Hello friends! I'm back to the drawing board, putting into words what God has put in my heart. I have felt God's calling on my life for more. More then the average scene. More then what has been done before. More then the American Dream and its false realities. More.
God has given me a vision and it has called me to go deep into His heart. I want to be forever ravished by the heart of God and never to let go. My sole purpose and desire in this life is to be one with my Father as Jesus is one with Him. I aim to do just that and refuse to let anything stand in my way!
I feel a longing to know God better. More than just what I read and hear about Him. I want to spend time with Him, get to know Him, beyond the pages. I feel a provoking that there is something more. I want to know and feel the presence of God. That's what I am after! His presence!
I have the opportunity to go to Sophia, North Carolina this summer to a two month discipleship school called. The 18 Inch Journey. It is the journey between your head and your heart. To go from a place of believing with just your mind and start believing with your heart. I have included on this blog videos from the founders of the 18 Inch Journey, Jonathan and Melissa Helser. They are incredible children of God devoted to His heart for love.
I ask that you pray about partnering with me so that this can become a reality for me. I have to raise $2,000 before May 1. I know that God will provide, because He has called me to this. If you have any questions or comments feel free to write me.
Tax Deductible Donations May Be Mailed To:
FUMC
P.O.Box 1306
Valdosta, GA 31603
DESIGNATE CHECK FOR JULIAN SUTTON
Or You Can Donate By Credit Card/ Debit Card
You can read more about the 18 Inch Journey at: http://18inchjourney.com/18/Home.html
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
A Condition of the Heart
"Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.{...}Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day." Matthew 28:1-4, 11-15
It is amazing to me how many times people encounter the Truth of Jesus and still harden their hearts towards Him. As if they do not need Him. Countless times the Divine Nature of Jesus was shown to the elders and the Pharisees. They heard numerous accounts of healing, demons being cast out, and people being raised from the dead! I do not think they had a problem with the supernatural power of God to do the impossible. They had a problem with Jesus, the Man.
I wonder to myself, Why? I then think to myself, would I accept Jesus, the Man, in the flesh, if He were in my streets healing and raising the dead today? Only God has the power to give life, right? So what would stop me from believing?
It is quite astonishing really when I think about it. What is it that hardens the heart? I ask because I don't know. And I don't want it! I rebuke a hard heart in Jesus name!! I want to feel the tenderness of love and the warmth of kindness. I want to feel the restlessness of joy and the soothing sensation of peace. I want a heart that longs for Jesus!
It is amazing to me how many times people encounter the Truth of Jesus and still harden their hearts towards Him. As if they do not need Him. Countless times the Divine Nature of Jesus was shown to the elders and the Pharisees. They heard numerous accounts of healing, demons being cast out, and people being raised from the dead! I do not think they had a problem with the supernatural power of God to do the impossible. They had a problem with Jesus, the Man.
I wonder to myself, Why? I then think to myself, would I accept Jesus, the Man, in the flesh, if He were in my streets healing and raising the dead today? Only God has the power to give life, right? So what would stop me from believing?
It is quite astonishing really when I think about it. What is it that hardens the heart? I ask because I don't know. And I don't want it! I rebuke a hard heart in Jesus name!! I want to feel the tenderness of love and the warmth of kindness. I want to feel the restlessness of joy and the soothing sensation of peace. I want a heart that longs for Jesus!
My Testimony
Hey everyone!! My name is Julian Sutton. I am 25 years old and I was born and raised in Valdosta, Ga. If there is one fact about me that describes me and that everyone should know is that I Love Jesus Christ!! So many people would describe themselves by their jobs, relationships, or by the people they are associated with. (Example: I'm a teacher, I used to date ______, I'm ________'s friend or son or brother, etc.) I want to be described simply as a person that loves Jesus. I want my actions and my words to show that love.
This is probably the hardest story I will ever have to write: My Testimony. I grew up in the church from the time I was old enough to crawl. I was baptized as an infant, went through confirmation when I was twelve, and gave my heart to Jesus when I was 16. I loved everything about the life that I lived when I was living for Jesus and not myself. I could do anything I put my mind to and had a sincere joy about it. However it was short lived. I began to fall into patterns of selfishness. In doing so I fell into Satan's trap of temptations and sin. Soon after I only attended church because my parents told me I had to. I lived a life that was far from what God wanted for me. I was the type that if asked, "Are you a Christian?" I would say yes based on the fact that I go to church. How foolish I had become!
