On three different occasions over the past several weeks, Saturday afternoons found me following my husband around Lowe's, Scruggs, and Home Depot. These are not the places I would choose to go on a Saturday. I mean, I would never wake up and say, "You know, I really want to go Home Depot today and look around." I know it is often necessary to go places like this; but they are not places I would consider fun.
On the other hand, my husband quite enjoyed his time in each store. He loves tools. He does little projects around the house from time to time, so he loves checking out different things at Lowe's and Home Depot. In Scruggs he looked at guns, knives, cowboy boots, camping equipment and I can't remember what else. He was having fun. Mostly, I just followed him around. I wasn't nearly as entertained as he was, but I was with him and I enjoyed seeing him have such a good time.
We do things like this for those we love. I would much rather have been in a clothing store or a book store or maybe Hobby Lobby. But it was OK because the most important thing to me on those three Saturdays was that I was able to watch him enjoy himself. It wasn't about me. It was about him ... and it was worth it. I get my days, too. Sometimes (many times) love means doing something you don't really want to do.
I suppose everyone in the country knew yesterday was Valentine's Day. Love for that special someone was expressed in countless ways -- words, gifts, hugs, fine meals shared together. It's good to be able express our love to our sweethearts on February 14th; but we all know that love should really be expressed every day. I mean really, if we only did this once a year, how many relationships do you think would last? I'm thinking, probably not very many.
We all know that love is expressed in different ways. We say it to one another. We give physical affection. We buy gifts. We cook a special meal or block out a certain amount of special time for each other. And then sometimes we do things we don't really want to do.
What would that be? We all know this could be a number of different things. Sometimes the sacrifice is not really that big; sometimes it is. We might go somewhere we don't want to go ... spend time with people we hardly know; but they are friends or relatives of someone special to him. It might mean listening to unsolicited advice from his grandmother or putting up with his brother's spoiled children. (This could go either way folks. I'm speaking from the feminine side; but the guys put up with things like this, too).
Sometimes, it might be something much more serious than even this. Sometimes it really might mean giving up something for yourself so that another can have what they need or want. That might be for a child, a spouse, or a parent. It might mean running out in the middle of the night to pick up someone whose car has broken down on the side of the road. It might mean giving up your meal when someone has shown up unexpectedly at supper time.
We learn this kind of love from our Savior. Think about it. Do you think He really wanted to go that cross? Jesus begged God to let that cup pass from Him. He knew what was coming. He knew the pain and the shame He was about to endure. Jesus prayed to His Father for another way.
Yet there was no other way. Christ's blood was the only sacrifice for our sins. It was the only way that those who were about to crucify Him would ever even have the slightest chance of being saved. So He did what He did not want to do. He did this because He loved us. Out of His great mercy and grace and love, He put Himself in our place and paid the price for our sins.
I am not saying anything new here. We all know what He did for us; but it is important to think about. We need to be reminded of His sacrifice. Remembering what He did for us will give us the impetus we need to serve Him. Romans 12:1 is a very well known verse. Paul tells us we must give ourselves over to Christ -- we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice which is our reasonable service. Reasonable service? I would say so! His death was a sacrifice for us -- the ultimate sacrifice. And so giving our lives in service to Him -- is absolutely totally reasonable.
We are human and sometimes we forget this. Sometimes we forget the depth of His sacrifice -- the depth of His love. He set us free from sin and with that freedom we have access to the Father and hope of heaven IF we choose to serve Him. That is not always easy. Living in a predominantly "me, me, me" society, it is difficult to serve others.
I once had someone tell me they didn't go to visitations or funerals when someone they knew passed away. That person said they "just didn't like going to funeral homes." Well, I don't think I know anyone that likes to do that. We would really rather be somewhere else. It isn't easy to comfort someone who has lost a loved one. But we all know it is the right thing to do. Here our love and kindness is needed and means so much!
After working all day, maybe we would rather come home and relax than go to the church building a few extra nights that week and teach Vacation Bible School. Maybe we had rather take our regular Sunday afternoon nap than go visit the nursing home. We may need our sleep because we know we have to be at work the next day, but if someone needs you to spend the night with the hospital - that is what we do. We do these things out of love.
Love is service. Love is putting others first. How can we really say we love Christ, and yet not do some of the things we have mentioned? How can we tell our Redeemer who hung on a cross and died for all of us that we don't want to support a church activity on a Saturday, because after all we have worked all week and we need a day to ourselves?
We are human and sometimes we do need a rest; but sometimes we need to sacrifice.
Paul says in Galatians 5:13 that we should "through love serve one another." Consider his words (through inspiration) from I Corinthians 9:19 - "For though I be free from all men, yet I have made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." Paul says he will gain more to Christ by being a servant.
When Jesus finished washing the dirty, grimy feet of the disciples He said to them, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." (John 13:14-15)
Then as Jesus begins to tell them He will only be with them just a little while longer, He says in vs. 34 - "A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."
Other verses in the Bible speak of love and service - but I think these words of Jesus get the point across pretty well. He washed their feet and gave them an example of service. He told them they should be willing to be servants to each other. Then He tells them to love each other just as He has loved them. At that time, they might not have understood the depth of this command; but by the time they preached the first gospel sermon on the day of Pentecost, they came to know exactly what Jesus meant.
Love is wonderful; but it isn't just a feeling. Love is an action word and Jesus showed us that throughout His entire life. He asks us to follow His example. After all, it is our reasonable service.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Thursday, February 13, 2014
One for All and All for One
My apologies to those of you who encourage me so much in my writing. These past few days have probably been the longest break I have taken in posting on the blog. Work has been quite hectic lately. By the time I am home - quite honestly, my mind has been too weary to put thoughts into words.
It is a good feeling to be able to post tonight. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. He gives us so many opportunities to serve Him.
I don't know why, but a certain motto has been in my mind a lot lately and I don't really know what prompted me to think of it. I'm sure at some point you have of the Three Musketeers. I never read the original novel by Alexandre Dumas; but I've seen some of the movies made over the years. Do you remember their motto? It was "one for all and all for one." It was symbolic of the unity between them.
Ah, but Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that there is no new thing under the sun. Once again we see that truth with this motto. The same thought is found in the scriptures.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-15:
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have
concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore
all have died; and he died for all, that those who live
might no longer live for themselves but for him who for
their sake died and was raised. (ESV)
Don't you find that such a beautiful verse? In some ways it is a little confusing at first, but as you slowly and carefully read the passage, it begins to make sense. Paul says as Christians it is the love of Christ that controls us. That love controls him (and us) because we understand that He died for all of us. Christ is our "one for all," - that's pretty easy to see, right? And because He died for all of us --we all die to ourselves -- die to our life of sin. We die to sin so that we might live for Him. That's the "all for one" part!
