Balance!

On my perpetual calendar, “Spiritual Refreshment for Women,” for October 22nd was this statement:

Salvation is hard work!  Not only did it require Jesus’ crucifixion for our sins, but we have a part in the effort, too.  We have to live out the commands in God’s Word that make our faith have an impact on the world.

In our Christian walk, there needs to be balance.  Ephesians 2:8  tells us that,”… by grace  you have been  saved, through faith– and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God  not by works, so that no one can boast.”  Our part in salvation is pointed out  in John 15:5 where Jesus says, “…if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.”  We are called to remain in Christ and bear fruit.  Fruit that comes by walking with Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives .  Christ calls us to grow up.  To look less and less like the world and more and more like his example.  This is the hard work we must do in cooperation with God’s grace.

As Christians we are all at different points in our spiritual journey.  But where ever our starting point, scripture is clear that no one who encountered Christ remained unchanged.    And so it should be in our lives. There should be change, not from rules, but from the inside with the renewal of our minds by the Holy Spirit, revealing himself in our daily lives.

The Antidote For Doubt

God has a theme message going in my life.  This devotion is another reminder to me to be thankful and praise God.  May it bless you as it did me!  Thanks Joyce Meyer!

No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question)concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God.  Romans 4:20

From Joyce Meyer’s devotional, “Love out Loud”:

You may know the story of Abraham( see Genesis 12:1-17, 21;7).  Basically, God promised Abraham a son, but at the time, he was one hundred years old and his wife was ninety, so their childbearing years were long gone!  But Abraham knew God had spoken and was determined not to focus on the natural impossibility that he and Sarah could have a child.  Instead, he planted his faith in God’s promise and held on to that promise by praising God.  His story is so remarkable that Paul made reference to it in Romans 4:18-21.

Abraham had absolutely no reason to hope.  In fact, if any situation has ever been beyond hope, it would be the possibility of two people past ninety being able to have a biological child.  Nevertheless, Abraham kept hoping: he kept believing God’s promise.  He did not waver in his faith or question God’s promise.  Instead, “he grew strong and was empowered by faith” as he praised God.

The same thing will happen when you praise God.  You gain more and more strength, your faith increases, and the things that are coming against you to defeat you are dissipated as you praise Him.  That’s why it’s important to be diligent to listen to praise and worship music.  I encourage you to play it in your home and in your car; learn songs and sing them; thank God and praise Him!

Love God Today; God never responds to complaining, but He does respond to praise and an attitude of gratitude.

“Come To Jesus”

This past week, I attended the funeral of a friend of ours who lost his battle with cancer. He was a good and godly man and I was sad even as I celebrated the goodness of God in granting him a long life.

Gospel music speaks volumes to me and moves me in powerful ways.  I have heard this song before but it was so appropriate for this celebration of life and I was transfixed by the message in the words.  The song is called “Come to Jesus.” God has us covered even beyond our final breath.  Praise his name!!!

It Bears Repeating

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GOD LOVES YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE!!!

No matter how long we have known Christ, we often struggle to understand His love for us.  We see all of our failures, shortcomings, and sin and feel useless and unworthy.  We think God doesn’t really mean it when He says He loves us. We think if only we can act better it will increase His love for us.

I have devoured Neil T. Anderson’s book entitled “Victory Over The Darkness.”  In his book is a paragraph that I want to share with you today.

God Loves You Just the Way You Are!….The primary truth you need to know about God in order for your faith to remain strong is that His love and acceptance is unconditional.  When your walk of faith is strong, God loves you.  When your walk of faith is weak, God loves you.  When you’re strong one moment and weak the next, God loves you.  God’s love for you is the great eternal constant in the midst of all the inconsistencies of your daily walk.

The author reminds us that scripture shows God wants us to do good, of course.  But God has already made provision for our failure.  So His love is constant regardless!

 But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for OUR sins but also the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2;1,2 NIV

Waiting……

 

 

I’ve been away from this blog for a while now as family needs have taken precedence.   The death of my awesome mother in law continued to make focusing on things other than blogging, a priority.

But now the busyness has died down somewhat and I find myself thinking of this blog and having little to say at this time.  The words don’t rhyme very well and the profound thoughts are struggling to surface.  So I put up quotes when I find myself interested in posting something.

Not sure where all of this is leading.  I was a faithful blogger for over a year and I enjoyed and thought of writing as my way of touching the lives of others.

Certainly there are many of you out there, way more talented than I.  But I keep trying to encourage and help someone out there who just may read my blog for this reason.

So where do I go from here?   Am I finished with blogging?  Is there another path I am to pursue?  Lots of questions and no clear-cut answers.  So I trust in God’s faithfulness, knowing he has a plan that is not ready to be revealed at this time.

Then the Lord answered me and said: “….. For the vision is yet for an appointed  time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries,  wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” ( Habakkuk  2:2-3)

A Few Quotes