At church this past Sunday morning the sermon was about Moses coming down off of the mountain after being in God's presence for 40 days and nights. When he came down carrying the tablets for the second time His face was radiantly shining. This happened every time he spent time in the presence of God. He spent time "beholding" God and he was therefore becoming more godly.
Then the pastor said "We become like what we behold"
Well, that got my attention! I began to take some notes, but gave up in favor of going back and viewing the video later in the day. The beginning part of his sermon was chock full of reasons why we should home school! This was, I am sure, not his intention. But there it was! There is no denying it!
The following quotes are listed in the order in which they were stated:
"We are influenced by those we spend the most time with"
*Why would we send our children off to a day care or a school building where they are influenced by their teachers and peers for the majority of their productive day?
"It matters who we keep company with"
*Do we really know all of the people that our children come into contact with each day? Do we trust them? Do we personally know them? The children? Their families?
"We adopt the values, perspectives, and habits from the people we spend the most time with"
*Teachers, aides, students, etc........do we know what the values, perspectives, and habits are of all of these people? Would we be okay with them if we did?
"Are those people we spend time with good for us?"
*Can you really honestly answer yes to this question? Think about it?
"Do they bring us closer to the Lord or farther away?"
*Public school is never going to bring you closer to God. It will only drive a wedge of doubt into your child's heart and mind. It is a place where it is illegal to mention God.
"All our lives we become like what we behold"
*From the cradle to the grave! We become what we behold. That is a profound statement in regards to sending your children out of your christian home into a pagan world to learn.
"It benefits us always to make sure that we are gazing upon and investing our time in that which is good and that which is godly"
*I guess you could make a slight argument for some good in public education. But it does not outweigh the ungodly, not one bit! And it is progressively getting worse.
A child in public school can easily spend the majority of every school day beholding, investing in, and being influenced by that which is not known for godliness.
As Christians we owe it to our children and our grandchildren to guide them in the way that is right and godly.
A public education, or in my opinion, any education outside of the home, is not in the best interest of Christian children.
Showing posts with label bible believing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible believing. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Unlocking treasures
God's Word
It has the power to save.
The power to convict.
The power to guide.
The power to teach.
The power to comfort.
The power to make sense out of life.
No one can just pick up the Bible and totally understand it. We believe, then we trust in God's word.
The understanding takes time. It takes immersion in the word every day.
Salvation is individual. personal.
But unlocking the treasures of God's word and understanding the seemingly un-understandable takes time.
It takes fellowshipping
It takes being willing to learn, a willing heart.
It takes patience and trust.
I promise it will all make sense one day.
A bit here, a bit there.
Those questions that non-believers ask about some Old Testament stuff.
One day you will see more clearly and have an answer.
The basics of the nature of God.
What a holy God requires from His people.
How to walk in the light.
These are the things to learn first.
So many questions.
Sometimes it doesn't make sense. It doesn't "fit" with the world.
At some point in the future you will step back and see a glimpse of the whole picture....
and you will still trust.
Until one day it all becomes crystal clear and we see Jesus face to face.
It has the power to save.
The power to convict.
The power to guide.
The power to teach.
The power to comfort.
The power to make sense out of life.
No one can just pick up the Bible and totally understand it. We believe, then we trust in God's word.
The understanding takes time. It takes immersion in the word every day.
Salvation is individual. personal.
But unlocking the treasures of God's word and understanding the seemingly un-understandable takes time.
It takes fellowshipping
It takes being willing to learn, a willing heart.
It takes patience and trust.
I promise it will all make sense one day.
A bit here, a bit there.
Those questions that non-believers ask about some Old Testament stuff.
One day you will see more clearly and have an answer.
The basics of the nature of God.
What a holy God requires from His people.
How to walk in the light.
These are the things to learn first.
So many questions.
Sometimes it doesn't make sense. It doesn't "fit" with the world.
At some point in the future you will step back and see a glimpse of the whole picture....
and you will still trust.
Until one day it all becomes crystal clear and we see Jesus face to face.
Friday, September 2, 2016
pig's snout
Proverbs 11:22
A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring
in a pig's snout.
I came across this description a few days ago in my bible study as I was looking something else up.
Something in my jumbled head said "write about this"
so here I go:
discretion: the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
I'm going to talk about having discretion in the way a woman dresses. Dressing in such a way that you keep what should be private, private.