It's a wonderful thought. Christ died for all of us because of His great love for us. As we understand His great love - we all die to ourselves; BUT we continue to live and we all live for Him because He died for us. I just think that is so cool! "All for one and one for all," originated with Christ Himself.
What a wonderful blessing to understand that God loved us enough to provide a way for our salvation before the world was ever created. God knew that we would need a Savior and because of His great love for us, Jesus was the one who volunteered for that! He lovingly and willingly gave His life for us so that we might live.
As John says, we love Him because He first loved us. So we willingly give our lives back to Him. That strong bond of unity is sealed when we make that commitment to Him. We confess that He is the Son of God. We repent of our sins and are baptized into Christ. We then become His and we naturally want to do what He would have us do.
All for one and one for all is a sign of unity and solidarity. The Three Musketeers were strongly united in their total devotion to each other and in their loyal service to the guard. They were great friends and because they knew each other so well and were so single minded in their devotion that together they were a formidable fighting force.
As Christians, who better to form this type of bond with than Jesus, our Redeemer? Jesus is always with us. He walks along with us each and every day. As long as we are seeking Him, that is. Jesus loves us so much and wants to be with us; but it must be our choice. We make the decision to devote ourselves to Him. Once we make that decision both Jesus and the Father will come to us and make their home with us. Consider John 14:23 - ".. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
Just as the three Musketeers increased their power and strength through their united devotion to one another, so our spiritual power and strength is increased. It is so reassuring to think of the power of God being on our side. It is invigorating to think of the power of God working in us and through us! Yet the Bible tells us this is true.
In Ephesians 3:16 it is Paul's prayer for the Christians in Ephesus that "according to the riches of His glory" God would "grant them to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being." The prayer continues through the next few verses and then in verse 20 he says that God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."
Well, it makes sense doesn't it? If we keep the commandments (words) of Christ, He will make His home with us. If He abides in our heart, then His power must be there too! Now does that mean that we have some kind of superhuman powers and we will be the world's next heroes? I think we all know the answer to that.
Does it mean we won't face hard times or that the devil will never tempt us again? No, that isn't what it means either. What it does mean is that He will answer our prayers. He will understand our hurts and our fears.
God will give us the power, might and strength --His power, might and strength to fight against the ugliness of the world. We will be able to tackle any temptation, any fear, any sadness that we face.
In other words, we will have His power working in us to help us overcome our obstacles. We just have to remember the power is there. With that power, we are strengthened and we have that peace that passes understanding. Let us remember to be strengthened with power through His spirit in our inner being.
I think it is well worth it to keep the words of Christ, so that He and our Heavenly Father will make their home with us.
Christ above all things,
Robin
It is a good feeling to be able to post tonight. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. He gives us so many opportunities to serve Him.
I don't know why, but a certain motto has been in my mind a lot lately and I don't really know what prompted me to think of it. I'm sure at some point you have of the Three Musketeers. I never read the original novel by Alexandre Dumas; but I've seen some of the movies made over the years. Do you remember their motto? It was "one for all and all for one." It was symbolic of the unity between them.
Ah, but Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that there is no new thing under the sun. Once again we see that truth with this motto. The same thought is found in the scriptures.
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:14-15:
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have
concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore
all have died; and he died for all, that those who live
might no longer live for themselves but for him who for
their sake died and was raised. (ESV)
Don't you find that such a beautiful verse? In some ways it is a little confusing at first, but as you slowly and carefully read the passage, it begins to make sense. Paul says as Christians it is the love of Christ that controls us. That love controls him (and us) because we understand that He died for all of us. Christ is our "one for all," - that's pretty easy to see, right? And because He died for all of us --we all die to ourselves -- die to our life of sin. We die to sin so that we might live for Him. That's the "all for one" part!
It's a wonderful thought. Christ died for all of us because of His great love for us. As we understand His great love - we all die to ourselves; BUT we continue to live and we all live for Him because He died for us. I just think that is so cool! "All for one and one for all," originated with Christ Himself.
What a wonderful blessing to understand that God loved us enough to provide a way for our salvation before the world was ever created. God knew that we would need a Savior and because of His great love for us, Jesus was the one who volunteered for that! He lovingly and willingly gave His life for us so that we might live.
As John says, we love Him because He first loved us. So we willingly give our lives back to Him. That strong bond of unity is sealed when we make that commitment to Him. We confess that He is the Son of God. We repent of our sins and are baptized into Christ. We then become His and we naturally want to do what He would have us do.
All for one and one for all is a sign of unity and solidarity. The Three Musketeers were strongly united in their total devotion to each other and in their loyal service to the guard. They were great friends and because they knew each other so well and were so single minded in their devotion that together they were a formidable fighting force.
As Christians, who better to form this type of bond with than Jesus, our Redeemer? Jesus is always with us. He walks along with us each and every day. As long as we are seeking Him, that is. Jesus loves us so much and wants to be with us; but it must be our choice. We make the decision to devote ourselves to Him. Once we make that decision both Jesus and the Father will come to us and make their home with us. Consider John 14:23 - ".. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
Just as the three Musketeers increased their power and strength through their united devotion to one another, so our spiritual power and strength is increased. It is so reassuring to think of the power of God being on our side. It is invigorating to think of the power of God working in us and through us! Yet the Bible tells us this is true.
In Ephesians 3:16 it is Paul's prayer for the Christians in Ephesus that "according to the riches of His glory" God would "grant them to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being." The prayer continues through the next few verses and then in verse 20 he says that God is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us."
Well, it makes sense doesn't it? If we keep the commandments (words) of Christ, He will make His home with us. If He abides in our heart, then His power must be there too! Now does that mean that we have some kind of superhuman powers and we will be the world's next heroes? I think we all know the answer to that.
Does it mean we won't face hard times or that the devil will never tempt us again? No, that isn't what it means either. What it does mean is that He will answer our prayers. He will understand our hurts and our fears.
God will give us the power, might and strength --His power, might and strength to fight against the ugliness of the world. We will be able to tackle any temptation, any fear, any sadness that we face.
In other words, we will have His power working in us to help us overcome our obstacles. We just have to remember the power is there. With that power, we are strengthened and we have that peace that passes understanding. Let us remember to be strengthened with power through His spirit in our inner being.
