I serve God because I love Him!...

Disclaimer 2: The growing process is on-going. God is still working in my life. Though I find myself in an amazing place of surrender before my Lord, surrender is something that must occur daily as we make choices and continue to grow closer to God.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” – Hebrews 12:1-3

Continuing: I know that for me, I continued to put a big effort into “growing in Christ” and I put a big effort into reading the Bible, and in serving, but in my heart, there were many areas that I had not surrendered 100% unto the Lord. I was trying to obey God, and I was giving Him most of my heart, but I had areas in my Heart that still needed healing and areas in my life that I was not putting my complete trust in God. I had desires I was not surrendering before the Lord. I did had a desire to serve Him, but in my own terms. I had insecurities that I was not surrendering to the Lord and trusting Him. I appeared “healed” on the outside. If you asked anyone, I have been a “model” Christian all my life, but on the inside, there was still much hurt, shame, insecurities, etc. and it took God a long time to heal me. I was “image managing” my life. Today, I am a broken person before my loving Heavenly Father. To quote Mercy Me’s song “No More No Less” …

“I'm not trying to hide anything
I wear it on my sleeve
I'm not trying to be something I'm not
This is all I've got
I'm not trying to re-invent the wheel
Just trying to be real
I'm not trying to say follow me
I'm not the one who leads

Let me introduce myself to you
This is who I am
No more, no less
I am just a man who understands
Because of [God] I'm blessed
No more, no less

I'm not trying to prove anything
It's all about the change

I hope you stare just long enough to see
The heart that's beating here inside of me
Beyond all the things you may think you know
I'm just a kid trying to make it home, that's it
No more, no less”

You know, the world does not need more religion. Most people (if not all) are religious in some way or another. This is what God calls pure and undefiled religion…

“…to visit orphans and widows in their distress…”

Religion is good, but God wants our hearts, not just our good deeds.

Friend, if you do not know where you are going the day your die, TODAY is a good day to find out. We do not know what tomorrow may bring, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the day I die, I will go to Heaven to be with God. You too can be 100% sure that you will go to heaven... Click Here and learn more. Don't wait till tomorrow, Today is the day you can put your trust in God as your personal Savior.

to learn more click here: www.jjsierra.com/theanswer

If you have any questions, if you don't understand something I said above, please feel free to send an email at: jj@coffeecupapologetics.com

I leave you with these last two quotes…

“We must give God and others their rightful place in our hearts.” – John Ortberg

“We trust God with our eternal destiny, but we have a hard time trusting Him with the rest of our lives.” - JJSierra

There are ONLY TWO kinds of people in the end...

"Those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' "
- C.S. Lewis "The Great Divorce"

Wow...

"The Great Divorce" is a short but VERY insightful fiction book - I recommended :)

Announcement:
We are currently meeting at "It's A Grind" coffee shop at 4:00pm on Saturdays. Please contact us for more information. We don't always announce if we will not meet. For the most part, if I'm in town, I try to always meet. See you next Saturday!

Website: http://www.itsagrind.com/location/?c=152

Life, The Great Adventure!

I've been thinking about life, contemplating on my life...

I've been thinking about life... How it's simply a journey. Parts of this journey are beautiful, other parts are not, but ultimately, what makes this an exciting and adventures journey is the ultimate desitnation...

C.S. Lewis said this, "You have not met a mare mortal."

Click Here to read the rest of my Post at www.JJSierra.com/LivingTheDash

I've Got An Announcement...

Ladies and Gentleman, children of all ages
Anyone listening, I've got an announcement to make
There's been some confusion about a certain someone
A lot of discussion and a lot of debate

So if I may take just a moment to say who Jesus is to me

Jesus is life, yeah, oh, oh, oh
Jesus is life, yeah, oh, oh, oh
The air I'm breathing
Why my heart is beating
Everything I'm needing
Jesus is life
Jesus is life

Imagine the deepest sea without a drop of water
An infinite galaxy without even one single star
That's how I would be... so absolutely empty
Without Jesus' life in me there'd be no life at all
More than just a part, He's the very heart of everything I am

This is my position concerning my condition
This is my position concerning my condition
This is my position my life by definition

Jesus is life
Jesus is life
Jesus is life
Jesus is life

(Steven Curtis Chapman and James Isaac Elliott)

Wisdom Demonstrated

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom." - James 3:13

Check out my latest post in my personal BLOG: Click Here

Being the "Acorn"

Just re-read Kyle's post... Can't wait to become the oak tree! ;) Phil. 1:6!

Read Kyle's Post: Click Here

Morality and Government

I am taking a course on Public Relation Principles...

As I was reading today this thought came to me:

Why does the GOVERNMENT have to regulate what is acceptable and moral or unoffensive in our mass media and in the business/corporate world?...

It used to be where even though a profit was desired, integrity and moral and ethic values where upheld by those doing business with another. People used to adhere to a higher standard... God's Standard! A handshake was enough. A man's word was binding...