This summer I've been nursing a sore heel. Since I think doctors are a waste of time and money (for the most part) I diagnosed myself as having achilles tendinitis and prescribed stretching and resting. I did this using Google, of course.
Anyway.............
I have spent a lot of time out in public......sitting and waiting for my client rather than walking, walking, walking. Some call it "people watching" Mostly at Walmart.
I have seen more skin, tattoos, and piercings this summer than I care to tell you. I am disgusted.
And before you think that its a worldly problem, I gotta say it happens at church also. I now have a new rule for church, if someone is dressed inappropriately (in my opinion) I leave.
Now, here is an admission: I wore some short shorts back in the day. And out in public at times. But, here is the point. I was never taught any better and when I learned how a woman should dress I changed and taught my daughter the right way.
So, I can't "make" woman dress modestly. I can't make them wear shorts and skirts and shirts of a longer length I can't make them cover up their cleavage and their crack. I can't make them act like a lady. If they want to be like a pig with a gold ring in their nose with which they are led around by the whims of the world, then so be it.
The funny thing about the inappropriate attire is that women say its unfair to put restrictions on how they dress. You know what is unfair? Women think they are being treated "equal" when they are really being exploited in the name of fairness.
A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring
in a pig's snout.
I came across this description a few days ago in my bible study as I was looking something else up.
Something in my jumbled head said "write about this"
so here I go:
discretion: the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
I'm going to talk about having discretion in the way a woman dresses. Dressing in such a way that you keep what should be private, private.
This summer I've been nursing a sore heel. Since I think doctors are a waste of time and money (for the most part) I diagnosed myself as having achilles tendinitis and prescribed stretching and resting. I did this using Google, of course.
Anyway.............
I have spent a lot of time out in public......sitting and waiting for my client rather than walking, walking, walking. Some call it "people watching" Mostly at Walmart.
I have seen more skin, tattoos, and piercings this summer than I care to tell you. I am disgusted.
And before you think that its a worldly problem, I gotta say it happens at church also. I now have a new rule for church, if someone is dressed inappropriately (in my opinion) I leave.
Now, here is an admission: I wore some short shorts back in the day. And out in public at times. But, here is the point. I was never taught any better and when I learned how a woman should dress I changed and taught my daughter the right way.
So, I can't "make" woman dress modestly. I can't make them wear shorts and skirts and shirts of a longer length I can't make them cover up their cleavage and their crack. I can't make them act like a lady. If they want to be like a pig with a gold ring in their nose with which they are led around by the whims of the world, then so be it.
The funny thing about the inappropriate attire is that women say its unfair to put restrictions on how they dress. You know what is unfair? Women think they are being treated "equal" when they are really being exploited in the name of fairness.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
social media = a distracted life
I signed out of facebook a week ago. (deactivated)
I signed back in last night, looked around for about two minutes, and promptly signed back out. (deactivated)
Now, to be fair, I have another facebook account that only has three friends on it. My daughter and two daughter in laws. We use it to do bible study. So, I can peek at pics of my grandchildren (which I don't really need to because they live right here) but not click like, not comment. The downside to this is that the sidebar of trending topics is still there screaming a few lines of wordly filth at me.
What I've noticed this past week is that I'm praying more. Now that's a biggie!!!!
My thoughts are clearer and I feel a lot calmer. Reading all of that stuff on facebook world was causing me to have a jumbled head and an anxious heart.
I've already begun to fill up a notebook with future blogging posts and topics for posts to ponder.
I had accomplished a ton of stuff in the past week as far as my crafting, home organizing, gardening, and chickening go.
To sum it all up: I feel soooooo much better!!!!
Am I abandoning facebook? No.
Am I going to stay away longer? Yes
Am I going to unfollow everything? Yes
Will I clean up my friends list? it's already in pretty tight shape, so I don't know.
I've been listening to Rich Mullins on Pandora Radio.
I wrote this line from a song down in my bible study notebook:
Save me from those things that might distract me
the song goes on to say, I think:
take them away and purify my heart
this is the goal.
I signed back in last night, looked around for about two minutes, and promptly signed back out. (deactivated)
Now, to be fair, I have another facebook account that only has three friends on it. My daughter and two daughter in laws. We use it to do bible study. So, I can peek at pics of my grandchildren (which I don't really need to because they live right here) but not click like, not comment. The downside to this is that the sidebar of trending topics is still there screaming a few lines of wordly filth at me.