I think it is well worth it to keep the words of Christ, so that He and our Heavenly Father will make their home with us.
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Every Christian Has Much to Offer
It is a beautiful Sunday today. I thoroughly enjoyed our worship this morning. It is always a joy to worship a good and gracious God with a wonderful church family. I love the folks from my home congregation and truly do consider them as family members. I enjoy talking and being with them.
We encourage each other -- help each other through our problems and rejoice with one another through all of life's happy events. The most important thing is the fact that we serve Jesus together. When you work and pray with a group of folks a bond is built and hopefully grows stronger through the years.
Yesterday one of our ladies turned 96. She has been a blessing to so many for such a long time. She is healthy in her heart, mind, soul and spirit and is such a wonderful encouragement to everyone. When I say everyone - I do mean that. The children love her and so do all the adults.
She has a certain charm and grace about her. I think it comes from living with the love of God in her heart. The young men who participate in assisting during the services and who take part in programs like Lads to Leaders are encouraged by her. She builds them up and helps them feel good about what they are doing to serve the Lord.
She loves to give hugs and has always been one of the friendliest folks in our congregation. I don't often get a chance, but when I do, I love talking about spiritual matters with her. She knows so much about the Scriptures. Once an elder's wife - now a widow - she has remained faithful to God all her life.
I have known several wonderful always-young-at-heart
Christians who influenced my faith. Our congregation lost another sister just a few years ago. She was also a great Christian example to us all. She never stopped working for the Lord all her life and always, always thought of others before herself.
I deeply respect and have a great love for an elderly gentleman who is a part of our local church family. He was an elder for many years and truly loves the church Christ built. And it was another very loving elderly Christian man who visited my Mom and Dad years ago and told them God needed them back in the church.
Every Christian has so much to offer.
Senior Christians are more influential than they might think. They have given so much for so long that
perhaps they don’t understand their value - how much they are still needed. They forget how much they have to offer. Each member of God’s family is valuable. We all have a place in His kingdom. We all need encouragement.
While we enjoy the encouragement these young-at-heart Christians give us, do we
return the favor? Are we thoughtful and
considerate to them? Do they know how
much we respect them and love them? Do we take the time to stop and listen to them when they want to talk?
Over
and over again, I am thankful for my local church family. Many of the young men in our congregation hug our
older ladies. Sometimes, I stand back
and watch these interchanges. They are
truly heartwarming.
We also have a young girl who never fails to go hug and speak to the older
gentleman I mentioned. He has loves children, so it is always a special treat for him to see her. I've heard her
tell him numerous times that she loves him.
I see the look on his face when she does. And I see the smile on her face as she walks away. Both are blessed by their sweet friendship.
When our young people take the time to speak to our more mature Christians –
two groups of our congregation are blessed.
Maybe it is those of us in the middle who can learn the most from these
exchanges. Every Christian and every
child has great value in the sight of God.
If we could learn to love each other like God loves us all, the church would be growing by leaps and bounds! Our love for each other would be a great encouragement to each of us and a wonderful influence in the community. After all, Jesus told us “by this all men shall know that you are my disciples because you have love one for another.”
If we could learn to love each other like God loves us all, the church would be growing by leaps and bounds! Our love for each other would be a great encouragement to each of us and a wonderful influence in the community. After all, Jesus told us “by this all men shall know that you are my disciples because you have love one for another.”
It is important to remember that this love and kindness for one another
should not be saved and used only a few times a week when we are in the church
building together. We are supposed to
show this love on a daily basis. We
should help each other when we need it – we should check in with one another
when one of us is sick. Offer to help
when and where we can. Greet one another
happily when we see each other at the grocery store or at a restaurant. We keep up with our earthly families, don’t
we? We should keep up with our spiritual
family too.
This
reminds me of a time years ago, when I lived in another town about 45 minutes
away. My oldest son was 5 and was the
only child at the time. We lived right
next door to a married couple who was probably in their late 70’s or early 80’s. They were Christians. They were in good health and both of them loved
working out in their yard.
They quickly
befriended Adam. It was a mutual
friendship. He loved them and they loved
having him around. This fine Christian
man was patient and took time with Adam.
He taught him the names of all the trees in our yards. The sweet Christian lady would give him
cookies and lemonade. As he sat on their porch with her – she would
teach him about the birds they would see in the trees or in the birdbath.
I was amazed at how
much this Christian couple knew about God’s world. I was also amazed at the kindness and love
they showed to a little five year old boy.
Their friendship meant so much to him as they helped him pass the time
during those long summer days.
Unfortunately, I
don’t remember their names; but it doesn’t matter. I remember how that couple made my son
feel. I remember the smile on his face
after visiting with them. Their love
blessed a sweet little boy -- and his mom.
As far as not knowing their names – well God does and I have no doubt that
He will richly reward them for their good works.
As so often happens
for me, this is not the direction I necessarily intended to go when I started
this post. I suppose what I am trying to
say is that we should never discount someone because of their age, whether it
be old or young. We should realize that everyone has something to offer.
I can be encouraged by those younger than I am, because I remember being young. I remember what that was like and it was not always easy. I know the youth of today are probably exposed to and tempted more than I can imagine. To see them face the challenges they face and still cleave to their faith is inspirational.
I can be encouraged by those younger than I am, because I remember being young. I remember what that was like and it was not always easy. I know the youth of today are probably exposed to and tempted more than I can imagine. To see them face the challenges they face and still cleave to their faith is inspirational.
Those of us who are
adult, but perhaps have not yet reached our senior years can encourage one
another because we are going through many of the same things together. It helps us to know that someone “in the
moment” can understand what we might be facing.
Not only can we help each other; but we can care for and offer help to those more mature than we are. We can show our love to those who are younger and may need some practical advice or encouragement. It is so important that our young people learn that the church building is a good place to be!!
Not only can we help each other; but we can care for and offer help to those more mature than we are. We can show our love to those who are younger and may need some practical advice or encouragement. It is so important that our young people learn that the church building is a good place to be!!
We can never underestimate the powerful influence that our senior Christian
brothers and sister can wield. They have
gained much wisdom through all the experiences of their lives. They can teach us to be thankful for what God gives us. They can teach us about the joy of a Christian life. They have wholly dedicated
their lives to the Lord and still search for ways to work for him.
Senior Christians take pride in the accomplishments of our youth. They are always willing to offer advice, love, comfort and wisdom to those around them. In turn we can encourage them by letting them know how much their dedication to God means to us all. They are the ones who give us the courage to keep on going.
