Seek The Lord Sunday: Saved And Made New

This week is another "open" week...mostly because I forgot to update the topic in my sidebar! Sorry 'bout that. I'll try to offer a suggestion again next week.

Isn't it funny the different ways that God can speak to us? Once I'm looking, I see Him and his message of love and salvation everywhere. I mean everywhere...even in the garbage can! I'll explain...

This is my favorite houseplant:

I've had this plant for 18 years (how is that even possible?!). It's a shamrock plant, and it's so delicate and beautiful. It's leaves turn a deep green with purple backs when I'm doing a good job of fertilizing it regularly. And it produces these sweet little delicate white flowers, that I love. One of my favorite things is how it's leaves close at night, and open in the daylight. But this post isn't really about a houseplant, I promise.

The main reason I love this plant is because of the way I acquired it. Before it was mine, it was my Mom's. We moved houses one hot Idaho summer and this plant got left in the car too long. It was completely shriveled and dead looking when Mom found it in the back window of the car. She dumped the pot's contents into the garbage can, and set about unpacking boxes and setting up the new house.

A day or so later, I was taking out the trash. I took off the garage can lid, and was about to put the bag of garbage in the can when I saw something odd in there. It looked like a cluster of bright orange pine cones or something. I was intrigued, so I reached in there and grabbed it out of the dirt and grime. I realized it was the root ball of Mom's "dead" plant.

Some might call me a fool...I prefer the term "optimist". I brought my strange find into the house, ran it under some water to get the gunk and dirt off of it, and I plopped it into a flower pot. I didn't even know which end was up. I just stuck it in there, covered it with dirt, and gave it some water.

To my delight, I saw little green sprouts poking their heads through the soil in about a week! I couldn't believe it!

That plant has been in that very pot ever since. Every now and then it starts to look a little weak or anemic, and I think it's dying. When that happens, I literally dump it in the garbage, shake of the dirt that's run out of nutrients, and re-plant it in new, fresh soil. Sure enough, it comes back strong once again.

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this story by now :)

These days, when I look at that plant and think of it's beginnings, I'm reminded of how I'm saved and made new by the Lord. When I think of the person I was before he got his hands on my gunky little heart...oh, I belonged in a garbage can too! But not with a God like ours! He dug me out, washed me off, and planted me in soil filled with nutrients. I thrive under his love and care. I grow...and every now and then I even sprout a flower or two.

And although I wish I never needed it, sometimes he has to "dump me back out" and start over with me. And once again, I'm clean and new. And with the right soil, a drink from the never-dry well from time to time, and a little light from the Son...I'm back to being the best me that I can be.

I'm so thankful that we have a God who's not afraid to go to the ugly and dirty parts of our lives and hearts to rescue us...proof positive that he loves us beyond reason! Our very own "dumpster-diving" God!! Ha!

Tonight, my heart is just filled with gratitude. Gratitude for being saved...gratitude for being so preciously loved...gratitude that God is bigger and better than my little mind will ever be able to comprehend this side of Heaven. Can I get an 'Amen'!

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)

How has the Lord touched your heart recently?

Seek The Lord Sunday: God's Grace

I've felt particularly drawn to the book of Galatians this week. I've been reading and re-reading it in my spare quiet moments (and with 4 little ones, I have SO many of those, HA!).

If not extra quiet moments, I did find some extra peace in this wonderful book this week. There is one verse that keeps playing in my head like a stuck record...

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" Galatians 2:21

I admit it: I have control issues. It's a daily battle for me to turn my life over to God and to just rest in his grace and mercy. And when I think about my eternity? Sometimes I panic.

I think, "Oh, I'm not good enough! I don't deserve it! What if I've missed something and I'm actually headed down instead of up?!" And in my mind, I try to take inventory of all the "good" stuff I've done that might tip the scales in my favor. And then I panic some more...knowing that there's probably "bad" stuff that I'm not even aware of. It's a terrible, vicious circle!

But this verse. This verse really hit me this week. If I could do enough...if it were possible to do enough "good" to earn our way to Heaven? Then Christ would have died for NOTHING.

When I try, in my little mind, to figure my way into Heaven based on doing "good", I'm reducing what Jesus did for me to nothing. I'm making a mockery of his sacrifice. It's like saying, "Yeah, that was awful nice of you. It's kind of a nice safety net in case I need it. But me? I'm okay. I'm doing tons of great stuff here, so I should be fine. Thanks anyway!"

I'm made righteous...I'm saved...because of God's GRACE. Nothing more and nothing less. If I stand before the gates of Heaven some day and hear the question "Why should you be let in?" My answer should only be...CAN only be, "Because Jesus died for me, and he washed me clean. His sacrifice was 100% sufficient. His grace is enough."

(I'm probably throw a "pretty please with sugar on top" in there somewhere too!)

And resting in God's grace is such a relief. I don't have to do it! I can stop trying so hard to be "good", and focus only on being grateful. I can focus on living a life that is inspired by my love for the one who showed me such grace. I can focus on my Jesus.

This week is an "Open" week. Write about whatever you want. Hopefully, you've been praying and seeking all week and the Lord has taught you a thing or two too! Please share :)

Seeking The Lord Through The Psalms

This week, we're looking at the Psalms. Do you have a favorite? Or is there one that speaks to you recently?

