What Accompanies Salvation?

I've been reading in Hebrews lately and read verse 6:9 this morning. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 

Quite a thought provoking verse! The writer is writing to Jewish Christians and he tells them basically that we expect better of you and we expect to see in you all the things that accompany salvation. Hmmm! 

It made me stop and ponder on what comes with salvation. The first thing I was aware of upon my salvation was joy. Joy that my future was secure and I would not have to suffer in hell. Joy over the sights of heaven I'd one day see. With that joy came peace. 

Beyond that, learning what comes with salvation came over time. I was taught about witnessing to others so they could also have salvation. With salvation comes learning to live as righteous a life as possible and to seek forgiveness when I mess up. With salvation comes desiring to study God's Word and understand what He expects of my life. With salvation should also come a desire to fellowship with like minded people in a church where you can be fed on the Bible. 

To whom much is given, much is required. I've always said with great knowledge comes great responsibility. We are given so much in salvation. God requires much in return. 

Salvation is so much more than escaping hell. Read the Bible and you will see! 

Just a thought provoker today.

God Works in Mysterious Ways

Has anyone else noticed that whenever it seems this country is at an all time high of hate and fragmentation and division that God sends some catastrophe or major incident to put things into perspective for everyone?! Recently there was protesting in several areas of the nation where chaos and turmoil broke out. There is no doubt that hatred for their neighbor and brethren were at stake. Race lines have been drawn, political parties have been drawn, economic lines have been drawn and yet in the wake of Hurricane Harvey all that has been set aside and none of it matters as people of all walks of life come together to help. 

It's too bad it always takes something so drastic to bring people back together and show what really matters....LIFE! Human beings caring for one another's needs, giving sacrificially, lifting one another's burdens. Just doing right for a change and doing it in a heart of love! My eyes are teared over as I type this. This is the type of thing that reminds us of the Good Samaritan story in Scripture. 

Hey, search online and on Facebook for pictures of everyday folks helping one another no matter what skin color, economic status or ideals they carry. It will lift your heart as yes, there is tragedy for many but there is giving and loving of those in the midst of the tragedy. This, this is the core of what in the past has made America great!!! No one cares what color, whether rich or poor, whether they agree politically or not....they are just helping. Isn't that what Jesus would want? Everyday!?

Creating a Home Through AROMA

I want to say upfront that this is a lesson I tweaked and pulled together from two different sources. I no longer have the book or other source to give credit to the creators. I make every lesson my own even when I borrow but I still prefer to give credit when I can.

Aroma is a pleasant odor (apparently if it is not pleasant then it is a smell or just plain stinky!)

Eph. 5:1-2

As Christians we should model Christ in love & become a sweet smelling sacrifice. We need to bring this first to our homes.

Affection

Respect

Order

Merriment

Affirmation

Atmosphere is the light that glows from inside a home. As wives and mothers we should want that atmosphere to be so inviting that family members can't wait to get inside. If we intentionally create affection, respect, order, merriment, and affirmation; then our family will want to experience that atmosphere again and again.

We'll look at each of the aspects of AROMA one by one.

AFFECTION - giving/having tender or loving touches or compliments

Ex. Hugs, kisses, caresses, praise, "I love yous"

Prov. 14:1 - build up others

Prov. 31:26 - speak kindly and with wisdom

Rom. 12:10 - show affection to each other

Guidelines to accomplish:

1. Model affection on a consistent basis

2. Don't withhold affection as a reaction to a child's or spouse's behavior

3. Know the person well enough to know what type of affection they prefer (some people don't like their feet touched, or are uncomfortable with public compliments)

RESPECT - holding other people in honor so they may recognize their own worth

**Self-worth & attitude are built brick by brick on loving acts of respect in all circumstances

Luke 6:31 - golden rule

Eph. 4:32 - be kind and forgiving

Eph. 5:22 - wives submit to husband as though to the Lord

Eph. 5:33 - men love wives & wives reverence

Eph. 6:2 - honor parents

Ex. Do kind gestures that family members would enjoy

Guidelines to accomplish:

