Gathering Rubies

Our Thursday night group ended on a discussion of can we say we are already saved? While our thoughts ran in different directions our conclusions were somewhat the same. My response was “yes.” I do believe that I am already saved and that should I die today that I am saved.

Let me state up front, I have much to learn. I merely want to share some scriptures with you why I believe that I can say “I am saved”.

Grab your bibles and join me in looking at these verses.

Following are some of the scriptures that lead me to my conclusion.

Chapters one through five of First John are beautiful reminders of our assurance of salvation. In these chapters we will read about examples of knowing we are saved. I strongly encourage you to read all five chapters of First John to get a clearer picture.

The points below are from the outline in my bible-
Fellowship with the Father and the Son (1:5-2:11)
Moral likeness (1:5-7)
Confession of Sin (1:8-2:2)
Obedience (2:3-6)
Love for other Christians (2:7-11)
Contrast: apostates verses believers (2:18-21)
Person of Christ: the crux of the test (2:22-23)
Persistent belief: continuing fellowship (2:24-28)

In Chapters four and five we read of love, the source of love, the fruit of love and our relationship of love for God and love for our fellow Christians and obedience, the evidence of love for God’s children.

The first verse below was written to those who had already heard the gospel message, believed it, repented of their sins and were baptized.

1 John 5:11-13 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (cf 1 John2:26).

Titus 3:4-8 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Rom 10:9-13 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (See note from ESV Commentary below)
If you confess with your mouth does not mean that a spoken affirmation of one’s faith is a “work” that merits justification, but such confession does give outward evidence of inward faith, and often confirms that faith to the speaker himself. that God raised him from the dead. Paul does not mean that people need to believe only this individual event with no understanding of Christ’s death, but rather they need to believe in the resurrection along with the whole complex of truth connected with it, particularly Jesus’ sin-bearing death in mankind’s place, followed by his resurrection that showed God the Father’s approval of Christ’s work (see note on Rom 4:25). with the heart one believes. Saving faith is not mere intellectual agreement but deep inward trust in Christ at the core of one’s being.

John 6:40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Lest they should take a wrong meaning out of his words, as many have done since, he tells them that far from any person being excluded from his mercy, it was the will of God that everyone who saw him might believe and be saved. The power, without which they could not believe, he freely gave them; but the use of that power was their own. God gives the grace of repentance and faith to every man; but he neither repents nor believes for any man. Each must repent for his own sins, and believe in the Lord Jesus, through the grace given, or perish. (from Adam Clarke’s Commentary)

2 Cor 1:21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

I know this is a lengthy post and I apologize. There are so many more scriptures in the New Testament that teach us about our salvation. I have been so encouraged by re-reading all of these and hope that it has encouraged you as well. I will end with this final scripture from Second Peter and an explanation on salvation from Nelsons Dictionary.

2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

SALVATION The salvation that comes through Christ may be described in three tenses: past, present, and future. When a person believes in Christ, he is saved (Acts 16:31). But we are also in the process of being saved from the power of sin (Rom 8:13; Phil 2:12). Finally, we shall be saved from the very presence of sin (Rom 13:11; Titus 2:12-13). God releases into our lives today the power of Christ’s resurrection (Rom 6:4) and allows us a foretaste of our future life as His children (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:14). Our experience of salvation will be complete when Christ returns (Heb 9:28) and the kingdom of God is fully revealed (Matt 13:41-43).(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Romans 6:1-2

A Christian has died to sin. Sin has no control over a corpse. Temptation can present itself enticingly and persistently, yet a corpse will not succumb! Before you were a Christian you were keenly susceptible to sin. Sin held you in its grip. When you became a Christian, your old self died (Gal. 2:20). Sin now has no more control over you than temptation has over a corpse. You have died to sin. You can still sin, but you are no longer in sin’s power. If you choose to succumb to temptation, you are rejecting the freedom from sin that Christ gained for you by His death.

God’s grace is a further motivation for us to resist sin. It was God’s grace that enabled Jesus to endure mocking, beating, and crucifixion at the hands of those whom He had come to save. It was grace that led God to forgive our sin despite our rebellion against Him. It is this same grace that God expresses toward us each time we sin against Him. Knowing this grace, we cannot continue to practice sin (Rom. 6:1-2). We cannot presume upon God’s forgiveness by committing further offenses.