To be honest, I had a hard time deciding on just one. It's not like I have an "answer" when I choose a topic for the week. I typically pray about it, or just have an interest in something...that's how it becomes a topic for STLS. This one just sort of popped into my head (thank you, Lord). So here I am...trying to figure out what to write about!

Since I can't decide on one chapter or verse in this awesome book...lucky you, I'm writing about two!

The first is Psalm 10:14:

"But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless."

I love this one because it tells me that God sees me. When I feel sad or lonely or depressed or worthless? God sees what I'm going through. I am not alone, even when it feels like I might be.

And not only does he see my troubles and grief...but He considers my pain and "takes it in hand". What does this mean? To me, this means he does something about it. Not only is he aware of what's happening, but he's an active participant in our lives. He's thinking for us. He's working for us. He's healing for us.

So many New Age religions demote God to some sort of mystical nebulous of happy feelings floating aimlessly through space. "We are what we believe". To this, I respectfully and lovingly say...BALONEY! The Bible tells of a God who is very very real, very personal.

He is a God who takes care of the victims in our world...and who hasn't been a victim at some point in our lives? Sin is everywhere and it affects us all. And he is a God who even sees the little ones who are without a father. They are orphaned and alone...but not really. God sees them. God loves them. God is taking their situation in hand. No one is too small or too "bad" for God to love and care for.

Have you been hurt by your sin? Have you been hurt by someone else? Does it feel like your life is in a shambles and like there's no hope? God sees you. He cares for you. He loves you. Be patient, cry on his shoulder if you'd like, and trust in Him to work it out for you. He has taken your situation "in hand". There is hope!

I guess, bottom line, this verse tells me that God cares for all the little things in our lives. He cares for the hidden things in our lives. He cares for the pain in our lives. And who could care for all of these little things but a very BIG God? He's awesome!

The other verse that struck a chord with me this week is Psalm 147:10-11:

"His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love."

I love how this verse basically takes things out of my hands. God is not interested or impressed by my strength or my intelligence. He's not interested in what I can do. He's not impressed by all the good stuff I'm doing. Why is He not impressed by this stuff? Because when I do good, or am strong, or am smart...if I'm doing it to impress, then it's not of God. It's of me, and it's pride.

What God does delight in though, is people who respect and trust Him. He want our hearts, not our strength. He wants our faith, not our good work. He wants us to lean on Him, not on ourselves.

So when I feel like a failure or like I'm not "doing" enough? This verse reminds me that what the Lord really wants from me is for me to trust in Him. To rejoice in the hope that his unfailing love offers me. Even in my lazy and good for nothing moments...I can do that. I can trust God. I can remind myself of His love. His unfailing love.

It's almost always in these moments of stillness and humbleness before God that I am refreshed....rejuvenated. And then, with the reassurance of His love for me, I can take on the world. I can to to work for Him...not because I want to impress, but because I want to bless. My work is then a response to God's love for me...not a way of trying to earn God's approval.

There's such peace in knowing that there's really nothing I can do outside of trusting Him! After that, He works out all the details :)

How about you? How have you sought the Lord through the Psalms this week, and what did you find?

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy

2. Denise

3. Everyday Becky

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

You Get What You Get, And You Don't Throw A Fit!

Happy weekend, everyone! I hope you're having a good one :)

This week, we're writing about a lesson we've learned recently. What has God been showing you...teaching you?

Personally, I learn a lot of God's lessons from my children. This week was no different. Clara, my 5 year old, taught me this important lesson.

For those of you with 5 year olds, you've probably heard, "It's not Faaaaair!" many times. I'm beginning to think it's about all she can say these days, and it is driving me positively crazy! I can't seem to do anything that's "fair" in her eyes. Someone always has more than her...more computer time, more snuggles, more ice cream, more books, more time with friends. Even I've begun to look at the world differently. As I'm dividing up the dessert into the kids' bowls, I'm thinking, "Okay, now will Clara think that this looks fair?"

Well, just a few days ago, it really came to a head. I gave the kids bowls of grapes as a snack. Knowing that Clara would immediately look at her bowl and compare it to the contents of her siblings' bowls and bellow, "Hey! They have more than me, that's not fair!", I actually counted the grapes as they went in the bowls. Yes, I counted them. Each and every bowl got exactly 15 grapes. Exactly.

And what did Clara think? You guessed it...not fair. I'd had it. My blood began to boil a bit after all my effort to make it not only fair, but precisely and exactly fair. I took a deep breath and said (I wish more calmly),

"Clara, it IS fair. It's perfectly fair. I counted the grapes and you have exactly as many grapes as your brother and sister. It only looks unfair to you because you automatically assume that it's not fair and that you're getting the short stick.

And do you know what else? When you are always looking at what other people have and wanting it for yourself....do you know what that's called? It's called coveting, my dear, and it's no good. In fact, God even talks about it in the Bible. He says we shouldn't do it. Do you know why? Because when you're so busy looking at someone else's stuff, you're too busy to enjoy the blessings sitting right in front of you. Like that bowl of grapes...they're delicious. Why don't you just look at that bowl, and say "YUM!", thank me for giving them to you, an enjoy them?!

