I’M BAAAACCCCKKK!!!!!!!

FIRST to all of my followers who have been so faithful to follow me here and yon. I promise i was just trying to make a better experience for everyone, it just didn’t turn out that way. So now we are back where we started with just a few little changes that Diane and I both think will make this blog an easier one to find, to follow and to respond to. Of Course SHE has done all the work! And I want everyone to know I could have never done any of this without Diane! From the first day that she commented on my site she was helping me. She truly has a servant’s heart. For that I think she deserves a grand award.  To show you all how much I love her, I attempted to find an appropriate  design  that I could customize a little. This award picture has taken most of my Saturday, but since I am supposed to be resting and not talking, I thought I was putting the time to good use. Except for all the talking I had to do to my computer to get it to cooperate! I even down loaded a program like photo shop-not that I have ever used photo shop, but I thought how hard can it be? Let’s put it this way- a fifth grader could have beaten me today! But this was a labor of love and I was determined!!  And so dear Diane, I hope you like my HUMANITARIAN AND BEST COMPUTER TECH AWARD  These are the rules: to be given The Award, the  person must have gone beyond the normal bounds to help a fellow blogger.  In the case of this award, it can include anything having to do with technology. For the person receiving the award these are the things they must do: List what two of their bucket list items are.  Tell us a deep,  desire you have never fulfilled.   Tell us who Jesus is to you.   I hope you know I love you Diane and thank you for all of the time and effort.

Last Night, Obedience & Holiness, Tonight Righteousness

2nd Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now, there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord , the righteous Judge will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

This scripture has a lot of meaning to me. First, it is how I would have described my mother and her life in Christ. This was read at her funeral, just a few 3 1/2 years ago. I still miss her every day, but I know that when I am taken to heaven one way or the other, I will see my parents and so many who have gone before me. If she has not already laid her crown at Jesus’ feet, she will be wearing it and because I too long for His appearing in that day, I will be given one–still that is not exactly the righteousness I want to talk about tonight.

The Holy Word talks about righteousness a great deal, going all the way back to Genesis, when He God credited it (faith) to him as righteousness. 1st Samuel says the Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and this is the way the world will be judged–in righteousness.

So what exactly is righteous? Webster’s dictionary says it is acting or behaving in accordance with what is just, honorable, and free from guilt or wrong. then it adds the words virtuous, noble, moral, ethical. I would disagree a bit with that definition in light of what God says about it. Because I have personally known people that were perhaps virtuous, but not exactly what I would call sterling character. So maybe Webster’s is a little off too. I think you can be ethical, moral, noble and even virtuous without any relationship with God our Father. I know people who are tremendously good people who are all those things but without a Savior.

In 2nd Corinthians 5:17 It says that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. All of this is from God-nothing we did ourselves. He reconciled  the world to Himself in Christ, not counting mens’ sins against them. Or to make this very personal, not counting my sins against me! And so if we are now reconciled, then we are Christ’s ambassadors…. as God was making His appeal through you.  I have to stop here again and say, yes that has happened to me numerous times, when He has just taken over, given the message, and then reconciled that person to Him. That is an awesome thing to be a part of!  The appeal is to be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be  sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2nd Corinthians 5: 18-21

But still what is this righteousness? Well it is described as Robes of Righteousness  and also a necklace of Righteousness which can become tarnished because of  lack of obedience. Faith is also credited as righteousness. He credited Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham that by their faith, became heirs of righteousness that comes by faith. Then Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses’ parents, Moses, the prostitute Rahab, and even more with Gideon, Samuel, David, the prophets–they too were credited by their faith to righteousness.  And so then I must ask what is faith?  Hebrews 11:1 gives us the perfect definition.  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

So I see a pattern. Do you? Faith which leads to obedience and obedience which leads to holiness and holiness to righteousness which is defined by us as the Lord’s Righteousness, The robes of Righteousness, and the Righteousness that has been credited to me because of my faith!  I’d call that a perfect circle, a double whammy! The more you do, the more you do.

And that is true for me, the more you study God’s Word and talk with Him, the more you want to. I used to wonder what anyone could pray about to God for a whole night. Now I know.

I told someone earlier tonight that until the last 2-3 years, I thought I could choose when to be obedient and when to pursue holiness, but it doesn’t work like that! When you give your heart to Jesus, He is going to uphold His part of the covenant. That part is to refine you like gold and make you ready for heaven. So no, you don’t get to choose, once you’ve made the choice for HIM, eventually He will get you in a place where you can’t do anything but obey Him and once you are, you’ll find it rather pleasant, because His burden is light, remember, and then it is so easy to start pursuing holiness, excellence, faith.

