Reflections at 2:30 am

Often I feel as though sometimes the Church (universal) has forgotten that Christ is a friend of sinners. Now, before you start judging that previous statement, allow me to develop the idea for you. Speaking from personal experience, I often forget when I look around and see those who are living without Christ that I was one of them before he entered my life. Wondering and searching for what he has for me. If you are reading my blog and you are not a believer in Christ, allow me to state that the void you are experiencing in your life; that empty feeling you have while searching for who you are and what you are supposed to do in your life, comes from the lack of Christ within your life. If you are struggling and searching for answers, please feel free to contact me. my email is gtownfootball62@yahoo.com; I would love to help you discover the awesomeness that exists within a relationship with the maker of everything. He is the one who will sustain you, direct you, and love you when you feel as though no one else can or will.

At times, I have found myself pointing my finger towards those without Christ, thinking about how awful the things that they are doing truly are. However, the truth is that before Christ, I was one of them. Let's be completely honest, Christ came to this earth for the sinner. He came for the broken at heart, the lost, and the hurting. He came for the misguided, those who hate, and the ones who did not want anything to do with him. The Church should have their doors open wide for these people. The power that exists within the Gospel says everything that we can not. It penetrates through walls that people have enclosed around their hearts; and these people need to be welcomed at our churches. By having the doors open, the lost will be able to discover who Christ is. He is someone who loves you, no matter what your past says. He will right the wrongs. What person is not searching for this? Those without Christ do not need us looking down upon them, they already experience that in the world. We all at some point in our lives as Christians are guilty of this, even I. I do not write my blog to say that I am a perfect example of a follower of Christ, because that would be incorrect. However, I write it to reveal the things that are on my heart and mind, to share them with all who are willing to read it. It is my goal that God will use it to reveal to you how what is in my blog applies to your life. If it helps you an any way let all the glory be to God. I am not writing to bring glory to myself in any way, shape or form. My desire is to reach the lost for Christ, and to help any believer struggling overcome what they are going through. Don't hesitate to comment on here or my Facebook, or send me any emails.

Love you guys,

Big Ron

A Look Inside My Life

It has been a long time since I have been able to update my blog. Sadly, I have neglected it. I have not dedicated the time to update it. However, so much has happened since my last posting. I turn 22 on Wednesday. It really is crazy how time flies by.

Tonight, I find myself sitting at my computer desk at listening to Casting Crown's new song "Courageous." It really hit me hard in the face. In a way I have lost my desire to be used to break the chains that bind those around me. I have been a youth pastor now for nearly a year and a half. I have found it to be the most taxing and spiritually draining experience, especially since this past summer. At times, I have even neglected my relationship with God. It has been hard for me to spend my own personal quiet time with Him. I have been so occupied with things going on around me, and with that my spiritual life has suffered. I was warned about this before I took the call that God sent my way. There is so much responsibility that comes with this position that God has blessed me with. I have lost that fire, that I had when I began; The messages I have been preaching have not been reflecting how God truly presses in on me. I need to be honest; I am blessed with a great bunch of youth. We have had our ups and downs; the high points and low points. I can honestly say though, that all of us have learned a lot through this though.

I still would like to claim that being a youth pastor has been the greatest experience in my life. I have been able to make an impact in the lives of every youth that has stepped through Ringel Heights Baptist Church. I am not asking for any glory in any of this however, I know where it all goes. I am grateful however, that God chose me to do this. He could have sent the call to a multitude of other people, yet he still chose me. How awesome is that! What a blessing that I had the opportunity to represent Him and His name.