And that reminds me...I am your Mommy, Clara. I love you very very much, and I always do things fairly. And if I don't? Well, then there's a darn good reason for it, and you're just going to have to trust me. Sometimes you just get what you get, and you don't throw a fit. NOW EAT YOUR 15 GRAPES!"

As you can imagine, she looked at me with those beautiful, wide, green eyes of hers. Then she looked at her bowl. Then she said, "yummy, thank you Mommy", and enjoyed the heck out of those grapes!

Of course, I had to apologize to her for getting so upset...but the lesson, it seemed to sink in a bit! And even more importantly, I learned a thing or two about coveting.

Logically...intelectually...I've always understood that we "shall not covet". I understood what coveting was and I could recognize it in my own life. But until that moment with my precious girl, I had never really grasped what it must do to God's heart when we covet. What a blessing it was to be taught that lesson.

In the spirit of really Seeking The Lord this Sunday, I've done a search of the Bible for some scripture that talks about coveting and, it's opposite, contentment. I found some interesting passages. First, the obvious:

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17

And then I found this one in Romans 13:9:
"The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself.""

This Romans passage really hit a nerve with me too, because it described another reason that Clara's coveting was so painful for me. Not only was she not enjoying her blessings and not trusting me...but she was wanting less for her brother and sister! As their Mommy, it always breaks my heart when they're not a team...when they're not rooting for each other....when they're not wanting the best for one another. And when Clara wanted what Ben had? She wanted more for herself and less for him. She was not loving him as herself.

And then there's Hebrews 13:5:
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.""

And Philippians 4:11-12:
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Now we're getting to the heart of it, aren't we? It all comes back to Him...it always does :) We are to avoid coveting, and choose contentment. But why? Because we have HIM. He will never leave us. He will never forsake us. And everything we need to do? We can do it through Him.

So really...what do we need to covet? We are complete in him. We are daughters and sons of the King of Kings...princesses and princes! So let's get to the business of enjoying our blessings and loving one another...really loving one another...even if it means that someone will end up with "more" and it won't be "fair".


P.S. I've written about contentment before. If you'd like to read that post, click HERE.

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy 2. Untypically Jia 3. Amanda (my new blog)

4. Peggy@Mazes... 5. Mama Belle 6. Kimberly

7. Sheila @ The Faithful Follower 8. Andrea

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Seek The Lord Sunday Topic For This Week

Just a reminder...

You can always find next weekend's STLS topic in my left sidebar. Join us this week to share a lesson that God has taught you recently.

Let's Talk About Deception

This week's Seek The Lord Sunday topic is "Satan". Fun one, eh? I think it's important for us to learn about him though, since the Bible tells us that he is our enemy, and that he "prowls around looking for someone to devour"! I don't know about you, but if someone is out to get me, I want to be able to see him coming. I can't see him coming if I hide under the covers and pretend he's not real!

So this week, I'm hoping we can all shine some light on this roaring lion in our lives. Let's get him out in the open so the mystery is gone, and we can DO something to fight against him.

Satan has many names including Devil, Accuser, Beelzebub, Prince of Demons, Prince of this World, Deceiver, and Father of Lies. A name in Biblical times was not simply a random label placed on someone, or chosen because mom and dad liked how it sounded. A name held real meaning. It spoke to one's character. So clearly, there is lots we could talk about when it comes to Satan!

What I'd like to focus on today is spiritual deception. Namely, what is it, what does it look like, and how does Satan use it?

First, what is deception? The Miriam-Webster Dictionary says that "Deceive" means "To cause to accept as true or valid that which is false or invalid". So spiritual deception means to cause someone to accept something spiritual that is false.

Take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."

Satan masquerades as an angel of light...he makes himself appear to be of God and from God in order to trick us...to deceive us. Why would Satan spend his time trying to deceive us? Why does he care if we believe the truth or not? Because we're not talking about any old truth...we're talking about THE Truth, with a capital "T". God's Truth. God's Gospel, to be more specific. The Gospel is our ticket to salvation, to forgiveness...ultimately to Heaven for all of eternity, should we accept it. Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy...he does not want us to have abundant or eternal life with God.

Deception is one of the tools that Satan uses to keep us from God's Truth. So, what does deception look like?

Well, the short answer is...it looks really appealing. Deception makes the bad look great. It makes lies look like truth. It's sneaky.

Let's look at an overly-simplistic example of deception. If you were going to deceive someone into eating...say...poison, how would you do it? Would you:

A. Give them a bottle marked with the word "poison", and tell them to drink up?
B. Mix the poison into a slimy, gooey, smelly drink, and tell them it's a health drink?
C. Pick some sweet, ripe strawberries, coat ONE in the poison, add a bunch of sugar, and place the bowl in front of them?

Assuming you really wanted to be successful...like it's your mission in life...you would give something like (C) a try. You'd be sneaky about it. Satan is sneaky too.

Let's look at this from a spiritual deception standpoint. Do you belong to a church? How do you know that your church is telling you the Truth? How do you know that what you're being fed every week is good for you, and not actually spiritual poison? Here are some things I've heard people say in defense of their church:

"I know my church is true because God has blessed it with great wealth."
"I know my church is of God because we are growing faster than any other church."
"I know that my church is a good one because we do so many great and wonderful things in our communities."
"I know my church is Godly because it teaches good, strong family and lifestyle values."
"I know my church is teaching me the right stuff because our leaders are so dedicated, and such good men/women."
"I know my church is right for me because I feel so good when I'm there."
"I know I'm on the right path because I had a vision that this is where I should be."
"I know I'm being taught the truth because one of our church leaders had a vision of God, and I trust my church leader."
"I am where I belong because this is working really well for me and my life right now."