What I've noticed this past week is that I'm praying more. Now that's a biggie!!!!
My thoughts are clearer and I feel a lot calmer. Reading all of that stuff on facebook world was causing me to have a jumbled head and an anxious heart.
I've already begun to fill up a notebook with future blogging posts and topics for posts to ponder.
I had accomplished a ton of stuff in the past week as far as my crafting, home organizing, gardening, and chickening go.
To sum it all up: I feel soooooo much better!!!!
Am I abandoning facebook? No.
Am I going to stay away longer? Yes
Am I going to unfollow everything? Yes
Will I clean up my friends list? it's already in pretty tight shape, so I don't know.
I've been listening to Rich Mullins on Pandora Radio.
I wrote this line from a song down in my bible study notebook:
Save me from those things that might distract me
the song goes on to say, I think:
take them away and purify my heart
this is the goal.
Monday, November 2, 2015
lets ramble on......
i really want to blog more. its not that i don't have anything to say. i have lots to say. some of it a lot of people don't want to hear.
i'm a square peg that doesn't even try to fit into a round hole. screw it.
get it?
my mind works in mysterious ways.......
i can't think of anything i've been thinking about blogging about. i need one of those little mini voice recorders so i can talk to myself. i think of topics and usually its when i'm not near a pen paper. i've got notes in my phone. but my phone is way over.....
there.
so i'm just going to ramble for today.
i'm going to tell you a little about my hopes and dreams for this day (since its just 8:19 am)
i woke up at 5:30 this morning. the time change has me off a bit. i want to go with it. i accomplish so much more when i get up really early. i've been a lazy butt in the mornings lately. it's jeff's fault.
did my bible study. i'm in matthew 20: 1-16. it's not about senority or time invested: it's about God's grace. that's it. He is the boss and He can do whatever He wants, who are we to question God?
went on facebook for a bit....tried not to tick anyone off. that is hard for me. bite your tongue, karen.
cleaned up bubby's hideout. thats what i'm calling my craft room now. i'm a messy doer. eventually you can't think amongst the mess, so you have to just DO IT!!!
i discovered that i could plug my kindle into the little tiny speakers the kids left behind when they all abandoned me (got married and moved out). now i can listen to my music on pandora a lot louder down there in bubbys hideout.
i've had my second cup of coffee and breakfast. for anyone that is interested breakfast was two whole grain toast with cottage cheese and homemade cranberry preserves. yum!
now.....onto plans for the whole big rest of the day.
clean and straighten
pray
walk
pray
at least one hour of outdoor cleanup (garage, compost, or garden)
pray
at least two hours of wood cutting and brush piling
pray
crafting!
pray
grocery list
pray
no cooking (leftovers for dinner) yes!!!!!!!!!!!!
working on november activities for ethan.
pray
i'm going to remember this: in all things i do i will try to glorify God. in my thoughts, actions, deeds, words...everything i do.
i will fail.....God knows this. And He loves me. and He helps me. And He won't let me just be. He won't let me continue to fail. He will help me over and over and over again. Because He is just that awesome of a Father.
so..........
i will try to think of some really interesting topics because i seriously would like to blog more often.
thanks for listening to me ramble.
i'm a square peg that doesn't even try to fit into a round hole. screw it.
get it?
my mind works in mysterious ways.......
i can't think of anything i've been thinking about blogging about. i need one of those little mini voice recorders so i can talk to myself. i think of topics and usually its when i'm not near a pen paper. i've got notes in my phone. but my phone is way over.....
there.
so i'm just going to ramble for today.
i'm going to tell you a little about my hopes and dreams for this day (since its just 8:19 am)
i woke up at 5:30 this morning. the time change has me off a bit. i want to go with it. i accomplish so much more when i get up really early. i've been a lazy butt in the mornings lately. it's jeff's fault.
did my bible study. i'm in matthew 20: 1-16. it's not about senority or time invested: it's about God's grace. that's it. He is the boss and He can do whatever He wants, who are we to question God?
went on facebook for a bit....tried not to tick anyone off. that is hard for me. bite your tongue, karen.
cleaned up bubby's hideout. thats what i'm calling my craft room now. i'm a messy doer. eventually you can't think amongst the mess, so you have to just DO IT!!!
