So, You want to be Saved?

I am going to really simplify things here. Really simple. Yeah, right! Well, don’t get mad at me, after all, this is what Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:44-50

Jesus said this lady’s faith saved her. Am I saved by faith? Well Paul said “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8) Okay, if you are not going to ask, I am, how does faith save?

I am saved when my belief in who Jesus is (The Christ) and what Jesus can do (forgive my sin) produces evidence of a broken heart.

Don’t believe me? Too proud? Older brothers do not submit easily, we don’t really see our sin. Well….

Until I am ready to submit to God’s plan for me, I have no faith. Faith is walking away from Ur into the valley not knowing how to get through but trusting God that you will.

I hear God say, “Trust me. Trust my Son. I raised him, I will raise you. Now Obey me. Be the child I desire for you to be.”

God bless. Lord, increase my faith. 

Lessons from a Child: But I really Want It!

If you have children I know you have heard it before. “I want it, I want it!”  This chant can be heard at most grocery stores and shopping malls across the world. We could all stop reading now and start chanting the familiar chorus together now.

Well I have realized something. My own, wanter, won’t break. I want it turned off. I have found my self getitng onto my kids about all the stuff they own, how they do not play with the toys they have, or that they just had their birthday and don’t need any more toys. (I know my parents are laughing at me now.) And I realize I am no different.

I could make you a list of things I want a mile long. I was wondering the other day how long I could go without buying myself something. But more importantly, why can’t I just rely/revel in the love and supply of God.

 Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Luke 12:27-31

I believe I have no idea of how well God can supply my needs because I do not rely on Him to.  All I do is want more. It is the mantra of the world, “I want it, I want it!”

Lord, break my wanter! Help me to rely on you to meet my needs.

God bless.

Take me Home

I enjoy the Phil Collins Last Farewell Concert DVD we own. I realize that his music is not overly religious; however, his song at the end of the concert Take me Home makes me really think.

The last time we watched the concert, I sat with my family. I told my girls their Mom and Dad love them and they can always come home. Home is safe, a place where our physical needs are met, home is where people love you. I hope they are listening.

Am I listening? Why don’t I really believe this is exactly what God is trying to teach me through Jesus. Here is Jesus telling us about the lost son.

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.‘ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:11-24

God says to Bart, “Son, why don’t you trust me. I love you so much. Just come home.”

“Lord,” says Bart, “Take me home.”

God Bless

Remembering Family

Home and family are so powerful. Tonight I sat holding my oldest daughter. She started to cry and when asked why she said, “I miss GG.”

Whew. This gets tough sometimes. GG was her great grandmother, my grandmother, and my fathers mother. She passed away several months ago and is not forgotten my young daughter. In fact, she reminds us often of all our family who have passed on to another life. (She also reminds of of our dogs who died two years ago.)

We talked about GG and Granny B, my mother’s mom. I reminded my little girl, how much they loved her and told her they were so proud of her. I can remember a couple of times Granny B just sat and laughed and laughed at the antics of her great grand daughter. I remember how she loved to shower gifts on her great grand daughter too. Family is so important and powerful.

I cannot help but put myself in my child’s shoes and think about my memories of GG and Granny B. I can go back farther and remember my great grandmother Mama B. They were all strong, faithful, godly women who left lasting impressions on their families and especially their grandson. Their relationship to me reminds me of Timothy’s mother and grandmother 1 Timothy 1:5.

I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

There is no way to escape the connection between our families here on earth and the family we all share in Christ. God wanted us to get the picture. To see him as our heavenly Father. That has always been His most fervent desire, that we would be his children. It is an awesome feeling to transfer all my love and respect for my family onto God and realize I am a part of Him and His family.

God bless.

What can you Live On

It is a common question we ask ourselves. What do I need to live on? How much money do I need? You start adding in all the things you need, food, clothes, housing, utilities, phone, car payments, gas, insurance, medicine, and the list goes on. Oh, yes, saving for retirement. I wonder how much I need for that. I want to be comfortable then too, don’t you?

