Recently I have been thinking about my past trials and struggles. In 2000 my world as I knew it fell apart. My husband of 16 years was gone and my children were shell-shocked due to the nature of his disappearance from our lives. It was good he was gone, but nevertheless very traumatic on our family. Within 3 months of his departure I was divorced and moved to Houston with 5 children. I found a job and a month later was diagnosed with cancer. What a horribly devastating year 2000 was. Y2K was the buzz in 1999 in anticipation of what might happen in 2000, but what happened in my life and the lives of my children was far more frightening than any Y2K prediction could ever be. It seemed as if everyone’s life around me continued to go on perfectly while mine had taken a cruel, sharp turn. I began to feel like Job, but was afraid to ask God what else could happen for fear something else would. The year finished out with my brother collapsing at my Mother’s home and subsequently having surgery for 3 brain tumors. I was so sick from radiation and chemotherapy that I couldn’t even go to the hospital. But, God never let me get too down without reminding me of His provision. My employer of only 1 month at the time of my diagnosis saved my job for me (even though I was unable to work for nearly 4 months), paid my health insurance premiums, and also provided our Thanksgiving meal. Members of Sagemont Church drove me to daily radiation appointments at M.D. Anderson Hospital for weeks. At Christmas, through the teachers at Freeman Elementary, the Houston Police Department came to my home with gifts for all 5 children, as well as groceries. A wealthy businessman sent me $2,000 for Christmas and $1,000 a month for the next 6 months to help me get back on my feet. Time and time again, God showed Himself in many, many ways. He assured me I would be healed and that my future was secure in Him. I leaned on prayer warriors from Dogwood Church in Athens, Sagemont Church in Houston, and First Baptist Church, Cleveland to pull me through. My former pastor, Phil Greenawalt, was always available for me to cry on his shoulder, even after I moved from Athens to Houston. I still thank God to this day for those who prayed for me and helped me during that time.
2001 was looking much better as I was able to return to work in January. January 12, 2001, I was told the cancer was gone. I am writing this in June 2010 and I am still cancer free! Praise God! My brother returned to teaching but took a turn for the worse in March 2001 and subsequently went to be with the Lord in June 2001. You can see just from what is included in this blog that what I lived through in less than a year is more than some people live through in a lifetime. Through all the trials, God has become my everything. The essence of my being is in Him. No, I don’t want another cancer diagnosis or divorce or heartache, but I would not trade what I have gained in knowledge of God and how He works for anything this world affords. I am who I am today and my faith is strong because I have seen God at work in adverse situations over and over again.
So, what I intend to do this week is find addresses for all those who were particularly helpful to me during that time. I will send each one a personal note – not an e-mail – to let them know that I still remember their kindness and support. In doing so, I hope to impress upon them exactly how much I appreciate them in hopes that they will be encouraged to continue to help others. Ten years have come and gone, but I will never forget the unselfish acts of others on my behalf. Is there someone you need to thank? Perhaps a teacher, pastor, friend or even a former employer meant a lot to you and helped you in the past. Let them know you appreciate them; I know it will be a blessing to them and to you.
I hope you know how very much God loves you.
Candy
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Created in His Image
Out of all of God's creation, man was created last of all, on the 6th day of creation. He was made the same day the beasts were and from the same earth. He was also made to inhabit the earth with them, yet to rule over them. Man was created to be a different creature from the animals. He had flesh and spirit and was made to be dedicated and devoted to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. God said, "Let us make man in our image." God then proceeded to create Adam, the first man, from the earth. He then created Eve, the first woman, from the side of Adam. The first man and first woman were made in the image of God. This was before the fall of man, (before the serpent talked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and she twisted Adam's arm into doing the same [the devil made me do it]) but the Bible tells us in
1 Corinthians 11:7 that man is still created in the likeness and glory of God.
So how does man reflect the image of God? How can that be? God is infinitely above anything man can hope to attain. God is perfect and man is imperfect. It is the soul of man that bears God's image. The soul is an intelligent, active, immortal spirit resembling God, the Father of spirits, and the soul of the world. God’s image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We know from John 4 that God is Spirit and does not reside in a physical body. We exist currently as body and soul together which are intertwined to make us the persons we are. While our bodies do not resemble God, our bodies are called the temple of God in 2 Corinthians 3:16-17, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." This truth is also found in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." What an endorsement for a healthy diet and lifestyle!