i discovered that i could plug my kindle into the little tiny speakers the kids left behind when they all abandoned me (got married and moved out). now i can listen to my music on pandora a lot louder down there in bubbys hideout.
i've had my second cup of coffee and breakfast. for anyone that is interested breakfast was two whole grain toast with cottage cheese and homemade cranberry preserves. yum!
now.....onto plans for the whole big rest of the day.
clean and straighten
pray
walk
pray
at least one hour of outdoor cleanup (garage, compost, or garden)
pray
at least two hours of wood cutting and brush piling
pray
crafting!
pray
grocery list
pray
no cooking (leftovers for dinner) yes!!!!!!!!!!!!
working on november activities for ethan.
pray
i'm going to remember this: in all things i do i will try to glorify God. in my thoughts, actions, deeds, words...everything i do.
i will fail.....God knows this. And He loves me. and He helps me. And He won't let me just be. He won't let me continue to fail. He will help me over and over and over again. Because He is just that awesome of a Father.
so..........
i will try to think of some really interesting topics because i seriously would like to blog more often.
thanks for listening to me ramble.
Monday, July 20, 2015
ignorant bliss
i'm a thinker. i think too much.
things have to make sense to me.
i try to think about things until i can figure out how they make sense.....in some way....in any way....
sometimes it's such a stretch.
to try to figure out how someone else could possible even think that something makes sense.
are you still following me?
all of this thinking is getting to be too much for my brain.
the world has truly gone mad.....or has it?
.....maybe i'm the one who has gone mad? some days.....
it feels that way.
at this point in time i feel overwhelmed by the world.
the entire freaking world that sits right there.....at the end of my driveway.
sometimes i feel like i want to just stockpile food and quit my job, cancel the tv and internet and just...........live in ignorant bliss for a while.
i really, really, really could do this!!!
but! is that being realistic? no....probably not.
could i just pick one or two of those things off of that list and do those???
the fact of the matter is this: would burying my head in the sand save just ONE baby from being violently ripped from its mothers womb? would it convince just ONE person to seek Jesus and not be a slave to sin? would it do anyone any good? including myself?
there are too many voices out there leading people astray. there are too many Christians out there who are silent on the topics of sin and repentance. they want to just say "my job is to love and God's job is to judge"................
......................really?
do we really want to just love people all the way to HELL???????
no one wants to offend. no one wants to "judge" no one wants to be that lone voice.
but i do. i don't know why, but i do.
you see, there are these boys. and i hate the world they must grow up in. this world is dangerous, deceitful, and sinful. the weight of feeling responsible for passing on God's word, teaching them to have a biblical worldview, and showing them how to live a godly life, well, it weighs heavy on me.
extremely heavy. it seems to be so daunting of a task. my heart aches to think of any of them being led astray because we dropped the ball. because we didn't want to offend. because we didn't want to be different.
because we wanted an easier life lived in ignorant bliss.........................
things have to make sense to me.
i try to think about things until i can figure out how they make sense.....in some way....in any way....
sometimes it's such a stretch.
to try to figure out how someone else could possible even think that something makes sense.
are you still following me?
all of this thinking is getting to be too much for my brain.
the world has truly gone mad.....or has it?
.....maybe i'm the one who has gone mad? some days.....
it feels that way.
at this point in time i feel overwhelmed by the world.
the entire freaking world that sits right there.....at the end of my driveway.
sometimes i feel like i want to just stockpile food and quit my job, cancel the tv and internet and just...........live in ignorant bliss for a while.
i really, really, really could do this!!!
but! is that being realistic? no....probably not.
could i just pick one or two of those things off of that list and do those???
the fact of the matter is this: would burying my head in the sand save just ONE baby from being violently ripped from its mothers womb? would it convince just ONE person to seek Jesus and not be a slave to sin? would it do anyone any good? including myself?
there are too many voices out there leading people astray. there are too many Christians out there who are silent on the topics of sin and repentance. they want to just say "my job is to love and God's job is to judge"................
......................really?
do we really want to just love people all the way to HELL???????
no one wants to offend. no one wants to "judge" no one wants to be that lone voice.
but i do. i don't know why, but i do.
you see, there are these boys. and i hate the world they must grow up in. this world is dangerous, deceitful, and sinful. the weight of feeling responsible for passing on God's word, teaching them to have a biblical worldview, and showing them how to live a godly life, well, it weighs heavy on me.
extremely heavy. it seems to be so daunting of a task. my heart aches to think of any of them being led astray because we dropped the ball. because we didn't want to offend. because we didn't want to be different.
because we wanted an easier life lived in ignorant bliss.........................
