Is the Heart "Desperately Wicked?"

Yes and No. It depends on who you are!

I think we all know this verse:
"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?
Jeremiah 17:9

However far too many don't realize that this verse was not about Christians. If you study this text, It was referring to an unsaved heart. Continue reading:

"And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart." Ezekiel 36:26

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:16

When you become a Christian God gives you a new Heart! It is essential to realize this because it gives you a new sense of self. Now you know who you are. Yes, You still have your flesh but it's not the deepest part of you anymore. Paul made the distinction between the new heart and the old one (our flesh).

"So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh."

Romans 7:17-18a

You have no reason to sin, no excuse because it's not who you are anymore! Here is a quote from John Eldredge on the matter:

"...what Paul concludes is just astounding: ‘I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it' (Rom 7:20). Did you notice the distinction he makes? Paul says, ‘Hey, I know I struggle with sin. But I also know that my sin is not me, this is not my true heart.' You are not your sin; sin is no longer the truest thing about the man who has come into union with Jesus. Your heart is good. ‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you ...'(Ezek. 36:26). The Big Lie in the church today is that you are nothing more than ‘a sinner saved by grace." You are a lot more than that. You are a new creation in Christ. The New Testament calls you a saint, a holy one, a son of God. In the core of your being you are a good man. Yes, there is a war within us, but it is a civil war. The battle is not between us and God; no, there is a traitor within who wars against the true heart fighting alongside the Spirit of God in us... .

-John Eldredge

Beauty

I've heard people say over and over... "When I was a kid, I was carefree and happy..." "When i was just a child, the world seemed much brighter..." "When I grew up i discovered the world was much darker than I thought..." "Oh I wish I could be a child again." Myself included. It is easy to think that life was happier as a child... I thought so.

Until yesterday as I found myself looking back on 2009. It was a hard year for me... but then I realized: Yes, the world was consistently happier when I was little. Yes, I have felt pain I could never have felt as a child. But I've realized that as we get older, yes the bad things that happen do get worse, but the good things, the beautiful things, the moments that take are breath away ALSO get better! I've experienced things I never could have if I had stayed a child my whole life!

This past summer was a hard one for me in more ways than one and I found myself thinking, "I want to go back in time and be a kid again. Then I wouldn't have to worry about any of this!" But now, looking back on 2009, I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world!! You see, the bad things that happen in this world cannot even compare to the Beauty that takes place here. It cannot even put a dent in the hope I have for the future! I've read the end of the book you see, I know that all the happiest endings we've ever heard of or read about or seen in movies... the ones that touched our heart and brought us to inexplicable tears... I know none of those endings will even compare to OUR ending, the one God has prepared for us.

So remember that when you're going through a dark moment in light. Remember that the "Shadows prove the sunshine." Remember God has a plan for you and an ending that's better than the happiest ending you've ever dreamed about. Instead of focusing on the tragic, hard, and dark things in this world, Look for the hidden beauty... John Lennon wrote, " Living is easy with eyes closed..." It's true but it's also dark when you close your eyes. Beauty is much easier to find if your eyes have been opened. Pray and ask God to let you see the world through His eyes. You'll be amazed at what you've been missing.

HE'S BACK!!!!!!!! (me)

So I haven’t written a real blog since June 24th. But don’t worry you’ve only missed the most eventful moments of my life… :)

Allow me to summarize. Here’s what’s been going on in my life:

• Graduated high school
• Moved across the country
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• My best friend moved across the country at the same time and to the same place as us! :)
• Stayed with Grandma for a month
• An old friend got married
• The first week we were went all over the place visiting old friends.
• My dad started his new job! He loves it and he’s awesome at it!
• We went white water rafting with the new church.
• Found out that I’m not considered a resident of GA until I’ve been here one year. Therefore College is $3000 dollars more expensive. Therefore I will be taking a gap year.
• I had a great opportunity to serve at our new church’s family camp. Family camp is like youth camp, kids camp, men’s retreat, and women’s retreat rolled into one! This past week I’ve seen this camp make a HUGE impact on families! I’ve seen families brought together, marriages strengthened, and families having a blast at the same time! I had the great opportunity to be a leader there. I helped serve with the 3-5 year olds and they were Awesome! I’m so excited about how God used Family fusion, and I can’t wait for next year!
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• Upon my return we moved in to a temporary house we can live in rent free for six months! That’s an awesome blessing!
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• Downside: an hour from the Church! Oh well… it’s FREE! :( However I REALLY wish we could spend more time with the folks from the church!!! I feel sort of disconnected. :(
• I’ve started playing the church band recently which has probably been the most fun I’ve had playing in a band. Not to mention it’s awesome to see these people being lead in worship and learning more about what worship truly is!
• I hope to start volunteering in the Ridge kidz or Ridge Kidz Jr area soon. But my band schedule is busy right now. Hopefully I can start in Sep.
• I really love the people from the Ridge church. Hope to hang out with them more.
• I also really miss my Vegas friends! Yes, You! Don’t think I’ve forgotten y’all. I have absolutely no clue when I’ll get to see some of y’all again but I know it’ll not be super-long
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• Ummm yep that’s all I can think of. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else…
• Hey wait a sec… enough about ME how have YOU been????