...When we remove God from the picture, who is left to say what's right and wrong?... Apparently, the government from what I can tell! Wow, how bad is our society today that we need the government to rule over and tell us what's right and wrong. We need the government to keep companies in check. To make sure the "public" is not harmed, etc...

Well, at least there is one thing many people like about this compromise... Without God and a higher standard, people no longer have to worry about morality. They can do whatever they want with a "free and clear" conscience... At the price of our government running our lives and telling us what's right and wrong...

So, without God and an eternal purpose in life, what's left is the bottom dollar $$$!... And getting everything you can from this life... Survival of the fittest as they say...

... How sad, truly sad :(

"The Funk" - Comment/Followup

So much of the Bible seems utopian, because we fail to TRUST GOD with our all. We want to believe in His promises, but we also want to do things our way and in our time...

The problem with our Christian walk (AKA, "The Funk") is that we don't trust God.

Fear, complacencies and the everyday affairs of this life "entangle" us so easily sometime (Hebrews 12:1-3).

"thinking to much" - "...It's too easy to get so caught up in the paralysis of analysis that we fail to act." - Brother Andrew "The Calling"

Mature vs. Maturing (an Update)

My, oh my...

This week has been one of the worst, for me, in recent memory. I feel like it should be nearing the beginning of next week; but no, it is merely Wednesday. As I write this, I am in the UM library (I will have been here for over 12 hours) exhausted from a huge Physics exam that I barely studied for. Mind you, I didn't study for it because of the myriad events that required and reverted my attention elsewhere, not because I felt prepared in any way. Nonetheless, that is over with. Now I can focus my efforts to finishing a project (haven't started - due tomorrow), completing an HW assignment, and studying for another exam Friday.

Now, this week hasn't been miserable because of all the school work (it's probably the opposite actually, school would barely scratch the surface), but because of multiple trials flung my way. I wish I could go into detail about these issues, but I believe God values men who wrestle with their struggles independently, without having to involve a ton of people. Rest assured, though, I am not keeping everything to myself; as a matter of fact, I have already spoken to various people about what is going on in my life and the things I've endured (I am probably over-dramatizing it, but it's still rather tough for me). Just watch, this is going to through you for a loop: The purpose of this e-mail is to encourage you! lol

Think back to last week. Do you remember what the e-mail was about? No? Ok, well I do -- and it was about being mature in Christ and exactly what that entails. I wrote this last week:

"If anything, true Christian maturity is being able to say 'Blessed be the name of the Lord' when your flesh desires to throw in the towel. It is understanding that becoming a man or woman of God is incredibly difficult, yet surprisingly refreshing when God graciously offers us His strength to make it through the day."

Isn't it amazing how God answers our prayers before we pray them?! You see, I never specifically prayed to be more mature -- but after learning what I did last week, and after what Freddy spoke about on Sunday, the topic of maturity was on my mind and heart. To make a long story short (too late, huh?), I think the Lord has been using these events in my life to develop me into a more mature Christian. You see, our concept of "mature Christianity" is skewed. Being "mature" implies a level of completion, almost as if there is no more growth to accrue. However, we, as Christians, understand that "mature Christians" do not settle for where they are at in their spiritual walk. They know that their lives are the result of constant self-denial. Instead, these "mature Christians" are, in actuality, better labeled as "maturing Christians," in order to reflect that ongoing process.

I am in the middle of this process -- this struggle, no less. And yes, it is very tough. But I know, when all is said and done, it will be more rewarding than it was tough. Materialistically, I may come out on bottom, but I will be closer in my relationship with Christ and I have faith that it will be more satisfying than anything of this world.

Ok, that's what I am going through. How are you all doing? I wish you guys would take some time to update us on your life and on how God is working in it. I would love to read it... really, I would!

MTI

PS - Throw up a prayer for me every now and then, why don't ya? lol
PPS- I guess I should throw this out there, why not? ... Happy Valentines Day!

My Savior My God

My Savior My God - Aaron Shust

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior

I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus (2x's)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He is
My God is always gonna be

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Our FIRST News Letter - Dec. 2007

We finally finished our December 2007 News Letter. This is our first of many, God willing...

To Read (Download) The PDF of our News Letter click the link below...

CCA December 2007 News Letter (PDF)
File Name: cca_2007-12.pdf

Well, this is our first, if you have any comments, if you have anything you would like to share, feel free to write them here...

Psalm 119...
124) Deal with Your servant according to Your lovingkindness And teach me Your statutes.
130) The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

- God Bless

On a Personal Note

WHAT AN AWESOME TIME we had this morning!...

After our confab at the Serene Bean this morning, The guys and I went to Family Christian Store to buy a pair of Apologetics Study Bible by Homan Publishing... I have never seen such excitement over God's Written Word the Bible in all my years. Kyle had been praying that God would provide him with the funds to buy the Bible and Today we were both able to get the Bible. God truly is awesome. I have never in my 20+ years of my christian faith felt so much excitement and hunger for the Word of God. God has been truly doing an amazing work in my life. If you want to learn more about how God is a part of my Personal Life, go check out my blog at www.jjsierra.com/livingthedash -- Part of the source of this excitement for God's Word comes from my Brother Kyle and Danny Garcia. What a blessing it is to have such friends who truly love the Lord with ALL their HEART, AND WITH ALL their SOUL, AND WITH ALL their MIND, AND WITH ALL their STRENGTH (Mark 12:30).