God gave man free will which also reflects God’s image. Man has the ability to choose his own actions. He understands good and evil unlike Adam and Eve before the fall, although Adam and Eve did understand they should obey God’s commands. God did not create mankind to be robots, but to think and make decisions based on principles He has set in place.
Because we are made in God’s image, we are able to fellowship with Him. Through this fellowship we should daily be more and more like Him in everything we do. Thanks to progressive sanctification, we can be made more into His likeness day by day. My responsibility as a Christian is to let the light and love of God shine through my life to everyone I come into contact with. My prayer daily is for the Holy Spirit to assist me in doing just that. God wants me involved in His work here on earth. He loves me and has called me to serve Him. The highest compliment I have ever been paid and the biggest responsibility I have ever been given was for the God of all creation to tell me that I am created in His image!
1 Corinthians 11:7 that man is still created in the likeness and glory of God.
So how does man reflect the image of God? How can that be? God is infinitely above anything man can hope to attain. God is perfect and man is imperfect. It is the soul of man that bears God's image. The soul is an intelligent, active, immortal spirit resembling God, the Father of spirits, and the soul of the world. God’s image upon man consists in knowledge, righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). We know from John 4 that God is Spirit and does not reside in a physical body. We exist currently as body and soul together which are intertwined to make us the persons we are. While our bodies do not resemble God, our bodies are called the temple of God in 2 Corinthians 3:16-17, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." This truth is also found in 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." What an endorsement for a healthy diet and lifestyle!
God gave man free will which also reflects God’s image. Man has the ability to choose his own actions. He understands good and evil unlike Adam and Eve before the fall, although Adam and Eve did understand they should obey God’s commands. God did not create mankind to be robots, but to think and make decisions based on principles He has set in place.
Because we are made in God’s image, we are able to fellowship with Him. Through this fellowship we should daily be more and more like Him in everything we do. Thanks to progressive sanctification, we can be made more into His likeness day by day. My responsibility as a Christian is to let the light and love of God shine through my life to everyone I come into contact with. My prayer daily is for the Holy Spirit to assist me in doing just that. God wants me involved in His work here on earth. He loves me and has called me to serve Him. The highest compliment I have ever been paid and the biggest responsibility I have ever been given was for the God of all creation to tell me that I am created in His image!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
My Vacation
This week I am preparing for a vacation. I am so excited; I’ve already packed my bags!! I have not taken a trip (other than a short weekend trip) in many years. I remember the last trip I took which required me to leave Texas was when my son got married in Las Vegas 4 years ago and, you guessed it – weekend trip! In just 3 days I will get on a plane at Hobby Airport and fly to Atlanta. I’ve never been to the Atlanta Airport, but I have heard horror stories. All I have to do is find the MARTA train and make sure I am on the correct one to take me to Doraville, where my niece will pick me up and drive me to Cleveland, GA, about an hour north. I will be visiting my sister and her children and grandchildren who live nearby. Hopefully my niece and nephew from Alabama will have the opportunity to drive over for a visit while I am there. Judy (my sister) has a lot of things planned and it was wise to make her home the first stop on my trip. I am sure we will go to Helen, Babyland (home of the Cabbage Patch Doll), and some antique stores. Of course, we will be attending First Baptist Church of Cleveland, GA on Sunday followed by a wonderful lunch with family. It will be so good to see everyone there that I miss so much.
After spending 3 busy days and nights with Judy, I am taking a shuttle back to the Atlanta Airport and flying to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. to see my newest grandson, Raven. He was just born 8 days ago and I can hardly wait to hold him and kiss his chubby cheeks. My daughter Krys is fairly laid back so I am planning to spend a lot of time at my hotel, sunning, sleeping and doing a lot of nothing for 4 solid days! Oh, I am sure we will take in the sights, but my goal once I hit Florida is to enjoy white sand beaches and crystal clear water. That is something I have never experienced. I was born in Galveston. From pictures I have seen of other islands, Galveston beaches are the ugliest in the world! Thank goodness Ft. Lauderdale is on the Atlantic side of the state so there should be no problems from the ongoing influx of oil and is currently spewing off the coast of Louisiana. By the way, I remember getting tar all over my body and bathing suits since I was a child whenever we went to Galveston. Oil spills must be talked about more now than they were then. Just a thought . . .