You are no longer the helpless victim of your sin. The victory has already been won. God does not have to win a victory over your sin; He already has! You only need to apply His victory to each area of your life. If there is a sinful habit, an ungodly attitude, or an unrighteous relationship that you need to put to death, claim the victory of Christ’s resurrection today. Then you will be free to experience the abundant life that God intends for you.

This is from one of my daily devotionals. I think it is a beautiful reminder of God’s grace.
From Experiencing God Day-By-Day

The world entices us to put ourselves first in all things. We are encouraged to indulge in any thing that brings us pleasure, regardless if it’s right or wrong. L’Oreal wants you to you purchase their products because as the commercial says “I’m worth it.”  Entitlement is rampant!

If our senses have been so dulled by how wonderful or important we think we are or how much we deserve to have something or how much we deserve to be “number one”, then I encourage you to read on and see what God says about how we really should be living. Take a look at all of these one another verses in the New Testament.

Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. 2 Cor 13:5-6 (THE MESSAGE)

I admit I need to improve in many areas. Reading and contemplating on the following verses has encouraged me greatly and has caused me to do a “checkup”.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Rom 12:10

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Rom 12:16

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Rom 13:8

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. Rom 14:13

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Rom 15:7

I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Rom 15:14

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings. Rom 16:16

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Cor 1:10

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Gal 5:13

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Eph 4:2

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Eph 4:32

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Eph 5:19

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph 5:21

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Col 3:13

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Col 3:16

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thess 5:11

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Heb 3:13

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Heb 10:24

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb 10:25

Brothers, do not slander one another. James 4:11

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 1 John 3:11

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 1 John 3:23

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:11-12

Did you just say “Wow”? I did!!

I can’t find any of the above encouragements in what we are bombarded with in any advertising media. What do we really deserve? Ps 103:10 — he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

1 Cor 9:24-25 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. (The Message)

We are familiar with the hot weather in Oklahoma. It seems this year is exceptionally hot and I’ve been hearing and reading plenty of comments about how hot it is. So for your amusement I thought I would share these one liners on just how hot it really is!

 Stay Cool…

• Your car overheats and you haven’t even started it
• Your braces are making blisters on your lips
• The birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
• The cows are giving evaporated milk.
• The trees are whistling for the dogs.
• You no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.
• You can say 113 degrees without fainting.
• You eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.
• You can make instant sun tea.
• You learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.
• The temperature drops below 95, you feel a bit chilly.
• You would give anything to be able to splash cold water on your face.
• The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!
• You discover that in July, it takes only 2 fingers to drive your car.
• You discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window.
• You notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.
• Hot water now comes out of both taps.
• Its noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is out on the streets.
• You actually burn your hand opening the car door.
• You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. before work.
• No one would dream of putting vinyl upholstery in a car or not having air conditioning.
• You realize that asphalt has a liquid state.
• Pigs complain about sweating like humans
• You can water the yard with your own sweat
• The big craters in the land are empty ponds and lakes

 The Dog Days of Summer are here!

I remember crouching down on one knee, holding my arms out and coaxing my babies to walk toward me. My fingertips barely touching theirs as they wide-eyed looked at me with a bit of apprehension and a bit of excitement  tottering on their tiptoes. They usually trusted me enough to take at least one or two steps before plopping down on their diaper padded bottoms. I would clap my hands and say “yay” and they would wave their little arms around in the air so pleased with those first steps. It was always only a matter of days before they were walking on their own, getting more confident and bolder with each success.

I find we can be the same way. Can you remember when you first became a Christian? Many are on fire, ready to conquer the world and win over everyone they know and then some. Unlike the toddler learning to walk, the times of failure are more likely to cause us to quit instead of getting back up and trying again. Toddlers are determined to conquer walking; they seem to know there will be something new to explore with each step, some new treasure across the room to examine.

