This was a question in my women's bible study yesterday:
Should a comfort letter include a Christ component?
Most answered no because it might turn someone off and make them back away from you and your help. They thought this could happen with a non-believer and even with a Christian. So, they thought it best to try and help in other ways first, build a relationship, and hope to have an opportunity later to speak to them about the love of Christ.
I can see their point. Anyone who has stepped out in faith to speak truth for God to another has been rejected at some point. The other person has pushed back, walked away out of fear, leaving us to feel like we didn't help and we should have done it differently.
But, let me ask a few questions.
Where does true comfort lie?
Is it found in us or in our abilities to handle a situation? Do we have all the answers to life's tough questions?
Who has more compassion and love for another human being, me or God?
Can I really love someone else as much as God does? Can I really have enough compassion for someone else like God does?
We live in a sin sick world. All of the hurts, trials, discomforts, and evil of this world are due to sin. Sin that is our nature. Sin that is the root of the problem.
Sin is the explanation for all the problems of the world and Jesus is the solution to all those problems. Can we really help someone if we consciously avoid sharing the truth and the solution?
When someone is in need of comfort they usually are more open to the message of Jesus as Savior. When life is great they have no need for a Savior because everything seems to be ok around them.
But, in those dark places where things feel out of control, and you are drowning in sorrow, or guilt, or fear, your heart is open to any help. Why not share Christ and his hope with them!
They may accept God's gift of grace and his help and comfort. Or, they may not. They may be turned off and walk away. But, at least you used the opportunity you did have to share the gospel with them. It planted a seed that someone else may water down the road. We are not responsible for bringing another to faith, God is. But, God wants us to help through our words and our actions.
Preaching Christ can't be the only thing we do. We still need to love with action. Show compassion, listen, and love practically. I think we need both words and actions. Not our words but God's words.
Jesus is our example in all we do. Did he avoid speaking truth to the people he helped?
Let's not live in fear but boldly tell others where true healing and life is found. Let's face it, we might be running out of time.
Showing posts with label The Great Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Great Commission. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
So That . . .
Our Pastor talked this week about answering the question so that for ourselves.
He talked about how God gave the Israelites the promised land so that. . .
1. He could bless them, and so
2. He could bring glory to his name and his name would be known in all the world.
The promised land was the crossroad of the known world at this time in history. The corners of the world travelled through here as they travelled to other parts of the world. By placing the Israelites here, God's chosen people, all the world would be influenced by his people and his teaching.
We are all strategically placed in time, in our family, in our city, in our church, in our state, in our country, in our business, etc. We have a destiny and a call of so that.
The apostle Paul had a so that calling too, as recorded in the book of Acts.
Acts 26:17-18 (New International Version, ©2010)
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.
I am sending you to them to . . .
1. open their eyes and
2. turn them from darkness to light,and
3. from the power of Satan to God,
so that . . .
1. they may receive forgiveness of sins and
2. a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
Our Pastor challenged us to ask what our so that calling might be and determine if we had been living it or not.
The Holy Spirit really convicted me when our Pastor talked about how we sometimes bow down to the alter of comfort, security, feeling good, happiness, money, materialism, fame, etc. instead of bowing down to the One True God. He asked us if we were living an idolatrous life and if we let fear prevent us from living our destiny. Have we made up our mind whom we will serve?
What is the significance of where I have been strategically placed in history?
What is my so that calling?
Well, I know for sure I am part of the generation(s) responsible for the state of where our country lies in God's favor right now. Romans 1:21-32 speaks to what I mean. However, as the song Hosanna by Hillsong goes, I am also part of a generation that is rising up to take their place in history as God had planned.
I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
As a Christian wife and mother, raising my children to know and fear the Lord, I am living out my strategic place as matriarch and nurturer within my family. I play a part in raising that next generation who will follow the Lord, not forget his laws, and will walk in obedience before him.
The world is growing increasingly dark and the light of Christ and the Christian influence is needed as never before.
I realized I have been living in fear and bowing down to the idols of comfort and appeasement. I may be living out the life God wants me to by being in my home and homeschooling my children but I have not been wholeheartedly in. I mean, I have lived in fear of what others think, what others know, what others would want me to do. I've been comparing to the world and trying to look good in their eyes. That's not what God wants from me.
God wants me to be concerned about what he thinks. He wants me to be concerned about what he wants me to teach my children. He wants me to be concerned about if they are growing in the areas he needs them to grow in. I am to measure myself against Jesus, and Jesus only. Am I growing more and more like Jesus?
I am not to worry about what the world thinks or if I look good from a worldly perspective. He wants my heart chasing after him and his ways, and my eyes on Jesus. When I concern myself with worldly ways, worldly ideas, and worldly affirmation, I am taking my eyes off Jesus and putting them on myself.
So, I know I have a so that ministry in my home. So that my children will know and love God, be in a saving relationship with Jesus, and so that those who look on my home and my family will see Jesus and be influenced by His power.
Lord, I am sorry for taking my eyes off you and missing the fullness of my destiny. It's so easy to get caught up in the temptations, distractions, and lies of the world and I was wandering in the far off land. Thank you for your loving patience and continued graciousness toward me, a sinner. I thank you also for my calling, my destiny.
He talked about how God gave the Israelites the promised land so that. . .
1. He could bless them, and so
2. He could bring glory to his name and his name would be known in all the world.
The promised land was the crossroad of the known world at this time in history. The corners of the world travelled through here as they travelled to other parts of the world. By placing the Israelites here, God's chosen people, all the world would be influenced by his people and his teaching.
We are all strategically placed in time, in our family, in our city, in our church, in our state, in our country, in our business, etc. We have a destiny and a call of so that.
The apostle Paul had a so that calling too, as recorded in the book of Acts.
Acts 26:17-18 (New International Version, ©2010)
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.
I am sending you to them to . . .
1. open their eyes and
2. turn them from darkness to light,and
3. from the power of Satan to God,
so that . . .
1. they may receive forgiveness of sins and
2. a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
Our Pastor challenged us to ask what our so that calling might be and determine if we had been living it or not.
The Holy Spirit really convicted me when our Pastor talked about how we sometimes bow down to the alter of comfort, security, feeling good, happiness, money, materialism, fame, etc. instead of bowing down to the One True God. He asked us if we were living an idolatrous life and if we let fear prevent us from living our destiny. Have we made up our mind whom we will serve?
What is the significance of where I have been strategically placed in history?
What is my so that calling?
Well, I know for sure I am part of the generation(s) responsible for the state of where our country lies in God's favor right now. Romans 1:21-32 speaks to what I mean. However, as the song Hosanna by Hillsong goes, I am also part of a generation that is rising up to take their place in history as God had planned.
I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We're on our knees
We're on our knees
As a Christian wife and mother, raising my children to know and fear the Lord, I am living out my strategic place as matriarch and nurturer within my family. I play a part in raising that next generation who will follow the Lord, not forget his laws, and will walk in obedience before him.
The world is growing increasingly dark and the light of Christ and the Christian influence is needed as never before.
I realized I have been living in fear and bowing down to the idols of comfort and appeasement. I may be living out the life God wants me to by being in my home and homeschooling my children but I have not been wholeheartedly in. I mean, I have lived in fear of what others think, what others know, what others would want me to do. I've been comparing to the world and trying to look good in their eyes. That's not what God wants from me.
God wants me to be concerned about what he thinks. He wants me to be concerned about what he wants me to teach my children. He wants me to be concerned about if they are growing in the areas he needs them to grow in. I am to measure myself against Jesus, and Jesus only. Am I growing more and more like Jesus?
I am not to worry about what the world thinks or if I look good from a worldly perspective. He wants my heart chasing after him and his ways, and my eyes on Jesus. When I concern myself with worldly ways, worldly ideas, and worldly affirmation, I am taking my eyes off Jesus and putting them on myself.
So, I know I have a so that ministry in my home. So that my children will know and love God, be in a saving relationship with Jesus, and so that those who look on my home and my family will see Jesus and be influenced by His power.
Lord, I am sorry for taking my eyes off you and missing the fullness of my destiny. It's so easy to get caught up in the temptations, distractions, and lies of the world and I was wandering in the far off land. Thank you for your loving patience and continued graciousness toward me, a sinner. I thank you also for my calling, my destiny.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Great Love
Psalm 86:13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave
Psalm 86 starts out with these words. . .
Hear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
This is our condition in life - poor and needy.