A WHOLE LOT OF TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS- I PETER4: 12-19

Once again, I have heard over and over in the last few days of suffering Christians. It’s not just me in that desert, I keep talking about, it seems as if it is everybody. Listen to what the scripture says.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial your suffering, as thought something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a nurderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment  to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outvome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,  ‘if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly sinner?’  So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Wow, you might need to read through that passage 2 or 3 times to get it. I did.  And what I read is simply a continuation on God’s telling me that I am not getting out of this desert I’m in, been in. That it wouldn’t be good for me. I need to be completely dependent on HIM. And you know when I am completely dependent? Of course, when I am suffering the most.  Now I don’t pretend to understand God’s ways and thoughts. I sure would have done a few things differently! But they would have been wrong, turned out wrong, because God’s way is always right even if you can’t see it when you are going through it. I have had to learn this over and over again. I have a stubborn streak that God has been working on since I was a little girl. I like to think I am a whole better about that than I used to be, but only the good Lord and my husband could really tell you for sure.

This passage in Peter is great for several reasons. First it tells us not to be surprised at our circumstances. I can’t begin to tell you though, how many people have said, ” if you belong to God, all you have to do is ask and it will all be given to you”. My question to them is what is the “all” that is being given to me? because it is not prosperity, or popularity, or  overwhelming success, or just good health, just reasonable financial health. Nope, nada, nein, non, no! I can not find any place in the Bible where it says that our God is obligated to give us a fairy tale life. In fact, just the opposite is the case. From the beginning of the Word of God, in the garden of Eden, once sin came into the world through Adam and Eve, all of mankind was relegated to that desert that I speak of. Of course I am not talking literally, but metaphorically.

This trial and tribulation problem has plagued man since then-believer and unbeliever alike.     It rains on the believer and unbelievers alike. Both have similar injuries and go to the same hospital. One recovers very quickly, one does not. Again, why does God? Where is He? Whydoesn’t He answer?

I do believe that God answers every prayed sincerely. You might not like the answer, but you will get one if you ask the Lord for it!–but sometimes, like me, he takes you out of your comfort zone. I am going to go out of mine, because I need to get better help for whatever is happening with my knee. That would keep me really incapasitated  for the most important  delivery in the mornings. Sometimes my granddaughters are here for a long weekend and it just wouldn’t look right to have fight them staying toether in my house. Anymore that it would have look to have left yyour left arm broken because you waneour light and door unlocked

 

Acts 8 and 9

This year we are studying the Acts of the Apostles. I am been amazed at how present day these verses are for us, for me. Acts 8, the Apostles and believers began to scatter due to persecution after the stoning of Stephen. But those who scattered, preached the Word wherever they went. I believe that by forcing the believers out of Jerusalem, they witnessed for Christ throughout Judea and Samaria and eventually to the world.

Disruption and displacement in life are usually painful, but the new place can expand into new work and new effectiveness. What change is happening in your life right now? Have you ever considered your present trial as an opportunity for expansion? I had to look at that question and really think about it as I was asked. I don’t think I have thought all my trials and circumstances were an opportunity to go somewhere different, maybe have a different ministry. I have never thought about it like that. But now that I have, I see that there are so many other parts of my life Jesus wants to work on besides this old body! yes He has used it to teach me things–about idols, about tithing, about being thankful and satisfied–yes I have learned my lessons well. Yet I do see there is so much more to learn–so much more about the Word and even how the Holy Spirit works, so much more about what I am to do vs just praying. Not that prayer is not important. That will never go away from me; it’s how the Father and I communicate. But I am reading about ACTS and DOING and feeling like He is going to be telling me what new thing I need to do.

As I was reading about Paul’s time in the desert for 3 years with the Lord, I realized earlier tonight that I too have been in the desert with the Lord for about 3 1/2 years now. He told me in a dream that I was going to go through the hardest times of my life, but that He would be with me every step of the way and sometimes would even have to carry me…and yes, He has. As I re-read some of my early 2009 posts forward, I see that indeed I have been changed. So maybe that time is coming to an end. I certainly hope so!!  I hope that I am ready to walk through whatever new door He wants to open for me. All I know is that I wouldn’t go back to the person I once was. I am so thankful that God never lets go of us-regardless of whether we let go of Him–and that He will accomplish His purpose. ” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28