Now, I'm not saying that any of these statements automatically mean that a church is wrong...but they certainly do not guarantee that a church is right, or healthy, either. If these are the types of reasons that you believe your church is trustworthy, please look closely. You might be in a trap of deception.

Why would Satan encourage brotherly love, community service, upright living? Because the best way to attract people to lies is to put it in a pretty package. Satan is good at what he does. And he has his eye on the "end game"...eternity. Satan knows that if we are focused on doing lots of good things in this life instead of on the True Gospel of Jesus' death for our salvation....then Satan is happy! He knows that without The Gospel we're lost. He knows that without God's saving grace, all the good we do in this lifetime will be lost...it's temporary without the Gospel's saving power. He knows we'll be his in the end without it.

Alright. The question, then, that is begging to be asked is: How can I KNOW that I'm not being deceived? It's hard to know because, well, deception being what it is, you probably believe that you are NOT being deceived!

In Acts 17:11, the author tells us of a people who "examined the Scriptures" to see if what they were being told by Paul was true. I encourage you to do the same...examine and study the Scriptures.

We must be able to study the Scriptures objectively, though. We have to read the Bible, the very Word of God. Not your church's interpretation or translation of the Bible. Not our friends' interpretation. Not a study guide's notes. The Bible. (And please read it as books, not as verses. Verses alone are easily misunderstood without the context of the surrounding text.)

Now, if I had read this post at the very beginning of my walk with the Lord, I would have felt totally overwhelmed by the idea of just picking up the Bible and reading. With that in mind, I've been putting some thought into some of the most important teachings of the Bible (in my humble opinion). These are just the most basic building blocks, but a great place to start none the less.

First, the Gospel: Jesus is God in a human body. He came to earth to die for our sins. He was crucified, died, and was buried. He physically rose from death and ascended into Heaven. His death on the cross was 100% sufficient in paying the penalty for our sins. It something that he did for us out of his great love and mercy and grace. It is a gift. All we must do to become a Christian is to acknowledge our sinfulness, and acknowledge Jesus' death on our behalf. Ask God for forgiveness, and ask him to come into your life. It is truly that simple!

And second, my "Red Flag" list. This is a list of things that should raise a red flag for you if it's going on in your church. This list is certainly not exhaustive, but a good place to start. Here goes:

1. Teaching that there is more than one God.
2. Teaching that "salvation comes from within" yourself.
3. Teaching that sin is not real.
4. Teaching that no one is going to Hell, or that Hell is not real.
5. Teaching that Heaven is not real.
6. Teaching that Jesus is not God.
7. Encouragement to pray to anyone other than God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
8. Teaching that there are certain requirements that you must fulfill in order to get to Heaven (all you must do is believe in Jesus' sacrifice for you and accept it).
9. Teaching that Jesus was only a prophet or a good example for us to follow.
10. Teaching that Jesus was anything other than physically alive, then dead, and then physically alive again.
11. Teaching that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones. ( God is "invisible". Jesus is the only physical form of God.)
12. Encouragement to worship anyone/thing other than God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.
13. Teaching that there is "scripture" outside of the Holy Bible.
14. Teaching that God changes or has changed. (God is eternal, and has been the same for all of time)

**************************************************************

By now, you can probably tell that this is something I'm passionate about! It's true. I'm a "Jesus Freak" :) I love him. I love what he did for me. I love what he does in me every single day. I'm amazed by him and his amazing love for little ol' me. And I find such joy and peace and freedom in being his child.

So yeah, I'm passionate about this issue of deception because I want Jesus...the real Jesus...for everyone!

I hope that this post helped you or encouraged you or educated you in some way. This has been an awesome topic for me this week. I've spent so much time studying and learning!

Now link up, and tell me about what you've learned this week :)

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy 2. Abrianna

3. Peggy@...aMazingGrace 4. Abrianna-Part II

5. Sheila @ The Faithful Follower

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Parenting Like The Ultimate Father

This week's topic is, in a word, Parenting. How have your Christian beliefs affected your parenting? Or, if you don't have children, talk about God as "Father" in your life. I'll just jump right in...

Every now and then a friend says something that really sticks with me and makes me see the world differently. I had one of those moments recently. She said, "I'm not raising children, I'm raising adults."

Isn't that a great way to think of it? Sometimes I get so caught up in the daily struggle that is children and all of their crazy, messy, unpredictable ways, that I forget to keep my eye on the end goal. The end goal is adults. God loving, God fearing, Men and Women. Wow. That's a huge responsibility!

With that goal in mind, I've been thinking a lot lately about how God parents us and how his ways can be applied to my human parent-child relationship. In fact, hubby and I took a class about 4 years ago called "Parenting Is A Ministry". I can't remember all that we discussed (should have taken better notes!), but there are a few points that we implemented and that changed our relationship with our children (or very, very young adults!).

