The Roman Road to Salvation

Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23a
Romans 6:23b
Romans 5:8
Romans 10:13
Romans 10:9-10
Revelation 3:20a

The Healing Controversy

For some reason discussion of healing brings controversy. There are some who believe we aren't healed because we don't believe, others because we don't ask and still others because there is sin in our lives. I BELIEVE in healing! But I also believe that God doesn't always choose to act in the way we think best. Our understanding is beneath HIS.

A few years ago in a discussion about healing someone quoted the Scripture from Isaiah 53:5 "by His stripes we are healed" and I believe we may have been taking that verse out of God's context for a long time because God has never healed every person that was sick. HIS WILL and HIS Plan are far above anything we can fathom. God can do amazing things through a person's life and even through a person's death and through a person's attitude as they approach death. The one thing I think that God wants each and every person to be healed of is sin because sin leads to DEATH - eternal death and by HIS stripes and HIS death we can avoid the second death. We are all destined to die - the Bible says that in Hebrews 9:27, but by Jesus death and our acceptance of HIS free gift of salvation we can avoid the second death. We all most likely will face death in a variety of ways, some because of old age, some because of illness, or accident and some because of the sin of another, but we can all rest assured that eternal life and wholeness are our reward if we choose to be healed of spiritual illness/sin and accept Jesus free gift.

What Are You Doing with Jesus?

Flower of the Family shared a post that brought this situation back to my memory...

Christmas 2006

My in-laws gave us a $300 Sears gift card to buy whatever we wanted for Christmas. We were thrilled. My husband loses things easily, so he asked me to keep the gift card. I'm a thrifty person and I try to use things as long as I can and maybe a tad bit longer. Well my wallet was falling apart, so I put the gift card in the front pocket of my jeans for safe keeping. I was traveling sick (antibiotics that didn't agree with me) and we had to stop 3 times with one time in the dark and rain. We woke up the youngest to go to the bathroom and as he got out of the car he stepped into a 6" pot hole full of rain water. It was so cold and the wind was blowing the rain. When we got home we unloaded the car and let the kids unwrap their gifts from my family and then went to bed.

Fast forward to January 10th

My husband asked me for the Sears Gift Card because he wanted to buy something with it and I realized that I had no idea where it was - aughh. They told us NOT to lose it because they bought it with cash and of course the receipt was with it. I was SICK! I could have lost it at any of our stops and I wouldn't have noticed it, especially the wind, rain, and crying stop. I spent the week praying I would find the card to no avail. We prayed that it would turn up, but were afraid that it probably wouldn't because I had no recollection of the gift card after stuffing it into my jeans pocket. I was so upset with myself because I'm supposed to be the responsible one...

Back then I wrote, I'm hoping that I can just rest in God's peace since there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to change what is done, but I have been beating myself up something awful. I'm hoping that it will turn up when we least expect it... I've been praying that God would teach me something through this yucky experience beyond the "Be careful with gift cards..." speech.

My friend, Karen helped to turn my mind with one of her emails. God spoke to me and asked me what I'm doing with the biggest and best gift I've ever received? My salvation and the gift of HIS Son Jesus Christ. I'm always concerned with being a good steward of money/gift cards, etc... and using coupons and getting the best price... But when you get right down to it - you don't take any of that with you when you die... You either have Jesus or you don't and then the question is what did you do with Jesus? Did you say thanks and stick Him in a closet or did you commune with HIM constantly? Did you ask what do YOU think, Jesus before doing anything? Did you seek HIM and HIS will? So if I had to lose $300 to get me thinking, then it was worth it...

Shortly after realizing the gift card was missing, I rushed out to the store and bought a wallet for $9.88. So now, I have my wallet worth $309.88 - for that price it better last 200 years (haha). In all seriousness, I hope the lessons learned here have eternal value beyond anything money could buy.

May 7, 2007

I'm so excited! The other day, my four year son got some books down from the bookshelf and messed it up a bit, so I decided I needed to straighten it up... I noticed a pack of batteries that didn't belong and a couple receipts and a little red piece of cardboard... Guess what I found? You're right - the $300 SEARS gift card. I immediately called my in-laws and shared the good news. They were overjoyed and as you can imagine so was I.

The Parable of the Lost Coin
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10

Little Missionary

Friday night, while I was typing up information about Work and Witness my seven year old daughter, B was telling her little friend about Jesus. The two little ladies came into my bedroom and my daughter had the biggest smile on her face and she told her friend to tell me her exciting news. B led her friend in a prayer of salvation. After they shared the news B told me to find some Scriptures on heaven so she could share them with her friend. Then a few minutes later I heard B reading the Bible to her friend. Later, B rushed in and quietly asked if she could give her old Bible (Gideon) to her friend. I assured her that we could do that. Unfortunately we couldn't locate it, but we are going to see if we can get her a Bible that will be easy for her to read. Pray for B and her friend as they both grow in the knowledge of the Lord and their faith.

Rejoicing Angels 10-19-07

Yesterday, October 19, 2007 as I was driving to the gym with my children we were praying as we often do. My four-year-old son, J interrupted my prayer and said, "Mommy, I need to ask Jesus into my heart." I told him, “We can do that right now.” My heart is happy!

I noticed over the past few months his heart has been very tender to things of the Lord, but since he is so young I didn't want to push him and wanted him to have the chance to make the decision for himself. His sister asked Jesus into her heart this past May so he has been hearing a lot about it and she was baptized in July. I told J that I too asked Jesus into my heart when I was four years old in a car. He thought that was pretty neat.

When we got home he called his grandparents and our Pastor to share the good news. Please keep J and B in your prayers as they grow in their relationship with the Lord. Please pray also for their parents (Rick and Robin) that we are able to guide and direct them in the ways that will bring a smile to God's face. I fail more than I care to admit, but I'm a work in progress.

When J was a baby I chose 2 Timothy 2:22 as his life verse. I typed it up from the Living Bible because it would be easiest for him to understand. I taped it to his bedroom door, so I could read it to him each night before bed. He had it memorized when he was two years old. “Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts that young men often have, but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts.”

Please pray that verse for my little boy!