I have a lot of questions to answer and decisions to make within this next semester here at CSU. I know what God's plan for my life. That is the one thing I do know. The question proposed to me though is where is the next step. I am a senior in college. I know I am going to school to be a teacher, and I do not regret that decision. However, I know what God's greater call for my life is. It is just difficult because it is going to require me to step outside of my comfort zone, and to make a life altering decision. I know he is calling me to seminary. I know that. However, to which one and within which denomination? I now know that God can truly use me within whatever denomination or whatever church he calls me too...but my question is....which one? I don't know if anyone reading this will know what I am going through. Let's be honest, I have truly never been rooted in a denomination. I have been all over, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal. All of them for extensive periods of my life. I just want to know where He is calling me to be at. It is such a struggle, one that is hard to bare. I just want to be in the will of God. That is all. I have been spending more time in the Word, and I have been praying, but still there has been no answer. I know it will come in his time, I just pray that I will remain patient and receptive to whatever the answer is. Please pray for me, that is the one thing that I am asking you tonight.

Thanks for taking time to read,

Big Ron

Who am I?

I know that it has been forever and a day since the song "Who am I" was released, but today I heard it, and it made me think. I questioned myself "who am I, that the Lord of all the Earth, would care to know my name, care to feel my hurt?" The very fact that Christ came to the world, to die for me, to wipe away all of the stupid things that I do, is something that I feel that I may underestimate, and underappreciate at times. To top it off, that I serve a God who truly cares for me, understands my hurt because of His ultimate sacrifice; just blows my mind away. Now I know that you who may be reading this may feel abandoned, and not understood. You might even be questioning yourself why you are even reading this. Before you decide just to click out and go back to Facebook, let me encourage you and say that you are reading this blog for a reason, and for that I am glad. You see, there is a God, who loves you so much, that he cares for you, that he wants to have a thriving and intimate relationship with you. My question to you is why are you running from him? Is it that you are scared to enter into a relationship with Him because you are afraid that he won't take you for who you are, or that He does not understand what you go through daily? I want to tell you, that God wants to meet you where you are, and rescue you from your own destruction. Why resist him? Why turn down the one Being that can change your life for the better? Why waste your life?

Now for those who have that relationship with Christ already: Why do you think that God loves you enough to know your name, why does he care for you when you hurt? Let's be honest, its because He has a plan for your life, he wants to see you succeed, and to go down that pathway that he has laid out for you. I want to encourage you to step out, don't be afraid to take that pathway. You will be asked to give up things that may be dear to you, but it will be worth it if you do. He will bless you, he will comfort you when you need it. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, he is still there with you, and you shall be blessed for doing it.

I love you guys,

Big Ron

Big Ron is Burning

I feel like holding my own segment of "Jim Rome is Burning" from ESPN, but instead call it "Big Ron is Burning." About what you might ask? Well to be honest there are a lot of things I am burning about right now, but one is mediocrity. In particular, mediocrity in my and others relationship with Christ. This has been something that I have been personally working on. it came from a conviction that I received from the Lord during Christmas break. Something that I took like a slap on the face. You see, I would like to be able to say that I live the a life that I solely depend on Christ, and that I give my everything in all that I do to represent him. This is something that I have been working on greatly. It is hard for an American male, to not depend on himself for some things, but that is no excuse. The conviction that I have about this has led to my awareness of it, and the desire to better myself in Christ. Right now, I am reading a book called "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper. Let's just say I have not really been a Piper fan in my life, but this book, there is something about this book that is different. It really has challenged my thoughts and the way I live my life.

Back to the mediocrity, because I will blog about "not wasting your life" later. But so often, I see people living in a way that they are not maximizing and doing all that they can in Christ. Let me be perfectly clear, I am at fault as well. But as brothers and sisters in Christ, we should keep each other in check. We should constantly be encouraging each other. I want to see a stoppage of the disconnectedness that exists between the body of Christ. We should band together, rely on each other, not discourage or shy away from each other. I get tired of seeing people not wanting to support and engage in fellowship with people who are believers in Christ, but who may have a difference of belief in a different doctrine. We should not outcast those who may have different doctrinal beliefs, but bond together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. All have a particular thing that they can bring to the table in terms of serving the Lord and following his lead, and that should be embraced. Right now, my "give a crap" cup is empty, I am going to start serving him more and more with all that I have, and if someone is upset with that, then they can take that up with the Man up Stairs.

Love you guys,

Big Ron