The Work of Redemption

March 12, 2010

Made alive, raised up and seated.

Do you remember the days when you were caught up in that old dying life of sin? I certainly do and  it isn’t pleasant to remember the way I used to be. I was dead and now I live. How did this happen? It happened because of faith. I was taught the gospel, I came to believe, I repented and was baptized and now I am now saved (if I remain faithful) not by any work I did and not by some purchase I made, then how? Read on…

Eph 2:4-7 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Eph 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Let this one sink in… “Created in Christ Jesus”, only God can do this kind of creating, so that we will do good works.

Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

I remember when I was separated from Christ. Separated because of my sins which deserved the certain death that awaited me in the condition I was in. I remember what it was like to be without hope. Just as the physical difference between Jews and Gentiles affected every area of their lives, a social and spiritual boundary also separated me from believers.

Eph 2:12-13 - remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. I am not longer in that sad, miserable, lost condition. Why not? Because of the sacrifice of Jesus.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

 I am now one in Christ. Eph 2:14-18 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

What glorious privileges we have in Christ - Eph 2:18-22 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Larry and I just finished Ephesians last week in our daily bible reading. It is beautiful, full of hope and AMAZING GRACE.

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Most Unusual Jobs

March 11, 2010

Here’s the deal, I spent way too much time playing Farkle this morning and now my brain is tired.

For your amusement I’m sharing with you some of the Most Unusual Jobs I found while surfing the Internet.

The information comes from CareeBuilder.com.

What's the most unusual job you ever held? Peanut inspector? Horse wrangler? How about a backup dancer for a female impersonator? In its annual survey, CareerBuilder.com asked more than 2,450 workers to share the most interesting or unconventional jobs they held during their careers.

The following are this year's top picks:
A: Actor for haunted house  
B: Bingo announcer  
C: Clown for rodeos  
D: Drawbridge tender
E: Eye glass buffer
F: Fingerprint analyzer
G: Glass sculptor
H: Hot rod builder
I: Interpreter for government agency
J: Jelly donut filler
K: Karate instructor
L: Lifeguard at nude beach
M: Military role player (played Iraqi citizen for military sensitivity training)
N. Note taker for college students
O: Ocean scuba guide
P: Phone psychic
Q: Quiz writer for competitions
R: Rescue squad for pets
S: Stand-in bridesmaid (for weddings where the bride didn't know enough people)
T: Telemarketer for a cemetery
U: Urinalysis observer
V: Voice-over specialist for movies
W: Window washer for skyscrapers
X: Xmas tree decorator
Y: Youth boot camp instructor for juvenile offenders
Z: Zoo artificial inseminator

What do you think? I would probably go for ‘J’. :)

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Unbelief

March 9, 2010

 I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24 Do you ever feel like saying this? I do!

With my mouth I say, with God all things are possible and with my doubts I say, help me overcome my unbelief. I fully believe that God can do anything; the unbelief comes in when “I” get involved. If I feel like what I am praying for is too big for me, that’s when I tend to sputter. The minute I take my eyes off of him, that’s when doubt comes knocking!

I remember what Jesus said to his disciples when they asked him why they couldn’t drive the demon out of the boy in Matt 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

I am a Christian and I would not say for one minute that I do not believe in Christ or the power of God, yet the times I approach him in prayer and weakness of faith then I must admit it is unrealistic for me to expect him to do anything for me or the ones I pray for if I ask in doubt. Can I expect favor for my unbelief? What is it I am doubting, his love, and his power?

I recognize my weakness are my worries, my wanting to control situations, these are the things which chokes the Word he put in me. Matt 13:22-23 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Still I will keep press on. I will feed on his Word, draw near to him and be made stronger and be thankful that my times of unbelief do not hinder God’s faithfulness. Romans 3:3

And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Matt 13:58

Abba Father, help me remember that I walk by faith and not by sight, I pray this is Jesus name.

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The Lawn Mower

March 8, 2010

I love my friends and I am delighted when they send me things that make me laugh. This one came over the weekend. Enjoy!

A preacher was making his rounds to his parishioners on a bicycle, when he came upon a little boy trying to sell a lawn mower. The preacher asked "How much do you want for the mower?" "I just want enough money to go out and buy me a bicycle", said the little boy.

 After a moment of consideration, the preacher asked, "Will you take my bike in trade for the mower?” The boy asked if he could try it out first, and after riding the bike around a little while said, "Mister, you've got yourself a deal."  The preacher took the mower and began to try to crank it. He pulled on the rope a few times with no response from the mower.

 The preacher called the little boy over and said, "I can't get this mower to start." The little boy said, "That's because you have to cuss at it to get it started." The preacher said, "I am a minister and I cannot cuss. It has been so long since I have been saved that I do not even remember how to cuss." 

