Have you ever asked for something and then felt almost guilty when you received it? That happened to me today. Let me explain…
I understand that God is not a slot machine. “Prayers In” does not equal “Stuff Out”. I totally get that. But in 1John 5:14, the bible says “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
I am horrible with money. There, I said it. I am bringing my sin into the light. Not only am I just horrible with money, I’m at times selfish, foolish, impulsive, greedy….GROSS with money. I have been praying for God to change my heart about finances. I don’t want to be a slave to money or to anything of this world. Let me tell you- Jesus does not disappoint. He is slowly, ever so slowly, shaping my heart to become more like Christ. In the past, I always tried to fix things on my own. But my one word this year is surrender and that’s what I’ve done. I’ve surrendered this to God and what a liberating feeling that is!
Last Friday when I received my daily devotional from Proverbs31 Ministries, I felt as if it was directed right at me. At the bottom of the email was a link to Dave Ramsey’s website. This was not the first time I had heard of him, but it was the first time I paid attention. Basically, he’s a financial expert and a Christian. The more I read, the more I wanted to buy his book Total Money Makeover. As I started to look at prices I felt a little tug from God. Why was I going to spend $20 (that I didn’t have) to learn how to get out of debt? It was crazy! I had already done something that stupid a couple of months ago. When I was trying to fix everything myself, I was convinced that I had to buy the most recent Quicken software, thinking it would spontaneously solve all of our problems. I rationalized, I talked my husband into it, nothing was going to stop me from getting this. I even went to 3 or 4 stores in one night looking for it! Yes, I wasted $50 for a program I used half a dozen times. DUH. So I was determined that this time would be different. I prayed. I prayed to God that if it was His will for me to have the book please provide it for me. I had no idea how He would do this, but Jesus said "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26).
Today, God answered my prayer. A dear friend of mine knew that I was praying for this book. She prayed about it and couldn’t stop thinking about it all day. She felt God calling her to not just pray about it, but to be that answer to prayer. I cried when she called me at work to tell me she had just purchased the book for me. A little while later as I was thinking about it, I started to feel guilty. Why should God provide me with a gift like this when all I’ve done is screw up over and over again? I don’t deserve this. But He is kind and merciful and loving and He has already forgiven me for my sins. All this over a book…But it just reminded me of how overwhelming His love truly is for us. Jesus died for all of our sins.
I want to be a good steward of all that God has entrusted to me. That’s why I want this book. So thank you to my friend who was obedient to God. And thank you to God for answering my prayer. All the glory goes to HIM!!
______
John 3:16 (New International Version)
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A Day of Praise
Today was AMAZING!!! It started off quite early...Edwin and I were up, dressed, and ready to leave the house by 7:15am so we could arrive at church around 8am. It was only our second week of services at PC3's new location, but it already feels like home. Dropping Edwin off at Grow Zone went so smoothly- He didn't cry at all!
Without getting too specific, God has been working on my heart about a particular issue. Today's service was very emotional for me...I found myself tearing up as we sang : "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." I am so grateful that even when I screw up over and over again, He still forgives me and continues to love me. Today, Mike continued his series about Cultivating Change. I'm not very good at writing summaries, so if you want to hear it, it'll be on their website within a few days. Just know that it was wonderful as usual.
