Message from Kim Smart for everyone to read

HI everyone

Well so far bible school has been amazing, i cant begin to tell you the ways in which God has spoke to me and changed my life.  Im learning so much scriptually too.  Its increadible the way the Word of God is so deliberate and exact and how the OT stuff totally foreshadows the NT and how the NT stuff can shed light on the OT.  I used to see the two as quite seperate each revealing a different God (OT=God of wrath and NT=God of love) but now understand that God has always been the same all the way through -  thats one of His characteristics - UNchanging.  The focus here is to learn Christs' characteristics so we can know Him better and have a relationship with Him not just a religious experience.  Im so thankfull that God revealed this to me so that i could experience this renewal of mind and not be constantly searching for that "feeling" of Christianity.  Ive realized that if faith was a feeling and not a sound firm and unchanging Truth, we would be forever going up and down with unpredictable emotional highs and lows like a roller coaster (Brian - im glad i watched those sermons before i left - hee hee hee - finally sunk in!)  I cant stay and type/chat much longer but i wanted to share with you the main principle that God has continually reminded me of here at school - that the message imparted in the life, death and ressurection of Jesus consists of TWO parts:

1) Jesus died on the cross for our sins

BUT (almost more important)

2) Jesus rose again to life, so that He could live IN us and give us LIFE abundantly

Written like this it seems so simple but i came here not truly knowing or understanding this.

Again I cant begin to express the JOY and GRATITUDE that God has filled me with upon the discovery of His GRACE and MERCY!!!!!!!!!

I just want to leave you with 2 of my new favorite verses (when im back in town you can ask me why they are now so special to me)

"But we have this treasure (Christ in us) in earthen vessels (human bodies), so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves......always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

- 2 Corinthians 4: 7, 10

"Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude."                 

- Colossians 2: 6-7

Well im late for dinner, but i just want to say I MISS YOU ALL very much and you are all continually on in my thoughts and prayers and I CANT WAIT to see you Christmas break!!!!!

LOVE

Kim