Not poor in a financial sense, although there are those that are.
Not needy in a material sense, although there are those that are.
But, poor and needy, in an universal spiritual condition affecting the entire human race.
When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, we all became poor and needy souls, in desperate need of rescue from our depraved state.
That depraved state brought down the death sentence for all of us by God's perfect judgment.
Thank God for a loving God, big enough to save us from the death sentence.
Thank God for His One and Only Son who obediently came down to this earth and took on all the sins, of all of humanity, on his shoulders in payment for us.
He redeemed us! He bought us back from Satan! He delivered us from the grave!
For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave!
A LOVE like that requires a response from us.
Zealousness for his Word, for a relationship with Him, for doing his Work.
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave
Psalm 86 starts out with these words. . .
Hear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
This is our condition in life - poor and needy.
Not poor in a financial sense, although there are those that are.
Not needy in a material sense, although there are those that are.
But, poor and needy, in an universal spiritual condition affecting the entire human race.
When sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, we all became poor and needy souls, in desperate need of rescue from our depraved state.
That depraved state brought down the death sentence for all of us by God's perfect judgment.
Thank God for a loving God, big enough to save us from the death sentence.
Thank God for His One and Only Son who obediently came down to this earth and took on all the sins, of all of humanity, on his shoulders in payment for us.
He redeemed us! He bought us back from Satan! He delivered us from the grave!
For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave!
A LOVE like that requires a response from us.
Zealousness for his Word, for a relationship with Him, for doing his Work.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Valley Rescue
I FINALLY HAVE MY LIFE TOGETHER!
Sadly, at times, these words could not be further from the truth for me.
Do you know I like an ordered house? I like an ordered family. I like the outside world to see me in control. But the reality is, at times, it is all a cover for the turmoil that goes on in my heart. Some may look at my life and see no worry. I have a great husband, five daughters, two and 1/2 grandchildren (one on the way), and a comfortable home. What more could a woman want?
But, I am a woman in want, sometimes.
I am a grown woman but in many ways I am still a wounded child deeply affected by people who said they loved me but their actions or their presence (or lack of it) spoke otherwise. I am still a little girl who never felt perfect enough for anyone to love me like other people were loved. I have always been a comparer and I always calculate myself as coming up short.
So, I've spent my life being a people pleaser, morphing into who I thought others wanted me to be, in the hopes of being loved and having someone stick around. As a result, I am not always authentic. I have always been the caretaker of others but the one easily discarded or ignored. I can't make decisions for fear of making the wrong one and making someone else unhappy. Unhappy people = abandonment in my mind.
My life turned a huge corner when I met my husband. No one in this world has ever loved me the way he loves me. In fact, it was his example of unconditional love, that actually allowed me to let the Christ I had always known, come into my heart. Up until that time, my spiritual life mirrored my personal life. If I am unlovable by the people closest to me, then, I am unlovable by my Creator, as well. I knew God to be a gracious and loving God for everyone else in the world but not for me.
For eight years, or so, God has been recreating me. He's helped me clean up my life. He showed me all my self destructive ways. It's amazing what one will allow when they have no self worth. He's given me new purpose and direction.
I quit my job to be a stay at home mom four years ago. I still get calls from my former employer to come back to work but I don't need to be successful in the marketplace to define my worth anymore.
I obediently followed when God said to homeschool. He gave me the backbone and the strength to stand up to the opposing voices that quickly came our way when we decided to pursue his will. Pretty amazing for a people pleaser! But, it's Him whom I want to please these days, not others.
He's given me a desire to be a teacher of his word to other women and he faithfully has brought many wonderful women into my life to mentor.
We have made great progress, He and I.
Any, yet, despite all this progress, I spent this week going deeper and deeper into a dark place. Imagine two mountains with a valley in the middle. I was on top of one of those mountains on Monday, but by Friday night, I was wandering around in the valley wondering how I would ever get out.
I felt myself begin to slip on Tuesday and instead of looking up for help, I allowed myself to look down, knowing full well where this would lead. I let doubt lead to inadequacy, and inadequacy lead to unlovable, and unlovable lead to my abandonment history, and my self worth just plummetted.
"God can't use me. In fact, God doesn't even love me. I'm fooling myself in thinking he ever did. I'm living in a pipe dream if I think God ever cared for me. Look at you, no one has ever loved you. You don't matter to anyone, never did. God created me just to be miserable."
These are the lies my mind tells me when I allow myself to slip off the mountain; when I go to the dark place outside of God's truthful light. I get lost in the valley of the shadows of death. My poor husband has to deal with my crying and self pity, my short temper, and my withdrawal to safety - alone. I go underground and I am of no help to anyone.
But, then, God sends the Great Shepherd to come and rescue me. He picks me up and gently reminds me that he loves me. He cradles me in his loving arms as he treks me back up the mountain, back into the full light of God's truth. He reminds me he has always loved me and has always been there for me. He reminds me of who I am in him and the plans he has for me. By Sunday morning, we are almost to the top again. I wake up thankful for all he has blessed me with in the later half of my life, ready to let it all go and move on.
During church this morning, I lay it all down at his feet. The years of hurt, the years of being alone, the years of measuring short, the years wasted. I ask forgiveness for not trusting, for not believing. I ask for help in staying on the mountaintop. I ask for the freedom to fly and soar, to have the weight removed from me so I am weightless and free to do his will without restriction and fear.
Then, He gives me this vision:
1. Stop trying to figure out why your life was what it was. Accept it as it is.
2. Stop trying to test everyone's love for you as authentic. Accept it as it is.
3. Stop trying to move up in the world and instead look down. Look at the world and see all the people in the world that feel the same way you do - unlovable/not worthy/abandoned. Use what you know about me to reach them with my love and hope.
4. Instead of trying to gain worldly love and acceptance, be filled up with the love I give, and let MY love pour out of you into others. Take the focus off yourself and focus instead on loving others in the way I have loved you.
5. Use ALL I have given you (even the bad) to my glory!
My battle with self worth is not over. Satan will wage that war against me my whole life but God has given me a battle plan to win the war. Extend past myself, take the weapons of war he provides, focus on winning the battle, trust in Him. He will keep me safe and bring me victoriously to the end.
And if on the day when he returns, I am standing there before him with many more who once thought themselves unworthy but stand there that day because of Christ love shown through me to them, I will have run the race well.
Sadly, at times, these words could not be further from the truth for me.
Do you know I like an ordered house? I like an ordered family. I like the outside world to see me in control. But the reality is, at times, it is all a cover for the turmoil that goes on in my heart. Some may look at my life and see no worry. I have a great husband, five daughters, two and 1/2 grandchildren (one on the way), and a comfortable home. What more could a woman want?
But, I am a woman in want, sometimes.
I am a grown woman but in many ways I am still a wounded child deeply affected by people who said they loved me but their actions or their presence (or lack of it) spoke otherwise. I am still a little girl who never felt perfect enough for anyone to love me like other people were loved. I have always been a comparer and I always calculate myself as coming up short.
So, I've spent my life being a people pleaser, morphing into who I thought others wanted me to be, in the hopes of being loved and having someone stick around. As a result, I am not always authentic. I have always been the caretaker of others but the one easily discarded or ignored. I can't make decisions for fear of making the wrong one and making someone else unhappy. Unhappy people = abandonment in my mind.
My life turned a huge corner when I met my husband. No one in this world has ever loved me the way he loves me. In fact, it was his example of unconditional love, that actually allowed me to let the Christ I had always known, come into my heart. Up until that time, my spiritual life mirrored my personal life. If I am unlovable by the people closest to me, then, I am unlovable by my Creator, as well. I knew God to be a gracious and loving God for everyone else in the world but not for me.
For eight years, or so, God has been recreating me. He's helped me clean up my life. He showed me all my self destructive ways. It's amazing what one will allow when they have no self worth. He's given me new purpose and direction.
I quit my job to be a stay at home mom four years ago. I still get calls from my former employer to come back to work but I don't need to be successful in the marketplace to define my worth anymore.
I obediently followed when God said to homeschool. He gave me the backbone and the strength to stand up to the opposing voices that quickly came our way when we decided to pursue his will. Pretty amazing for a people pleaser! But, it's Him whom I want to please these days, not others.
He's given me a desire to be a teacher of his word to other women and he faithfully has brought many wonderful women into my life to mentor.
We have made great progress, He and I.