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
meltdown
yesterday i guess i had what is commonly referred to as a "meltdown"
ever since the supreme court decision to legalize same sex marriage was delivered to a divided american public, i have read opinion upon opinion on the subject.
i am more than firm on my position that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman, ordained by God at creation. i'm not going to go into detail about how the opposite sexes naturally compliment each other or how i believe that the relationship in marriage is supposed to reflect the relationship that Christ has with His church.
suffice it to say that i will not ever be swayed from biblical truth.
at this moment my issue is with christians. i almost want to put "sarcastic quotes" (thanks matt walsh) around the word christians. hmmmmm......wondering.......
anyway......
so much of what i'm hearing from my christian brothers and sisters is nothing more than watered-down theology. it's like the majority of christians tune into joel osteen every week to hear a "feel good" gospel message, if they even seek a message at all.
so........i melted.....i went outside.....i fell to my knees.......and i sobbed. i sobbed because my heart is broken for the deceived.
and then i did what i do when my head is overloaded and jeff is not home for me to unload it on.
i wrote in a notebook. the following is what i wrote. except i wrote it in a HUGE, CRAZY, OUT OF CONTROL thought explosion sort of way.
watered down theology. forgiveness without repentance???
do i even need a savior anymore? if we don't mention sin how do we mention savior? what is he saving us from?
God is love--love wins. can we love without bringing sexual deviance into it? can i even say that????
are we accessories to sin when we don't talk about it anymore?
repent! turn from your sins! go and sin no more!!
our example in john the baptist preparing the way for our savior, and then Jesus himself telling sinners to sin no more. to take up their cross and follow Him. do we even know what that means???
are we no longer supposed to tell people this? christians shouldn't talk about sin??? or use the word repent?????
we can't tell the world why we are upset? why our hearts are broken for them? we are just supposed to celebrate their sin with them?
i know our struggle isn't against flesh and blood, but against evil rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. am i even allowed to say that??? am i allowed to say that people are allowing evil to creep into their hearts and minds??????
everyone!!! stand up and admit our sins!!! we are all sinners, we all need a savior!!! be real, let us dig deep and examine our hearts, let us fall on our faces before God and repent. will the world still think it doesn't need this???
do we just love people and let God do the rest? really? do we??? what does this love look like? because i'm struggling with that right now. the reason i struggle with that is because when i love someone it involves being truthful and not quietly sitting by while sin invades their lives. in that same respect i rely on those that love me to do the same for me.
it is quite frightening that so many christians will turn a blind eye to sin as if the God we love and worship is not righteous, holy, just and merciful.
ever since the supreme court decision to legalize same sex marriage was delivered to a divided american public, i have read opinion upon opinion on the subject.
i am more than firm on my position that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman, ordained by God at creation. i'm not going to go into detail about how the opposite sexes naturally compliment each other or how i believe that the relationship in marriage is supposed to reflect the relationship that Christ has with His church.
suffice it to say that i will not ever be swayed from biblical truth.
at this moment my issue is with christians. i almost want to put "sarcastic quotes" (thanks matt walsh) around the word christians. hmmmmm......wondering.......
anyway......
so much of what i'm hearing from my christian brothers and sisters is nothing more than watered-down theology. it's like the majority of christians tune into joel osteen every week to hear a "feel good" gospel message, if they even seek a message at all.
so........i melted.....i went outside.....i fell to my knees.......and i sobbed. i sobbed because my heart is broken for the deceived.
and then i did what i do when my head is overloaded and jeff is not home for me to unload it on.
i wrote in a notebook. the following is what i wrote. except i wrote it in a HUGE, CRAZY, OUT OF CONTROL thought explosion sort of way.
watered down theology. forgiveness without repentance???
do i even need a savior anymore? if we don't mention sin how do we mention savior? what is he saving us from?