Here's where my Sunday took a turn away from the ordinary. Mom & Dad watched Edwin for me while I went to another church with Rebecca and Cindy (both in my small group). Here's the background story-- I hope I remember everything correctly, but I guess Rebecca can leave a comment if I get any of it wrong:
Last Sunday after church, Rebecca had to go to work (she's a nurse at a rehab center). She was overflowing with joy and excitement about PC3, the worship service, God, etc. She went to get ice cream, and as she was coming back, just prayed and asked God to give her someone to share Jesus with. Not necessarily a non-believer, but someone that she could talk to and share in her joy. She rounded the corner, and there was Mrs. M (I don't know if I'm allowed to say her name, so Mrs. M will have to do) in her Sunday dress. According to Rebecca, you could tell she was "churched out". Mrs. M is a 100 year old lady!!! Yes, one hundred years and seven months old and apparently you'd never be able to tell. She wasn't able to go to church that day because she was in the hospital, but wanted to get dressed up anyway. Rebecca and Mrs. M talked for quite awhile. Mrs. M asked Rebecca where she goes to church and she told her about PC3. Then Rebecca returned the question. Mrs. M said she attends Macedonia Missionary Baptist church which just so happens to be right down the road from Rebecca's house! When she told Mrs. M this, she responded "I wish you'd come." Rebecca agreed to go on one condition. That the pastor would preach about Jesus and be based on the Bible. Mrs. M said "Oh he tore it up last week!" That settled it. Rebecca found out the time of their services and said she's see Mrs. M this Sunday.
Whew! Long story, I told you. So Rebecca, Cindy and I went to Macedonia Missionary for their 11am service today. WOW WOW WOW. I am at a loss for words to describe the experience! It was spirit-filled, wonderful, convicting, special, unique...I could go on and on. The music...oh the music. I wish I could bottle it up and take it out of my pocket when I need a little pick-me-up. They even had the Sunshine Band (children probably 10 and under) sing a couple of songs. The whole thing was just so genuine. People were worshipping God in the way that felt right to them, not concerned with what other people might think. And their pastor's sermon was intense!!! He referenced Philippians 3:12-17 and focused on moving beyond our regrets. Whew! It was so appropriate. We are to press on towards the goal and keep our eyes on Jesus. God's timing is perfect!
Unfortunately, Mrs. M wasn't at the service this morning. She just got out of the hospital, and needed some more time at home. But her niece was there to greet us and asked that we come to Mrs. M's house when church was over. I had to get back to Mom & Dad's to get Edwin, but Rebecca and Cindy went. From what Rebecca said, it was remarkable. That's how my day got started. Two very different church services, but both worshipping the same God.
This afternoon, Edwin and I surprised Ed by showing up at his work. Daddy got to show Edwin off to some of his co-workers and I finally got to see where he spends the majority of his time. After a few errands, we spent the rest of the day at Mom & Dad's house. We had dinner tonight with the whole family (Katie, Brian, and Anthony) and just spent some quality time together before Mom, Katie & Anthony take off for MN on Tuesday.
I am constantly reminded of how much God has changed me in the past few years. When I lived in Ohio, I went to a church service very similar to the one at Macedonia this morning. But at the time, I thought the music went on too long, people were strange for raising their hands when singing, the pastor talked too much, I didn't know the Bible stories, etc. It's astounding to me how different my opinions were today. The music was overwhelming, I loved that people were free enough to raise their hands in praise, the pastor's message lit my butt on fire!!, and I had my own Bible with me to look up the scripture passages. Two hours went by in no time! Anyway, I'm just grateful to finally appreciate the blessings God has given me.
I hope everyone has a great week!
*******
Philippians 3:12-17 (New International Version)
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
Without getting too specific, God has been working on my heart about a particular issue. Today's service was very emotional for me...I found myself tearing up as we sang : "Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." I am so grateful that even when I screw up over and over again, He still forgives me and continues to love me. Today, Mike continued his series about Cultivating Change. I'm not very good at writing summaries, so if you want to hear it, it'll be on their website within a few days. Just know that it was wonderful as usual.