I have had a very difficult couple of years with the loss of 3 jobs. Fortunately, I now have a wonderful job at NASA, but no one here knows how long our jobs will be in place. I know God is in control so I refuse to worry about losing this job. Instead I have chosen to thank God for His blessings and provision. I wanted to share this particular blog to let my friends know about my trip May 15 -22, but to also give thanks to God for allowing me to take this trip. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. He does not vary or change; God is good, all the time. I also want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to go to college and pursue a degree in Religion with a minor in Biblical Studies. I’ve been working hard and am proud to report that at the end of my first semester I have 4 A’s (the highest average being 100 and the lowest being 96.7). That is pretty cool for someone who hasn’t been to school in 44 years! So, thank you, Lord! I worship You for who You are and I praise You for the things You have done and are continuing to do in my life. As the Vicki Yohe song says, “Because of who You are I give you glory. Because of who You are I give you praise. Because of who You are, I will life my voice and say, Lord I worship You because of who You are. Jehovah Jireh, my provider; Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in victory; Jehovah Shalom, You’re my Prince of Peace; Lord I worship You because of who You are.”
Don’t forget to thank God today for those things He has done and continues to do in your life. Everything you have came from His hand. The prayers of his children are like sweet incense to Him. Be faithful in prayer to the One who loves you more than you will ever know.
Be blessed this day!
Candy
After spending 3 busy days and nights with Judy, I am taking a shuttle back to the Atlanta Airport and flying to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. to see my newest grandson, Raven. He was just born 8 days ago and I can hardly wait to hold him and kiss his chubby cheeks. My daughter Krys is fairly laid back so I am planning to spend a lot of time at my hotel, sunning, sleeping and doing a lot of nothing for 4 solid days! Oh, I am sure we will take in the sights, but my goal once I hit Florida is to enjoy white sand beaches and crystal clear water. That is something I have never experienced. I was born in Galveston. From pictures I have seen of other islands, Galveston beaches are the ugliest in the world! Thank goodness Ft. Lauderdale is on the Atlantic side of the state so there should be no problems from the ongoing influx of oil and is currently spewing off the coast of Louisiana. By the way, I remember getting tar all over my body and bathing suits since I was a child whenever we went to Galveston. Oil spills must be talked about more now than they were then. Just a thought . . .
I have had a very difficult couple of years with the loss of 3 jobs. Fortunately, I now have a wonderful job at NASA, but no one here knows how long our jobs will be in place. I know God is in control so I refuse to worry about losing this job. Instead I have chosen to thank God for His blessings and provision. I wanted to share this particular blog to let my friends know about my trip May 15 -22, but to also give thanks to God for allowing me to take this trip. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. He does not vary or change; God is good, all the time. I also want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to go to college and pursue a degree in Religion with a minor in Biblical Studies. I’ve been working hard and am proud to report that at the end of my first semester I have 4 A’s (the highest average being 100 and the lowest being 96.7). That is pretty cool for someone who hasn’t been to school in 44 years! So, thank you, Lord! I worship You for who You are and I praise You for the things You have done and are continuing to do in my life. As the Vicki Yohe song says, “Because of who You are I give you glory. Because of who You are I give you praise. Because of who You are, I will life my voice and say, Lord I worship You because of who You are. Jehovah Jireh, my provider; Jehovah Nissi, Lord you reign in victory; Jehovah Shalom, You’re my Prince of Peace; Lord I worship You because of who You are.”
Don’t forget to thank God today for those things He has done and continues to do in your life. Everything you have came from His hand. The prayers of his children are like sweet incense to Him. Be faithful in prayer to the One who loves you more than you will ever know.
Be blessed this day!
Candy
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Prayer - Never Pray for Bad Things to Happen
Next week, the Discussion Board question in my Theology class is: “In view of the New Testament teaching of “loving our enemy/neighbor,” discuss the role of imprecatory prayers (psalms) for today? Can we pray “against” people or things today? Take a view and defend your position (with love!) and use scripture. Discuss.” I wanted to share my answer to this question as this week’s blog.
Imprecatory prayers are those calling for punishment or calamity to fall upon one who is doing evil. The flesh within us cries out to pray against the evildoers in the world in which we live today. My flesh does not want anything good to happen to people who are involved in evil practices. In fact, my flesh wants to see them punished for their “sins.” If someone has been rude to me I want others to be rude to them. This is human nature (flesh). But praying against people and asking for punishment for them would make me no different than the Pharisees who brought the woman in adultery to Jesus and asked him to pronounce a death sentence on her for her sin. While I do believe there is punishment for sin, I must let God decide the measure of punishment and how and when it is to be administered. Many times that punishment is simply the natural consequences suffered because of the sin.