1. God makes his "rules" very clear. There's no guesswork. In fact, he wrote everything on paper (and stone) for us.
2. God is faithful...otherwise known as very predictable and consistent. When he says he'll do something, it gets done.
3. God is loving. He takes joy in us. He shelters us. He comforts us. Even in his discipline, he is loving above all.
4. God is the boss. He gets to make the rules, and he gets to choose the manner of discipline.
5. God treats us with respect. Sure, he makes rules and he disciplines. But he lets us make our choices (and live with the results). He respects us as individuals and does not force himself or his love on us. He doesn't come into our lives until we invite him in.

So how can we apply these same principles as parents?

1. In our family, we took #1 very literally. We wrote our family rules on paper, discussed and explained each rule to the kids...and we also wrote the appropriate disciplines for each rule should it be broken. I think this step was so important for our kids and for us. As parents, we have a game plan ALL of the time. The kids know what's expected of them, and they know what the outcome will be should they choose to break a rule. It's amazingly peaceful to have all of this literally written down.

2. We do our very best to be ultra consistent. Again, it brings peace to our children (and us) for them to know what's expected. If we're not consistent, then they have to live under a cloud of uncertainty and fear.

3. The reason for all this rule making and discipline is our love for our children. We're trying to "raise our children in the way they should go". We do lots of talking and explaining and discussing to help our kids know how to make good choices. And when we do have to discipline, we stick to the plan (from #1) and we do lots of hugs and kisses after their discipline. And by the way, we're not all rules and discipline around here! The VAST majority of our time is spent just enjoying each other as a family and doing fun and silly stuff :)

4. Daddy is the boss around here. We've tried to make it clear through example and discussion that Mommy and Daddy are partners...a team...but that Daddy is ultimately the "boss". We also let the kids know that the Lord is Daddy's "boss". The kids get a kick out of that :)

5. We make it a point to treat our children with respect. What does this look like in practical terms? We give them privacy when they want it, we say "please" and "thank you" all of the time, and we express our appreciation of them and their good choices (not just as a "positive discipline" tactic, but as a genuine show of respect). When hubby or I mess up, we apologize to the offended party and ask for forgiveness. And we give them choices. Sometimes they don't like the choices presented to them...but they get to choose none the less :) We truly love and respect our children as unique individuals, and try to treat them in a way that shows it.

We're not perfect parents, by any stretch. As I indicated, we mess up...plenty! But at the end of the day, I hope even our moments of weakness will teach our children valuable lessons. I hope they learn what it means to be a responsible, loving, compassionate child of our Almighty God. After all, that's what we're trying to teach them to be...not good kids, but great adults.

How about you? How has God helped you to be a better parent?

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy 2. Andrea\'s Life

3. Everyday Becky 4. Kimberly

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

I Can Only Imagine...

This week's STLS topic is Heaven. I love that word. What a great, beautiful, breathy word. It sounds like a sigh to me...peaceful.

With all of our "searching" the past few weeks, I thought it might be nice to look up and out a bit. To focus on the prize, the goal, the grand finale. Heaven.

What do I think of when I think of going to Heaven? Well, one of my very first thoughts is, "I'll finally get to see Jesus face to face!" I'll be able to touch him. I'll be able to physically feel his embrace. I'll be able to see the love in his eyes. And I hope that my life will be worthy of a "Well done, my good and faithful daughter". And do you know what else I really look forward to? I want to experience God's laughter. I want to see and feel and hear Jesus laugh. Oh, to see the One I've been living for! Truly...I can only imagine.

And after I see him? Well...I have some questions I'd like answers to! I look forward to understanding all that I've wondered about. It will feel great to have no more "But what about..." thoughts in my head, but I'm sure the peace of understanding how all the pieces fit together will be pretty insignificant compared to being in the presence of God.

And then, of course, I'll want to see all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to rejoice with them. I want to see my grandparents. I want to meet my little brother, Luke, who never made it home to live with us. I want to visit with the saints of the Bible. I want to meet Mother Theresa, Corrie Ten Boom, and...I know this is strange...but Mr. Rogers. He just always seemed like such a neat man!

And then...oh, and THEN...I want to DO STUFF! All the stuff that I was to afraid to do...didn't have time to do...didn't have understanding to do...didn't have the money to do...all of it. I want to experience God and every beautiful thing he's ever created.

I keep thinking...I hope I have a magnificent singing voice when I'm made complete. Because, now? Not so much. Not at all, in fact! I want to sing my favorite worship songs in a full, beautiful voice that can somehow convey the depths of my love and awe for the Lord. I want my voice to do Him justice.

Wow, I almost have to stop thinking about this. It makes me feel so homesick!

If only it weren't for the whole dying thing. "Death" itself I'm not concerned about because I know there's real life waiting for me. But the process of dying? I'm not looking forward to that part.

A teacher of mine said something once - it really helps me to keep death and dying in perspective. It went something like:

A baby in his mother's womb is perfectly content to stay there forever. The baby has never known anything else. All he knows is that he's warm, fed, and safe. He's really not even aware of the fact that he's outgrowing his home, he's just happy where he is.

Every once in a while, he might hear something interesting through the walls of his home. Every once in a while, he might taste something different because of what his mom had for dinner. Every once in a while he feels a gentle rub on his back as his mother rests her hand on her belly. But the baby has no idea...no way of knowing or understanding...what is out there. In his infant state, he really can not even fathom another "there" to be!