As adults we don’t like failure. We shouldn’t look at our efforts (when unsuccessful) to reach out to people as failures. Instead we should trust God just like our babies trusted us as we are coaxing them into our arms with those first few steps. We are gardeners. Like Paul and Apollos, we are only servants doing our everyday jobs. Each one of us can help germinate the same seed with our own individual talents, some planting and others watering, while remembering it is God who gives the increase.

I know it can be scary to invite our friends to church or even to have a conversation with them about Jesus. One of my fears is rejection. None of us like to be rejected. I also fear confrontations, what if they challenge me with something I can’t immediately answer. I guess those are legitimate fears, it helps to remember that it isn’t us they are rejecting, it is the opportunity to know Christ and the opportunity for a new life they are rejecting. And for the other fear; none of us will ever have all the answers, we can say, without shame, that “we don’t know” but we are willing to study to try and answer their questions. I believe in all situations where we want to bring others to Christ that God will give us the courage we need. I know for me I must put my fears away and truly desire that others have the same hope I have. The hope of spending eternity in heaven with God.

Luke 10:16 “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

I challenge all of us—-starting today, reach out to the lost. Invite your friends, your neighbors and strangers, invite them to church, to a get together with other Christians, to read the bible with you. Give all of them the same opportunity, the same grace, God has given us. Like a parent with their child, Jesus waits with outstretched arms.

Who is Apollos? Who is Paul? They are servants by whom you believed, even as the Lord has given to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. Neither is he who plants important, nor he who waters, but God, who gives the increase. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own work. We are God’s co-workers, and you are God’s garden. Also, you are God’s building, and according to God’s grace given to me as a wise builder, I have laid a foundation, and another builds upon it. But let each one be particular how he builds. No man can lay another foundation other than the one laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 3:5-11

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop — a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matt 13:3-9

Are you up for the challenge?

Larry and I are celebrating our thirty-first wedding anniversary today. In a way it doesn’t seem possible and in other ways it seems like we have always been together. He is a VERY good man, a spiritual man and he has always put our family and our needs before his own. I know I have been blessed beyond measure! I never imagined I could have someone love me the way he does and I truly thank God for him.

The following poem is from Day Spring Cards. It is a beautiful poem and aptly describes our journey, and the best is yet to be…

Shared Lives

Two trees…
a white oak and a red oak…
grew side by side, so close
 that after many years,
their trunks had joined as one.

Yet each retained its
own limbs, bright leaves
and brown acorns.

Throughout the years,
these trees shared the warm
spring rains, the carefree days
of summer and the glory of
autumn. Their leaves changed
with the seasons, adding beauty
to the forest around them.

They also shared the harsh times…the bitter cold
when winter came and
iced their limbs and made them break…the springtime storms
when the wind would push and pull and twist their limbs, tearing
their leaves away.
They weathered these difficult times, relying upon their combined strength and
sure-foundation oneness.

Our lives together have been like these
trees—one in essence, separate in specialness…
each depending on the other…sharing the happy times,
lending strength in difficult times.

As we continue to grow together,
I look forward to the blossoming of our dreams…
rooted in God, united in love…
with branches reaching up to Heaven.
As wonderful as the past has been,
the best is yet to be.

The following is from one of my Daily Devotionals, Experiencing God Day-By-Day. It is a great reminder of how we let others influence how we feel and how we react. I have heard the saying and I have said it to others “Don’t let someone or some circumstance steal your joy”. It is easier said than done if we don’t remember where our joy comes from.

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:26

Your joy as a Christian should not depend on your circumstances. Joy comes from God, and therefore it cannot be affected by what is outside of you. Don’t be fooled by letting the actions of others determine your joy. True joy comes from knowing that God Himself lives within you and has fellowship with you, regardless of your environment. Real joy lies in the knowledge that holy God has completely forgiven you of every sin, and even now, He has a home prepared in heaven where you can spend eternity with Him (John 14:3). The circumstance of your life cannot change these truths!