1. Be generous with honoring members in life's ups & downs (allow mistakes & let them grow & learn)

2. Allow others their own opinions & ideas - even if you disagree

3. Confront self criticism with positive in put - be a cheerleader

4. Avoid hateful or disrespectful speech

5. Say "I'm sorry" & "please forgive me" quickly - this shows humbleness

ORDER - the act of managing and modeling godly leadership in the home, resulting in a refuge of calm 

**Someone must be the anchor

**Others, especially children & spouse, have a hard time staying calm & peaceful in an atmosphere of chaos, turmoil & disarray

The purpose of order is to foster a sense of security within the boundaries & rules of the home by creating a habitual rhythm in daily routines & traditions

Prov. 16:32 - Keep in check & be slow to anger

Prov. 17:1 - Keep strife away

Prov. 29:15 - Train children & have rules

Prov. 31:27 - Keep up with the house & family

Guidelines to accomplish:

1. Make CLEAR rules that can be kept with consequences when broken

2. Set priorities for home and future goals

3. Keep home clean & free of messes

4. Create family traditions & habits - brings a sense of peace

5. Keep a calm spirit at all times (easier said than done!)

MERRIMENT - an atmosphere with uninhibited laughter & enthusiasm 

Laughter and crying are two emotions that draw people closer together when shared.

Laughter has been proven to help offset illness

Prov. 15:13 - Facial expressions often reveal emotions

Prov. 17:22 - Laughter is like medicine

When I was growing up I was surrounded by love and laughter by a large extended family. These are some of the most vivid and precious memories I have from childhood.

Fun, laughter, and enthusiasm create a joyful and happy home

Guidelines to accomplish:

1. Do fun things as a family

2. Learn to laugh at yourself

3. Laughter should always be WITH but not AT someone

AFFIRMATION - positive declaration or confirming a clearly held position through kind words and actions

*Affirmation is a combination of all the other parts of AROMA to help hold & confirm the positive atmosphere of the home

I Thess. 5:11 - Edify and comfort each other

Guidelines to accomplish:

1. Use positive reinforcement through praise & encouragement

2. Help family members pursue their dreams & potential

3. Show mercy & forgiveness when mistakes are made

4. Communicate & be there when they need to talk

The Bible is NOT a Buffet!

We all love to go to buffet restaurants (which I believe more contributes to obesity than alot of fast food because everyone continues to go back so they "get their money's worth") and the reason we love them is because there is a large variety to choose from. You can pick and choose the foods you want and leave the ones you don't. 

Unfortunately, many people use God's Word in the same way. They want to pick and choose what they want to believe and practice. God never intended us to do this. Now, I believe some things were written specifically to certain people or a certain person however, overall, the commands and expectations are a guideline for everyone who wants to be a child of God. 

People tend to cling to verses that they like and explain away or rationalize why they don't have to follow other verses.  This is even common to everyday Christians who attend church at every service. It's wrong! 

I want to be as right with God as I can be on a daily basis. Yes, I often mess up that rightness with my sins but I am quickly repentant and asking forgiveness. I cannot be right with God if I ignore His Word. I can best accomplish staying right by knowing His Word and that comes only through reading, studying and hearing it preached and taught! God has much to say about being obedient and following His commands. Get in the Bible and read for yourself. And, don't pick and choose what to believe. Don't treat it like a buffet!

When You Question What You Thought You Knew

I've been wanting to blog about this topic for some time but wasn't sure how it would go over. I even wrote out first most of what I wanted to say so that I was careful in my presentation. I'm sure I will take some flack for what I'm about to post but I just want to give people something to consider. 