Any, yet, despite all this progress, I spent this week going deeper and deeper into a dark place. Imagine two mountains with a valley in the middle. I was on top of one of those mountains on Monday, but by Friday night, I was wandering around in the valley wondering how I would ever get out.
I felt myself begin to slip on Tuesday and instead of looking up for help, I allowed myself to look down, knowing full well where this would lead. I let doubt lead to inadequacy, and inadequacy lead to unlovable, and unlovable lead to my abandonment history, and my self worth just plummetted.
"God can't use me. In fact, God doesn't even love me. I'm fooling myself in thinking he ever did. I'm living in a pipe dream if I think God ever cared for me. Look at you, no one has ever loved you. You don't matter to anyone, never did. God created me just to be miserable."
These are the lies my mind tells me when I allow myself to slip off the mountain; when I go to the dark place outside of God's truthful light. I get lost in the valley of the shadows of death. My poor husband has to deal with my crying and self pity, my short temper, and my withdrawal to safety - alone. I go underground and I am of no help to anyone.
But, then, God sends the Great Shepherd to come and rescue me. He picks me up and gently reminds me that he loves me. He cradles me in his loving arms as he treks me back up the mountain, back into the full light of God's truth. He reminds me he has always loved me and has always been there for me. He reminds me of who I am in him and the plans he has for me. By Sunday morning, we are almost to the top again. I wake up thankful for all he has blessed me with in the later half of my life, ready to let it all go and move on.
During church this morning, I lay it all down at his feet. The years of hurt, the years of being alone, the years of measuring short, the years wasted. I ask forgiveness for not trusting, for not believing. I ask for help in staying on the mountaintop. I ask for the freedom to fly and soar, to have the weight removed from me so I am weightless and free to do his will without restriction and fear.
Then, He gives me this vision:
1. Stop trying to figure out why your life was what it was. Accept it as it is.
2. Stop trying to test everyone's love for you as authentic. Accept it as it is.
3. Stop trying to move up in the world and instead look down. Look at the world and see all the people in the world that feel the same way you do - unlovable/not worthy/abandoned. Use what you know about me to reach them with my love and hope.
4. Instead of trying to gain worldly love and acceptance, be filled up with the love I give, and let MY love pour out of you into others. Take the focus off yourself and focus instead on loving others in the way I have loved you.
5. Use ALL I have given you (even the bad) to my glory!
My battle with self worth is not over. Satan will wage that war against me my whole life but God has given me a battle plan to win the war. Extend past myself, take the weapons of war he provides, focus on winning the battle, trust in Him. He will keep me safe and bring me victoriously to the end.
And if on the day when he returns, I am standing there before him with many more who once thought themselves unworthy but stand there that day because of Christ love shown through me to them, I will have run the race well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sons in the Kingdom
A man owned a business that was doing quite well. This man had three sons. He wanted them all to be a part of his business.
The first son had his own dreams. He wanted to pursue other things and wanted nothing to do with his Father's business. He went off on his own to build up his own work and name.
The second son wanted the benefits of his father's business. The status, the pay, the bonuses, the security. However, he had no real ambition to work hard. He just wanted to put his time in each day doing the bare minimum required of him. He was okay with the business outlook remaining just as it was and had no ambition to increase business and didn't get too concerned if sales began to drop.
The third son was very thankful to have been born into a family that had a business to run and that his father wanted him to be a part of it. This son wanted to be a part of this business and was willing to do whatever was asked of him. He took the time to learn from his Father. He figured out what his own gifts and talents were and found ways to use his uniqueness to compliment his father and to add to the business in new ways. He wanted the business to succeed and to do even more than they were today. He looked to the father as the leader of the business going to him for direction and then carrying out the tasks to the best of his ability. His heart and soul were invested in the business and he cared deeply for the work that needed to be done. He was concerned about the good name of the business, and of his father, and he was careful to represent them both properly and with esteem. He wanted the business to grow and prosper and by doing so they would be able to bring more workers in to help.
If the father in this story was God, and the business was the Kingdom of God, which son most resembles you?
Are you the son who wants nothing to do with God's Kingdom, instead wanting to pursue your own desires and forsaking the work God had for you in his Kingdom, as well, as the benefits?
Are you the son who wants the benefits of the Kingdom (eternal life) and are content to just get in and you really don't care if anyone else gets in? You really don't think twice about your testimony or if there is any more to do. You don't give a thought to knowing more about the Kingdom, how it operates, how you might help, and if you are representing the Kingdom properly. You are content to 'get in' and don't want to be asked to do anymore than the minimum (believe).
Are you the son who wants to get to know God and all that God is up to in the world? Do you desire to be a part of his work? Do you spend time in his word everyday learning about Father God and what his desires are and how he is calling you to help further his Kingdom? Do you want to put the time in working hard for him, careful to represent him accurately, and always trying to increase his Kingdom by bringing more into a knowledge and love of him? Are you trying to figure out your unique gifts and how God wants to use them? Do you care if the Kingdom is shrinking or stagnant? Do you desire it to grow beyond measure? Do you care if one in the Kingdom gets lost?
The first son has no part in the Kingdom of God because he has rejected God, his Kingdom, and exchanged them for his own desires.
The second son will receive the benefit of eternal life.
The third son will receive the benefit of eternal life and so much more. He stored up treasure for himself in heaven and his reward will be greater in heaven.
It's kind of like a retirement plan. One puts nothing away and is screwed when retirement comes. One puts the bare minimum away and has enough just to live and get by when retirement comes. One puts away the maximum he can and lives abundantly in his retirement.
Which son are you?
Which son do you want to be?
The first son had his own dreams. He wanted to pursue other things and wanted nothing to do with his Father's business. He went off on his own to build up his own work and name.
The second son wanted the benefits of his father's business. The status, the pay, the bonuses, the security. However, he had no real ambition to work hard. He just wanted to put his time in each day doing the bare minimum required of him. He was okay with the business outlook remaining just as it was and had no ambition to increase business and didn't get too concerned if sales began to drop.
The third son was very thankful to have been born into a family that had a business to run and that his father wanted him to be a part of it. This son wanted to be a part of this business and was willing to do whatever was asked of him. He took the time to learn from his Father. He figured out what his own gifts and talents were and found ways to use his uniqueness to compliment his father and to add to the business in new ways. He wanted the business to succeed and to do even more than they were today. He looked to the father as the leader of the business going to him for direction and then carrying out the tasks to the best of his ability. His heart and soul were invested in the business and he cared deeply for the work that needed to be done. He was concerned about the good name of the business, and of his father, and he was careful to represent them both properly and with esteem. He wanted the business to grow and prosper and by doing so they would be able to bring more workers in to help.
If the father in this story was God, and the business was the Kingdom of God, which son most resembles you?
Are you the son who wants nothing to do with God's Kingdom, instead wanting to pursue your own desires and forsaking the work God had for you in his Kingdom, as well, as the benefits?
Are you the son who wants the benefits of the Kingdom (eternal life) and are content to just get in and you really don't care if anyone else gets in? You really don't think twice about your testimony or if there is any more to do. You don't give a thought to knowing more about the Kingdom, how it operates, how you might help, and if you are representing the Kingdom properly. You are content to 'get in' and don't want to be asked to do anymore than the minimum (believe).
Are you the son who wants to get to know God and all that God is up to in the world? Do you desire to be a part of his work? Do you spend time in his word everyday learning about Father God and what his desires are and how he is calling you to help further his Kingdom? Do you want to put the time in working hard for him, careful to represent him accurately, and always trying to increase his Kingdom by bringing more into a knowledge and love of him? Are you trying to figure out your unique gifts and how God wants to use them? Do you care if the Kingdom is shrinking or stagnant? Do you desire it to grow beyond measure? Do you care if one in the Kingdom gets lost?
The first son has no part in the Kingdom of God because he has rejected God, his Kingdom, and exchanged them for his own desires.
The second son will receive the benefit of eternal life.
The third son will receive the benefit of eternal life and so much more. He stored up treasure for himself in heaven and his reward will be greater in heaven.
It's kind of like a retirement plan. One puts nothing away and is screwed when retirement comes. One puts the bare minimum away and has enough just to live and get by when retirement comes. One puts away the maximum he can and lives abundantly in his retirement.
Which son are you?
Which son do you want to be?
Monday, August 9, 2010
We Don't Love Children, We Love Drywall
We Don't Love Children, We Love Drywall
I found this blog post on another website that promotes Beautiful Womanhood at http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/ that was so good I had to share it.