Anyway -- We are more then ever excited about coffeecupapologetics.com - We hope you can join us next time. Today we had the privilege of having Danny among us and he lead us through a solid study of what the Bible says on Salvation by Grace alone and not by works. We will be posting our study soon. We hope that as a result of the study you may come closer to an understanding of God's Love and Grace towards you and that you may believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior (if you have not done so already).

Andy, a good friend of ours also joined us today. It was great to be able to share that time with him also. I am on 5 hours of sleep, but I could continue to study God's Word all day. Once again, let me share with you Psalms 63 -- God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You... (Read Chapter)

May God Bless you today, and may he lead you to His loving arms and give you an understanding of His love, mercy and grace that is greater everyday (I can testify to that!).

What standard should we go by?

1 Corinthians 4 - Click Here To Read Chapter

Paul starts this passage stating that we are stewards of God and we must be found trustworthy, this means that we are not above being questioned on our character. In fact we more than anyone else on Earth should be questioned. We are ambassadors for God and should reflect his love in our lives. We must be examining ourselves constantly to make sure we still in line, we are accountable to one another.

But that does not mean we are each others' judges but only that I must trust you to tell me if I am not acting according to the teachings of the Word.

My standard, to apply my entire being to for evaluating, is that of Jesus Christ. We must go to the Lord himself for us to get an accurate judgment of ourselves. We can not evaluate ourselves because that is being self-righteous and we are not able to see all our flaws. Since God is the absolute Judge of all and knows all truth then, we only need to go to him for our frame of reference of what is true. This what Paul is saying in verses 3-4. We have to go to God so he can guide us and not use human judgement except with his standard.

There are some smaller gray areas that should not be argued about but leave them up to God. Do not argue over useless things because it benefits no one.

It's really funny that we as men can become so forgetful and proud. We get into a routine of not seeking God , still acting holy to others , and think we are our own source of holiness. This why we must seek God everyday so that we won't become proud or judgmental.

We should be humble and thankful to the Lord. The only thing we should boast about is the power of God and not our own words.

Expresso VS Instant

1O) God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2) Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. 3) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. 4) So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. 5) My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. 6) When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, 7) For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. 8) My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me. - Psalm 63:1-8

If you haven't figured it out yet, I like drinking Cuban expresso coffee :)
At work, I don't have an expresso maker so I drink instant "expresso" coffee, which of course does not taste anything like the real thing. Then I got to thinking... How I have chosen for the sake of ease and convenience to drink instant coffee instead of getting an expresso maker and taking the time to make the real deal...

- In a small pot, boil a cup of milk
- While the milk is boiling, add a touch of salt
- Brew the expresso coffee in an expresso maker
(Pilon is one of my preferred expresso brands)
- When both are done, add the expresso coffee to the HOT cup of milk.
(You could have your coffee dark and strong, or light and not so strong)

...When I want a REAL cup of Cuban Expresso "Cafe con Leche" I do it the right way.
What am I getting to with this. Well, I parallel the above with how I choose to have QT with God... Not "quality time" or "quiet time" but a "quick time" ... As in how short my time with God is. I barely give Him 30min of my time and I expect so much!...

"I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You..."

-- Oh how I have realized that I am NOT seeking God enough!... This morning as I prayed, I did not want to stop! But so many times it's a struggle to make the time to spend a focused time seeking God in Prayer and His Word. I don't want to do the "instant" version of my time with God anymore! I want the REAL DEAL.

May God put in us a thirst for Him like no other - Keep the Faith - JJ

Be the Acorn.

I just finished reading Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot. She is a wonderful writer and a powerful example of a Christian woman. This book is a summery of her love life with Jim Elliot before they got married. It mainly deals with the struggle as a Christian to be pure in our love life and wait on the timing and wisdom of God. We cannot let our flesh overcome us with the impulses of the moment and lead us into situations that we'll regret. And even when we are seeking to live a righteous life we put our wills in front of the Lord's.
In this book she uses a symbol of an acorn. The acorn was made according to its design to become an oak tree. As an acorn though, it cannot imagine what it is meant to be, only what it is at the time. That is the same way we see our lives, only moment to moment. God wants us to trust him and hope in him for tomorrow. We were created with a purpose that God knew when the Earth was created(Psalms 139). Why must we as humans struggle to trust the one that created us? I think it is because we cannot always see how he is working in our lives. But, the point is that we cannot comprehend the plans he has for us and out of submission we should just seek his will everyday. I'm learning to stop the How? When? and Why? questions to my prayers and just be the acorn.
I hope this will improve your walk with the Lord, or give you something to think about if you don't know him yet.
-Kyle