God is love--love wins. can we love without bringing sexual deviance into it? can i even say that????
are we accessories to sin when we don't talk about it anymore?
repent! turn from your sins! go and sin no more!!
our example in john the baptist preparing the way for our savior, and then Jesus himself telling sinners to sin no more. to take up their cross and follow Him. do we even know what that means???
are we no longer supposed to tell people this? christians shouldn't talk about sin??? or use the word repent?????
we can't tell the world why we are upset? why our hearts are broken for them? we are just supposed to celebrate their sin with them?
i know our struggle isn't against flesh and blood, but against evil rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. am i even allowed to say that??? am i allowed to say that people are allowing evil to creep into their hearts and minds??????
everyone!!! stand up and admit our sins!!! we are all sinners, we all need a savior!!! be real, let us dig deep and examine our hearts, let us fall on our faces before God and repent. will the world still think it doesn't need this???
do we just love people and let God do the rest? really? do we??? what does this love look like? because i'm struggling with that right now. the reason i struggle with that is because when i love someone it involves being truthful and not quietly sitting by while sin invades their lives. in that same respect i rely on those that love me to do the same for me.
it is quite frightening that so many christians will turn a blind eye to sin as if the God we love and worship is not righteous, holy, just and merciful.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
questions and prayers
i keep a notebook. jeff would laugh at that statement because i have many, many notebooks and i'm always writing stuff down.
anyway....
i keep a notebook of prayers. i write out my prayers at times. it helps me to focus. i have a hard time staying focused.
i wanted to share what i wrote in the last few days. it is private, but needs to be public. needs to be shared.
6/27/15
Father God,
my heart is grieving. You led this country for so long. at one time nearly everyone acknowledged that fact. now.....this is what we have. i am sad, but hopeful. because i know whose hands i am held in. i know who i belong to. and it's not the gods of this world. help me, Lord, to speak the truth. to love. to be a light in the world and not celebrate the dark. thank you Lord.
6/28/15
Father,
i'm upset this morning. it would be so easy to just disregard You and Your words and follow the rest of the world; be a part of the big party. but what would i gain? nothing.
following You Lord brings me peace and joy unspeakable. it is a difficult road at times, filled with boulders and pitfalls. there are times that the world can make me feel wrong and defeated, and even other christians can make me feel wrong and defeated.
these are the words they banter around
"do not judge" "do not be a stumbling block" " just love" "love your neighbor"
what do these things mean?
can i judge what is sin based on what i know is truth from scripture?
is my silence a stumbling block when i don't tell others the gospel message of sin-repentance-and forgiveness?
or is it a stumbling block when i do tell them?
love your neighbor. love others. love God.
i love You Lord with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my mind.
i see You God as a most loving parent. You give me good things. You teach me and mold me through your words and your Holy Spirit living inside me. You remind me of my sins and my need to repent and be forgiven. each day, each minute, i am reminded that i live to glorify You alone.
so if i am to reflect Your love, Lord to others, to the world, how does that look?
shouldn't it look the same as i described above?
the world and a big part of my christian brothers and sisters are promoting a love that i have not seen in scripture. they are promoting a love that has no strings attached. a love that doesn't lead anyone to the pathway of eternal life.
are we just supposed to tell the world that Your love is for everyone and Your grace is for us all and then leave it at that? these are absolutely true statements, but is that where i'm supposed to stop?
am i not supposed to mention that the world needs a savior? am i not supposed to tell them why we need a savior? am i not supposed to mention sin because that would be judging? what constitutes sin? do you decide or do we decide. or do we let our earthly rulers decide it for us?
Lord, help me be strong enough and loving enough to speak the truth that the world needs to hear.
Heavenly Father please help me to not give my neighbors a false sense of eternal security. help me to be able to disagree with others worldviews and not be angry. help me to always remember that we are all made in Your image. help me to remember that your adversary, satan, roams this earth seeking to destroy. and it starts the moment we are conceived. help me to lead my family alongside my husband to protect them and to humbly teach them Your ways only and to always lead them in the truth.
amen.
anyway....
i keep a notebook of prayers. i write out my prayers at times. it helps me to focus. i have a hard time staying focused.
i wanted to share what i wrote in the last few days. it is private, but needs to be public. needs to be shared.
6/27/15
Father God,
my heart is grieving. You led this country for so long. at one time nearly everyone acknowledged that fact. now.....this is what we have. i am sad, but hopeful. because i know whose hands i am held in. i know who i belong to. and it's not the gods of this world. help me, Lord, to speak the truth. to love. to be a light in the world and not celebrate the dark. thank you Lord.