Here's where my Sunday took a turn away from the ordinary. Mom & Dad watched Edwin for me while I went to another church with Rebecca and Cindy (both in my small group). Here's the background story-- I hope I remember everything correctly, but I guess Rebecca can leave a comment if I get any of it wrong:
Last Sunday after church, Rebecca had to go to work (she's a nurse at a rehab center). She was overflowing with joy and excitement about PC3, the worship service, God, etc. She went to get ice cream, and as she was coming back, just prayed and asked God to give her someone to share Jesus with. Not necessarily a non-believer, but someone that she could talk to and share in her joy. She rounded the corner, and there was Mrs. M (I don't know if I'm allowed to say her name, so Mrs. M will have to do) in her Sunday dress. According to Rebecca, you could tell she was "churched out". Mrs. M is a 100 year old lady!!! Yes, one hundred years and seven months old and apparently you'd never be able to tell. She wasn't able to go to church that day because she was in the hospital, but wanted to get dressed up anyway. Rebecca and Mrs. M talked for quite awhile. Mrs. M asked Rebecca where she goes to church and she told her about PC3. Then Rebecca returned the question. Mrs. M said she attends Macedonia Missionary Baptist church which just so happens to be right down the road from Rebecca's house! When she told Mrs. M this, she responded "I wish you'd come." Rebecca agreed to go on one condition. That the pastor would preach about Jesus and be based on the Bible. Mrs. M said "Oh he tore it up last week!" That settled it. Rebecca found out the time of their services and said she's see Mrs. M this Sunday.
Whew! Long story, I told you. So Rebecca, Cindy and I went to Macedonia Missionary for their 11am service today. WOW WOW WOW. I am at a loss for words to describe the experience! It was spirit-filled, wonderful, convicting, special, unique...I could go on and on. The music...oh the music. I wish I could bottle it up and take it out of my pocket when I need a little pick-me-up. They even had the Sunshine Band (children probably 10 and under) sing a couple of songs. The whole thing was just so genuine. People were worshipping God in the way that felt right to them, not concerned with what other people might think. And their pastor's sermon was intense!!! He referenced Philippians 3:12-17 and focused on moving beyond our regrets. Whew! It was so appropriate. We are to press on towards the goal and keep our eyes on Jesus. God's timing is perfect!
Unfortunately, Mrs. M wasn't at the service this morning. She just got out of the hospital, and needed some more time at home. But her niece was there to greet us and asked that we come to Mrs. M's house when church was over. I had to get back to Mom & Dad's to get Edwin, but Rebecca and Cindy went. From what Rebecca said, it was remarkable. That's how my day got started. Two very different church services, but both worshipping the same God.
This afternoon, Edwin and I surprised Ed by showing up at his work. Daddy got to show Edwin off to some of his co-workers and I finally got to see where he spends the majority of his time. After a few errands, we spent the rest of the day at Mom & Dad's house. We had dinner tonight with the whole family (Katie, Brian, and Anthony) and just spent some quality time together before Mom, Katie & Anthony take off for MN on Tuesday.
I am constantly reminded of how much God has changed me in the past few years. When I lived in Ohio, I went to a church service very similar to the one at Macedonia this morning. But at the time, I thought the music went on too long, people were strange for raising their hands when singing, the pastor talked too much, I didn't know the Bible stories, etc. It's astounding to me how different my opinions were today. The music was overwhelming, I loved that people were free enough to raise their hands in praise, the pastor's message lit my butt on fire!!, and I had my own Bible with me to look up the scripture passages. Two hours went by in no time! Anyway, I'm just grateful to finally appreciate the blessings God has given me.
I hope everyone has a great week!
*******
Philippians 3:12-17 (New International Version)
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
Friday, July 25, 2008
God of This City...part 2
This isn't the greatest video visually, but it's the only free recording of the song I could find to post on here. Enjoy!!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Alright. It’s Wednesday. Here’s a new blog for you to read.
I guess I haven’t posted because I feared it might put everyone to sleep! Haha. So read on at your own risk (and do not operate heavy machinery). Hmm…what’s been going on around the Boso household? Well, for the past week or so, my left foot has been bothering me quite a bit. By Sunday, it was painful to walk. My doctor was able to fit me in on Monday afternoon. Apparently, I have what’s called a Morton’s Neuroma. Since Wikipedia seems to be the latest source of info, here’s what it had to say:
Symptoms include: pain on weight bearing, frequently after only a short time; the pain is felt as a shooting pain affecting the contiguous halves of two toes. Burning, numbness and parasthesia may also be experienced. Classically the 3rd digital space between the 3rd and 4th toes is affected, but the condition can occasionally occur in the 2nd and 3rd interdigital space. The pain is caused by pressure on the enlarged section of nerve where it passes between the metatarsal heads, and is squeezed between them.