And then, one day, his home closes in on him. He feels enormous pressure on his body. Given the shape of a new baby's head and the bruises that are often on his body, the process of being born is probably quite painful. The baby resists the pressing from the walls of his home, but it's no use. There is no place to go but in the direction he's being pushed.

And suddenly...he's in a different place all together. The bright lights, the loud sounds, the cold air, the milk in his belly, the embrace of his mother. They are all overwhelming and wonderful! Although he resisted being born, just look at what he would have missed if he had stayed where he was!

I'm sure you can see where this is going. Death, like birth, is a painful process. But what if we could live forever? What if all we could ever experience of life is here and now? This is only a poor reflection of the real thing.

I'd rather go through death so that I can truly live. I'm so thankful that God made a way for me to join him in Heaven!

If you are a believer in Jesus as your Christ and Lord, then I look forward to rejoicing with you in person some day!

And if you're not? Please know that God made a way for you as well. It doesn't matter what kind of life you've lived. He loves you. He wants you as his own. You can come to him right now...you don't have to fix a single thing in your life to approach him and say, "I've sinned. You died for me. Thank you. I need you. Be with me now and forever. Make me yours."

There's more information if you'd like. THIS is a good place to start.

Now it's your turn. I'm looking forward to reading what you have to say about Heaven...

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy 2. Life as I know it

3. Lisa@blessedwithgrace 4. Lizzie @ A Whisper of Grace

Learn more about Seek The Lord Sunday here.

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Seeking The Lord: Jesus Is God, Part II

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post titled "Jesus Is God", which started an interesting conversation with a reader who disagrees with me (Hello, Tiger Lamb Girl...welcome :) ). Since this week's STLS topic is to write about Jesus, I thought it would be a good time for me to elaborate a bit more about why I believe that Jesus is, in fact, God.

First, I'll clarify a bit.

I'm hardly a scholar on all the religions of the world, but I am aware of at least one religion that teaches that Jesus is a God...not the God. They teach that he became "like God" or "a God" after living a perfect life. This is not what I believe.

I believe that there is, always has been, and always will be one God. I believe in the "Trinity"...that God exists fully as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are separate, yet one. Some argue that the idea of a triune God is too confusing, and that God is not a God of confusion.

Let me humbly submit the idea that there is a significant difference between "confusing" and "beyond my understanding". The full nature of The God Almighty is not confusing...but it is beyond my complete understanding right now.

I look forward to the day when I stand before my Lord and know just as I am known...I will finally understand and fully know Him. Amazing!

Second, I want you to know that I don't take this discussion lightly.

When I first read TLG's comment on my original post, I was seriously thrown! I thought, "Whoah! Am I missing something huge? Have I been deceived?" I read, I talked to family and friends, I searched the internet, and I prayed. A LOT. I want the truth...not what's popular, or what's been spoon-fed to me. I want God's truth. Whether it's easy or not, I want the real HIM. This topic has been a real area of "Seeking The Lord" for me for the past few weeks!

And Finally...Why I believe that Jesus is God:

1. The first thing that comes to mind is the book of John, chapter 1, verses 1,2, & 14:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

To me, this is pretty clear! It is especially clear if you read the entire text of chapter 1... "the Word" is Jesus.

2. There is only one God, and yet Jesus claims deity (this is why he was crucified, John 10:33).

3. The Trinity IS spoken of in the New Testament (contrary to many objectors' claims). The specific word "Trinity" is not used, but "The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" is:

Matthew 28: 18-20 - The "Great Commission"

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

4. John 14: 6-7 says:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

How would they have seen him? They've seen the Father because they've seen Jesus, and Jesus and the Father are ONE.

Some say that Jesus and God are "of one mind and purpose, but not ONE". These verses are pretty compelling evidence to the contrary! Not only do we "know" the Father now that we've "known" Jesus, but we "have seen him". Seeing him speaks nothing of purpose or state of mind...it's about experiencing His presence. We've seen Jesus, so we've seen the Father... again because they are ONE.

5. The Bible documents times when Jesus was prayed to, when Jesus was worshipped, and it describes him as the "First and Last". Go read "Bible Verses That Show Jesus Is God" at Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry - they did a great job of laying it all out very clearly.

That about sums up the evidence that most clearly spoke to me regarding Jesus' deity. If you'd like to read more, you can check out the following interesting links:

"Is Jesus God" at AllAboutGod.com
"Jesus Christ Is God Incarnate"
"Jesus Is God - Biblical Proof" at AllAboutJesusChrist.org


Oh brother...why do I always write a novel? If you haven't surmised already, I'm a bit enthusiastic when it comes to the topic of Jesus!

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Lisa@blessedwithGrace

2. Amanda

3. Nickers and Ink

Learn more about Seek The Lord Sunday here.

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

This Week's Seek The Lord Sunday

I just realized that I haven't put up a topic for this week's STLS! Sorry! I've been too busy stressing out for no good reason, and honestly...haven't even really thought about it!

Hmm. Maybe if I'd done some thinking about it, and maybe some actual seeking over the past couple of days I wouldn't have been so stressed. There's an idea.