I have been instructed by the inspired Word of God to love my enemies, bless those who curse me, do good to those who hate me and pray for those who persecute me (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-36). In light of these Scriptures alone, I would be disobedient to my Lord if I failed to do just that. We all have people in our lives who have hurt us in various ways. We all know someone who we have trouble liking because of the way they act. Most of the time, this individual is not a Christian (which explains why they act the way they do). Instead of praying calamity or punishment on them, I pray for their salvation. I ask God to open their spiritual eyes and allow them to see Him at work around them and to recognize the error of their ways so they are open to repentance. I ask God to use me to bring this about. Since I know that God does not desire anyone to be condemned, I can ask these things and in confidence know that God will answer my prayers.
With regard to the evil things this person may do, I can ask God to block the effect of the act and I can ask God to stop the act from happening again. If the evildoer is a public official or leader, I do not pray for him/her to die or for horrible things to happen to their family. I pray for them to recognize God at work around them. I pray for God to lead them so they turn from their wicked ways. 2 Chron. 7:14 states, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Note the Scripture requires God’s people to turn from their wicked ways. We all should be “fessed up” (as my East Texas pastor used to say) before God can hear our prayers and heal our land.
In situations where children are fighting you often hear a parent say, “play nice.” As Christians we should “pray nice.” That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!
Love on one of your enemies today. You may be amazed how they respond.
Candy
Imprecatory prayers are those calling for punishment or calamity to fall upon one who is doing evil. The flesh within us cries out to pray against the evildoers in the world in which we live today. My flesh does not want anything good to happen to people who are involved in evil practices. In fact, my flesh wants to see them punished for their “sins.” If someone has been rude to me I want others to be rude to them. This is human nature (flesh). But praying against people and asking for punishment for them would make me no different than the Pharisees who brought the woman in adultery to Jesus and asked him to pronounce a death sentence on her for her sin. While I do believe there is punishment for sin, I must let God decide the measure of punishment and how and when it is to be administered. Many times that punishment is simply the natural consequences suffered because of the sin.
I have been instructed by the inspired Word of God to love my enemies, bless those who curse me, do good to those who hate me and pray for those who persecute me (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-36). In light of these Scriptures alone, I would be disobedient to my Lord if I failed to do just that. We all have people in our lives who have hurt us in various ways. We all know someone who we have trouble liking because of the way they act. Most of the time, this individual is not a Christian (which explains why they act the way they do). Instead of praying calamity or punishment on them, I pray for their salvation. I ask God to open their spiritual eyes and allow them to see Him at work around them and to recognize the error of their ways so they are open to repentance. I ask God to use me to bring this about. Since I know that God does not desire anyone to be condemned, I can ask these things and in confidence know that God will answer my prayers.
With regard to the evil things this person may do, I can ask God to block the effect of the act and I can ask God to stop the act from happening again. If the evildoer is a public official or leader, I do not pray for him/her to die or for horrible things to happen to their family. I pray for them to recognize God at work around them. I pray for God to lead them so they turn from their wicked ways. 2 Chron. 7:14 states, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Note the Scripture requires God’s people to turn from their wicked ways. We all should be “fessed up” (as my East Texas pastor used to say) before God can hear our prayers and heal our land.
In situations where children are fighting you often hear a parent say, “play nice.” As Christians we should “pray nice.” That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!
Love on one of your enemies today. You may be amazed how they respond.
Candy
Friday, April 2, 2010
GOOD FRIDAY
On Thursday night, Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples for 30 pieces of silver; sold down the river for what amounted to the price of a slave. The Jews seized Jesus and bound him. He was first taken to the high priest, Caiaphas, who questioned him, asking if he was the Messiah. Jesus did not answer the question directly, but allowed his interrogators to conclude that he had said yes. He did not respond to other questions. His silence infuriated them. From the priests’ point of view, Jesus had caused enough trouble for the Council of Priests. Had he not chased the moneychangers out of the Temple? His heretic teachings must cease. Witnesses were brought forth to testify that Jesus said he would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in 3 days. This amounted to a blasphemous statement because the Temple was the most holy of structure in all of Jerusalem. The witnesses contradicted each other and could not get their stories straight. Jesus remained silent throughout this proceeding. Caiaphas was angered to the point that he tore his clothes in frustration and pronounced Jesus a heretic. With the consent of his fellow priests, he sentenced Jesus to death.
