Dandelions and Daydreams

I imagine that when someone dies and stands in judgment before God, he or she will finally understand God’s righteousness.

Have you ever been to a Judgment House? Basically, A Judgment House is the Christian alternative to a Haunted House. You are led through a church seeing a different scene for each room. The story line usually goes something like this:

1. Christian family having breakfast together

2. Drunk teenagers at a party decide to go get some more beer

3. Horriffic car accident. 4 teenagers dead, 2 of the family members in critical condition.

4. Hospital young boy of family dies from injuries sustained in car crash

5. Heaven-standing in judgment before God.

One of the teenagers stands before god and as God is looking through the Book of Life, she says, “I was a good person. I went to church. I just know my name has to be in there. I volunteered at the local homeless shelter. I have money for missions…” She begins to cry out desperately as Satan’s angels are dragging her to Hell. She cries out to God, trying to convince Him of her holiness.

I think that when we stand before God, we will fully realize His righteousness, and if we are able to speak at all, there will only be two possible answers:

“I trust in the blood of Jesus to save me”

Or

“Poor wretched sinner that I am.”

I don’t think we will even bother trying to rationalize our sins before God because when we know his holiness, we will understand our unrighteousness.

At evening when I go to bed
I see the stars shine overhead.
They are the little daisies white
That dot the meadow of the night.

And often while I’m dreaming so,
Across the sky the moon will go.
It is a lady, sweet and fair,
Who comes to gather daisies there.

For, when at morning I arise,
There’s not a star left in the skies,
She’s picked them all
and dropped them down
Into the meadows of the town.

Justification: to be declared righteous before God. Not because of anything that I have done but because He who knew no sin became sin so that I might be righteous through him.

I believed in Jesus before I was even 4 years old. Some may say that at that young, I didn’t really know what I was doing. Believe me, I did. I knew that I was a sinner, and Jesus died for my sins. That was enough for me to know that I needed Him for salvation.

I have failed God often. My life hasn’t always been pretty. But God can use me inspite of–and sometimes because of–my failures.

Two Weeks ago I had to deliver a speech: “My Personal Christian Testimony” I was talking to Sam and I said, “I don’t feel qualified to give a speech on my walk with Christ, but If I’m not then who is?”

Sam said, “God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called.”

Justification

My righteousness has been secured in the highest court in the universe.

My Judge: God

My Plea: Saved by Grace

Key Witness: Jesus Christ

His argument: I died for this little child so that she could inherit the kingdom of heaven. Do not judge her for her unrighteousness. I give her my righteousness to wash away all of her transgressions. I offered my body as a sacrifice in payment for her sins.

Praise The Lord! I’m saved!

I went to the 8:30 AM service today at church. I have to say, I felt very uplifted after the church service. The sermon was on being an Acts 1:8 Christian“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

I know Christianity isn’t about all feeling good, but I do believe that when you have entered the fellowhip of believers that you should be edified by them. After the Church service I was feeling good. I felt like dancing in the church (I restrained myself because I was in a Baptist church).

Sunday School was a real disappointment. I went to the College and Career class because according to my age, that is where I am supposed to be. Everybody sat and talked for a while. Two of my best friends from high school were there, Matt and Cale, and I really enjoyed talking cars with those two guys. After about 15 minutes of talking, the teacher started the lesson.

The kids in this Sunday School class have known each other since they were born. I know they don’t mind talking to each other about superficial things, but let the Christian talk begin and you will hear the most uncomfortable quiet you have ever heard. Even the crickets were too uncomfortable to chirp.

The teacher kept asking questions and nobody would answer. I answered a few times, but I have had people absolutely hate me in the past because “She just thinks she knows so much!” Good grief people! Don’t you have any answers. Are you really that clueless. By the time you are in college and have been in Church all of your life, you should be able to answer the very basic questions that the Sunday School book suggests: “Does the old testament point towards Christ? Is the primary way to know the Character of God through writings about His Son?”

Is the problem that these college students don’t know the answers to the questions? I doubt it, most of them have been memorizing Bible verses since they were old enough to talk and have been on Bible quiz teams every year since 5th grade. I think the problem is that while they are comfortable with each other on a superficial level, they are not comfortable on a spiritual level. I get so frustrated with Sunday school classes like this.

How can I change it? I know that 99% of the classes that I will attend will be exactly the same. Nobody wants to open up, nobody wants to admit their ignorance about the scriptures, and worst of all nobody trusts anybody else beyond “I’m doing fine.”

How can I change this, or should I even try? Is everybody happy with the way that these superficial classes are going? How can you learn that way?

I think that, ideally, within the Christian community, there should be enough trust that we could share our problems with each other and not have to worry about a lack of acceptance. Ideally, we could confront each other about mistakes and do it in love without condemning.

How do I help the College and Career class become closer to this ideal community?