I am so worldly. I want so much more than I already have. I could if I had too, live on less; however, I really like stuff. I believe the Christian’s life is to be about learning to rely on God not stuff. Jesus practiced relying on God. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he deprived himself of all worldly pleasures and even necessities.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”  Luke 4:1-4

Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 when he answered Satan. Here Moses is reminding the Israelites how God was trying to teach them to keep God’s commands and rely on Him.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Deuteronomy 8:3

One of the main reasons we rely on God in this life is because we are looking forward to another life/home. Moses reminds the Israelites why they are “suffering” in the sort term. (I put suffering in quotes because they were not really suffering.)

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;  a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. Deuteronomy 8:6-9

We are looking forward to a time of plenty living in the presence of God. How often have I read the scriptures that remind us to rely on God today because he cares for us and loves us. How often have I gotten so caught up in the world that I forget that I am here for only a short time. When will I ever learn that, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

God Bless

The Gospel in a Vineyard

Jesus taught all the time. He taught to mixed crowds. Yes crowds made up of men and women but more importantly, crowds made up of “sinners” and Pharisees. Often his parables started when one of the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus. Once after the “chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders” came to Jesus to ask him about his authority, Jesus told this parable.

“A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’

“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

   ”What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
   ” ‘The stone the builders rejected
      has become the capstone? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. Luke 20:9-19

My parable is not as good as Jesus’ but here goes anyway. 

Once there was a God, who had a garden, he put some people he loved in charge of it. Eventually they messed up the garden and started doing whatever they wanted. Because God loved the people so much He decided to send messengers to tell the people how much he loved them. Sometimes He even spoke to the people. But they would not listen. Instead they killed the people who loved God. So God said, “I will send my Son. Surely everyone will listen to him and know how much I love them.” The son came and when the people saw him they killed him. The people thought they owned the garden. Then, God brought his son back to life and said, “Surely now they will understand.” 

What do you think will happen to the people who killed the Son? What do you think will happen to the people who continue to “kill” the Son?

Where are the hearts that are broken by this story? Let him who has ears to hear hear.

God bless.

The Christ By Prophesy

Before Jesus left for Heaven, He explained to the men on the way to Emmaus everything the scriptures said about himself. 

He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:44-49

Here are some of the many scriptures from Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.

Moses

And I will put enmity 
between you and the woman, 
and between your offspring and hers; 
he will crush your head, 
and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15

The Prophets – Isaiah

He was despised and rejected by men, 
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. 
Like one from whom men hide their faces 
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities 
and carried our sorrows, 
yet we considered him stricken by God, 
smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, 
he was crushed for our iniquities; 
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, 
and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-5

The Psalms

because you will not abandon me to the grave, 
nor will you let your Holy One see decay. Psalm 16:10

The stone the builders rejected 
has become the capstone; Psalm 118:22

There are many more and probably some better. Many claim to be a Christ but none are equal to the real article.

God Bless

It Just Does not get any Simpler

Steve said it all in his post on Feb 15th. His psalm titled, Thank You, is so simple yet so profound. God himself liked to think of himself as “I Am.” Pretty short and to the point.

Sometimes things are very situational. I went to a funeral this week for a very good man. He was 87, been married to his wife for 67 years. I can honestly say I never saw them apart. He was a very godly man. Makes you think about a lot of things sitting at a funeral. My life, family, relationship with God. Just the simple stuff. Just the important stuff.

God, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank you.

Thanks Steve. God bless.

The Armor of God

Thank you Maria for a post that hit close to home. If you have not read it yet, please do. You can find it here, Slaying the Dragon in your life. I have really been fighting dragons lately, mostly at work and in my inner man. Your post made me think of this verse in Ephesians…

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Ephesians 6:10-18

Thank you for your encouraging words.

The Son of God

Who was Jesus? Was he the Son of God? I suppose that question will be debated throughout mine and your life time. There is not dodging the issue on this one either. We all make our choice. Was he or wasn’t he. I suppose you know which camp I am in. By now I hope it is obvious, I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. No mere man, Jesus left heaven and came to earth to save me. How do I know? That is a long story and more than I want to cover for now.

One reason I know, Jesus said he was the Son of God. The Christ come to save us from our sins.

At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67″If you are the Christ,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

70They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
      He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”  Luke 22:66-70

And later before he was crucified… 

And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.”

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
      ”Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.  Luke 23:2-3

You can choose for yourself. Many have claimed to be the Christ, some still do. This one did not just speak words, he backed them up with power. That power is still changing men today. Changing me. Changing You?

God Bless