Paul and Silas faced some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. They were falsely accused, arrested, and imprisoned. They were beaten and shackled in the darkest, coldest section of the prison. But they refused to allow their horrific situation to dampen their joy! They did not blame God for allowing these things to happen to them. Instead they praised Him for His goodness! In the darkness of the night, they prayed and they sang. God brought a miracle that released them from their chains, but perhaps the greater miracle was that His Holy Spirit could so fill them that even in their painful imprisonment they could overflow with joy!

Do not allow difficult events to cancel the joy of knowing you are a child of God. Choose to allow God’s Spirit to fill you with His unquenchable joy, and your life will be a miracle to those who watch you face the trials that come.

Today’s devotional was a great reminder for me to simply focus on the joy I have in being a child of God.

I sometimes here News Commentators say ‘You can’t make this stuff up’.
I was checking on a state law recently and ran across some state laws that fall under the categories of funny, weird, strange and downright dumb! I did not take the time to verify them and am merely posting them here for your amusement.

I am posting them according to categories.

Food
In Philadelphia, you can’t put pretzels in bags based on an Act of 1760.
In New Jersey, cabbage can’t be sold on Sunday.
In Massachusetts, it is against the law to put tomatoes in clam chowder.
In Tennessee, a law exists which prohibits the sale of bologna (sandwich meat) on Sunday.
In West Virginia, one can’t cook sauerkraut or cabbage due to the odors and the offence is subject to imprisonment.

Animals
Alaska law says that you can’t look at a moose from an airplane.
In Corpus Christie, Texas, it is illegal to raise alligators in your home.
In Miami, it is forbidden to imitate an animal.
In the state of Colorado, a pet cat, if loose, must have a tail-light
In North Carolina, it is against the law for a rabbit to race down the street.
In Texas, it is still a “hanging offense” to steal cattle.
In Utah, birds have the right of way on any public highway.
In the State of Kansas, you’re not allowed to drive a buffalo through a street.
In Florida, it is against the law to put livestock on a school bus.
In Galveston, Texas, it is illegal to have a camel run loose in the street.
In North Carolina, it is against the law for dogs and cats to fight.
In Virginia, chickens cannot lay eggs before 8:00 a.m., and must be done before 4:00 p.m.
In New York, it is against the law for children to pick up or collect cigarette and cigar butts.
The law states that more than 3000 sheep cannot be herded down Hollywood Blvd. at any one time.

Modesty
In Michigan, it is against the law for a lady to lift her skirt more than 6 inches while walking through a mud puddle.
In Rochester, Michigan, the law is that anyone bathing in public must have the bathing suit inspected by a police officer.

Couples
It is against the law in Connecticut for a man to write love letters to a girl whose mother or father has forbidden the relationship.
In Michigan, married couples must live together or be imprisoned.
In California, a law created in 1925 makes it illegal to wiggle while dancing.
In Utah, daylight must be visible between dancing couples.

 Lastly…
Why were these laws needed?
In Texas, it’s against the law for anyone to have a pair of pliers in his or her possession.
It is against the law to mispronounce the name of the State of Arkansas in that State.
In Washington State, you can’t carry a concealed weapon that is over 6 feet in length.
In San Francisco, there is an ordinance, which bans the picking up and throwing of used confetti.
In Kentucky, it is illegal for a merchant to force a person into his place of business for the purpose of making a sale.
In Phoenix, Arizona, you can’t walk through a hotel lobby with spurs on.
In Georgia, it’s against the law to spread a false rumor.
In Missouri, a man must have a permit to shave.
In Illinois, the law is that a car must be driven with the steering wheel.
California law prohibits a woman from driving a car while dressed in a housecoat.
In Tennessee, it is against the law to drive a car while sleeping.
In New York, it is against the law for a blind person to drive an automobile.
In West Virginia, only babies can ride in a baby carriage.
In Georgia, it is against the law to slap a man on the back or front.
A barber is not to advertise prices in the State of Georgia.
In Oklahoma, no baseball team can hit the ball over the fence or out of a ballpark.
In Kentucky, it’s the law that a person must take a bath once a year.
In Providence, Rhode Island, it is against the law to jump off a bridge.
In Virginia, the Code of 1930 has a statute which prohibits corrupt practices or bribery by any person other than political candidates.
In Memphis, Tennessee, a woman is not to drive a car unless a man warns approaching motorists or pedestrians by walking in front of the car that is being driven. In Louisiana, a bill was introduced years ago in the State House of Representatives that fixed a ceiling on haircuts for bald men of 25 cents.