Senior Christians take pride in the accomplishments of our youth. They are always willing to offer advice, love, comfort and wisdom to those around them. In turn we can encourage them by letting them know how much their dedication to God means to us all. They are the ones who give us the courage to keep on going.
So yes, we are all important to God and to our wonderful Redeemer, Jesus
Christ. Everyone has value to the
Father. And everyone has some talent
they can use to give back to Him. God values every member of my church
family including me. He loves each individual in your church family too -- including you.
Understanding the great love He has for us, doesn’t it make sense that we show our love
for Him by loving our church family?
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, January 19, 2014
The Ground Beneath My Feet
It was the coldest it had been in years. Actually, it was the coldest I ever remember it being. As I got out of the car and walked the few steps across the grass to my gravel sidewalk and into the house, I noticed how hard the ground was. Even the grass was hard and crunchy beneath my steps. The ground under the grass and then the sidewalk were both hard ... solid ...unyielding. That night it seemed to me it was harder even than a concrete sidewalk would be.
I usually don't notice the ground I walk on. Honestly, I don't. It is something that I take for granted like so many other things. I realized there is so much that I don't take the time to think about .. to be thankful for. This ground tonight ... I couldn't ignore it. As I walked into the house I thought how much it would hurt if I fell. I don't think the land ever felt so hard as it did that night.
It was morning the next time I noticed the ground. Two or three days passed and the temperature rose. It wasn't nearly as cold. As so often happens around here, the warmer air brought on rain that continued for a couple of days. The ground, already thawed and loosened, soaked up the showers.
As I stepped off the porch, I was surprised at what I felt. The ground sank beneath my weight, but it didn't feel so much like sinking in to the sloshy earth as it felt like I was walking on a sponge. It seemed to spring back a little as I took each step. I was a very odd sensation; one I don't remember ever feeling before. I felt like I was bouncing as I walked to my car to go work.
Now, I know I can't compete with the Parable of the Sower given to us by our Lord Jesus. He is the Master Teacher and the parable that compares the ground to the hearts of those who hear the Word is a beautiful lesson that cannot be improved upon. That is not my intention here.
Yet I could not help but think about the ground beneath my feet and how it was reacting to the circumstances in which it found itself. It got bitterly cold and the ground became hard and unyielding ... rock solid. I know that as Christians our hearts are not supposed to be cold and unyielding. We are loving people.
But how are we supposed to react when the cold winds of Satan's temptations blow across us. Aren't we supposed to take a hard stand against sin and Satan? Jesus did. Remember how rock solid He was against the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness? Remember how strongly He spoke to Peter when He said, "Get behind me, Satan." We must speak out about the evil in the world. We must make a solid, strong , rock hard stand when the devil comes to tempt us in our wilderness.
When a substance is exposed to cold, the molecules in that substance condense ... get closer together. When God's family goes through tough times... aren't we supposed to pull in to one another ... get closer together... support one another ... help each other stay strong? And the colder it gets ... the stronger our stance needs to be. This old world seems to be getting colder all the time. We need to stand together and stand strong.
OK -- I get that. What about the rains? Well, what about the rains? When we are overcome by sadness or tribulation, what are we supposed to do? When Peter was so ashamed for denying the Lord, what did he do? When John and Peter were thrown into prison for preaching the gospel, what did they do? What about Paul -- or any of the first century Christians who suffered so much persecution? They bounced back!
Peter and John thanked God that they suffered for Christ's sake. Paul continued to preach whenever and wherever he could. James told us to "count it all joy when you fall into divers (manifold) temptations." Yes, be strong against the sin. But be joyful that the Lord loves you! Paul and Silas sang in prison. Nothing could keep these apostles down. They continually bounced back. The world tried to push them down. All kinds of rains fell on them - beatings, imprisonment, false teachers.... and they kept coming back.
Again and again, it seemed the new testament Christians faced obstacle after obstacle. But the church grew by leaps and bounds! These faithful servants of the Lord never lost their hope, or their joy. They held onto the peace that passes all understanding. The Father was with them through it all! God blessed them for their faithfulness.
So I hope the seed of the Word of God has fallen into the good ground of your heart. And I pray that when Satan sends temptation your way you will recognize him for the deceiver that he is. I pray you will stand rock solid against temptation. And when the rains of misfortune fall, please know how much God loves you. It is my wish for you that you are able to bounce back quickly by remembering He has promised to be with you always and forever!
Christ above all things,
Robin
I usually don't notice the ground I walk on. Honestly, I don't. It is something that I take for granted like so many other things. I realized there is so much that I don't take the time to think about .. to be thankful for. This ground tonight ... I couldn't ignore it. As I walked into the house I thought how much it would hurt if I fell. I don't think the land ever felt so hard as it did that night.
It was morning the next time I noticed the ground. Two or three days passed and the temperature rose. It wasn't nearly as cold. As so often happens around here, the warmer air brought on rain that continued for a couple of days. The ground, already thawed and loosened, soaked up the showers.
As I stepped off the porch, I was surprised at what I felt. The ground sank beneath my weight, but it didn't feel so much like sinking in to the sloshy earth as it felt like I was walking on a sponge. It seemed to spring back a little as I took each step. I was a very odd sensation; one I don't remember ever feeling before. I felt like I was bouncing as I walked to my car to go work.
Now, I know I can't compete with the Parable of the Sower given to us by our Lord Jesus. He is the Master Teacher and the parable that compares the ground to the hearts of those who hear the Word is a beautiful lesson that cannot be improved upon. That is not my intention here.
Yet I could not help but think about the ground beneath my feet and how it was reacting to the circumstances in which it found itself. It got bitterly cold and the ground became hard and unyielding ... rock solid. I know that as Christians our hearts are not supposed to be cold and unyielding. We are loving people.
But how are we supposed to react when the cold winds of Satan's temptations blow across us. Aren't we supposed to take a hard stand against sin and Satan? Jesus did. Remember how rock solid He was against the devil when He was tempted in the wilderness? Remember how strongly He spoke to Peter when He said, "Get behind me, Satan." We must speak out about the evil in the world. We must make a solid, strong , rock hard stand when the devil comes to tempt us in our wilderness.
When a substance is exposed to cold, the molecules in that substance condense ... get closer together. When God's family goes through tough times... aren't we supposed to pull in to one another ... get closer together... support one another ... help each other stay strong? And the colder it gets ... the stronger our stance needs to be. This old world seems to be getting colder all the time. We need to stand together and stand strong.