I found this blog post on another website that promotes Beautiful Womanhood at http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/ that was so good I had to share it.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
WORLDmag.com | Community | Blog Archive | Proclaiming Christ on Fox News
WORLDmag.com | Community | Blog Archive | Proclaiming Christ on Fox News
Here is a man who is willing to risk his career and public image to speak truth to millions of viewers BECAUSE of what Jesus Christ has done for him.
May we all be so affected by the Jesus of our Christian faith that truth will spill from our lips regardless of the consequences. May we all love with such abandon.
To Christ be the glory!
Here is a man who is willing to risk his career and public image to speak truth to millions of viewers BECAUSE of what Jesus Christ has done for him.
May we all be so affected by the Jesus of our Christian faith that truth will spill from our lips regardless of the consequences. May we all love with such abandon.
To Christ be the glory!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Be Fruitful. . .
I have been searching the scriptures for information of education recently. I want to see what education looks like from a biblical perspective, What did the first glimpses of education look like for Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, etc.? I suspect we have gotten off track along the way and I just had a desire to look into it a little deeper.
I didn't get far into the chapter of Genesis before I came to a few verses that took me down a rabbit trail.
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
I had always glossed over that 'be fruitful' phrase assuming it meant the same as multiplying and filling the earth. However, when I got to the story of Noah, I noticed that God used this same phrase with Noah. In fact, he says it three times. It must be pretty important.
Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
Genesis 9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
These were the first commands given by God to Adam and then to Noah. Did he only want them, including the animals, just to multiply and fill the earth or is there more to the command?
I looked up other verses in the bible that talk about fruit or being fruitful in the hope of understanding this better. If I had a bible with the Greek meanings of the words, I would have used that, too. But I don't, so you go with what you have.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
God is often called the living water. We often talk about being rooted in God's Word. Fruit is often referred to as Godly characteristics or works. Is this verse to describe a person who draws life from God, is rooted in God's Word, is maturing and growing in their faith, becoming ready, to be and do what God has assigned, sustaining and persevering his whole life in the faith, and is successful because he does the will of God? Is this what God meant about being 'fruitful'?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
This verse looks like evangelizing; rooting others in God's Word and leading others to eternal life.
So far, we have a picture of 'fruitful' being both personal growth and helping other to grow in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Authentic, life saving fruit cannot be produced if the life source is anything other than the Godhead himself. So, 'be fruitful' is also telling us the source of life, and of fruit, is God and nothing else.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
God is the Gardener who perfects us and our fruit! We can rest in His work in us because it has a perfect purpose, although painful at times.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
These are characteristics a fallen world cannot produce on their own without first having known such shown toward them and then having been transformed by God himself.
I never noticed the last line of this verse before. What does it mean against such thing there is no law? I wondered if before the fall - when there was yet no need for the law - did these things come naturally to Adam and Eve because of their intimate relationship with God? Which led me to the next verse.
Rev. 22:2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life until sin entered the world. We will once again have access to the Tree of Life when Jesus restores all things back to their former eternal characteristics.
Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Wives have children (increase and multiply). A Christian Mother who raises her children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord is being 'fruitful'. In fact, she must first be drawing life from God herself. She must first be rooted in God's Word. She is then able to show her children where to draw life from and how to stay rooted in God's Word for themselves. She understands who the perfecter of her faith is, and the faith of her children, and she diligently teaches her children to walk in God's ways and to rest in his will. By doing so, she fulfills both Psalm 1:3 and Proverbs 11:30. Mothers have suck a divine priviledge!
The first instruction of education is to know God!
The second instruction is to always walk with him and in His will!
The third instruction is to teach your children to do the same through example and diligent teaching!
How do the three commands given to Adam and then to Noah conflict with what the world teaches?
The world teaches there is no God or that you are your own god. The world teaches no Creator but rather chance. The world doesn't acknowledge a divine life source because they don't believe in a heaven or hell. The world doesn't value children or the call for mothers to raise them in God's Word. The feminist movement puts a womans value elsewhere. The U.N. and agencies like Planned Parenthood would rather control the population and limit it's growth. A generation who isn't drawing from the authentic eternal life source isn't able to teach their children to do so either.
If no one heeds God's command in this area, the next generation may be similar to the one of Noah's generation. However, I know there are Christian families all over the world who do heed God's command, although we are in the minority. We must be even more diligent and reliant on God so that our children may be a beacon of light to the world. May God bless the efforts of those who obey.
I will continue to look up what education looks like in the bible, but the first and most important aspect to knowledge and wisdom is the fear and knowledge of God.
I didn't get far into the chapter of Genesis before I came to a few verses that took me down a rabbit trail.
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
I had always glossed over that 'be fruitful' phrase assuming it meant the same as multiplying and filling the earth. However, when I got to the story of Noah, I noticed that God used this same phrase with Noah. In fact, he says it three times. It must be pretty important.
Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, "Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it."
Genesis 9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
These were the first commands given by God to Adam and then to Noah. Did he only want them, including the animals, just to multiply and fill the earth or is there more to the command?
I looked up other verses in the bible that talk about fruit or being fruitful in the hope of understanding this better. If I had a bible with the Greek meanings of the words, I would have used that, too. But I don't, so you go with what you have.
Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
God is often called the living water. We often talk about being rooted in God's Word. Fruit is often referred to as Godly characteristics or works. Is this verse to describe a person who draws life from God, is rooted in God's Word, is maturing and growing in their faith, becoming ready, to be and do what God has assigned, sustaining and persevering his whole life in the faith, and is successful because he does the will of God? Is this what God meant about being 'fruitful'?
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
This verse looks like evangelizing; rooting others in God's Word and leading others to eternal life.
So far, we have a picture of 'fruitful' being both personal growth and helping other to grow in the knowledge of God.
Matthew 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Authentic, life saving fruit cannot be produced if the life source is anything other than the Godhead himself. So, 'be fruitful' is also telling us the source of life, and of fruit, is God and nothing else.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
God is the Gardener who perfects us and our fruit! We can rest in His work in us because it has a perfect purpose, although painful at times.
Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
These are characteristics a fallen world cannot produce on their own without first having known such shown toward them and then having been transformed by God himself.
I never noticed the last line of this verse before. What does it mean against such thing there is no law? I wondered if before the fall - when there was yet no need for the law - did these things come naturally to Adam and Eve because of their intimate relationship with God? Which led me to the next verse.
Rev. 22:2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Adam and Eve had access to the Tree of Life until sin entered the world. We will once again have access to the Tree of Life when Jesus restores all things back to their former eternal characteristics.
Psalm 128:3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Wives have children (increase and multiply). A Christian Mother who raises her children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord is being 'fruitful'. In fact, she must first be drawing life from God herself. She must first be rooted in God's Word. She is then able to show her children where to draw life from and how to stay rooted in God's Word for themselves. She understands who the perfecter of her faith is, and the faith of her children, and she diligently teaches her children to walk in God's ways and to rest in his will. By doing so, she fulfills both Psalm 1:3 and Proverbs 11:30. Mothers have suck a divine priviledge!
The first instruction of education is to know God!
The second instruction is to always walk with him and in His will!
The third instruction is to teach your children to do the same through example and diligent teaching!
How do the three commands given to Adam and then to Noah conflict with what the world teaches?
The world teaches there is no God or that you are your own god. The world teaches no Creator but rather chance. The world doesn't acknowledge a divine life source because they don't believe in a heaven or hell. The world doesn't value children or the call for mothers to raise them in God's Word. The feminist movement puts a womans value elsewhere. The U.N. and agencies like Planned Parenthood would rather control the population and limit it's growth. A generation who isn't drawing from the authentic eternal life source isn't able to teach their children to do so either.
If no one heeds God's command in this area, the next generation may be similar to the one of Noah's generation. However, I know there are Christian families all over the world who do heed God's command, although we are in the minority. We must be even more diligent and reliant on God so that our children may be a beacon of light to the world. May God bless the efforts of those who obey.
I will continue to look up what education looks like in the bible, but the first and most important aspect to knowledge and wisdom is the fear and knowledge of God.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Update on Spiritual Battle
The young man I wrote about yesterday has voluntarily checked himself back into a treatment facility.
He shared that he was too ashamed to tell anyone how he was still feeling and he was thankful that the one person he confided in both HEARD him and ACTED on his behalf.
