don't make it a secret... Shout out loud!

Just when I had this nice sarcastic blog post to put up, I get a comment from my friend Shanna at I'm Just Sayin'  (check out her blog) and I realized that putting my frustrations and drama out there for everyone to read is not really the best idea. She said I know you've been through a lot this year. Remember, sometimes we go through trying times, and God allows this to bring us closer to Him. I'm glad your my friend! I love you for you!! Well that right there is enough to warm your heart and to make you feel loved. Thanks Girl, I appreciate you and love you! So.. I quickly deleted the post I had planned and quit shaking my fist in fury. I decided that with that little comment right there, maybe I needed to use this post to tell you about something more important, something bigger.

Recently Shanna and I had the opportunity to go to Secret Church, she had said that at first she thought it was some sort of cult event or worse, I had the same feeling but something told me I needed to check it out... wonder who that was? I bet you can take a guess and get it right. I pulled it up online one day at work and was amazed at what I saw. Immediately I bought tickets not even knowing if she was going to go with me, but it didn't matter to me. I needed to be there. God had a message for me and I wasn't going to miss it.

Taken from the Secret Church site, click over and watch the video when you get time:

When we think of "church" in America, we think of going to meet at a building, singing, praying and hearing a message from a Pastor or teacher. But in many places around the world, "church" meets in a home, an apartment, even in secret. These small groups of Christ-followers often meet for many hours in study, prayer and fellowship, as it is dangerous to travel to "church" and they want to make the most of their time together.

Secret Church is our "house church," where we meet periodically for an intense time of Bible study--lasting 4-6 hours--and prayer for our persecuted brothers and sisters across the globe. This is not for the uncommitted or faint at heart. But if you desire to know God more deeply through His Word, and know His Church more fully around the world, then please join us for Secret Church.

God will use this focused time of study to enrich our knowledge of His Word as we gain understanding of the state of His Church and our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. The objective of Secret Church is for you to pass along what you learn to others, so that you can make disciples of Christ--both locally and globally.

While we were at the Temple Theater we were thrown into an in depth 6 hour bible study, I had thought that we would be going through the bible book by book, but it was more of a message, like you would hear in worship, just a little more information than usual...you could say. I'm going to share just a little with you for right now... I don't want you to go into overload. I'm not exactly sure what plan he was trying to get across to me, but I'm sure with prayer I will get the answer. Right now its a toss up between becoming a foreign missionary or adopting a child. I know... amazing the things he wants you to hear.

We discussed The Crucifixion, and the Glory of God. The way of Christ is hard to follow and Christians are hated. To be good Christians, we need a solid biblical foundation.

We learned that just as children are adopted into a family, God "adopts" us as his children. God sent his own son that we may know that he is our Heavenly Father. WE are the Children of God!

I had never known just how many Christians were persecuted for their beliefs. It never dawned on me. I know about foreign missions, but I don't guess I ever really knew. We were reminded that the gospel must be proclaimed to all nations. He says in Matthew 28 to  "Go therefore and make deciples of all nations", that means all.. not some. We don't know and can not define who all the nations are, but once all nations are reached, then and only then will Jesus return.

There was so much information... I keep typing and adding and moving around... I have so much to share, but this next part is the most important thing we studied, we talked about salvation.... and that is what I am going to share with you.

Matthew 7:21-23: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

John 10:25-30: Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

That's the truth... the whole truth... and nothing but the truth. If you haven't accepted Jesus, if you don't know God... when your standing at the gates of Heaven and you say "But God, I lived a good life"... He will turn you away. Do you want that to happen? It's not going to happen to me... and I don't want it to happen to you. My friend, I know sometimes it's hard to believe with all the hardship and pain in the world that there is a God, but there is this amazing thing that is called faith, I have it, and I have faith in the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and I have faith that God sent his Son to die so that I can have everlasting life. He died for Me! His love and His mercy is something bigger and more powerful than anything you have ever seen! With faith comes God's love, and with God's love... if you let it in your heart.... comes a life in eternity. No one can ever take that away. Isn't that wonderful?

I just felt the need to share that with you. I don't know who you are and who will read this, but I hope that someone will find it, read it, and their hearts will be a little less hardened. I hope and pray that you will hear him knocking at the door to your heart... and you will let him in.

Acts 16:30-31: "He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”