The following day, the Council of High Priests met again. They viewed Jesus as a threat to their power so they were determined to rid themselves of him. The decision was made to take Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Jews were not allowed to carry out capital punishment without confirmation from the Roman governor. They thought Pilate would have no reluctance to use his power to deliver the death sentence they sought. Pilate examined Jesus and asked him if he was the King of the Jews. Jesus simply responded, “You say that I am.” Pilot was puzzled by Jesus and told the assembled throng of people he could not find fault with him. The crowd was furious and called for the crucifixion of Jesus. Since it was Passover, Pilate reminded the crowd that he could release a prisoner of their choice. The answer was not what Pilate expected. The crowd called for the release of Barabbas, a murderer. Pilate, still not convinced Jesus must die, had him taken away and whipped, hoping this action would satisfy the crowd. After the beating, Pilate presented a beaten Jesus to the crowd, but they continued to call for his crucifixion. With a threat to the order of his Roman rule, Pilate stood facing this angry, unruly crowd. Bowing to the pressure of the crowd, and wanting to keep the peace, Pilate sent Jesus off to be executed, telling the Jews that he washed his hands of the entire matter. Because Jesus was a threat to their religious authority, the Jews took responsibility for what was about to occur.
Here it is, Good Friday; the Friday before Easter Sunday. Many people are off work today, taking a holiday. But, this was not a good day for Jesus. Jesus was crucified on that Friday. After three hours on the cross, Jesus died. His body was placed in a borrowed tomb, wrapped with grave linens and 75 pounds of ointment. Praise God that the story does not end there. Jesus did not stay in the tomb, but rose from the dead. He is still alive today!
I share this particular blog today to remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made. Neither you nor I have any idea of the physical pain involved in crucifixion. What a horrible way to died. It amounts to torture. And we must not forget about the beatings Jesus endured during his trials. Jesus wasn’t crucified because he did anything wrong; far from it. Jesus upset the status quo and threatened the position of the religious leaders. Jesus was crucified because of their fear. A lot of people are not willing to let God into their lives because of fear. They fear many things – the unknown, losing control, missing out on fun, being different. Satan is the author of fear. If you will refuse to allow Satan to scare you away, Jesus will give you the sweetest life you can ever imagine having; a life full of peace and contentment, even in times of strife and trouble. Christians are not promised a problem-free life. Better yet, we are promised a God who will never leave us or forsake us.
Before you bite off the ears on the chocolate bunny this year, stop and think that Easter is not about bunnies or chocolate at all. Easter is about new life. You can have a new life, an everlasting life, if you will simply trust in the Jesus whose sacrifice and life we celebrate this weekend.
I hope you know how very much God loves YOU!!
Candy
The following day, the Council of High Priests met again. They viewed Jesus as a threat to their power so they were determined to rid themselves of him. The decision was made to take Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Jews were not allowed to carry out capital punishment without confirmation from the Roman governor. They thought Pilate would have no reluctance to use his power to deliver the death sentence they sought. Pilate examined Jesus and asked him if he was the King of the Jews. Jesus simply responded, “You say that I am.” Pilot was puzzled by Jesus and told the assembled throng of people he could not find fault with him. The crowd was furious and called for the crucifixion of Jesus. Since it was Passover, Pilate reminded the crowd that he could release a prisoner of their choice. The answer was not what Pilate expected. The crowd called for the release of Barabbas, a murderer. Pilate, still not convinced Jesus must die, had him taken away and whipped, hoping this action would satisfy the crowd. After the beating, Pilate presented a beaten Jesus to the crowd, but they continued to call for his crucifixion. With a threat to the order of his Roman rule, Pilate stood facing this angry, unruly crowd. Bowing to the pressure of the crowd, and wanting to keep the peace, Pilate sent Jesus off to be executed, telling the Jews that he washed his hands of the entire matter. Because Jesus was a threat to their religious authority, the Jews took responsibility for what was about to occur.
Here it is, Good Friday; the Friday before Easter Sunday. Many people are off work today, taking a holiday. But, this was not a good day for Jesus. Jesus was crucified on that Friday. After three hours on the cross, Jesus died. His body was placed in a borrowed tomb, wrapped with grave linens and 75 pounds of ointment. Praise God that the story does not end there. Jesus did not stay in the tomb, but rose from the dead. He is still alive today!