The little boy looked at him happily and said, "Just keep pulling on that rope. It'll come back to ya."

James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

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Problems with Nicknames

March 5, 2010


Today's post is from Devotions for Every Day of the Year written by Sarah Young. The name of the book is Jesus Calling ~ Enjoying Peace in His Presence. I really liked today’s reading and wanted to share it with you.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust Me or defy Me.

The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties. You can even give persistent problems nicknames, helping you to approach them with familiarity rather that with dread. The next step is to introduce them to Me, enabling Me to embrace them in My loving Presence. I will not necessarily remove your problems, but My wisdom is sufficient to bring good out of every one of them.

Romans 8:28 (AMP) 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

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Faithfulness

March 3, 2010

I enjoy cooking and baking, Being married at such an early age I had to learn the “hands on” way. I threw many dishes out because they tasted so awful they were inedible. We had to eat so I couldn’t just give up.

After many failures came more and more successes and over the years I guess I have obtained “bragging rights”. Through trial and error I discovered the secrets of seasoning, correct temperatures, blending, folding, pinches of this and dashes of that.  I learned by remaining faithful to the task.

When I decided to follow Jesus, I often felt like giving up. I had so many rough spots, bad habits, failures and slip-ups that I just didn’t think I could ever be what God wanted me to be. I understand now that in the same way my cooking went from inedible to edible, that my growing as a Christian has left the baby stages to a more mature stage. I’m not complete by any means, but I have left milk and pabulum and am now eating meat. I have left the crawling and walking stages and am now running the race.

I look back at accomplishments in my life and marvel at the changes that faithfulness has accomplished and it is a complete feeling of thankfulness and praise to God. I must remember though, I’m not finished running the race.

I am thinking about God’s faithfulness this morning and how he is always dependable, always loyal.

2 Tim 2:11-13 If we die with him, we'll live with him;  If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him; If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;  If we give up on him, he does not give up — for there's no way he can be false to himself. (The Message)

His faithfulness will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. 1 Cor 10:13

 Because of his faithfulness he always keeps his word. Heb 10:23 This encourages us to remember his promises.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins. 1 Jn 1:9

He is faithful to His children because He is first of all faithful to Himself (2 Tim 2:13).

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" Lam 3:22-24

Is this not awesome? His mercies begin again each morning!

I will leave you with these thoughts and encouraging remarks from
2 Peter 1:5-9 So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. (The Message)

Remain faithful!

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Passing the Torch

March 2, 2010

Last week I received an email from fellow blogger John Dobbs. With the passing of Jack Exum Sr., he suggested that other bloggers share stories of a minister who had influenced our lives and to also invite our readers to do the same, to tell of someone who passed the torch of the gospel to us. I have been influenced by many and although for the sake of space and memory I will only list a few.

My earliest influence came when I was six or seven through Frank L. Smith. We lived in Shawnee Oklahoma and attended the Church of Christ at Tenth and Bell Streets. I remember seeing him in the pulpit with his grey suit and balding head and his ever ready smile. His sweet wife was Mary and he had two daughters and a son, F. Lagard Smith. (We knew him as Lagard at the time) I remember one sister, Sandra and sadly my memory fails me for the name of the other sister. I was too young to know or understand about the gospel at that stage of my life, still I feel I must mention him because as I look back, I remember and (understand now) the kindness and great hospitality shown to my parents, my brothers and me. We spent many Sunday afternoons in their home visiting and eating dinner with them. My mom still has a picture of me sitting on the front steps of their home. (I was baptized at the age of nine at the Tenth and Bell congregation after hearing a Hell Fire and Brimstone lesson during a revival, and later in life realized what I did was out of ignorance and fear.)

For those of you who know me or have followed my blog, you know that I have lived through some very rough years. I was pregnant and married at the tender age of 15, and had three children by the age of 23 and divorced years later. I ended up battling drugs and alcohol for several years. My path to Christianity was a long time in the making and this is where the next people who greatly influenced my life enter in. I shall briefly mention three more men and their strong and faithful wives who have taught me the way.

When I first began to turn my life from myself to Christ, I lived in the small town of Hornitos CA and began attending church in Mariposa CA. It was a very small congregation and it was there where my real roots to becoming a Christian began. Vern Godfrey was not a preacher but he was a great bible class teacher and he was a kind and gentle man. I clearly remember him teaching the book of Acts and he brought it to life. Vern and his wife Esther greatly influenced not only my life but my oldest brother Tony Tharp and his wife Pat as well. They would visit us in our homes (and believe me when I say-we were a challenge) and would invite us to their homes. To say it plainly…they loved us so much that not only were we shocked, but we learned to love them so much we did not want to disappoint them in any way and we longed to be with them and be like them.