Friends, there is great shame associated with depression. A person doesn't want to feel the way they do but they don't know how to feel anything different. They compare themselves to others who seemingly have no difficulty in their lives and consider themselves failures. It is very difficult to admit that you can't help yourself and even more difficult to ask someone for help when you are feeling so low and worthless. You can convince yourself that no one cares or would understand, so it becomes easier to drown then to reach out for a lifeline.
Again, I believe both of these individuals to have been very brave. I, also, believe God is working in both of their lives and is interceding on their behalf. I can't wait to see how God continues to touch on their lives and what they will do in service to God because of his abundant provision in their lives.
Continue to pray for them and for all those that suffer.
He shared that he was too ashamed to tell anyone how he was still feeling and he was thankful that the one person he confided in both HEARD him and ACTED on his behalf.
Friends, there is great shame associated with depression. A person doesn't want to feel the way they do but they don't know how to feel anything different. They compare themselves to others who seemingly have no difficulty in their lives and consider themselves failures. It is very difficult to admit that you can't help yourself and even more difficult to ask someone for help when you are feeling so low and worthless. You can convince yourself that no one cares or would understand, so it becomes easier to drown then to reach out for a lifeline.
Again, I believe both of these individuals to have been very brave. I, also, believe God is working in both of their lives and is interceding on their behalf. I can't wait to see how God continues to touch on their lives and what they will do in service to God because of his abundant provision in their lives.
Continue to pray for them and for all those that suffer.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Spiritual Warfare For a Stranger's Soul
My daughter called this morning. I could tell by her voice something was wrong.
She shared with me how a former co-worker had recently returned to work after being gone for some time. She was excited he was back. One day while catching up, he shared with her that while he was away he had been in a mental hospital on suicide watch. My daughter having experienced this same situation for herself at one point in her life was very sympathetic and supportive toward him and his plight. He must have sensed she understood because today this young man took a very brave step and consequentially, then my daughter took one, too.
This young man called her today saying he was having very strong urges to kill himself and he just needed to talk to someone.
He was hurting! And despite the very real pain he was in, he made a decision to not isolate himself, and chose instead to reach out to someone. How brave! It is a very brave thing to be vulnerable with another person, to ask someone for help, to be honest with what is going on in your mind. I give this young man so much credit for taking a leap of faith and trying to connect with someone when everything in his being was telling him to just give up. For those who have never gone through this, you cannot imagine how difficult this step was for him.
After talking with him, my daughter called me. I heard the words 'previously on suicide watch' and 'having very strong urges to kill myself' and instantly knew someone needed to get to him NOW!
After asking if she knew any of his family members, I told her she needed to take this very seriously. She needed to call someone in his family and share with them what he told her. Someone who loved him needed to get to him as soon as possible. She immediately followed through with that.
While she was making that connection, I cried and prayed. Actually, I pleaded with God!
You see there have been numerous high school suicides in our area in the last few months. One local high school lost 4 kids in six months to suicide. It has become a very real problem and many are gathering together to figure out how to prevent this from happening. Local churches are even working with public school systems to understand the problem and how to help.
So, I pleaded with God through burning tears that this would not be another lost soul.
I pleaded with God that first of all, someone would get to him immediately so that he would not be alone very long.
I pleaded that God would protect him until someone arrived.
I pleaded that someone would come into his life with the message of hope in Jesus Christ.
I prayed that his pain would not be for nothing and that this was part of his journey in finding Jesus and salvation, not death and eternal damnation.
I begged God to protect him so that Satan would not win this soul.
I asked God to send his guardian angels to gather around him and to keep Satan away from him. I could actually picture this in my mind. The angels were more powerful and Satan was kept out. Satan was mad as hell but he couldn't penetrate or influence the boy any longer.
I just kept weeping and praying for this young man I didn't even know.
The phone rang and scared me half to death. I was so absorbed in engaging God that I had blocked out everything else around me. The ringing phone brought me back to reality. I believe the Holy Spirit was working through me to intercede for this young man, leading me with the sense of urgency and determination needed for battle. I felt like I was in a war and pleading with God for victory. I didn't even know this man but, yet, I was fighting for his life on his behalf. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
It was my daughter, calling with a report, that she had contacted his aunt (who happens to work at the same place they do). The aunt was at work and said he too was there having just punched in for the day. My daughter was relieved he was okay and around the people who knew him. She proceeded to share with his aunt all that he had shared with her.
This, too, was a very brave thing to do. She was concerned for his safety but also conflicted with the possibility that he might see it as a betrayal of trust and never open up to her again. In her mind, she was risking their friendship. However, there was still a friendship to risk, and more importantly, a friend to rescue and that took precedent. She did the hard thing for a friend, for his own good, even if he didn't see it that way right now.
Our phone call was interrupted by another call she had to take. When she called me back she reported that both the aunt and the owner of the business were sitting with him while waiting for his mother to come. She was able to talk to him and he said he wasn't mad and, in fact, he thanked her.
I have no idea what will come of this situation. I pray those angels stay right where they are and preserve this man's soul until he reaches out for God himself. I believe that God works in the lives of even those who have not yet called on him as Lord, but will someday. I believe that if he is one of God's own, he will be protected.
Please pray for him along with me that Satan does not win this soul. Let us intercede on behalf of a man we do not know but is known by the God we serve. Let us do for him what he cannot do for himself at this point. Pray for his rescue from darkness and the chains that hold him there and for his salvation and freedom in Christ.
I want my daughter to know how proud I am of her for taking this seriously, for saving his life, and giving him a chance at gaining salvation. I know she, too, has suffered in the past, and this could open up wounds with fresh scars, so I ask for prayers for her too.
Let us never take a life for granted - even that of a stranger.
Lord - Thank you for coming through today in a big way and for always being stronger than the enemy. Thank you for displaying your power to my daughter and may this young man someday see that same power for himself in his own life. Please continue to guard and watch over both of these individuals in the days to come. Amen.
She shared with me how a former co-worker had recently returned to work after being gone for some time. She was excited he was back. One day while catching up, he shared with her that while he was away he had been in a mental hospital on suicide watch. My daughter having experienced this same situation for herself at one point in her life was very sympathetic and supportive toward him and his plight. He must have sensed she understood because today this young man took a very brave step and consequentially, then my daughter took one, too.
This young man called her today saying he was having very strong urges to kill himself and he just needed to talk to someone.
He was hurting! And despite the very real pain he was in, he made a decision to not isolate himself, and chose instead to reach out to someone. How brave! It is a very brave thing to be vulnerable with another person, to ask someone for help, to be honest with what is going on in your mind. I give this young man so much credit for taking a leap of faith and trying to connect with someone when everything in his being was telling him to just give up. For those who have never gone through this, you cannot imagine how difficult this step was for him.
After talking with him, my daughter called me. I heard the words 'previously on suicide watch' and 'having very strong urges to kill myself' and instantly knew someone needed to get to him NOW!
After asking if she knew any of his family members, I told her she needed to take this very seriously. She needed to call someone in his family and share with them what he told her. Someone who loved him needed to get to him as soon as possible. She immediately followed through with that.
While she was making that connection, I cried and prayed. Actually, I pleaded with God!
You see there have been numerous high school suicides in our area in the last few months. One local high school lost 4 kids in six months to suicide. It has become a very real problem and many are gathering together to figure out how to prevent this from happening. Local churches are even working with public school systems to understand the problem and how to help.
So, I pleaded with God through burning tears that this would not be another lost soul.
I pleaded with God that first of all, someone would get to him immediately so that he would not be alone very long.
I pleaded that God would protect him until someone arrived.
I pleaded that someone would come into his life with the message of hope in Jesus Christ.
I prayed that his pain would not be for nothing and that this was part of his journey in finding Jesus and salvation, not death and eternal damnation.
I begged God to protect him so that Satan would not win this soul.
I asked God to send his guardian angels to gather around him and to keep Satan away from him. I could actually picture this in my mind. The angels were more powerful and Satan was kept out. Satan was mad as hell but he couldn't penetrate or influence the boy any longer.
I just kept weeping and praying for this young man I didn't even know.
The phone rang and scared me half to death. I was so absorbed in engaging God that I had blocked out everything else around me. The ringing phone brought me back to reality. I believe the Holy Spirit was working through me to intercede for this young man, leading me with the sense of urgency and determination needed for battle. I felt like I was in a war and pleading with God for victory. I didn't even know this man but, yet, I was fighting for his life on his behalf. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
It was my daughter, calling with a report, that she had contacted his aunt (who happens to work at the same place they do). The aunt was at work and said he too was there having just punched in for the day. My daughter was relieved he was okay and around the people who knew him. She proceeded to share with his aunt all that he had shared with her.