I share this particular blog today to remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made. Neither you nor I have any idea of the physical pain involved in crucifixion. What a horrible way to died. It amounts to torture. And we must not forget about the beatings Jesus endured during his trials. Jesus wasn’t crucified because he did anything wrong; far from it. Jesus upset the status quo and threatened the position of the religious leaders. Jesus was crucified because of their fear. A lot of people are not willing to let God into their lives because of fear. They fear many things – the unknown, losing control, missing out on fun, being different. Satan is the author of fear. If you will refuse to allow Satan to scare you away, Jesus will give you the sweetest life you can ever imagine having; a life full of peace and contentment, even in times of strife and trouble. Christians are not promised a problem-free life. Better yet, we are promised a God who will never leave us or forsake us.
Before you bite off the ears on the chocolate bunny this year, stop and think that Easter is not about bunnies or chocolate at all. Easter is about new life. You can have a new life, an everlasting life, if you will simply trust in the Jesus whose sacrifice and life we celebrate this weekend.
I hope you know how very much God loves YOU!!
Candy
Thursday, March 25, 2010
God's Gracious Gift
Jesus was at the Mt. of Olives, teaching people at the temple courts. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman accused of adultery to Jesus. "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" The response of Jesus to this self-righteous group made them turn on their heels. "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Upon hearing this and with no way to respond, the teachers and Pharisees began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:1-11)
Yes, this woman had sinned, but all her accusers wanted to do was punish her; they offered no forgiveness. But Jesus had a different agenda, one that the Pharisees were not ready to believe. Who was this man? A Prophet? The Messiah (as He claimed)? How could a Messiah come from Galilee they wondered? Wasn’t Galilee inhabited by Gentiles? Scripture foretold the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, not Galilee. If the Jews had taken any time to check out this self-professed Messiah, they would have learned he was born in Bethlehem and was from the lineage of David. When Nicodemus tried to intervene on behalf of Jesus, he asked them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” John 7:50-52. Sometimes people are just stubborn; too stubborn to see the truth.
Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. His love is redemptive, not accusatory. He came to make us whole, not tear us apart. Jesus is life, not death. He promises abundant life to all who believe in Him. The woman who had faced a certain and painful death by stoning had been set free. She was not only set free from her accusers, she was set free from the bondage of sin in her life. Do you see how each of our lives is like the life of this woman? Every one of us has sin in our lives. Scripture tells us in Romans 10:9 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We can’t help sinning; we were born with a sin nature. You do not have to teach a young child to disobey, it comes automatically to him. My little granddaughter Gwendolyn has been taught correct behavior, yet there are times that she balks and responds with a defiant, “No!” when asked to do something she doesn’t want to do. Her little face scrunches into a frown and she looks angry. Jon and Melissa did not teach her to say “no” or to be mad or to pout, but she does it anyway. Original sin began with Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden and is part of all of our lives. God provided a way for our sins to be covered by sending a perfect sacrifice to earth. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you. Even if you were the only person in need of a Savior, God loves you so much He still would have given Jesus, just for you. When Gwendolyn reaches the age of understanding, she will be offered the same gift Jesus offered the woman caught in adultery. This gift is the gift of salvation and eternal life through Him.
A gift is just that – a gift. It has to be received before it is a gift. If you refuse the gift, it will never belong to you. Becoming a Christian requires no good works on your behalf. Jesus wants you just as you are. You don’t have to quit any bad habits or change any behaviors to come to Christ. All you have to do is believe He is the Son of God and that He lived on this earth, was beaten and crucified on a cross, and that 3 days later he arose from the dead. When you pray, asking Jesus to forgive your sins (past, present and future) and to become Lord of your life, you are adopted into His family and become one of God’s children. We are all God’s creation, but none of us is a child of God until we are adopted. It’s really very easy, but sometimes we make the easiest of things difficult because we over-analyze. You have to come by faith in order to receive the gift Jesus has for you.
As Easter Season quickly approaches, I hope you will reflect on what Jesus did for you. If you have never accepted His free gift you can do that right now. He’s right where you are and He is waiting for you. He holds the gift in His hand. Won’t you accept it today?