OK -- I get that. What about the rains? Well, what about the rains? When we are overcome by sadness or tribulation, what are we supposed to do? When Peter was so ashamed for denying the Lord, what did he do? When John and Peter were thrown into prison for preaching the gospel, what did they do? What about Paul -- or any of the first century Christians who suffered so much persecution? They bounced back!
Peter and John thanked God that they suffered for Christ's sake. Paul continued to preach whenever and wherever he could. James told us to "count it all joy when you fall into divers (manifold) temptations." Yes, be strong against the sin. But be joyful that the Lord loves you! Paul and Silas sang in prison. Nothing could keep these apostles down. They continually bounced back. The world tried to push them down. All kinds of rains fell on them - beatings, imprisonment, false teachers.... and they kept coming back.
Again and again, it seemed the new testament Christians faced obstacle after obstacle. But the church grew by leaps and bounds! These faithful servants of the Lord never lost their hope, or their joy. They held onto the peace that passes all understanding. The Father was with them through it all! God blessed them for their faithfulness.
So I hope the seed of the Word of God has fallen into the good ground of your heart. And I pray that when Satan sends temptation your way you will recognize him for the deceiver that he is. I pray you will stand rock solid against temptation. And when the rains of misfortune fall, please know how much God loves you. It is my wish for you that you are able to bounce back quickly by remembering He has promised to be with you always and forever!
Christ above all things,
Robin
Friday, January 17, 2014
What Are You Here After?
What are you here after? Most people who live in the deep South have heard that question or phrase at some time or another. We understand it, yet it may sound strange to others. My husband uses the "here after" phrase on a pretty regular basis. He will leave one room of the house to get something in another room and by the time he gets there he says, "I forgot what I'm here after." It is a running joke around our house.
Simply put, "what are you here after?" means why are you here? What do you need? You might meet a friend at the grocery store and say, "Hey, what are you here after?" What did you come in to buy? I love being from the South - even our quirky little sayings.
Here after is also used in another way that is more commonly understood. The here after often refers to life after death- also known as the after life. You might hear someone say, "I'll get my reward in the here-after." In this context most of us know we are talking about heaven. Although, technically one could use the term to refer to heaven or hell; but for the most part I hear the phrase used in reference to eternal life with God.
So that brings me down to the question..... what are you here after? Come on, I know I am using a silly play on words -- but really - why are you here? Hopefully, we are here after the hereafter. Surely, we all want to go to heaven! We are here after heaven. We want to live with God eternally.
As Christians, we should all keep this in mind. I have a friend who often says, "We have to keep the main thing - the main thing .. and the main thing is getting to heaven." We must always remember this. We can't give up -- Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9 - "And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Don't faint, my friends! God is going to reward us. Continue to do good for others. Please keep on living for God. Never lose hope. We all know how much Paul went through. He endured so much suffering for Christ. He was beaten and thrown in jail numerous times, left for dead and shipwrecked all for the cause of Christ. Jews plotted against him constantly. Everywhere he went preaching the gospel and establish churches others came behind him trying to undo the work he did for God. But he never ever gave up.
Paul continually worked for Christ. He never forgot his mission in life was to serve Him. He always seemed to encourage others to do the same. In many of his epistles, he told his readers that he was thankful for them - for his memories of them. And he always remembered them in his prayers.
The Hebrew writer encourages the Christian to "lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1). In other words - don't stop, keep going -- don't let weights of life drag you down and don't let sin throw you off course.
Another favorite of mine is I Corinthians 15:58 - "Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (ESV) I really do love that first. Keep going. You do make a difference -- you are not working in vain.
Actually when you think about it, all of the apostles are examples of perseverance. Yes, they all of them except John ran away when Jesus was crucified. Peter even denied the Lord three times. After the resurrection though, they learned that Christ forgave them for that. He showed them His love by appearing to them and spending time with them. He continued to teach them "until the day in which He was taken up." After that, none of them ever gave up again. They continued to serve the Lord until they died.
Jesus promised his disciples in John 14 that there are many mansions in His Father's house and that He was going to prepare one for them. He also promised them that He would come back again and receive them to Him so that He would be with them. That is the reward. That promise -- that declaration that we would be with Him is what we are "here after." We are on this earth to seek the reward of being in the Father's house with Christ our Savior.
I know the word play was corny, but our purpose is truly to serve the Lord. We live for Him because He died for us. And the rewards for doing so will be beyond our highest expectations. So hang in there. Don’t give up. Keep up your good works and resist temptation. It really will be worth it. I leave you with one more beautiful verse -- another promise – from God’s word. Penned by James and inspired by the Spirit.
"Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him." (James 1:12)
...to them that love Him -- Jesus Christ loves you so much --- Do you love Him?
Christ above all things,
Robin
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” (James 1:12)
Do you love Him?
Christ above all things,
Robin
Simply put, "what are you here after?" means why are you here? What do you need? You might meet a friend at the grocery store and say, "Hey, what are you here after?" What did you come in to buy? I love being from the South - even our quirky little sayings.
Here after is also used in another way that is more commonly understood. The here after often refers to life after death- also known as the after life. You might hear someone say, "I'll get my reward in the here-after." In this context most of us know we are talking about heaven. Although, technically one could use the term to refer to heaven or hell; but for the most part I hear the phrase used in reference to eternal life with God.
So that brings me down to the question..... what are you here after? Come on, I know I am using a silly play on words -- but really - why are you here? Hopefully, we are here after the hereafter. Surely, we all want to go to heaven! We are here after heaven. We want to live with God eternally.
As Christians, we should all keep this in mind. I have a friend who often says, "We have to keep the main thing - the main thing .. and the main thing is getting to heaven." We must always remember this. We can't give up -- Paul tells us in Galatians 6:9 - "And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Don't faint, my friends! God is going to reward us. Continue to do good for others. Please keep on living for God. Never lose hope. We all know how much Paul went through. He endured so much suffering for Christ. He was beaten and thrown in jail numerous times, left for dead and shipwrecked all for the cause of Christ. Jews plotted against him constantly. Everywhere he went preaching the gospel and establish churches others came behind him trying to undo the work he did for God. But he never ever gave up.
Paul continually worked for Christ. He never forgot his mission in life was to serve Him. He always seemed to encourage others to do the same. In many of his epistles, he told his readers that he was thankful for them - for his memories of them. And he always remembered them in his prayers.