6/28/15
Father,
i'm upset this morning. it would be so easy to just disregard You and Your words and follow the rest of the world; be a part of the big party. but what would i gain? nothing.
following You Lord brings me peace and joy unspeakable. it is a difficult road at times, filled with boulders and pitfalls. there are times that the world can make me feel wrong and defeated, and even other christians can make me feel wrong and defeated.
these are the words they banter around
"do not judge" "do not be a stumbling block" " just love" "love your neighbor"
what do these things mean?
can i judge what is sin based on what i know is truth from scripture?
is my silence a stumbling block when i don't tell others the gospel message of sin-repentance-and forgiveness?
or is it a stumbling block when i do tell them?
love your neighbor. love others. love God.
i love You Lord with all of my heart, all of my soul, and all of my mind.
i see You God as a most loving parent. You give me good things. You teach me and mold me through your words and your Holy Spirit living inside me. You remind me of my sins and my need to repent and be forgiven. each day, each minute, i am reminded that i live to glorify You alone.
so if i am to reflect Your love, Lord to others, to the world, how does that look?
shouldn't it look the same as i described above?
the world and a big part of my christian brothers and sisters are promoting a love that i have not seen in scripture. they are promoting a love that has no strings attached. a love that doesn't lead anyone to the pathway of eternal life.
are we just supposed to tell the world that Your love is for everyone and Your grace is for us all and then leave it at that? these are absolutely true statements, but is that where i'm supposed to stop?
am i not supposed to mention that the world needs a savior? am i not supposed to tell them why we need a savior? am i not supposed to mention sin because that would be judging? what constitutes sin? do you decide or do we decide. or do we let our earthly rulers decide it for us?
Lord, help me be strong enough and loving enough to speak the truth that the world needs to hear.
Heavenly Father please help me to not give my neighbors a false sense of eternal security. help me to be able to disagree with others worldviews and not be angry. help me to always remember that we are all made in Your image. help me to remember that your adversary, satan, roams this earth seeking to destroy. and it starts the moment we are conceived. help me to lead my family alongside my husband to protect them and to humbly teach them Your ways only and to always lead them in the truth.
amen.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
it's not about LOVE
they like to call it a "love" issue.
if you are against people loving one another, then you are a hater.
heck, even Jesus preached a message of "love one another".
so christians, how can you believe that it is wrong to "love one another" ?
well.....we can believe that it is wrong, in regards to homosexuality, because it's not about love.
..................it's about sex.
it's about what scripture says is normal, natural, God designed
as opposed to what man says is normal or man designed.
(now don't make me quote scripture here. we all know it's there)
it's about what scripture tells us is wrong, ungodly, detestable.
(yup....it's in there)
no one in scripture ever came right out and asked Jesus about sexual relations between the same sex because they already knew the answer. duh. (sodom and gomorrah were real to them)
so, if today, in 2015, Jesus came back and we could ask Him to elaborate His thoughts on this topic, He would give us His answer, probably in a parable which would refer us back to the scriptures.
(again, we all know which ones, don't make me quote.....but i will if asked to nicely)
He would tell us to "love one another" and not to judge or condemn anyone, while at the same time He would tell us to avoid sin and the appearance of sin. and.........................
..........................homosexuality is a sin.
yup...................lumped in there with lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, murder, drunkenness, and other sexual sins. sin comes in many forms and lust for the same sex is one of them.
and..................
then there is the woman at the well. the adulterer. a sin. Jesus told her that He did not condemn her. He was paying the penalty for her sins because He loved her.
and.........................
then He told her to "GO AND SIN NO MORE."
you see, it's not a LOVE issue. it's a self control issue. sex was designed by God as a means to create a family and bond it together.
our sinful natures have made it into everything and anything anyone wants it to be.
do I judge the homosexual? in the biblical sense? do I condemn them? in other words.....
am I deciding their fate for all eternity? no, i'm not.
God is the judge and all will be judged and either condemned or redeemed based on their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
can I be saved through Jesus from eternal punishment and still sin? yes, i can.
therefore.................a homosexual can be saved, however, they will have to falsely interpret or totally disregard scripture if they want to continue being unrepentant of that sin. this will lead to them suffering in body and spirit and also potentially causing others (christians) to stumble in their walk.
if they remain unrepentant and militant, and prideful regarding their sin, then their salvation must be questioned and their theology considered false.
these are the most dangerous people because they can lead others astray in the name of Christ.
so...............................
should we as Christians LOVE all people? yes.
should we follow them blindly and quietly down a path of destruction? no.
if you are against people loving one another, then you are a hater.
heck, even Jesus preached a message of "love one another".
so christians, how can you believe that it is wrong to "love one another" ?
well.....we can believe that it is wrong, in regards to homosexuality, because it's not about love.