Hope some of these made you smile!

Last night as I was praying and giving thanks for all that God has blessed me with I was stopped cold in my thoughts as I realized my feelings or lack of feelings contradicted my words. I truly am thankful; still I am aware I don’t begin to understand what it is like to really be lacking in any necessity. In my younger years we lived from pay check to pay check. We did without many things yet we always had food, clothes, and shelter. I’m mindful that God knows my heart and the genuineness of my heart. That very thought is what made me examine my conversation with God. It also caused me to reflect on how truly blessed I am. I have taken my blessings for granted and I do not want to do that!

I have never been homeless or without food or clothing. I have not had to experience being completely impoverished I have been spiritually impoverished, when I chose to turn my back on God.

I was reading in Amos this morning and I read this:

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land — not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.  Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it. Amos 8:11-12

These verses caused a sinking feeling in my heart. I can not even imagine how horrible it would be to search for the word of the Lord and never find it!! It seems to me our nation is spiraling downward in that very direction. Sin isn’t even swept under the carpet anymore. It is out there in full force, in plain site being flaunted in every way imaginable. Sin is now called tolerance. There are many who are trying to remove God from print, from our speech, from our very thoughts and we stand by silently, looking the other way fearing to open our mouths and take a stand.

Murder, Adultery, Fornication, Homosexuality, Rape, Stealing, Abortion, Lusting, Lying, Injustice and even Idolatry are as prevalent today as what we read about in the Old Testament. We still need to teach against SIN and quit trying to rename it. Sin is not alternate lifestyles, not personal choice, not consenting adults. We are to put God first in all things. Too often God is last in ALL things. Work, family, recreation and whatever pleases has become God for far too many.

Amos was sent to announce Gods judgment on the northern kingdom (Israel). From what I read he was an ordinary man and earned his living from the flock and the sycamore-fig grove. (Amos1:1; 7:14-15).

I have sinned far too many of the sins mentioned above. I thank God for my Savior Jesus Christ. Through him we can be forgiven. The message and the hope is still open to all today.

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Imagine all of this from my conversation with God last night. I want to be able to say as David did…I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Ps 119:11

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? I do!! Simply watching the local and world news makes me feel that way. Hearing all the names on our prayer list at church often overwhelms me. Sometimes I find myself asking WHY!!

I know the answer.  I also know if I don’t stay focused I can get derailed by all of the turmoil, evil, and conflict in this world. It all started in the Garden…the fall of man. Gen 3:1-24.

 In the first two chapters of Genesis God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning — the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. Gen 1:31-2:1 Then…the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Gen 2:7

I don’t know how many years there is between all that I read of in the Genesis account. I do know in chapter four things start going down hill where we read of jealousy and murder between Cain and Able.

To this day the world is filled with all kinds of evil and wickedness. We are all sinners and since the fall of man we will have to make choices to serve God or Satan until Christ comes again.

Can you imagine how Noah felt? He was in the same ungodly environment as we see today, surrounded by idol worship and everyone doing what gives them the most pleasure. He was surrounded by every kind of imaginable evil and yet he chose to worship God. The people were so wicked during that time that God decided to destroy the earth. Still God was fully aware of the righteousness of Noah and the choices he was making. He wasn’t following everyone else in their sinful ways. He chose to live for God and it saved his life and the lives of his family who chose to follow their father’s example.

The way we live our lives influences others. We are heavily influenced by the world, yet God wants us to follow his example, not the examples of the sin we see around us. The world doesn’t want to hold anyone accountable for sin; the world teaches “tolerance” and calls evil good and good evil. Isa 5:20-30

Too many times I have followed the sinfulness of the world. I thank God I am able to repent and be forgiven. I want to be obedient to God and I will continue to seek him and his ways. There will still be times when I make mistakes and poor choices.  Hopefully they will become less and less as I grow in truth and knowledge. I will press on!!

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
2 Cor 4:16-18 (from THE MESSAGE)