Yes, this woman had sinned, but all her accusers wanted to do was punish her; they offered no forgiveness. But Jesus had a different agenda, one that the Pharisees were not ready to believe. Who was this man? A Prophet? The Messiah (as He claimed)? How could a Messiah come from Galilee they wondered? Wasn’t Galilee inhabited by Gentiles? Scripture foretold the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, not Galilee. If the Jews had taken any time to check out this self-professed Messiah, they would have learned he was born in Bethlehem and was from the lineage of David. When Nicodemus tried to intervene on behalf of Jesus, he asked them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” John 7:50-52. Sometimes people are just stubborn; too stubborn to see the truth.
Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. His love is redemptive, not accusatory. He came to make us whole, not tear us apart. Jesus is life, not death. He promises abundant life to all who believe in Him. The woman who had faced a certain and painful death by stoning had been set free. She was not only set free from her accusers, she was set free from the bondage of sin in her life. Do you see how each of our lives is like the life of this woman? Every one of us has sin in our lives. Scripture tells us in Romans 10:9 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We can’t help sinning; we were born with a sin nature. You do not have to teach a young child to disobey, it comes automatically to him. My little granddaughter Gwendolyn has been taught correct behavior, yet there are times that she balks and responds with a defiant, “No!” when asked to do something she doesn’t want to do. Her little face scrunches into a frown and she looks angry. Jon and Melissa did not teach her to say “no” or to be mad or to pout, but she does it anyway. Original sin began with Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden and is part of all of our lives. God provided a way for our sins to be covered by sending a perfect sacrifice to earth. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you. Even if you were the only person in need of a Savior, God loves you so much He still would have given Jesus, just for you. When Gwendolyn reaches the age of understanding, she will be offered the same gift Jesus offered the woman caught in adultery. This gift is the gift of salvation and eternal life through Him.
A gift is just that – a gift. It has to be received before it is a gift. If you refuse the gift, it will never belong to you. Becoming a Christian requires no good works on your behalf. Jesus wants you just as you are. You don’t have to quit any bad habits or change any behaviors to come to Christ. All you have to do is believe He is the Son of God and that He lived on this earth, was beaten and crucified on a cross, and that 3 days later he arose from the dead. When you pray, asking Jesus to forgive your sins (past, present and future) and to become Lord of your life, you are adopted into His family and become one of God’s children. We are all God’s creation, but none of us is a child of God until we are adopted. It’s really very easy, but sometimes we make the easiest of things difficult because we over-analyze. You have to come by faith in order to receive the gift Jesus has for you.
As Easter Season quickly approaches, I hope you will reflect on what Jesus did for you. If you have never accepted His free gift you can do that right now. He’s right where you are and He is waiting for you. He holds the gift in His hand. Won’t you accept it today?
Friday, March 19, 2010
The Best Bargain of Your Life
I was shopping at Burke’s Outlet last week and couldn’t resist getting Paisley a yellow and white sundress with ducks appliquéd on the bottom. It is getting close to Easter and the weather is warmer. I could picture her dark hair and eyes and her olive complexion against the crisp yellow and white dress and I knew she had to have it. We women are great shoppers. We always justify our purchases and this one was justified because she needed an Easter dress and Burke’s is an outlet store so the price was great. I love to find bargains. Probably the best bargain is something for free; don’t you agree? I do love those buy one, get one (BOGO) sales.
But the best deal I ever got never cost me a bit of money. I was 9 years old in the summer of 1959. I was attending GA (Girls Auxiliary) camp at a Baptist Encampment called Peach Creek, in New Waverly, Texas. I had a great week at camp. We hiked, swam, played games, had chapel services and got to shop for goodies at the camp store. All in all I would have the say the week was grand. On Thursday evening, at the final chapel service of the day, my heart was touched by the missionary who was speaking. I wish I could remember his name. He was a foreign missionary to Africa who was home on furlough. I believe his wife was a nurse. I knew for the first time in my life that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. When the invitation song started, I was one of the first to walk toward the preacher and tell him that I wanted to accept Christ as my Savior. I remember him sitting with me on the front row and explaining to me the plan of salvation. He went through Scriptures found in the book of Romans. Baptists commonly refer to these as the “Romans Road.” I’ve written them here for you.
We must realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness.
Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
God gave us the way to be forgiven of our sins.
Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we repent of our sins, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will have eternal life.
Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Just call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved!
Romans 10:13: “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Determine in your heart to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life today.
Romans 11:36: "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to who be glory forever. Amen."