Yup, I basically have an inflamed bunch of nerves between my 2nd and 3rd little piggies. The doc ordered x-rays to be sure it wasn’t a fracture and they came back normal. He said they’re not really sure what causes the condition, but treatment is usually fairly simple. For the next 7-10 days, I have to ice it in the morning and evening, and take Rx-strength naproxen. If that doesn't work, he'll refer me to a foot doctor for a steroid injection. I took Monday & Tuesday off from the gym, but I’m stubborn and decided to go back today. Not sure how that’s going to turn out…
Still awake? Okay…what else? Um, on Monday night, Mom & Dad picked Edwin up from daycare (I was worried about my appt running late), so I had dinner with them, along with Janet, Katie, Katie (yup, two different katie’s), Brian and Anthony. Check out Katie’s blog for some ADORABLE pictures of my baby! The second one freaks me out a little…..For some reason, it makes me imagine what he’ll be like in a few years. Time already goes by too quickly with him.
Yesterday, Ed was off from work and was gracious enough to have dinner cooking when Edwin and I got home. Woo Hoo!!! In the meantime, we let Edwin play in the backyard for the first time. For those of you who don’t know, our yard is HUGE, yet sort of off-limits for humans. Let me explain. When we bought the house, all of our money went towards the mortgage and moving and the wedding and and and. You get the picture. Anyway, we couldn’t afford to do anything to the yard. So for the first year, it was basically a weird combination of sand, dirt, some weeds, and lots of creepy crawlies. The dogs enjoy the space to run, but I refused to set foot out there. Who knew I was so high maintenance when it comes to a backyard? Anyway, the weeds have grown in so much that Ed has to mow the “yard” quite frequently. They’re so thick it almost looks like grass! Long, boring story short, we let Edwin play out there last night. It was so cute!! He had his plastic lawnmower from Ashley and was pushing it around. I got a couple of pictures, but will have to post them later. Ed decided to take Edwin on the riding lawnmower for a few turns around the yard too….at first it was too loud, but eventually he enjoyed the ride. Yup, I took video, and yes, that will get posted later as well. Dinner was delicious: Grilled chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes. YUMMY! Thank you to my chef-hubby.
So there you have it. Monday and Tuesday in a rather large nutshell (“Help, I’m in a nutshell!”). Tonight I have my small group Bible study….very much looking forward to that. Our group has been meeting for about 2 ½ years now. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I feel like we’re definitely in a season of growth right now and it feels great!
Okay, I feel like I have said enough. Or maybe too much. But you asked for it. Have a lovely evening :)
Symptoms include: pain on weight bearing, frequently after only a short time; the pain is felt as a shooting pain affecting the contiguous halves of two toes. Burning, numbness and parasthesia may also be experienced. Classically the 3rd digital space between the 3rd and 4th toes is affected, but the condition can occasionally occur in the 2nd and 3rd interdigital space. The pain is caused by pressure on the enlarged section of nerve where it passes between the metatarsal heads, and is squeezed between them.
Yup, I basically have an inflamed bunch of nerves between my 2nd and 3rd little piggies. The doc ordered x-rays to be sure it wasn’t a fracture and they came back normal. He said they’re not really sure what causes the condition, but treatment is usually fairly simple. For the next 7-10 days, I have to ice it in the morning and evening, and take Rx-strength naproxen. If that doesn't work, he'll refer me to a foot doctor for a steroid injection. I took Monday & Tuesday off from the gym, but I’m stubborn and decided to go back today. Not sure how that’s going to turn out… Still awake? Okay…what else? Um, on Monday night, Mom & Dad picked Edwin up from daycare (I was worried about my appt running late), so I had dinner with them, along with Janet, Katie, Katie (yup, two different katie’s), Brian and Anthony. Check out Katie’s blog for some ADORABLE pictures of my baby! The second one freaks me out a little…..For some reason, it makes me imagine what he’ll be like in a few years. Time already goes by too quickly with him.