Oh for crying out loud. Some days, even I get sick of me!

As for a topic for this week...Let's talk about Jesus.

I don't want to limit it more than that because I want you to write your own thing. It's sort of a personal topic, I know. I hope you'll share. Who is he to you? How would you characterize your relationship with him? Is there something that the Bible says about him that really strikes you? Is there a particular lesson or parable that he taught which really sticks out for you lately?

If you're rolling your eyes right now, thinking "I have no idea what to write!", I just want to encourage you. This is about seeking him and sharing what you find...not necessarily about sharing what you already know. Those who seek will find, so I encourage you to spend time in the Bible and in prayer. Ask him to reveal himself to you...he wants to be known!

Personally, I'm going to write a follow-up post to an earlier post I wrote (Jesus Is God). I've had an interesting dialogue with someone who believes differently than I do, so I'm going to write some more on that topic just to clarify why I believe the way I do.

BTW, if you're looking for a great Bible study reference, Bible Gateway is awesome. See you Sunday (or Saturday night) :)

No STLS This Week!

As I mentioned last Sunday, there will be no STLS this weekend.

In the mean time, check out previous week's Seek The Lord posts.

See you next week!

Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

This week's STLS topic is "Spiritual Gifts".

To be honest, I hope that you all have a good healthy gift of forgiveness, prayer, and compassion, because I could use it this week. I'm not going to be able to put a post about Spiritual Gifts together. Am I a lame host, or what?!

I just have so much on my plate right now (hubby on a business trip, and me trying to get our whole family ready for a week long vacation), and this is too big a topic to just be able to write quickly. I should have looked at my calendar a bit closer before posting a topic for this week.

I'm going to put up a Mr. Linky so that you can link up to each other if you'd still like to. I can't wait to read all your posts when I get back from vacation.

I did find some interesting links on Spiritual Gifts, though. Here they are:

Spiritual Gifts on Wikipedia

A Spiritual Gifts "Inventory" (quiz)

Another Quiz...might be interesting to compare results with the other quiz!

A Bible Study about Gifts

An Article about Gifts

Another Article about Gifts

STLS for next weekend is cancelled...I'll be gone, and I bet many of you will be busy with summer vacation (4th of July if you're in the States). We'll be back up and running July 13th. Thanks for understanding!

Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Abrianna 2. Abrianna - Quiz Results 3. Lisa@blessedwithgrace

4. Kimberly 5. Katrina-Walking with Y\'shua 6. Linda - Nickers and Ink

7. Peggy@Mazes, Messes,Miracles...

Learn more about Seek The Lord Sunday here.

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Is The Bible Really The Word Of God?

The topic for this week's STLS is: write about whatever you want!

Feel free to follow up on an earlier STLS post, choose a new topic, or respond to something written by someone else in a previous week. All I ask is that you stay true to the general idea of "Seeking The Lord". I can't wait to see what you all decide to write about!

And a reminder: the topic for the week can always be found in my left sidebar by about Tuesday, so you have plenty of time to think, pray, and write. You don't have to wait for my post to learn what the topic is.

This week, I feel compelled to write on a pretty big topic: Is The Bible Really The Very Word Of God? I think that those of you who participate in this meme each week already believe that the Bible is The Word.

But what about the folks who stop by and maybe aren't so convinced about the credibility of the Bible? I thought this might be a good forum to share some of what I learned and experienced when I was seeking to know if the Bible was Truth.

With that, I'll just jump right in.

Let's all take a trip back to the time before I really believed that the Bible was God's Word...

I asked many a "believer" about the Bible, and how they know that the Bible is True. Not just a good guide, or an interesting story...but the very TRUTH of GOD Almighty, Himself. I typically got a really irritating answer. It went something like this:

"I know the Bible is true because the Bible says that all Scripture is God-breathed. It says so right there in 2 Timothy 3:16. There you go. That's how you can know that the Bible is true!"

Excuse me...what? Huh? If I don't believe that the Bible is true, then you can't tell me that the Bible is true because the Bible says so! I'm gonna need more than that! I need some logic, some data, some hard proof!

Here are some of the questions I asked as I was searching:

1. When was the Bible written, and by whom?
2. How does the Bible compare to other "holy books" of different religions? Don't all religions really just teach the same general stuff anyway? What's different about the Bible?
3. How do we know that the Bible hasn't been changed through countless translations over time?
4. Can the claims of the Bible be backed up with modern science?
5. The Bible was written over many years. Given that, is it consistent? Doesn't it contradict itself?
6. The story of Jesus was written by many different people. How do we know that they were telling the truth? Didn't they just write what they wanted to write to serve their own purposes?
7. Jesus was God in human form? How do we know? And if it's true, what am I supposed to do with that information?

Oh boy.

I wrote this list of questions with every intention of sharing the answers I found with you. Therefore, I wrote this list, stared at my computer for a REALLY long time, not knowing where to start or which end was up. Hmmm. Maybe I should choose a different topic? Something a bit simpler?

And then I found this website: Everystudent.com. It has so many of the answers! If you are searching, I strongly encourage you to click over there right now and just explore every page it has.