After sharing these verses with me and being absolutely sure I understood them, the missionary preacher asked me to repeat a prayer after him. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like this:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
With that prayer my life was changed forever. I was so interested in mission work that I decided I would be a missionary nurse in Africa. I collected information on nursing school for several years and studied life in Africa. But as I grew older and realized I have an extremely weak stomach, I did not attend nursing school. In fact, I would never in a million years want to be a nurse. But God, I His mercy, continues to give me a mission field wherever I live and work. Did I lead a perfect and sinless life after I accepted Christ? Of course not and actually, far from it. I struggled as a teen and young adult with sin, mistakes and poor judgment because I failed to attend church and spend time in prayer and Bible Study. I was like an unguided missile on a path to destruction. But God guided me back to Him and I can say that for the last 26 years I have stayed on that track and enjoyed the blessings of God on my life and the lives of my children. If after all I have done wrong in my life God can still use me to shine His light on the world, He can use anyone.
If you have never had a time in your life when you accepted the free gift of salvation, why not do it today? Jesus is just waiting on you. It is not enough to just know about Jesus in your head and to say you believe in him. Even the devil and his demons believe Jesus is real. You must repent (turn away) from your sins and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. That part is what the devil and his little imps will never do. It’s a free gift, but the gift can only be yours if you accept it.
April 4 is Easter. Wouldn’t it be great to celebrate the real reason for Easter instead of baskets, bunnies and eggs? Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This year Easter can be a celebration of your resurrection from your dead life into eternal life in Christ. It is the best bargain you will ever find.
Much love – go with God!
Candy
But the best deal I ever got never cost me a bit of money. I was 9 years old in the summer of 1959. I was attending GA (Girls Auxiliary) camp at a Baptist Encampment called Peach Creek, in New Waverly, Texas. I had a great week at camp. We hiked, swam, played games, had chapel services and got to shop for goodies at the camp store. All in all I would have the say the week was grand. On Thursday evening, at the final chapel service of the day, my heart was touched by the missionary who was speaking. I wish I could remember his name. He was a foreign missionary to Africa who was home on furlough. I believe his wife was a nurse. I knew for the first time in my life that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. When the invitation song started, I was one of the first to walk toward the preacher and tell him that I wanted to accept Christ as my Savior. I remember him sitting with me on the front row and explaining to me the plan of salvation. He went through Scriptures found in the book of Romans. Baptists commonly refer to these as the “Romans Road.” I’ve written them here for you.
We must realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness.
Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
God gave us the way to be forgiven of our sins.
Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we repent of our sins, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will have eternal life.
Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Just call upon the name of the Lord and you will be saved!
Romans 10:13: “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Determine in your heart to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life today.
Romans 11:36: "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to who be glory forever. Amen."
After sharing these verses with me and being absolutely sure I understood them, the missionary preacher asked me to repeat a prayer after him. I don’t remember the exact words, but it was something like this:
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”
With that prayer my life was changed forever. I was so interested in mission work that I decided I would be a missionary nurse in Africa. I collected information on nursing school for several years and studied life in Africa. But as I grew older and realized I have an extremely weak stomach, I did not attend nursing school. In fact, I would never in a million years want to be a nurse. But God, I His mercy, continues to give me a mission field wherever I live and work. Did I lead a perfect and sinless life after I accepted Christ? Of course not and actually, far from it. I struggled as a teen and young adult with sin, mistakes and poor judgment because I failed to attend church and spend time in prayer and Bible Study. I was like an unguided missile on a path to destruction. But God guided me back to Him and I can say that for the last 26 years I have stayed on that track and enjoyed the blessings of God on my life and the lives of my children. If after all I have done wrong in my life God can still use me to shine His light on the world, He can use anyone.
If you have never had a time in your life when you accepted the free gift of salvation, why not do it today? Jesus is just waiting on you. It is not enough to just know about Jesus in your head and to say you believe in him. Even the devil and his demons believe Jesus is real. You must repent (turn away) from your sins and ask Jesus to be Lord of your life. That part is what the devil and his little imps will never do. It’s a free gift, but the gift can only be yours if you accept it.
April 4 is Easter. Wouldn’t it be great to celebrate the real reason for Easter instead of baskets, bunnies and eggs? Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This year Easter can be a celebration of your resurrection from your dead life into eternal life in Christ. It is the best bargain you will ever find.
Much love – go with God!
Candy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)