Yesterday, Ed was off from work and was gracious enough to have dinner cooking when Edwin and I got home. Woo Hoo!!! In the meantime, we let Edwin play in the backyard for the first time. For those of you who don’t know, our yard is HUGE, yet sort of off-limits for humans. Let me explain. When we bought the house, all of our money went towards the mortgage and moving and the wedding and and and. You get the picture. Anyway, we couldn’t afford to do anything to the yard. So for the first year, it was basically a weird combination of sand, dirt, some weeds, and lots of creepy crawlies. The dogs enjoy the space to run, but I refused to set foot out there. Who knew I was so high maintenance when it comes to a backyard? Anyway, the weeds have grown in so much that Ed has to mow the “yard” quite frequently. They’re so thick it almost looks like grass! Long, boring story short, we let Edwin play out there last night. It was so cute!! He had his plastic lawnmower from Ashley and was pushing it around. I got a couple of pictures, but will have to post them later. Ed decided to take Edwin on the riding lawnmower for a few turns around the yard too….at first it was too loud, but eventually he enjoyed the ride. Yup, I took video, and yes, that will get posted later as well. Dinner was delicious: Grilled chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes. YUMMY! Thank you to my chef-hubby.
So there you have it. Monday and Tuesday in a rather large nutshell (“Help, I’m in a nutshell!”). Tonight I have my small group Bible study….very much looking forward to that. Our group has been meeting for about 2 ½ years now. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I feel like we’re definitely in a season of growth right now and it feels great!
Okay, I feel like I have said enough. Or maybe too much. But you asked for it. Have a lovely evening :)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
God of This City
I don't have words to describe how awesome this morning was. Port City Community Church held it's very first services in our new building at 250 Vision Drive. The church has only been around for 8 1/2 years, but God has done some amazing things. I feel so blessed to be a part of this church. I mean, I wake up on Sunday mornings absolutely THRILLED that I get to go to church!! Me! Excited about church. I won't go into details about the service because I could go on forever....but we ended with a song by Chris Tomlin called God of This City. As we were singing, I just got overwhelmed to think that there really is so much more work to be done in this city of Wilmington. Overwhelmed in a good way though because I know that God is using PC3 for great things. Things that we are not even aware of. God is so good all the time.
God of this City
You’re the God of this city
You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You Are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You’re the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You’re the King above all Kings
You Are
You’re the strength in our weakness
You’re the love to the broken
You’re the joy in the sadness
You Are
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Response
I generally write posts on this blog in order to keep up with family and friends. I post pictures and videos of my adorable son, and give highlights on our day to day lives. For the most part, I don’t talk about my faith because I know it makes a lot of people uncomfortable or they disagree with me or they just don’t care one way or the other. But a couple of weeks ago, I read something called “Blogging to Worship God”. You can read it for yourself (quite interesting) but the essence of it is 1Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (Including blogging).
Which brings me to my point. My post from Friday comes from wanting to worship God. As I was listening to that message on the book of Ruth, something came over me and I felt like I needed to take notes, and put it out there in cyberspace for others to see. I did it knowing full well that the people who generally comment on my blog probably wouldn’t have much to say about this (maybe not wanting to start an argument, maybe it didn’t interest them, maybe they prefer to keep their opinions to themselves). In any case, I was quite surprised and delighted to see that David (my darling brother) left me a comment:
_____________________________
I dont agree with this:
Religion: Can only lead to Pride or Despair (never Joy or Humility). If you obey the “rules”, you become arrogant and prideful. Pride is what got satan thrown out of heaven. If you’re honest and realize you can’t possibly follow all the rules, it leads to despair and guilt.