I went through 7 long years of suffering; fooling myself that I didn't need to live a life for Christ. I knew that He was my savior, but I never made Him the Lord of my life. I dated a girl that I was desperately in love with for 4 amazing years and one lonesome day it all came to an abrupt end. I went through years of partying, drinking, drugs, lust, and lies just trying to fill that void; I found myself miserable. I didn't like who I had become. I was depressed. I was empty inside. I got to a point where I actually considered suicide. Twice. I was to the point of putting a gun to my head and saying goodbye to this world. It was so hard for me to live in pain and regret because I felt I couldn't live without her. I don't know exactly what kept me from doing it, but I feel it had to be God because there was actually something that was put into my mind that made me hold on to my life. It was my family. It was the thought of what my death would do to them. It was the fear of going to hell for killing myself. I was able to come out of that rut of depression but I continued to live with emptiness for at least another year.
Then one crazy night at the bar led to an altercation with a friend, cops showing up and writing both of us citations, and me laying on a couch for two days feeling like I was in a car wreck. That immediately set an alarm off with my family. A couple weeks later my sister asked me if I would go on a weekend retreat called Chrysalis Journey. Just seeing the look on her face told me that I shouldn't say no. So I went on the 3 day retreat out at Camp Tygart.
During the retreat we put all our focus on God and how much He loves us. There was literally no distractions just people constantly praising the Lord and telling you how much God loves you and forgives you. We were told all you have to do is accept Him into your life and He will change you from the inside out. On our second night there I asked God to come into my life and replace the old me and make me new. I could feel a change starting immediately. Jesus took my heart of stone and turned it into a heart of flesh. When I got back home I was absolutely on fire for Jesus. I cried for hours because of the level of joy that had been brought into my heart and I realized just how wretched I had been.
In 3 days God changed me from a smoking, drinking, lusting, cursing, lying, stealing, and cheating person; into a man of God! I no longer had the urges to smoke or drink or want to hang out with friends that would bring me down and away from Christ, because I didn't want to lose that feeling. I began to get myself involved more in the church and bible study groups. Within weeks I went on my first mission trip. Since then all I have wanted to do is serve others and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is probably the hardest story I will ever have to write: My Testimony. I grew up in the church from the time I was old enough to crawl. I was baptized as an infant, went through confirmation when I was twelve, and gave my heart to Jesus when I was 16. I loved everything about the life that I lived when I was living for Jesus and not myself. I could do anything I put my mind to and had a sincere joy about it. However it was short lived. I began to fall into patterns of selfishness. In doing so I fell into Satan's trap of temptations and sin. Soon after I only attended church because my parents told me I had to. I lived a life that was far from what God wanted for me. I was the type that if asked, "Are you a Christian?" I would say yes based on the fact that I go to church. How foolish I had become!
I went through 7 long years of suffering; fooling myself that I didn't need to live a life for Christ. I knew that He was my savior, but I never made Him the Lord of my life. I dated a girl that I was desperately in love with for 4 amazing years and one lonesome day it all came to an abrupt end. I went through years of partying, drinking, drugs, lust, and lies just trying to fill that void; I found myself miserable. I didn't like who I had become. I was depressed. I was empty inside. I got to a point where I actually considered suicide. Twice. I was to the point of putting a gun to my head and saying goodbye to this world. It was so hard for me to live in pain and regret because I felt I couldn't live without her. I don't know exactly what kept me from doing it, but I feel it had to be God because there was actually something that was put into my mind that made me hold on to my life. It was my family. It was the thought of what my death would do to them. It was the fear of going to hell for killing myself. I was able to come out of that rut of depression but I continued to live with emptiness for at least another year.
Then one crazy night at the bar led to an altercation with a friend, cops showing up and writing both of us citations, and me laying on a couch for two days feeling like I was in a car wreck. That immediately set an alarm off with my family. A couple weeks later my sister asked me if I would go on a weekend retreat called Chrysalis Journey. Just seeing the look on her face told me that I shouldn't say no. So I went on the 3 day retreat out at Camp Tygart.
During the retreat we put all our focus on God and how much He loves us. There was literally no distractions just people constantly praising the Lord and telling you how much God loves you and forgives you. We were told all you have to do is accept Him into your life and He will change you from the inside out. On our second night there I asked God to come into my life and replace the old me and make me new. I could feel a change starting immediately. Jesus took my heart of stone and turned it into a heart of flesh. When I got back home I was absolutely on fire for Jesus. I cried for hours because of the level of joy that had been brought into my heart and I realized just how wretched I had been.
In 3 days God changed me from a smoking, drinking, lusting, cursing, lying, stealing, and cheating person; into a man of God! I no longer had the urges to smoke or drink or want to hang out with friends that would bring me down and away from Christ, because I didn't want to lose that feeling. I began to get myself involved more in the church and bible study groups. Within weeks I went on my first mission trip. Since then all I have wanted to do is serve others and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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