This, too, was a very brave thing to do. She was concerned for his safety but also conflicted with the possibility that he might see it as a betrayal of trust and never open up to her again. In her mind, she was risking their friendship. However, there was still a friendship to risk, and more importantly, a friend to rescue and that took precedent. She did the hard thing for a friend, for his own good, even if he didn't see it that way right now.
Our phone call was interrupted by another call she had to take. When she called me back she reported that both the aunt and the owner of the business were sitting with him while waiting for his mother to come. She was able to talk to him and he said he wasn't mad and, in fact, he thanked her.
I have no idea what will come of this situation. I pray those angels stay right where they are and preserve this man's soul until he reaches out for God himself. I believe that God works in the lives of even those who have not yet called on him as Lord, but will someday. I believe that if he is one of God's own, he will be protected.
Please pray for him along with me that Satan does not win this soul. Let us intercede on behalf of a man we do not know but is known by the God we serve. Let us do for him what he cannot do for himself at this point. Pray for his rescue from darkness and the chains that hold him there and for his salvation and freedom in Christ.
I want my daughter to know how proud I am of her for taking this seriously, for saving his life, and giving him a chance at gaining salvation. I know she, too, has suffered in the past, and this could open up wounds with fresh scars, so I ask for prayers for her too.
Let us never take a life for granted - even that of a stranger.
Lord - Thank you for coming through today in a big way and for always being stronger than the enemy. Thank you for displaying your power to my daughter and may this young man someday see that same power for himself in his own life. Please continue to guard and watch over both of these individuals in the days to come. Amen.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:9-10
I looked up three key words in this passage in Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary (my favorite) so I could better understand this passage.
Confess: to own, publicly acknowledge, or avow
Believe: to be persuaded of the truth of another; to expect or hope with confidence
Justified: Pardoned or cleared from guilt; acquitted from punishment
Do you believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he died for you?
Have you made a personal decision to make him Lord and King of your life?
Do you understand that baptism does not save you and that it is a symbol of what has already happened in your heart?
Is it your intention now to publicly acknowledge him as your Lord?
Is it your intention now to publicly acknowledge him as your Lord?
These were the questions posed to us right before our water baptism this past weekend.
Our response: Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes!!
Down with the old - up with the new!
On this rock I will build my church!
An act of obedience that we will never forget!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Remove abortion from health care legislation
Current proposed Health Care Reform legislation will result in the biggest expansion of abortion since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision in 1973. There is no explicit exclusion for abortion; instead it opens the door to allow, or even force, abortion to be included as health care coverage.
Abortion is not a health care benefit but an elective, and it should never be included in health care legislation. If abortion is not specifically excluded, it will automatically become a mandate or required benefit, leaving the American taxpayer with no choice.
I am not in favor of subsidizing abortion, and I do not believe the government should be forcing its citizens to pay for abortion.
I am urging you to contact your representatives and senators and ask them to see that abortion is excluded from health care legislation. Also ask them to vote “no” on any health care bill that does not include language that specifically excludes abortion. The next step is to look into all of the other flaws in the Health Care Reform legislation.
July 29, 2009
BY BARBARA J. FERRARO, Concerned Women for America, Hilo
I have emailed both my Senators and State Representative today asking them to do just what this lady has said. (Copy of my letter is below). Please do the Same!
I am a Wisconsin resident, a mom of five, and a Christian.
I am pro-life and against legalized abortion because I believe it to be against the ethical standard set by God. An ethical standard we are not at liberty to change or alter and one that holds spiritual consequences.
I would like to make my voice heard by relaying to you that I would NOT support a health plan that would cause taxpayer money to pay for abortions or include 'end of life' discussions with taxpayers as a way to cut costs.
I agree the current health care system needs to be re hauled but NOT at the expense of my convictions as a Christian. I urge you to vote NO to President Obama's current health care plan.
A health care system that encourages and supports murder and suicide is not good for any American, Christian or otherwise.
I am praying for wisdom and courage for you as you undertake this very important decision for Americans and for the moral and ethical landscape of our future.
Please vote NO!
Abortion is not a health care benefit but an elective, and it should never be included in health care legislation. If abortion is not specifically excluded, it will automatically become a mandate or required benefit, leaving the American taxpayer with no choice.
I am not in favor of subsidizing abortion, and I do not believe the government should be forcing its citizens to pay for abortion.
I am urging you to contact your representatives and senators and ask them to see that abortion is excluded from health care legislation. Also ask them to vote “no” on any health care bill that does not include language that specifically excludes abortion. The next step is to look into all of the other flaws in the Health Care Reform legislation.
July 29, 2009
BY BARBARA J. FERRARO, Concerned Women for America, Hilo
I have emailed both my Senators and State Representative today asking them to do just what this lady has said. (Copy of my letter is below). Please do the Same!
I am a Wisconsin resident, a mom of five, and a Christian.
I am pro-life and against legalized abortion because I believe it to be against the ethical standard set by God. An ethical standard we are not at liberty to change or alter and one that holds spiritual consequences.
I would like to make my voice heard by relaying to you that I would NOT support a health plan that would cause taxpayer money to pay for abortions or include 'end of life' discussions with taxpayers as a way to cut costs.
I agree the current health care system needs to be re hauled but NOT at the expense of my convictions as a Christian. I urge you to vote NO to President Obama's current health care plan.
A health care system that encourages and supports murder and suicide is not good for any American, Christian or otherwise.
I am praying for wisdom and courage for you as you undertake this very important decision for Americans and for the moral and ethical landscape of our future.
Please vote NO!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Brad Pitt - Denies There is a God!
Brad Pitt tells a German website during a recent interview that he does not believe in God.
"I'm probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic," says Pitt. "I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, and then there's no point thinking about it." - Brad Pitt
Well, I'm afraid Mr. Pitt will be very surprised at the end of the day to find out he was wrong in his thinking and will spend eternity in HELL contemplating his 'whatever happens' attitude.
The unpardonable sin - the one that leads to death - eternal death - is to deny the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit testifies to every one of us that God is real, Jesus is the Son of God, we all need Jesus to save us because our sinful condition keeps us from a Perfect God, and Satan is the enemy who wants to destroy us and keep us in bondage to our sin.
Every one of us has a choice.
We either acknowledge the Holy Spirit's testimony as true or we reject it as truth.
One choice leads to eternal life.
The other to eternal death.
It says in the bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
I guess this is because the rich often feel secure in themselves, in their own abilities, in their own situations. They consider themselves self-made, having accumulated all their own wealth and possessions, and having achieved their idea of happiness and security here on earth. Pride and arrogance keep one from seeing the big picture. They deny a creator. They deny a higher power. They deny rules that come from someone other than them. They deny that they need someone else to help them get into heaven - if there really is one.
Mr. Pitt, it doesn't matter all the good you do in the world for others, how many kids you adopt, or how much money you donate for others. None of these acts will save you in the end. Your heart must be contrite and humble before a Lord and Savior that you NEED! Your works currently come from your own ambition not from a heart dependent on doing the will of God and pleasing him.
"I'm probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic," says Pitt. "I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, and then there's no point thinking about it." - Brad Pitt
Well, I'm afraid Mr. Pitt will be very surprised at the end of the day to find out he was wrong in his thinking and will spend eternity in HELL contemplating his 'whatever happens' attitude.
The unpardonable sin - the one that leads to death - eternal death - is to deny the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit testifies to every one of us that God is real, Jesus is the Son of God, we all need Jesus to save us because our sinful condition keeps us from a Perfect God, and Satan is the enemy who wants to destroy us and keep us in bondage to our sin.
Every one of us has a choice.
We either acknowledge the Holy Spirit's testimony as true or we reject it as truth.
One choice leads to eternal life.
The other to eternal death.
It says in the bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
I guess this is because the rich often feel secure in themselves, in their own abilities, in their own situations. They consider themselves self-made, having accumulated all their own wealth and possessions, and having achieved their idea of happiness and security here on earth. Pride and arrogance keep one from seeing the big picture. They deny a creator. They deny a higher power. They deny rules that come from someone other than them. They deny that they need someone else to help them get into heaven - if there really is one.