I feel as though these "rules" that is spoken of aren't really rules. As you know I'm a part of "religion", and the way I see it is things such as the Ten Commandments are more of a runway lit up in the darkest of nights. If I follow these lights, I'll be home, safe and sound. As for the rules...I feel as though Satan is the one who makes us belive these as rules...because he knows that we will eventualy buck these rules...spit in the face of God, and say "how dare you give me RULES to follow, I can make my own choices". With that, we'll march are selfes down into the gates of hell..and what better for Satan to show God the Father, that he didnt have to Make us do anything, but we went ahead and did it on our own...all the long thinking we were doing the right thing.I don't see religion as "rules"...just a runway taking me home.
_____________________________
I fully admit. When I first read this, my initial reaction was to comment back with my own thoughts, my own opinions, and my own attitude (big surprise) mixed in. I decided to give myself some time to think and pray about it. I remembered 2Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” So my response to the comment is to clarify what I meant in my original post with additional references from scripture. David, you said you are part of “religion” and I know what you’re referring to. In this case, you also believe that the Bible is the Word of God and everything in it is true.
The whole point about not being able to follow all of the rules goes back to what Jesus did for us on the cross. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:20-25).
Once you put your faith in Jesus Christ, he gives you a new heart:
“I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart” (Jer. 24:7).
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezek. 36:26-27).
You are not required to follow any rules because Jesus fulfilled the law.
In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Instead, with the new heart that you have been given, it becomes your desire to obey God. Yes, the Ten Commandments are a way in which to guide our life, along with numerous other commands given by God. If you are truly redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ, you have new desires.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Gal. 5:16-17).
We are saved BY grace TO a life of good works. We are not saved by our good works. That is what I meant when I wrote that simply obeying rules is not enough.
Once again, I know this is another long post and I hope I have clarified the original post. These are not my opinions, these are not my thoughts. It is always best to test scripture against scripture because we know that God’s Word does not contradict itself.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30)
I hope everyone has a blessed day!!
Which brings me to my point. My post from Friday comes from wanting to worship God. As I was listening to that message on the book of Ruth, something came over me and I felt like I needed to take notes, and put it out there in cyberspace for others to see. I did it knowing full well that the people who generally comment on my blog probably wouldn’t have much to say about this (maybe not wanting to start an argument, maybe it didn’t interest them, maybe they prefer to keep their opinions to themselves). In any case, I was quite surprised and delighted to see that David (my darling brother) left me a comment:
_____________________________
I dont agree with this:
Religion: Can only lead to Pride or Despair (never Joy or Humility). If you obey the “rules”, you become arrogant and prideful. Pride is what got satan thrown out of heaven. If you’re honest and realize you can’t possibly follow all the rules, it leads to despair and guilt.
I feel as though these "rules" that is spoken of aren't really rules. As you know I'm a part of "religion", and the way I see it is things such as the Ten Commandments are more of a runway lit up in the darkest of nights. If I follow these lights, I'll be home, safe and sound. As for the rules...I feel as though Satan is the one who makes us belive these as rules...because he knows that we will eventualy buck these rules...spit in the face of God, and say "how dare you give me RULES to follow, I can make my own choices". With that, we'll march are selfes down into the gates of hell..and what better for Satan to show God the Father, that he didnt have to Make us do anything, but we went ahead and did it on our own...all the long thinking we were doing the right thing.I don't see religion as "rules"...just a runway taking me home.
_____________________________
I fully admit. When I first read this, my initial reaction was to comment back with my own thoughts, my own opinions, and my own attitude (big surprise) mixed in. I decided to give myself some time to think and pray about it. I remembered 2Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” So my response to the comment is to clarify what I meant in my original post with additional references from scripture. David, you said you are part of “religion” and I know what you’re referring to. In this case, you also believe that the Bible is the Word of God and everything in it is true.
The whole point about not being able to follow all of the rules goes back to what Jesus did for us on the cross. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:20-25).
Once you put your faith in Jesus Christ, he gives you a new heart:
“I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart” (Jer. 24:7).
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezek. 36:26-27).