A few years ago when the movie Soul Surfer came out, everyone kept telling me what a great movie it was and how it was helping to further the cause of Christ. I rented it when it came out on DVD. Now, first of all let me say I liked the part about being a survivor and overcoming. I can relate! It was inspiring as far as that goes. However, the almost complete nudity in the movie left me questioning my faith. Seriously, I was a mess for quite some time afterward. The teeny, tiny, floss like bikinis worn in the movie meant my husband and son couldn't watch. They tried and had to leave the room in order to protect their minds. Yes, the family in the movie attends church services (which the girls showed up late for and were dressed straight from surfing!) and their is a missions trip involved also, but I just couldn't get past all the inappropriate dress. After all, they could have worn the surfing body suits or something instead of displaying all that flesh. Other "Christian" movies have not compromised for ticket sales! 

What had my mind messed up was how Christianity was being furthered under circumstances going against the commands of the Bible. I finally, after much Bible study and praying and soul searching came to the conclusion that Paul talks about in Philippians chapter 1. Whether Christ is preached in sincerity or in jest, (paraphrased) at least Christ is preached. Truthfully, this was the only way I could settle my mind and stop questioning what I believed to be true from God's Word. 

Still, I think movies and shows that on one hand speak of Jesus, God and faith but on the other hand display Christians doing unchristian things, waters down Christianity. It gives the idea that you can be a Christian and still act in ways that go against God's Word and it's all ok and a barrel of laughs. God may forgive sin but never wants us to be complacent or nonchalant about it!!!

Let me here name another show--Duck Dynasty. While I know I have doctrinal issues different from the Robertson family, I love the personal testimonies and stances that they take that I have heard watching interviews outside of the show. While I do think there is much humor to the show, it drives me crazy how they pray at the end of each show yet during the show they are engaging in illegal activities such as poaching or trespassing and in my opinion the ladies are not as modestly dressed as they could be. All this is in fun. (BTW, if you think this was real life and not rehearsed or any reality show is unrehearsed you are naive!) Did you know that A&E wanted to do the show at first to make fun of the family?! Little did they know that many people in this country do still care about family and God and prayer. The country certainly allowed A&E to get rich using this family. Even when they threatened to kick people off or tried to tone down the God talk, people boycotted and stopped A&E from doing so. 

Because they are famous and acting in these ways, I believe it has gone a long way to adding to the nonchalant Christianity we see today. There is no blush left. There is no striving to live a life pleasing to God. It is the attitude of "I am saved and going to heaven so how I live daily doesn't matter". So many people are on Facebook quoting scripture on one post and dropping curse words or sexual innuendos  on the next! Many are sharing pictures and posts about getting drunk and think they are right with God just because they are saved. Now, I know that when we ask forgiveness for our sins that we are forgiven. However, I can't help but wonder how many actually are sorry and ask God to forgive them after they got drunk! or do they just go on in their everyday life never giving it another thought that they have offended a holy God?

You may be thinking that I am taking things way too seriously. Well, let me just say that Christians acting in unchristian ways is why my father in law will not get saved!! Too many Christians, or Baptists he knows have cheated him in a sales contract or he's watched them sleeping around outside of marriage or covering up someone else's sin. He has no need of what we try to offer from God's Word. He is just fine. So, my question to you is...Who are you preventing from accepting Jesus as their Savior? Maybe your nonchalant attitude is sending someone who is watching you straight to hell! Sobering thought, huh?! BTW, I have fallen short of always conducting myself in a Christian manner and will stand before God someday for the stumblingblock I have been to others. So there are three fingers pointing at myself as my one is pointing at you. I am convicted when I mess up in this fashion and try to be aware of my conduct. 

I just think that if you are claiming the name Christian --- THEN ACT LIKE THE CHILD OF THE KING YOU BELONG TO!!! Sure, all of us will stumble and even fall (I recently blogged about this but it's a heart issue!) but there is a difference in that and one of total disregard for God's Word. Having the attitude that you are saved and on your way to heaven but can live your life any old way you want to and think God is pleased makes you an immature Christian who may be causing someone else to never accept the gift of Salvation.

