Wow!

The Lord laid it on Nathan and my heart to start up a Bible study group for those people who desire to love, follow, and serve our Lord that have just graduated high school to people in their early 30's. We totally understand where these people are at as we are, in fact, one of them, and we have been there and/or are there in similar shoes as they are. We know exactly what it is like to not really know where you belong in the realm of a church as you have gained a little more independence since high school, but you cannot really relate to everything an older adult would be going through. We are amazed at how the Lord is working and using this group to strengthen one another and are excited to witness His continuing work in the lives of the people in this group.

One thing that I got soooo excited about occurred at our study group last night. Nathan has started to pose a challenging question to all of us to think about before the group meets and then we discuss our thoughts and reasonings behind our answer. Tonight's challenge question was "How are we as Christians to be different from those people who are not saved? Examine your own life and list some qualities (fruits) you see in your own life as a Christian compared to the qualities of unsaved family, friends, or coworkers. Are there any differences? How is a Christian suppose to be different?" At the same time, the group has been studying Jesus's parables which we studied the Parable of the Weeds/Wheat/Tares this night (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43). Jesus also gave us the benefit of providing an explanation to this parable. Among other things, the lesson that really hit home for me through this parable was that there are in this world those that desire and are following and serving the Lord (the saved) and those that are not (the unsaved); however, sometimes if not many times those that are unsaved may look and act very similar to those that are saved.

When I reflected on the meaning of this parable and the challenge question we were posed that night, I was in awe of how Nathan could have asked such a relative question (TOTALLY the LORD'S work, as I know forethought on Nate's part was not put into the question) :-)! The only thing I could do was sit back and say, "WOW! That is soooo cool! God, you are sooo good!" I am amazed at how the Lord speaks to a person and uses a person, and sometimes they don't even realize it right off!

My challenge: Do I look and act any different than the weeds of the world? Do I look like Christ? Am I listening to the Lord and hearing Him when he speaks to me?

"...The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way....Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." ~Matthew 13:24-25, 30