You are not required to follow any rules because Jesus fulfilled the law.
In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Instead, with the new heart that you have been given, it becomes your desire to obey God. Yes, the Ten Commandments are a way in which to guide our life, along with numerous other commands given by God. If you are truly redeemed through faith in Jesus Christ, you have new desires.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Gal. 5:16-17).
We are saved BY grace TO a life of good works. We are not saved by our good works. That is what I meant when I wrote that simply obeying rules is not enough.
Once again, I know this is another long post and I hope I have clarified the original post. These are not my opinions, these are not my thoughts. It is always best to test scripture against scripture because we know that God’s Word does not contradict itself.
“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30)
I hope everyone has a blessed day!!
Friday, July 11, 2008
I don’t want to be Religious
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been listening to sermons from Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. My friend Rebecca told me about these, and I’ve since recommended them to several friends. Mars Hill is a Non-denominational Christian church that relies on scripture as its highest authority. (Very similar to PC3). I enjoy his sermons because he is very straight-forward, he makes his sermons culturally relevant—but does NOT stray from the Bible, and he’s funny!! Very funny. Anyway, I’ve been listening to a series on the book of Ruth. Today, he talked about the differences between Religion and Redemption.
Religion: Teaches a false gospel. “If I obey, God will love me”
Redemption: Teaches the real gospel. God does love me. God has loved me. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us.
Religion: There are two kinds of people. Good people (who are like me) and Bad people (who are not like me)
Redemption: There are two kinds of people. Repentant and Unrepentant.
Religion: Cares about your birth. What kind of family were you born into? Were you raised in a religious home? What do you know? Can you quote chapter and verse?
Redemption: Cares about your new birth through Jesus. You have a new life, a new start with God as your father and the Church as your family
Religion: It’s all about what you do or don’t do. It’s focused on rules-almost like a checklist
Redemption: It’s not about what you do or don’t do. It’s about what Jesus has DONE. On the cross, Jesus said it is finished.
Religion: Can only lead to Pride or Despair (never Joy or Humility). If you obey the “rules”, you become arrogant and prideful. Pride is what got satan thrown out of heaven. If you’re honest and realize you can’t possibly follow all the rules, it leads to despair and guilt.
Redemption: Leads to Joy and Humility. Joy because you realize that God loves me, God blesses me, and there is Hope for tomorrow. Humility because you realize you could never do this on your own, Jesus has saved you.
I know this is long. But I always feel the need to clarify when people ask what Religion I am, or what Religion I believe in. I don’t want to be “religious”!!! I want the Redemption of Jesus Christ. There are days when I find myself struggling with this concept. If I’ve done particularly well that week with my devotions, or being a “good” person (according to the world), I catch myself getting prideful. But I have to constantly remember that no matter what I do, no matter what happens, because I have placed my trust in Jesus Christ, I have been redeemed!!! Thank God that He loved us enough to save us.
________
Romans 5:8-11
8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation..
Religion: Teaches a false gospel. “If I obey, God will love me”
Redemption: Teaches the real gospel. God does love me. God has loved me. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us.
Religion: There are two kinds of people. Good people (who are like me) and Bad people (who are not like me)
Redemption: There are two kinds of people. Repentant and Unrepentant.
Religion: Cares about your birth. What kind of family were you born into? Were you raised in a religious home? What do you know? Can you quote chapter and verse?
Redemption: Cares about your new birth through Jesus. You have a new life, a new start with God as your father and the Church as your family
Religion: It’s all about what you do or don’t do. It’s focused on rules-almost like a checklist
Redemption: It’s not about what you do or don’t do. It’s about what Jesus has DONE. On the cross, Jesus said it is finished.
Religion: Can only lead to Pride or Despair (never Joy or Humility). If you obey the “rules”, you become arrogant and prideful. Pride is what got satan thrown out of heaven. If you’re honest and realize you can’t possibly follow all the rules, it leads to despair and guilt.