Next are Shelby Garrison* and his wife Elizabeth. They belonged to that small church in Mariposa and they came to visit me one day after I had moved from Hornitos to Mariposa. I had given up all of my drugs at that time except Marijuana. I had just finished smoking a joint (it really pains me to write this but it’s true) and my doorbell rang. There stood Shelby, all 6 plus feet of him and Elizabeth, who wasn’t even 5 feet tall. I didn’t know what to do except invite them in. The house reeked with the weed I had just finished smoking and I was higher than a kite. I know for certain that they were aware of what was going on, but they did not condemn me or even make mention of it. They simply came by to tell me how happy they were to see me at church on Sunday and to invite me back again and wanted me to know that I could call on them if I needed any kind of help.

Lastly are Pete Casci and his wife Brenda. (It’s hard to mention great men who have influenced me in the gospel without mentioning their loving and faithful wives.) Pete was the young preacher hired by the congregation in Mariposa. Pete loved the Lord and loved the people he shared Jesus with. You could see it in his eyes and you could feel it. Being a struggling and young Christian I know I disappointed them many times and in many ways and they never, ever gave up on me. We are still the best of friends even after thirty plus years. We haven’t seen each other in several years but we stay in touch either by phone or mail. He baptized me and he married Larry and me.

In closing I must say that it wasn’t eloquence of speech that influenced me or their style of preaching. I say with all honesty it was their outpouring of genuine love and their true friendship and concern that touched my heart, that made me want to have what they had and to be like them. It was from them I first learned of Faith, Love and Hope and truly the greatest was their love.

* Shelby and Elizabeth and one of their daughters, Sarah really liked me, so much so that they all played match-maker and introduced me to their son/brother Larry. Shelby and Elizabeth ended up being my father and mother-in-law and Sarah my sister-in-law. Larry and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary in July of this year.

Frank, Vern and Shelby have all gone on to their reward. I thank God for letting these Godly men cross my path and I thank you John for this great idea and privilege to share these memories.

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In Honor of Jenny

February 26, 2010


About three weeks ago I became aware of a young thirty-one year old woman named Jenny Bizaillion.
My nephew’s wife posted her name on FB and was requesting prayers for her. She had pneumonia which turned into sepsis.

 
Thousands of people were  praying for Jenny and updates were posted hourly/daily on Care Pages.
https://www.carepages.com/carepages/JennyBizaillionUpdates/patient

I did not know Jenny, yet she touched my life and the lives of countless others. From what I read about her she loved God with all her heart and lived for him to the fullest. Jenny lost her battle with the illness which invaded her body. She leaves a legacy of living the example of Jesus. It seems to me, if this were in another time we might be reading of her in Hebrews Chapter 11, the great chapter of faith.

The following words are from Care Pages. I ask that you continue to pray for her family and her friends.

Posted Feb 22, 2010 5:05pm
Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Jenny Bizaillion passed from this world at 3:38pm.
She was the most beautiful, wonderful friend, perfect mom, devoted sister, loyal daughter, and best wife a person could ever have.

We will see her again.

Her memorial service was live streamed on Richland Hills Church of Christ. You may listen here:  http://www.livestream.com/rhchurch/video?clipId=pla_ffe7fe44-6c7b-470c-b3bf-aa3d448c9056

Posted Feb 26th 9:25am
There are no words to describe yesterday’s experience.

You can’t describe Jonathan declaring in praise, “you give and take away…blessed be your Name!” three days after his sister was taken away…

You could use 1000 words to describe the moment Rick shouted the three words, “Lord, come quickly!” and still never do that moment justice.

And when Josh had us all bow our knees to Jesus as a declaration to our adversary that “we win!” and death has no victory…it was a feast of a foretaste of glory divine! Everyone there (or watching online for that matter) experienced the holiness; we just can’t explain it with mere words.

You can’t describe it but that didn’t stop people from trying. You usually don’t hear the following spoken about funerals…

“It was the best church service I’ve ever been a part of”
“I would have paid $100 to experience that…make that $1,000”
“I wanted to punch satan in the throat!”
“It made me want to go to heaven…right then…like I wished I could of!”
“I’m a college student at UT and drove in from Austin. I don’t know Jenny…in fact I don’t know anyone in the family. I feel like I do now. I’m so glad I came.”
“I’ll be a better wife and mom because of this...because of Jenny.”
“That felt like heaven will feel. I know it.”

Josh spoke yesterday about keeping the Carepage Community going (on a personal side note, I’d be in favor of a Bizaillion/Ross ‘reality’ show because they are about as ‘REAL’ as a family gets and as strong as any family I’ve met. But that’s a subject for a future post) and I don’t know what the family will do in the future with this virtual mega church, but I do know that there is still plenty we can do for the family.

Continue to pray for healing! Not for Jenny – she is completely healed! But pray for the family to be healed. May the hope that Jesse spoke about yesterday…the hope that Jenny walked in daily…heal the hurt, the loss, the pain, the anger, and the deep sadness that fills the family.