The Hebrew writer encourages the Christian to "lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us, and run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1). In other words - don't stop, keep going -- don't let weights of life drag you down and don't let sin throw you off course.
Another favorite of mine is I Corinthians 15:58 - "Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (ESV) I really do love that first. Keep going. You do make a difference -- you are not working in vain.
Actually when you think about it, all of the apostles are examples of perseverance. Yes, they all of them except John ran away when Jesus was crucified. Peter even denied the Lord three times. After the resurrection though, they learned that Christ forgave them for that. He showed them His love by appearing to them and spending time with them. He continued to teach them "until the day in which He was taken up." After that, none of them ever gave up again. They continued to serve the Lord until they died.
Jesus promised his disciples in John 14 that there are many mansions in His Father's house and that He was going to prepare one for them. He also promised them that He would come back again and receive them to Him so that He would be with them. That is the reward. That promise -- that declaration that we would be with Him is what we are "here after." We are on this earth to seek the reward of being in the Father's house with Christ our Savior.
I know the word play was corny, but our purpose is truly to serve the Lord. We live for Him because He died for us. And the rewards for doing so will be beyond our highest expectations. So hang in there. Don’t give up. Keep up your good works and resist temptation. It really will be worth it. I leave you with one more beautiful verse -- another promise – from God’s word. Penned by James and inspired by the Spirit.
"Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love Him." (James 1:12)
...to them that love Him -- Jesus Christ loves you so much --- Do you love Him?
Christ above all things,
Robin
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.” (James 1:12)
Do you love Him?
Christ above all things,
Robin
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Manners or Minnows
I know, I know... it's a funny title for a post right? Well that is because the story that prompts it is also funny. I love teaching my two and three year old Bible class! We never have a dull moment in that room. I never know what my students are going to say. Anyone who has ever taught this age group should be prepared for anything. This past Wednesday was no exception.
I only have two students, one little boy who is a little over 3 and one little girl who is a few months past 2 years old. The children were coloring the picture that went along with the story I planned to teach. The little girl scooted her chair as close as possible to the little boy. He didn't mind. They are always very sweet to another.
Sometimes though, sitting that close together offers temptations that cannot be explained or resisted. Suddenly, she blew in the little boy's face. It was if she was trying to make his hair fly up or something. I don't know what the reason was for this, but she did it a second time.
I told her to stop. I tried to explain that he didn't like that and it was not something she should do. I went on to say that we "needed some manners in here." The little boy then said - "You can throw manners in the lake."
Now, I have given away my punch line by the title of the post; but as this was taking place I didn't realize what he was thinking. I had no idea what he had in his little mind, so I said -- "No, we can't throw our manners in the lake!"
That sweet innocent child looked up at me with no mischief in his face at all. "Yes you can, Mrs. Robin. My daddy does. You know, those little fish? He throws them in the lake all the time."
I could not help myself. I laughed out loud! The mix-up just turned my giggle box over and the laughter just came out. Well, my little student was surprised by this reaction because I had never laughed at him before. I could tell he didn't really know what to think about that. I quickly told him that "Mrs. Robin was silly because she (I) got all mixed up about what you said." It put him at ease and all was well.
Still the incident was so humorous, I couldn't wait to tell his grandparents (and several others standing close by) what had happened. Everyone got a good laugh out of this.
I'm sure that many of you have funny stories about your children or your Bible class students. This is one I hope I will always remember.
I have laughed over this incident several times over the last few days. All joking aside, I was reminded how important it is to take the time to understand what someone is trying to communicate to you. Understanding is a very important part of loving and supporting each other. Communicating effectively is also important.
When someone is talking with you after worship services, do you really pay intention or is your mind somewhere else? Are you just smiling and giving some trite greeting and going on to the next person? It is important to be friendly and speak to as many of our brothers and sisters as we can; but do we go about it as if we are just tallying the numbers to reach a certain count?
I once heard a story about a gentleman in a reception line who decided to see how many people were really listening to what he said as he greeted them. So he came up with some wildly outrageous phrase to say to each person who came through the line. It was something like "Is there a cat on my head?" The gentleman later reported that very few even blinked an eye at his comment. They never noticed because they weren't listening to what he said- let alone trying to understand it!
As Christians surely we can do better than that. We should make every effort to concentrate on each individual we greet. If we are careful to pay attention and take the time to understand, we may realize that this person - this time - needs more than a simple hello. Sometimes, she may need you to stop and listen just a little while longer.
It really is OK to talk to only one person, if that one person needs us to understand their loneliness and their inner pain. Sometimes we need to listen very carefully. It could be that we need to hold a hand- or give a hug. We might even need to stop what we are doing right then and there and just pray with that person.
Are we sometimes the priest or the Levite and walk right past a member of our church family that we know is having a hard time? Maybe we don't think we have the time or energy to get too involved. But what if that person was you? What if you were the one who needed someone to listen?
Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be kind and tenderhearted to one another. What about Colossians 3:12?
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering," (NKJV)
What a wonderful verse this is! We are the elect of God. We are or should be holy and beloved. Therefore, being holy and beloved by God, then we must put on tender mercies, and kindness. The NIV says "clothe yourselves with compassion and kindness." This is what we are to do. Christ was full of love and compassion and kindness. As Christians, we have "put on Christ" so clothing ourselves with kindness and compassion doesn't sound so far-fetched.
Imagine how much stronger all of our local church families would be if we only remembered these two verses? And how many folks could we bring to Christ if we clothed ourselves -- literally let our personalities wear compassion and kindness? How much glory would we bring to the kingdom of Christ? After all, isn't that our purpose?
So the next time someone speaks to us or needs us in any way, let's make sure we use our Christian manners instead of throwing them in the lake!
Christ above all things,
Robin
I only have two students, one little boy who is a little over 3 and one little girl who is a few months past 2 years old. The children were coloring the picture that went along with the story I planned to teach. The little girl scooted her chair as close as possible to the little boy. He didn't mind. They are always very sweet to another.
Sometimes though, sitting that close together offers temptations that cannot be explained or resisted. Suddenly, she blew in the little boy's face. It was if she was trying to make his hair fly up or something. I don't know what the reason was for this, but she did it a second time.
I told her to stop. I tried to explain that he didn't like that and it was not something she should do. I went on to say that we "needed some manners in here." The little boy then said - "You can throw manners in the lake."
Now, I have given away my punch line by the title of the post; but as this was taking place I didn't realize what he was thinking. I had no idea what he had in his little mind, so I said -- "No, we can't throw our manners in the lake!"