Redemption: Leads to Joy and Humility. Joy because you realize that God loves me, God blesses me, and there is Hope for tomorrow. Humility because you realize you could never do this on your own, Jesus has saved you.
I know this is long. But I always feel the need to clarify when people ask what Religion I am, or what Religion I believe in. I don’t want to be “religious”!!! I want the Redemption of Jesus Christ. There are days when I find myself struggling with this concept. If I’ve done particularly well that week with my devotions, or being a “good” person (according to the world), I catch myself getting prideful. But I have to constantly remember that no matter what I do, no matter what happens, because I have placed my trust in Jesus Christ, I have been redeemed!!! Thank God that He loved us enough to save us.
________
Romans 5:8-11
8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation..
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Helping Katrina
I'm trying to help my friend Katrina start her own blog, so I'm showing her how to do a post....
Friday, July 4, 2008
Happy 4th of July!!
My son decided to give me the best gift for Independence Day...he slept in until 8:30!!!! Oh it felt so good to sleep. Especially since we've had such a busy week. Anyway, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from this morning. Edwin was "just hangin' out" in his pj's and enjoying all of his toys. He's so quick that it's hard for me to get a good picture, but I think this one does the trick. We had lunch in Wilmington with Mom & Dad, Katie, Brian & Anthony. It was mom's treat (thanks to the costume contest she won at work). Anthony and Edwin looked so cute as usual. As I'm typing this, Edwin is taking his second nap of the day (sleepy boy!) and Ed is sleeping too. He had to be at work at 5am which means he was awake by 3:30am. YUCK! Later tonight, Katie & Co. will come over to mom & dad's house for a cookout. Then we'll go back to Katie's for fireworks. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of the day!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Beach Baby
Tonight after work, Ed, Edwin & I drove down to Wrightsville Beach to have dinner with the Benedict family. If you recall my Saturday post, I mentioned that Dave (Ed's old roommate) and his sister Des spent the night at our house. Well, their whole family is spending this week at the beach. It was so nice to spend time with them. The last time I saw Dave's parents was at our wedding two years ago. They are some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Well, they all are actually. So it was Dave's parents Steve & Louise, Dan (the oldest) & his wife (I'm pretty sure her name is Elise, but I could be wrong...I feel awful for forgetting) & their two boys Matthew-4 and Samuel-2. And Dave & Des of course. The boys played together for awhile and Edwin explored the entire condo several times. We had a yummy dinner (they even had a high chair for Edwin!!!) and then headed for the beach. The weather was absolutely wonderful tonight and I enjoyed every single moment of it. Edwin LOVES the beach. I mean he really loves the beach. He played in the sand, he ran in the waves, he tried eating the shells, he ran in the waves some more. It's so fun to watch all of his expressions...and to watch him learning all the time. He figured out that if you run toward the water, when the waves start to get close, you can turn around and run the other direction and it won't get you! Matthew ended up helping dig a giant hole (some guy was out there with his kids), but Samuel doesn't really care for the water so he hung back with his mommy. It's so hard to describe in mere words how great tonight was. And the best part was having Ed there with us to enjoy it all. Here are a few pics of our evening:
Elise, Dave, Dan (hiding)
Edwin was more interested in the toys than the camera...but we at least tried to get a family shot!
Matthew playing with Uncle Dave (look at Samuel's expression in the background!!)
Now it's Samuel's turn
Yes ladies, Dave is single! Haha
Elise, Dave, Dan (hiding)Des, Louise, Steve
Matthew, Samuel
Edwin was more interested in the toys than the camera...but we at least tried to get a family shot!
Matthew playing with Uncle Dave (look at Samuel's expression in the background!!)
Now it's Samuel's turn
Yes ladies, Dave is single! Haha
Quick Update
I just wanted to let you know that Edwin is doing much better! He's still teething, but it's not causing the intense pain and fever that he had over the weekend. Now he's just back to being his typical energetic-toddler-self. Getting into everything, and getting frustrated if we hold him back even a tiny bit!! Thanks for all the concern :)
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