Continue to give! With over 12,000 members, I am confident that we can give even more than the $51,000 we’ve already given. With medical bills in the hundreds of thousands, funeral expenses and David’s loss of income due to the past 3 weeks (and the next however many as he and Malaya adjust to life without Jenny), the need is greater than ever. All money we give to the Gregg Pearson Foundation with “GPF Benevolence” in the special instructions goes directly to the Bizaillion family! Keep on giving.

Continue to share this site with friends and family and continue to post your super encouraging messages! The family can use our encouragement in the days and weeks to come every bit as much as they have these past three weeks. At some point every post and every comment will be made into a beautiful (and big!) book for the family. We can only imagine how God will use that book for His glory in the future!

This site was started three weeks ago today. We wanted to as many people praying for Jenny to get out of the hospital as possible. Josh reminded us yesterday that we didn’t get the answer we wanted. But as those of us in attendance witnessed yesterday, Jenny’s family knows that she got into heaven! May we all follow Jenny’s example. After all, she just followed Jesus!

May these words from the song, “Let the Waters Rise” by Mikeschair speak to our spirits today.

Don't know where to begin
Its like my world's caving in
And I try but I can't control my fear
Where do I go from here?

Sometimes its so hard to pray
When You feel so far away
But I am willing to go
Where you want me to
God, I trust You

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

I will swim in the deep
'Cuz You'll be next to me
You're in the eye of the storm
And the calm of the sea
You'll never out of reach

God, You know where I've been
You were there with me then
You were faithful before
You'll be faithful again
I'm holding Your hand

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

God Your love is enough
You will pull me through
I'm holding onto You
God Your love is enough
I will follow You
I will follow You

Ohhh

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees
So let the waters rise
If You want them to
I will follow You
I will follow You
I will follow You

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THE OVERSHADOWING OF GOD’S PERSONAL DELIVERANCE

February 25, 2010

This passage from Jeremiah spoke to my heart today and I wanted to share it.

It is from Oswald Chambers book "My Utmost For His Highest"
. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8

God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— ". . . your life shall be as a prize to you. " (Jeremiah 39:18). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. Our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress. Having the proper outlook is evidence of the deeply rooted belief in the overshadowing of God’s personal deliverance.

The Sermon on the Mount indicates that when we are on a mission for Jesus Christ, there is no time to stand up for ourselves. Jesus says, in effect, "Don’t worry about whether or not you are being treated justly." Looking for justice is actually a sign that we have been diverted from our devotion to Him. Never look for justice in this world, but never cease to give it. If we look for justice, we will only begin to complain and to indulge ourselves in the discontent of self-pity, as if to say, "Why should I be treated like this?" If we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we have nothing to do with what we encounter, whether it is just or unjust. In essence, Jesus says, "Continue steadily on with what I have told you to do, and I will guard your life. If you try to guard it yourself, you remove yourself from My deliverance." Even the most devout among us become atheistic in this regard— we do not believe Him. We put our common sense on the throne and then attach God’s name to it. We do lean to our own understanding, instead of trusting God with all our hearts (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

I liked this too from Jer 1:19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.

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Faith Under Pressure

February 24, 2010

Someone I love with all my heart is experiencing some of the worst trials of their lives and it’s breaking my heart. It is also causing me to do some serious looking within. I feel frustrated and helpless; I am knocking at God’s door as did the persistent widow. I am looking for answered prayers and if they are being answered I’m not recognizing the answers. I’m on the brink of being angry with God and then I am washed in guilt and ask myself, “how dare I be angry with God” and I wait almost rebelliously for him to discipline me. My heart aches, I weep silently, and I am ashamed.

I read in 1 Peter 1 of some of the things I know will come to pass because of Gods great mercy. Having been born of a new birth into a living hope, I have an inheritance that will never decay, which is kept in heaven for me, and by way of my faith is shielded by God’s power. This makes me feel great…but then I read that “though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” WHAT?? WHY?? These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

In the middle of my turmoil, I’m now beyond knocking, I’m beating on God’s door and Satan is beating on mine. I began wondering…is my faith genuine? The battle is on and then the Spirit directs me to James 1:6-8 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Am I double-minded and unstable in all that I do? Satan would have me believe that I am!

Yes I am hurting, yes I am scared and yes I have wavered, but I have turned to God, I choose to believe, I choose to trust him with all things. I know full well that things may not be resolved the way I’m praying for. Will I understand? No, I won’t, Will it be easy? Probably not! But I will trust God.

Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. Job 13:15

Those of you who know me understand that if I could share with you what it going on that I would. Perhaps at a later time I will be able to. At this moment it is for the safety of those I love that I cannot. Please pray for all involved, God knows who they are.

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