Mr. Pitt, it doesn't matter all the good you do in the world for others, how many kids you adopt, or how much money you donate for others. None of these acts will save you in the end. Your heart must be contrite and humble before a Lord and Savior that you NEED! Your works currently come from your own ambition not from a heart dependent on doing the will of God and pleasing him.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Book Recommendation - Total Abandon
I just finished reading a book that I knew from the onset I would be posting a recommendation for on this site.
Total Abandon by Gary Witherall is a true story of life lived in radical devotion to God.
It is a love story between a man and God, between a woman and God, and then between each other because God brought them together to love each other and to serve him together.
God leads them to Lebanon as missionaries where they serve eagerly and share the gospel with the Muslim world until Bonnie's untimely death at the hands of terrorists. Gary chronicles their individual stories that eventually bring them together, their marriage and the decisions they make for God together, and then the reality of Bonnie's death. He shares his loss and grief with us and his struggle to remain faithful to God despite all his loss. He demonstrates forgiveness and a willingness to live again.
I cried throughout the book not just because of the deep sadness that comes as a result of Bonnie's death but also because of the love and appreciation that they had for each other. A love that was rooted in their belief that they were each a gift to the other for this journey in life. God had provided a partner for them to hold, support, and encourage as they lived out the mission God had set before them. I was awed by the love they had for God and how that translated into love for each other.
I really recommend this book. It is an easy read but more importantly it is inspiring! It's published by Tyndale House Publishing, Inc. in Wheaton, IL.
Total Abandon by Gary Witherall is a true story of life lived in radical devotion to God.
It is a love story between a man and God, between a woman and God, and then between each other because God brought them together to love each other and to serve him together.
God leads them to Lebanon as missionaries where they serve eagerly and share the gospel with the Muslim world until Bonnie's untimely death at the hands of terrorists. Gary chronicles their individual stories that eventually bring them together, their marriage and the decisions they make for God together, and then the reality of Bonnie's death. He shares his loss and grief with us and his struggle to remain faithful to God despite all his loss. He demonstrates forgiveness and a willingness to live again.
I cried throughout the book not just because of the deep sadness that comes as a result of Bonnie's death but also because of the love and appreciation that they had for each other. A love that was rooted in their belief that they were each a gift to the other for this journey in life. God had provided a partner for them to hold, support, and encourage as they lived out the mission God had set before them. I was awed by the love they had for God and how that translated into love for each other.
I really recommend this book. It is an easy read but more importantly it is inspiring! It's published by Tyndale House Publishing, Inc. in Wheaton, IL.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Who Knows Best?
The second coming of Jesus Christ will not happen until the full number of Gentiles has come in (see Romans 11:25)
Be fruitful and multiply! God said this many times in the bible. I've often wondered what kind of impact birth control and family planning has on the christian life, if any. I've always had a conflict with God telling us to have children and the world telling us in a sense, not to. After reading the Romans verse above, I clearly saw the impact.
When believing parents have children, and raise them to come to a saving belief on their own, they are adding to the full number of Gentiles that must come in before Jesus will return. Also, the more workers (believers) available, the more work (proclaiming) will be done. Parents who follow God's command to have children are hastening the return of Jesus Christ to the earth.
On the flip side, believing parents who neglect to follow God's directive in this area, in a sense by saying they know better, are quite possibly slowing down the return of our Lord.
I would say that Satan knows full well this impact, too. The longer Christ stays away, the longer Satan has to play around and try to control the world and exert his power in it. He knows what his fate will be upon Christ return. It's easy to see Satan's hand in the area of abortion, but have we ever considered his hand in the area of birth control and family planning? Isn't that the same old deceptive lie that he always likes to get us to believe. The lie that says we know better than God what is good for us. The lie that gets us to go outside of God's will for us. Satan is very aware of the benefit to him in all he does. We need to be more aware of his tactics and the impacts.
I know as believers, we wait in hopeful anticipation for the promise of Christ return to be fulfilled. We pray for His peace to come, for his judgement to take place, for things to be restored to their original glory. We want it to come now! We want relief from this world today! We are aliens here and we want to be gathered home in Christ!
And, yet, we may have inadvertently delayed the glorious coming of Christ because of the decisions we made in our narrow and limited capacity to understand God's story and our role in it!
There is so much we don't know and don't understand. Isn't is nice though that there's someone who does (God)? We should learn to better trust that He really does know what is best for us and give control of our Spirit over to Him in all things.
God's Story
Do you know that the Old Testament feasts were a rehearsal of things yet to come?
Our weekly small group listened to a sermon (on tape) by a Pastor in Michigan on how the Old Testament feast were a prelude to the New Testament fulfillment and what is still yet to come.
It was really amazing to see God's story so beautifully intertwined and laid out for us. Such details! I was in complete awe of the Lord and really humbled in the fact that this is really God's story. We have been given the great privilege of playing a part in His story. To understand the privilege He has given us is beyond what I can comprehend!
I'd like to share my notes I took while listening to the tape. Please remember, I am not a scholar, just a regular person, and this is just what I took from the message. (black=N.T and Red=O.T.)
____________________________________________________________________
In the four days prior to Jesus death, he was questioned and interrogated by the Jewish leaders, the people in town for the passover celebration, and the Roman rulers, all who were trying to find fault in him. Remember, none was found. This compares to the Passover lamb of the OT which was to be selected on the 10th day and kept in the home until the 14th day and was to be without blemish (found perfect).
Jesus died on the cross at 3 PM the day after the Passover celebration. The Passover lamb was to be slaughter at twilight (3 PM in the Hebrew day).
Jesus was buried. The Israelites are allowed to leave Egypt the day after they celebrated the Passover supper. (In the Hebrew week, the new day starts the night before, not the morning of.)
Jesus was buried for 3 days. The Israelites traveled for 3 days in the desert before arriving at the Red Sea.
On the 3rd day Jesus was raised from the dead, breaking the bondage of sin over all people. On the 3rd day God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites safely passed through. The Egyptians were all drowned in the sea. The fact that the Egyptians all died was necessary in breaking the bond of slavery the Egyptians had over the Israelites. If the Egyptians would have lived, the Israelites would have still be enslaved to the Egyptians. They would have had a claim to them.
50 days after the death of Jesus, Pentecost takes place. 50 days after the first Passover, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments.
Jesus death, resurrection, ascension, and, giving of the Holy Spirit to convict us all happen according to the Spring Festivals that God had already established. (May have missed some - it was hard to take notes as fast as he was talking) Cool, huh! So, Jesus came to us the first time during the Spring Harvest.
Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
This verse says Jesus will come in both the winter and spring rains. If, His first coming is compared to the Spring festivals, then His second coming will be comparative to the Fall Festivals.
The first Fall Festival is the The Blowing of the Trumpet - Day of Judgement. It is prophesied that the second coming of Jesus will be announced with a trumpet.
The second Fall Festival is the Day of Atonement. It is prophesied that on this day Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who knew Jesus are the sheep. Those who did not know Him are the goats.
The third Fall Festival is the Feast of the Tabernacles. The Israelites were to live in tents together during this feast and celebrate to the Lord. This represents God dwelling with man on earth.
If Jesus first came to earth during the Spring Festival or often called the Spring Harvest season, and He will come again during the Fall Harvest season, then we are currently living in the Summer Harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then he said to the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Do we see the harvest work that must be done?
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
____________________________________________________________________
Christians - We have a job to do. We have a role in this story. When we share Jesus with others, we are adding to the harvest, to the full number of Gentiles. If we lead someone to Christ, and they accept Christ as their Savior, is that the last one? Is that the full number for the harvest?
The Pastor said this:
We live in a hurting and lost world.
We know where healing and new life can be found- in Jesus.
We can transform the world, and bring complete peace and healing to it, by helping to bring on the second coming of Christ! By adding to the harvest, by reaching the full number.
Wow! We have a role in God's story!
We can hasten Jesus' second coming by doing the work He called us to do- telling others about him!
Too often we make our christian life about standing up for a principle, or a practice, or a belief. I'm just as guilty as the next. But, we're getting it all wrong! It's not about us! It's not about what we know, what we do, how we do it, when we do it, or who does it. It's about God - it's about what He has done and what He is going to do - it's about what He wants to do in us, and in others - it's about what role He has made for us to do in His Story!
This lesson reminded me, and I hope I never forget again, that this is His story, not mine!
Our weekly small group listened to a sermon (on tape) by a Pastor in Michigan on how the Old Testament feast were a prelude to the New Testament fulfillment and what is still yet to come.