I especially like the page called "Why You Can Believe The Bible". The questions answered on that page include:

1. Does ancient history agree with the Bible?
2. Are the gospel accounts of Jesus reliable?
3. Has the Bible changed and become corrupted over time?
4. Does archaeology support the Bible?
5. Are there contradictions in the Bible?
6. Who wrote the New Testament? Why not accept the apocrypha, the gospel of Judas, or the gospel of Thomas?
7. Why did it take 30 to 60 years for the New Testament Gospels to be written?
8. Does it matter if Jesus really did and said what is in the Gospels?

But I think my favorite part is waaay down on the bottom of the page, where there are several charts. These charts compare the Bible to other ancient writings, they list specific archaeological finds, and they list some common charges made by critics and answer those charges with archaeology.

Can I just say...Thank you, God, for EveryStudent.com!!! Look at how that page answers my questions! (I promise...I wrote my questions and THEN found this website!) I can't remember if it was a website that I looked at when I was searching or not. There are some other resources I used though...ones I still have on my bookshelf, and so can refer you to:

The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel
Essential Truths Of The Christian Faith by RC Sproul
101 Scientific Facts & Foreknowledge put out by Eternal Productions (fascinating!)
Christianity, Cults & Religions put out by Rose Publishing
and NIV Study Bible by Zondervan (I didn't get this until after I believed, but it sure is packed with great info)

Here are some more great websites:
AllAboutGod.com
Great chart on Biblical Accuracy from DoesGodExist.org
GotQuestions.org


And now for the most important piece of information you'll need if you are searching for the truth of God:

I strongly recommend that you ask God for help. Even if you don't believe in Him yet...a simple prayer that goes something like:

"I'm not sure if I believe in you or the Bible. Honestly, I'm not sure if I even want to know more about you! But if you're there and you have something for me, open my heart and my ears to hear you. Please help me know your truth."

We don't have to be fancy or formal to address God. All we have to do is be honest. Brutally honest. And we don't have to fix anything in our lives before we come to God. He'll take us just as we are right at this very moment. If you are truly seeking for Him, I promise...You'll find the Truth.

*******************************************************

Well, this post is a perfect example of how some things don't turn out the way we expect them to. I fully intended on beginning a several weeks-long series on knowing if the Bible is true, and detailing all sorts of data for you right here. Instead, I referred you to a website and a bunch of books that have already done that work, and encouraged you to pray.

I feel self-conscious publishing this post. I am not a Bible scholar or even a terribly "old" Christian! But I do love God, and I do love His Book.

I procrastinated writing this post all week long because I had no idea what to write about! But this morning, while on a (rather agonizing) run, I prayed about it. This is the topic that I feel was given to me, so this is what I'm doing.

I hope that someone...even one person....who is truly searching for God, will find this and be guided in the right direction.


Seek The Lord Sunday Participants

1. Home with Amy 2. Becky

3. Kimberly 4. Abrianna

Learn more about Seek The Lord Sunday here.

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Seek The Lord Sunday: My Testimony

This week's topic for STLS is to share your testimony, otherwise known as your personal story of how you came to know the Lord and made the choice to become a Christian. I'm looking so forward to hearing all of your stories! I just love to see how God works in people's lives.

Many people have a very defined moment in their life when they chose to become a Christian. I can't say that I have a story like that. In fact, when people ask me when I was saved, I have a really tough time answering them! I guess it really doesn't matter, the date and time...what really matters is that I'm His child NOW...and the one who needs to know the intimate details of my heart and mind toward God, knows all He needs to know.

I was raised in a Christian home. To be more specific, I was raised Catholic. I remember Sunday school and church being a regular part of our lives. I have fond memories of sitting with my family in church, and of some of the great songs we sang. I can't remember any one sermon in particular that touched me, but the music always did :) (I am no longer Catholic...I'll explain if you'd like in another post).

More important than mass and Sunday school though, I remember my parents being an example of Christian living (well, mostly...but can any of us really claim more?). I don't remember specifically reading the Bible as a family, but we talked about what was discussed in church, we were taught a Biblical way of living even if the Bible wasn't quoted, and my parents live a life of service that is an awesome example to us girls.

My two earliest personal memories of God as a child are:

1. Saying the "Now I lay me down to sleep...if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take". I was about 9 years old. After praying that prayer, I heard that still, small voice ask me "Do you?" I knew exactly who was asking and what He meant. I thought about it, and answered, "Yes, I do." In my heart of hearts, I believe that I was His from that point forward.

2. We watched the story of Christ's Passion on TV when I was the same age. To this day, I can still easily recall the look of horror and suffering on the face of the actor who played Jesus as they pounded giant nails through his hands. I was devastated. I lay in my bed that night and cried, wishing that He didn't have to suffer, and thanking him for loving me so much.

From that time in my life, I have countless stories of God working in my life. I hope to get them all document on my blog some day...but not today.

I would love to be able to say that I was on fire for the Lord from my childhood on, but the truth is that I lived an essentially "fruitless" life. And when I did bear what seemed to be fruit, it wasn't for His glory, it was for mine. I was self-centered, selfish, prideful, and seeking my own will. The sin in my life that I justified to myself and God...I just don't even want to think about it! Ugh.

When I was 30 years old, I had what I call a "spiritual crisis". I had begun reading a New Age book which challenged every single belief I had about God, Jesus, and the Bible...not to mention who I was relative to God.