That sweet innocent child looked up at me with no mischief in his face at all. "Yes you can, Mrs. Robin. My daddy does. You know, those little fish? He throws them in the lake all the time."
I could not help myself. I laughed out loud! The mix-up just turned my giggle box over and the laughter just came out. Well, my little student was surprised by this reaction because I had never laughed at him before. I could tell he didn't really know what to think about that. I quickly told him that "Mrs. Robin was silly because she (I) got all mixed up about what you said." It put him at ease and all was well.
Still the incident was so humorous, I couldn't wait to tell his grandparents (and several others standing close by) what had happened. Everyone got a good laugh out of this.
I'm sure that many of you have funny stories about your children or your Bible class students. This is one I hope I will always remember.
I have laughed over this incident several times over the last few days. All joking aside, I was reminded how important it is to take the time to understand what someone is trying to communicate to you. Understanding is a very important part of loving and supporting each other. Communicating effectively is also important.
When someone is talking with you after worship services, do you really pay intention or is your mind somewhere else? Are you just smiling and giving some trite greeting and going on to the next person? It is important to be friendly and speak to as many of our brothers and sisters as we can; but do we go about it as if we are just tallying the numbers to reach a certain count?
I once heard a story about a gentleman in a reception line who decided to see how many people were really listening to what he said as he greeted them. So he came up with some wildly outrageous phrase to say to each person who came through the line. It was something like "Is there a cat on my head?" The gentleman later reported that very few even blinked an eye at his comment. They never noticed because they weren't listening to what he said- let alone trying to understand it!
As Christians surely we can do better than that. We should make every effort to concentrate on each individual we greet. If we are careful to pay attention and take the time to understand, we may realize that this person - this time - needs more than a simple hello. Sometimes, she may need you to stop and listen just a little while longer.
It really is OK to talk to only one person, if that one person needs us to understand their loneliness and their inner pain. Sometimes we need to listen very carefully. It could be that we need to hold a hand- or give a hug. We might even need to stop what we are doing right then and there and just pray with that person.
Are we sometimes the priest or the Levite and walk right past a member of our church family that we know is having a hard time? Maybe we don't think we have the time or energy to get too involved. But what if that person was you? What if you were the one who needed someone to listen?
Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be kind and tenderhearted to one another. What about Colossians 3:12?
"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering," (NKJV)
What a wonderful verse this is! We are the elect of God. We are or should be holy and beloved. Therefore, being holy and beloved by God, then we must put on tender mercies, and kindness. The NIV says "clothe yourselves with compassion and kindness." This is what we are to do. Christ was full of love and compassion and kindness. As Christians, we have "put on Christ" so clothing ourselves with kindness and compassion doesn't sound so far-fetched.
Imagine how much stronger all of our local church families would be if we only remembered these two verses? And how many folks could we bring to Christ if we clothed ourselves -- literally let our personalities wear compassion and kindness? How much glory would we bring to the kingdom of Christ? After all, isn't that our purpose?
So the next time someone speaks to us or needs us in any way, let's make sure we use our Christian manners instead of throwing them in the lake!
Christ above all things,
Robin
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
God's Word Never Changes
Well, Christmas is over and the New Year is here (or will be tomorrow, Lord willing). It seems so strange to think 2014 will be a reality in the morning! The time really does fly right on by us, doesn't it? James refers to our lives as a vapor. It is true - no matter how long any of us live here on earth it is nothing compared to eternity. We would do well to remember this. It is so important to make the most of our life -- to take every opportunity to serve God by serving others.
Like a lot of folks, I had big plans for 2013. I wanted to accomplish many things; and like many folks I didn't reach all of my goals. I'm not complaining. God is so good and I was abundantly blessed in 2013. I praise the Father for my blessings.
Our life circumstances may change through the years; but our Lord goes with us through all of these changes. The Hebrew writer assures that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) What a comfort it is to know that He is always with us and that His promises will always stand true.
Christ never changes. God never changes. The Word never changes.
Psalm 33:11 - "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations."
Isaiah 40:8 -- "The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall stand forever."
These are just two passages showing that God is always the same. His word will always be just as it is now. His counsel stands forever.
This knowledge creates a certain sense of security and stability in my life. How scary would it be to have a God who changed His mind about things every couple of years? Pretty soon you wouldn't be able to remember which admonition was still in and what may have been cast by the wayside. It would be more difficult to know how to live and what to do to please God! The Holy Spirit has given us assurance that this will never happen.
On the other hand, we must take heed that we handle the Word of God appropriately. We have the responsibility to learn what the Bible teaches and to rightly divide the scriptures. It is difficult to abide by something that we do not know. Ah, but God has given us the Bible so that we can know. The Bible tells us what to do to be saved and how to live our lives for God and Christ. It really is all right there in His Word. All we have to do is seek it out and then live it out.
As the writer to the Hebrews says, God is true and faithful and just to reward those who diligently seek Him. Jesus told us "If you love me, keep my commandments." Those of you who read my posts frequently may get tired of seeing me refer to this scripture so often. But it just seems to me it is about as clear as you can get. In order to keep the commandments of Christ we must know what they are. We can't look at just one verse or one chapter - or even just one book and think we know everything there is to know about the commandments we are supposed to keep.
During the Christmas season, my husband and I enjoy watching Christmas movies. He has a couple of favorites and so do I. We both enjoy A Christmas Carol. There are several different film versions of this famous story written by Charles Dickens. I have watched many of them -- including the "Muppets" version. Usually though, Robert and I enjoy two of the older versions - both in black and white. They seem to keep the essence of the book.
Why do I bring up A Christmas Carol in the middle of a discussion regarding God's word? It is pertinent, I assure you. The reason I bring this up is because all of the movies are based on one book. This wonderful story - told and re-told many times through the years has its origins in one book written by one man. And yet, each movie is different from the other in some way.
Some of the differences in the various movies are very small -- and some of them aren't. Some versions of this film choose to leave out scenes from the book. Others have changed scenes to suit their needs in some way. I haven't read Dickens' work in a long time; but I don't think any of the movies are exactly like the book. Still, there is only one book called A Christmas Carol.
Does this sound similar to how some of us treat the Bible? Do we pick and choose what we want to teach and live by? Do we forget that God said His Word would last forever? Do we choose to think that Christ didn't really mean it when He said "Keep my commandments?"