..................it's about sex.
it's about what scripture says is normal, natural, God designed
as opposed to what man says is normal or man designed.
(now don't make me quote scripture here. we all know it's there)
it's about what scripture tells us is wrong, ungodly, detestable.
(yup....it's in there)
no one in scripture ever came right out and asked Jesus about sexual relations between the same sex because they already knew the answer. duh. (sodom and gomorrah were real to them)
so, if today, in 2015, Jesus came back and we could ask Him to elaborate His thoughts on this topic, He would give us His answer, probably in a parable which would refer us back to the scriptures.
(again, we all know which ones, don't make me quote.....but i will if asked to nicely)
He would tell us to "love one another" and not to judge or condemn anyone, while at the same time He would tell us to avoid sin and the appearance of sin. and.........................
..........................homosexuality is a sin.
yup...................lumped in there with lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, murder, drunkenness, and other sexual sins. sin comes in many forms and lust for the same sex is one of them.
and..................
then there is the woman at the well. the adulterer. a sin. Jesus told her that He did not condemn her. He was paying the penalty for her sins because He loved her.
and.........................
then He told her to "GO AND SIN NO MORE."
you see, it's not a LOVE issue. it's a self control issue. sex was designed by God as a means to create a family and bond it together.
our sinful natures have made it into everything and anything anyone wants it to be.
do I judge the homosexual? in the biblical sense? do I condemn them? in other words.....
am I deciding their fate for all eternity? no, i'm not.
God is the judge and all will be judged and either condemned or redeemed based on their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
can I be saved through Jesus from eternal punishment and still sin? yes, i can.
therefore.................a homosexual can be saved, however, they will have to falsely interpret or totally disregard scripture if they want to continue being unrepentant of that sin. this will lead to them suffering in body and spirit and also potentially causing others (christians) to stumble in their walk.
if they remain unrepentant and militant, and prideful regarding their sin, then their salvation must be questioned and their theology considered false.
these are the most dangerous people because they can lead others astray in the name of Christ.
so...............................
should we as Christians LOVE all people? yes.
should we follow them blindly and quietly down a path of destruction? no.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
get out your bible and check up on that
it is a difficult thing when you have to make the decision to walk away from your family. it is not something anyone does lightly. in my case it was years in the coming. one baby step at a time until one day i realized that i didn't want to keep rebuilding the bridges between our lives.
i my case it comes down to this:
i am a bible believing christian
i refuse to bow to the gods of this world
i refuse to think, act, or believe as they do
therefore:
i am wrong
i am the hypocrite
i am the "bad" one
i my case it comes down to this:
i am a bible believing christian
i refuse to bow to the gods of this world
i refuse to think, act, or believe as they do
therefore:
i am wrong
i am the hypocrite
i am the "bad" one
i understand where they are coming from.
i really do.
i have compassion on them for their brokenness
i really do.
we all suffer brokenness at times, but the way to healing is not by demeaning others. it is by seeking the healing that Jesus offers.
to my family, and to the world in general
MY LIFE JUDGES THEM
i don't have to say a word. but the way i have lived and continue to live my life causes them to feel judged.
i'm a hater because i refuse to think , believe, or act as they do.
in their eyes i am not allowed to have the beliefs and convictions that i have.
then......
they throw the Bible at me.........satan's most favorite form of deceit!
**love the Lord God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. deut. 6:5
EVERYTHING in my life flows out of this portion of scripture.
i try not to take it personally when i am attacked for who i am.
and who i am is
A CHILD OF GOD!
it is difficult to blame broken people who desperately try to affirm themselves when no one else will.
it is difficult to even defend yourself against those who try to use the Bible as a means to attack rather than a means to convict.
i feel it is God's will for my life to cut the ties. however, i feel it is also God's desire that i continue to pray for their salvation. Jesus came to pay the penalty for the sins of us ALL. but it is up to us to accept the fact that we are sinners in need of a savior.
the bottom line is this:
i love God more than anything or anyone in this world. and i could write volumes on how this can and does impact our lives and relationships.
so......
do i need to get out my Bible and check up on that?
the answer is YES!!
and i do so daily.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)