Everyone thinks that Jesus brought in the age of grace and He did. However, Jesus didn't do away with the moral law only the ceremonial law. He actually raised the bar....thou shalt not commit adultery became, whosoever looks on a woman with lust has committed adultery in his heart already and thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy became love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you. Pretty high standards! 

I know this was long but I hope it makes someone out there reading think about their actions. Also, if you look around and see the things that I see, find peace in God's Word. Study it, and use it to respectfully rebuke and train. 

Three Victories to Change Our Lives - Noah's Ark Series Lesson 4

Building the Ark of  Confidence
Philippians 1:6
The great victories of life are won
-not on the battlefield of military conflict,
-not in the sports arenas of the world,
-not in the market places,
-not in the scientific laboratories,
-not even in the great expanses of space;
but rather in the souls of people.
The great battles of life are won and lost inside; in the inner lives of individual people.

In the book of Philippians we see three inner victories recorded by Paul. 
Phil 1:12-14
I. We don't have to be victims of circumstances
--don't have to be imprisoned or paralyzed by any situation
--can be victors & rise above with God's help
Paul was in jail, he was sick, he was away from loved ones, was cut off from his dream of traveling and spreading the gospel
--he didn't wallow in self-pity but tells us that it all happened to help further the gospel & even helped others to be bold for Christ
--He used his circumstances & wasn't enslaved by them
***We don't have to be thermometers - we can be thermostats!
--A thermometer simply tells us what the temperature is
--A Thermostat changes or influences the temperature!
Christians can use every circumstance as an opportunity to serve Christ 
-Like a thermostat we can change or influence what is going on around us

Phil. 2:3-4, 3:7-8, 3:13-14
II. We don't have to be victims of pride
--sometimes we get caught up in being too concerned with what people think of us (good & bad)
--we also sometimes want recognition for our deeds
Paul reminds us to place others above ourselves
--that when we gain for ourselves it is loss for Christ
--to forget what is behind & press forward
We need to forget bad things & not wallow in it - this can make us depressed & unproductive for Christ
We need to forget good things also because we can become prideful and stuck thinking about the "Glory Days" - this also makes us stagnant & unproductive

Phil. 1:19-20
III. We don't have to be victims of death
--Many Bible saints were not afraid of death
--Paul stood ready for life or death as long as the cause of Christ went on

Christians do not have to fear death
Prov. 14:32, 2 Cor. 5:8, John 5:24
If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you can know that death is just a transfer to the home office!

Stumble VS Falling

Sometimes when you are walking along, you trip and stumble. You may or may not actually fall down at this point. To stumble is less harmful usually than actually falling down to the ground or floor. It is much easier to keep going when you only stumble. When you fall, you must get up, attend to injuries and then try to continue on. 

In our spiritual life, it is exactly the same. You may stumble and make a mistake with a sin of somewhat minor proportions such as inappropriate thoughts or telling half truths or speeding slightly in the car and it is easy to correct and carry on. However, taking part in a more serious sin that leads to destruction of yourself or someone else may be considered falling. For instance, spreading gossip that destroys another's reputation, doing drugs and not caring for your child, having an affair, driving drunk and hurting yourself or someone else or stealing from another will be much harder to correct and continue on. Each time we engage in grave sin, we fall lower and lower and become weaker and weaker making it harder to get back up on the topside. 

The best thing we can do is try to keep ourselves from stumbling in the first place so that we don't go down in a fall. We can do this by keeping in God's Word; because if we hide His Word in our hearts we won't sin against Him! We can also do this by only keeping company with those who will not tempt us to treat sin like the fun house. It is really just a matter of taking precautions as best we can against even stumbling so that falls rarely, if ever, happen. 

Of course, we are humans and with that comes sin. However, we can guard against falls and keep stumbles to a minimum if we work at it.