Sometimes we might forget that the Bible teaches against gossip and lying; but it does. God's word teaches we must work to support our families. It is difficult to love and pray for our enemies. Wouldn't it be so much easier to hold onto to that grudge until we can find a way to "get them back?"
Maybe we have trouble controlling our tempers or our tongues. Maybe we feel like we are too proud or too busy to actually serve others - to help someone out who might truly need our help. And sometimes our service to others might not be so pleasant; but remember Christ washed the apostles' dirty, road-weary feet.
Robin, are you saying we really have to talk to God every day? The Bible says we are to pray without ceasing. What about studying His Word? It really is difficult to find time in my day to do that. The scriptures say "study to show thyself approved." Are we really supposed to change our lives for him? Read Acts 2:38; or Romans 12:1-2 or Romans 6:4.
Well, I suppose I've rambled on long enough. Sometimes I get carried away. Occasionally, I start out on a post and my thoughts take me in a different direction by the end of it. Once in a while as my thoughts bounce around in my head, so do the ideas I write about.
I know that tonight is a time of celebration for many. We look forward to better times - to new adventures and new opportunities. We know that changes come with each new year. And we pray these transitions will all be good. Just remember that God's Holy Word never changes. God loves you and me. He loved us before we were ever born.
"From the foundation of the world" He and His Son, our Savior planned to save us from our sins so that we could be in Heaven with Him. All God has ever really wanted is for us to love and obey Him so that we could be with Him. He wants to be with His children. God, our wonderful Father, our perfect parent will always be there for You. You can count on Him.
Show your love for Christ. Keep His commandments. Study to know what they are. They will always be the same. God's word will stand forever. And in God's word He promises to reward those who diligently seek Him. You can count on that. Isn't that a wonderful thought to hold on to for 2014?
Happy New Year.
And remember....
Keep Christ above all things,
Robin
Like a lot of folks, I had big plans for 2013. I wanted to accomplish many things; and like many folks I didn't reach all of my goals. I'm not complaining. God is so good and I was abundantly blessed in 2013. I praise the Father for my blessings.
Our life circumstances may change through the years; but our Lord goes with us through all of these changes. The Hebrew writer assures that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) What a comfort it is to know that He is always with us and that His promises will always stand true.
Christ never changes. God never changes. The Word never changes.
Psalm 33:11 - "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations."
Isaiah 40:8 -- "The grass withers, the flower fades; but the Word of our God shall stand forever."
These are just two passages showing that God is always the same. His word will always be just as it is now. His counsel stands forever.
This knowledge creates a certain sense of security and stability in my life. How scary would it be to have a God who changed His mind about things every couple of years? Pretty soon you wouldn't be able to remember which admonition was still in and what may have been cast by the wayside. It would be more difficult to know how to live and what to do to please God! The Holy Spirit has given us assurance that this will never happen.
On the other hand, we must take heed that we handle the Word of God appropriately. We have the responsibility to learn what the Bible teaches and to rightly divide the scriptures. It is difficult to abide by something that we do not know. Ah, but God has given us the Bible so that we can know. The Bible tells us what to do to be saved and how to live our lives for God and Christ. It really is all right there in His Word. All we have to do is seek it out and then live it out.
As the writer to the Hebrews says, God is true and faithful and just to reward those who diligently seek Him. Jesus told us "If you love me, keep my commandments." Those of you who read my posts frequently may get tired of seeing me refer to this scripture so often. But it just seems to me it is about as clear as you can get. In order to keep the commandments of Christ we must know what they are. We can't look at just one verse or one chapter - or even just one book and think we know everything there is to know about the commandments we are supposed to keep.
During the Christmas season, my husband and I enjoy watching Christmas movies. He has a couple of favorites and so do I. We both enjoy A Christmas Carol. There are several different film versions of this famous story written by Charles Dickens. I have watched many of them -- including the "Muppets" version. Usually though, Robert and I enjoy two of the older versions - both in black and white. They seem to keep the essence of the book.
Why do I bring up A Christmas Carol in the middle of a discussion regarding God's word? It is pertinent, I assure you. The reason I bring this up is because all of the movies are based on one book. This wonderful story - told and re-told many times through the years has its origins in one book written by one man. And yet, each movie is different from the other in some way.
Some of the differences in the various movies are very small -- and some of them aren't. Some versions of this film choose to leave out scenes from the book. Others have changed scenes to suit their needs in some way. I haven't read Dickens' work in a long time; but I don't think any of the movies are exactly like the book. Still, there is only one book called A Christmas Carol.
Does this sound similar to how some of us treat the Bible? Do we pick and choose what we want to teach and live by? Do we forget that God said His Word would last forever? Do we choose to think that Christ didn't really mean it when He said "Keep my commandments?"
Sometimes we might forget that the Bible teaches against gossip and lying; but it does. God's word teaches we must work to support our families. It is difficult to love and pray for our enemies. Wouldn't it be so much easier to hold onto to that grudge until we can find a way to "get them back?"
Maybe we have trouble controlling our tempers or our tongues. Maybe we feel like we are too proud or too busy to actually serve others - to help someone out who might truly need our help. And sometimes our service to others might not be so pleasant; but remember Christ washed the apostles' dirty, road-weary feet.
Robin, are you saying we really have to talk to God every day? The Bible says we are to pray without ceasing. What about studying His Word? It really is difficult to find time in my day to do that. The scriptures say "study to show thyself approved." Are we really supposed to change our lives for him? Read Acts 2:38; or Romans 12:1-2 or Romans 6:4.
Well, I suppose I've rambled on long enough. Sometimes I get carried away. Occasionally, I start out on a post and my thoughts take me in a different direction by the end of it. Once in a while as my thoughts bounce around in my head, so do the ideas I write about.
I know that tonight is a time of celebration for many. We look forward to better times - to new adventures and new opportunities. We know that changes come with each new year. And we pray these transitions will all be good. Just remember that God's Holy Word never changes. God loves you and me. He loved us before we were ever born.
"From the foundation of the world" He and His Son, our Savior planned to save us from our sins so that we could be in Heaven with Him. All God has ever really wanted is for us to love and obey Him so that we could be with Him. He wants to be with His children. God, our wonderful Father, our perfect parent will always be there for You. You can count on Him.
Show your love for Christ. Keep His commandments. Study to know what they are. They will always be the same. God's word will stand forever. And in God's word He promises to reward those who diligently seek Him. You can count on that. Isn't that a wonderful thought to hold on to for 2014?
Happy New Year.
And remember....
Keep Christ above all things,
Robin
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