Alfred

God has allowed me the opportunity to not only witness but actively be a part of His saving work. This past Saturday, my beloved friend, Alfred Lee, accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. I could write a lot about the process. About the months of prayer of simply "God, save him" to the nights of God just placing him in my apartment for no apparent reason ... to the sport of basketball drawing us together and starting our friendship. Man there really is a lot I could say, specifically from a personal point of view leading up to the decision ... In the end, God saves ... despite me, yet by grace, through me. Words can't express the gratitude of knowing how God continually lets me be a part of what He's doing ... Of letting me be a minister of reconciliation as if God making his appeal through this sinner ...

During a small group discussion at AFC's camping trip, one of Alfred's sg leaders shared how he basically said something like "For years I'd known how lost I was and I've always searched and longed to come home. Now I'm home." He immediately changed his fb status to "I was lost, and now I am found." Praise be to God. All glory and honor ... be to Him ... That God can, does, and will save.

Man, I find myself in a mess, wiping snot on the sleeve while tears drench my clothes ... a lot more often. I'm incredibly thankful for all this. As Alf would say, I'm "EXCITED!" to see how it'll all play out. I love this guy so much and nothing increased my joy than seeing a lost friend and brother finally taste and see that the LORD is good. Man, He's so good.

There's a lot of hurt still going on all around me ... Guys who are just as jacked up and addicted to stupid things, who need Jesus just as much as Alfred did and does ... just as much as I did and do. God, grant your servant all boldness to share your word while You stretch out your hand to heal ...
-Jon

Ouch.

I think the most prideful thing I do is withhold.

(I've forgotten how much theology creates. It's sooooooo beautiful. Not going to write a poem about propitiation and substitutionary atonement but just sayin ... I've forgotten how much these truths create worship in me of a holy God.)

Help me not hold back what You've entrusted to this former blasphemer and indifferent son of disobedience. Fix my eyes on the cross of Jesus Christ, Father. I need it more than I know. Free me. There's more life to be had.

"Gap of Eternity"

We can numb it for a season but it's always coming back. I physically feel this in myself and all around campus. It's so heavy here. I'm beginning to see more and more each day how helpless we really are. Thank God there's good news.

He saved me.

The cross ... where the wrath of God and the love of God is most seen.

A while ago a man named Jesus died on a cross for me, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. I just don't get how this message, Christ crucified and Christ risen, has flipped my whole world upside down. By grace God's been reminding of my journey of how I got to be here. I find myself crying pretty often haha. Every accusation that could be brought against me has been nailed to the cross and those piercing words of Jesus ... IT IS FINISHED! ... There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! I can't believe He saved a wretched, indifferent, hopeless guy like me.

I'm about to write up a testimony sometime soon to post on my home church's youth website and for whatever reason it continually changes ... or at least I'm just seeing more and more how much He loved me and gave himself up for me. But ya, the other day I just stumbled upon this passage and it really is my testimony.

"Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
-Ephesians 2:11-13

He saved me!

Worship.

You know an encounter with God happened when you open your eyes and ask yourself "whoa what just happened? where am I ... ? Praise God!".

That good news of Jesus and what He did on the cross ... man ...