It was really amazing to see God's story so beautifully intertwined and laid out for us. Such details! I was in complete awe of the Lord and really humbled in the fact that this is really God's story. We have been given the great privilege of playing a part in His story. To understand the privilege He has given us is beyond what I can comprehend!
I'd like to share my notes I took while listening to the tape. Please remember, I am not a scholar, just a regular person, and this is just what I took from the message. (black=N.T and Red=O.T.)
____________________________________________________________________
In the four days prior to Jesus death, he was questioned and interrogated by the Jewish leaders, the people in town for the passover celebration, and the Roman rulers, all who were trying to find fault in him. Remember, none was found. This compares to the Passover lamb of the OT which was to be selected on the 10th day and kept in the home until the 14th day and was to be without blemish (found perfect).
Jesus died on the cross at 3 PM the day after the Passover celebration. The Passover lamb was to be slaughter at twilight (3 PM in the Hebrew day).
Jesus was buried. The Israelites are allowed to leave Egypt the day after they celebrated the Passover supper. (In the Hebrew week, the new day starts the night before, not the morning of.)
Jesus was buried for 3 days. The Israelites traveled for 3 days in the desert before arriving at the Red Sea.
On the 3rd day Jesus was raised from the dead, breaking the bondage of sin over all people. On the 3rd day God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites safely passed through. The Egyptians were all drowned in the sea. The fact that the Egyptians all died was necessary in breaking the bond of slavery the Egyptians had over the Israelites. If the Egyptians would have lived, the Israelites would have still be enslaved to the Egyptians. They would have had a claim to them.
50 days after the death of Jesus, Pentecost takes place. 50 days after the first Passover, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments.
Jesus death, resurrection, ascension, and, giving of the Holy Spirit to convict us all happen according to the Spring Festivals that God had already established. (May have missed some - it was hard to take notes as fast as he was talking) Cool, huh! So, Jesus came to us the first time during the Spring Harvest.
Hosea 6:3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
This verse says Jesus will come in both the winter and spring rains. If, His first coming is compared to the Spring festivals, then His second coming will be comparative to the Fall Festivals.
The first Fall Festival is the The Blowing of the Trumpet - Day of Judgement. It is prophesied that the second coming of Jesus will be announced with a trumpet.
The second Fall Festival is the Day of Atonement. It is prophesied that on this day Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Those who knew Jesus are the sheep. Those who did not know Him are the goats.
The third Fall Festival is the Feast of the Tabernacles. The Israelites were to live in tents together during this feast and celebrate to the Lord. This represents God dwelling with man on earth.
If Jesus first came to earth during the Spring Festival or often called the Spring Harvest season, and He will come again during the Fall Harvest season, then we are currently living in the Summer Harvest.
Matthew 9:37 Then he said to the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Do we see the harvest work that must be done?
Romans 11:25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited. Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
____________________________________________________________________
Christians - We have a job to do. We have a role in this story. When we share Jesus with others, we are adding to the harvest, to the full number of Gentiles. If we lead someone to Christ, and they accept Christ as their Savior, is that the last one? Is that the full number for the harvest?
The Pastor said this:
We live in a hurting and lost world.
We know where healing and new life can be found- in Jesus.
We can transform the world, and bring complete peace and healing to it, by helping to bring on the second coming of Christ! By adding to the harvest, by reaching the full number.
Wow! We have a role in God's story!
We can hasten Jesus' second coming by doing the work He called us to do- telling others about him!
Too often we make our christian life about standing up for a principle, or a practice, or a belief. I'm just as guilty as the next. But, we're getting it all wrong! It's not about us! It's not about what we know, what we do, how we do it, when we do it, or who does it. It's about God - it's about what He has done and what He is going to do - it's about what He wants to do in us, and in others - it's about what role He has made for us to do in His Story!
This lesson reminded me, and I hope I never forget again, that this is His story, not mine!
All glory and honor and praise be unto Him!!!!
Go, be an effective, focused, and purposeful servant in the harvest of souls for the glory of God!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Eternal Destination
Every 10 seconds 8 people enter eternity!
Do you ever wonder where they go?
They have gone to one of two places: HEAVEN or HELL
The destination for your eternity depends on if you know Christ as your Savior. The same is true for everyone in the world. Those that knew Christ and obeyed Him will enter eternity in Heaven. Those that never knew Christ, or rejected Him as their Lord, will enter eternity in Hell.
This reality hit me hard today in church as our Pastor spoke these words. We all know people who don't know Christ; family, friends, neighbors. We know in our hearts they don't know Christ, but what do we do to change that?
My challenge for us today as fellow Christians is:
Will you take a look at the people around you and wonder where they will spend eternity?
If you wonder,
if you give it thought,
if you really understand the impact,
then, maybe you will love them enough
to show them Christ,
and change their eternal destination!
When we can realize the love Jesus first showed us, and share that love with others, we are impacting their eternity! This is the greatest expression of love we can demonstrate toward someone. A love that was first demonstrated to us by Jesus Christ.
May you have the desire to touch someone's soul for eternity's sake!
Do you ever wonder where they go?
They have gone to one of two places: HEAVEN or HELL
The destination for your eternity depends on if you know Christ as your Savior. The same is true for everyone in the world. Those that knew Christ and obeyed Him will enter eternity in Heaven. Those that never knew Christ, or rejected Him as their Lord, will enter eternity in Hell.
This reality hit me hard today in church as our Pastor spoke these words. We all know people who don't know Christ; family, friends, neighbors. We know in our hearts they don't know Christ, but what do we do to change that?
My challenge for us today as fellow Christians is:
Will you take a look at the people around you and wonder where they will spend eternity?
If you wonder,
if you give it thought,
if you really understand the impact,
then, maybe you will love them enough
to show them Christ,
and change their eternal destination!
When we can realize the love Jesus first showed us, and share that love with others, we are impacting their eternity! This is the greatest expression of love we can demonstrate toward someone. A love that was first demonstrated to us by Jesus Christ.
May you have the desire to touch someone's soul for eternity's sake!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Developing God's Heart for a Lost World
Our church records one of our three weekend services each week so you can access them from the church website.
In January, we started a Reaching Farther focus with an emphasis on hunger, both physical and spiritual hunger. The sermons each week have been preparing our hearts for this task. Each week our family feels challenged to do more and to love deeper. The sermons have been so moving, and we find ourselves watching them on-line another two or three times during the week from home. In fact, we just finished watching the one from last week again, and it hit me, the world at large needs to hear these messages, too. So, I'm including the website address and highly encourage anyone who reads my blog to check it out for themselves.
Last week, Bob Lenz was our guest speaker. Bob is the brother of our senior Pastor. Both are compelling speakers, each with their own unique style. Bob is president and founder of Life Promotions, a non-profit ministry whose mission is to reach young people with the gospel before they turn 18 years old. He has also published a book this year titled, Grace.
Bob's message is full of compassion and intensity. His message to the church is 'the job is not done' and he challenges us to open our eyes and see the dying world who doesn't know Jesus.
So, here's the website for the church and for Life Promotions! I hope you visit the site and are moved as we are each week.
www.christtherock.org
(click on icon in the horizontal orange stripe that says Sermon Archives and then pick a week and click on video/audio).
www.lifepromotions.com
In January, we started a Reaching Farther focus with an emphasis on hunger, both physical and spiritual hunger. The sermons each week have been preparing our hearts for this task. Each week our family feels challenged to do more and to love deeper. The sermons have been so moving, and we find ourselves watching them on-line another two or three times during the week from home. In fact, we just finished watching the one from last week again, and it hit me, the world at large needs to hear these messages, too. So, I'm including the website address and highly encourage anyone who reads my blog to check it out for themselves.
Last week, Bob Lenz was our guest speaker. Bob is the brother of our senior Pastor. Both are compelling speakers, each with their own unique style. Bob is president and founder of Life Promotions, a non-profit ministry whose mission is to reach young people with the gospel before they turn 18 years old. He has also published a book this year titled, Grace.
Bob's message is full of compassion and intensity. His message to the church is 'the job is not done' and he challenges us to open our eyes and see the dying world who doesn't know Jesus.
So, here's the website for the church and for Life Promotions! I hope you visit the site and are moved as we are each week.
www.christtherock.org
(click on icon in the horizontal orange stripe that says Sermon Archives and then pick a week and click on video/audio).
www.lifepromotions.com
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