What Must I DoTo Be Saved?

Charles Spurgeon quotes:
Saving faith is an immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of God's grace.
 

The greatest enemy to human souls is the self-righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.

A sinner can no more repent and believe without the Holy Spirit's aid than he can create a world.

Read these verses and think and pray about what they mean for you.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Romans 6:23  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 5:7-8  "7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 10:9-10  "9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Romans 10:13  "13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

If you haven't believed in the Lord Jesus, that he took the punishment for your sins, and asked Him to come into your heart and cleanse you from sin, and make you holy and righteous, please give your heart and life to Jesus Christ today! If you have any questions about these verses, or how to be saved from your sins, or you want to be sure you're going to heaven when you die, please feel free to contact me (my contact information is above under "Contact Me") -- I would be happy to talk to you about it!

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Resurrection Day!

If you're not sure where you'd be if you were to die today, now is the time to figure that out.  We're all heading for hell, unless something happens to change that, because we've all sinned at least once (let's face it, we break God's moral code daily: you don't think so? Have you lied, even a white lie? Have you lusted after someone? Have you wanted something that someone else has? You've broken three of the 10 Commandments so far...I rest my case.) Besides, the Bible says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23  God is  holy, and He can't have anything or anyone not holy in heaven with Him. So we can't be there. But wait! God loves us, and knew this was going to happen, so He planned from the beginning of time to send His Son, Jesus, to earth, knowing that He could live a sinless life, and then be the perfect Lamb sacrifice for the sins of the whole world!  Jesus died, being punished for the whole world's sins, past present and future, including yours and mine.  And God, proving that the payment was accepted, raised Jesus from the dead.  Over 500 people saw Jesus after He'd come back to life, the Bible says. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (KJV) "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.")

Now He lives in heaven, where He's preparing a wonderful place for each of us...But, we don't now automatically go to heaven when we die--we have to place our trust in that payment for our sins, and believe that Jesus is Who He says He is, God's Son.  (We either trust that our sins are already all paid for, or we have to pay for them in hell for the rest of eternity.)  We have to place our lives in His Hands, but if He loves us enough to die for us, and God is Almighty enough to raise Jesus from the dead, and knows everything, then He's worth giving your life to.  What's your alternative?  Well, continue going in the direction you're going:  down.  You don't think it's true?  What are the consequences if you're wrong?  Do you want to play Russian roulette with your eternal life?  Ask Jesus to prove Himself to you, whether He's really alive, whether what I say to you now is true.  When you give your life to Jesus, His Holy Spirit comes into your life, and you're forgiven of all your sins!  If you don't realize you're a sinner, heading for hell--that's the first step.  Then realize God doesn't have to give you one second more to think about His offer, or a second chance, if you turn Him down now!  He's a God of wrath against sin, but He's a merciful and loving God towards you when you turn to Him, repenting of your sin, and He gave the supreme sacrifice for you!  Now is the day of salvation!  Don't pass Him up! Confess your sin, and surrender your life to Him.  That's the beginning of your new life, and the biggest and best and most important decision you'll ever make.

 John 3:16-18 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Becoming A Titus 2 Woman: What Does It Mean To Be Reverent

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:3-5

Today, at Becoming Titus 2 in 2010, we're looking at what it means to be "reverent" (or "sober").  Wow, this has been an incredibly "meaty" study.  Though this is long, will you stick with me, and allow me to share what the Lord has been teaching me? It will be encouraging by the end, so hang in there.

1. This is supernatural.
2. It's to be taught.
3. It can be learned.
4. We "older" women aren't "perfect" at it, just have had more practice learning it.
5. When we don't demonstrate this quality, the Word of God is blasphemed, (or can be). 
6. Like everything else in our walk with the Lord, we need Him desperately, and only by His grace can we even begin to do this.

The first challenge, how to find out what "reverent" or "sober" means. Well, to begin, a word study is in order. Looking up "sober" led me to "temperate" which led me to (not having) "passion"--read on:

1. … habitually temperate 3. Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion; having the regular exercise of cool dispassionate reason. (not) tempestuous and blustering. 4. Regular; calm; not under the influence of passion; as sober judgment; a man in his sober senses. 2. Cool; calm; not marked with passion; not violent  5. (Not displaying passion, as it's defined by:) Violent agitation or excitement of mind, particularly such as is occasioned by an offense, injury or insult; hence, violent anger.

Sometimes it's easier to see what something is, by noting what it is not.  Studying the word sober, (with its synonym "temperate" which related to not having "passion" as defined above), I couldn't help but notice that a sober, reverent woman was not marked by "fits" and outbursts and anger and violent outrage. She's even-keeled, able to make "cool-headed" (and I would add, Biblical) decisions, she's not harboring bitterness, not "flying off the handle".  She isn't a storm moving around the house or erupting (tempestuous and blustering).  She is, in a word, calm.

From the Bible, what it doesn't mean:
A quick and cursory look at the lives of leading Bible characters tells us that being reverent/sober doesn't mean sitting quietly in a chair, never having any strong feelings or emotions.
The Lord brought David, a "man after God's own heart", and verses such as these, to mind as examples:

"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears."Ps. 18:4-6
He prays in his calamity--"9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed."Ps. 31:9-10
A verse that is very dear to me: "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice."Psalm 55:17
"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. "Ps. 61:2
Ps. 77:2 shows a desperate man--"In the day of my trouble, I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed...I am so troubled that I cannot speak."
(Later in the same psalm he remembers the works of the Lord, all He has done, and says, "Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders." This is key.)

And God Himself exhorts and encourages us: "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15 

David's prayers, filled with vehement emotion, and injunctions to "cry out" to God, clearly show that God, far from condemning a soul filled with emotion, accepts, no encourages, bringing our deep desires, hurts, and cares to Him.
David was also an example of strong affection for others: deep friendship characterized him.

So, God is not inditing us for feeling deeply within our souls, when He tells us to be reverent and sober (calm).

What being reverent indicates, to me, is what characterizes our outward demeanor.  Please don't be misled. I'm not advocating hypocrisy. What I am saying is that, our outward demeanor should demonstrate the truth of our convictions and faith, that we believe that God is in control, that He is able and mighty, that He loves us, and that we are trusting Him, even though we may be filled with emotions of every kind within.
(I need to include a caveat here: Some of us (women) who are naturally very emotional may need to try to control some of our emotions, not encourage them, so I am not encouraging us to give way to every emotional feeling that we have, but rather acknowledging that there are times in life of great emotion.)

I am to take all those deep feelings, emotions and cares, every burden of my soul, to Him. Leave it there. Trust in Him. Then, I am to act, in an outward expression of faith, calmly and reverently; I am to be ruled by my spirit, not my emotions, and my spirit is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.  Let me repeat: I am not to be ruled by my emotions, and my outward behavior should demonstrate that.

That is calm, sober, reverent behavior.  We are not to be under the influence of passion, but it does not say we are not to have any passion, meaning fervor and emotion. (There are some passions and emotions which are forbidden as sin. We are told repeatedly in Scripture to Fear not, for instance. And we are told to be anxious for nothing. Fear, anxiety, worry are emotions which we can't make at home in our souls.) Our emotions and responses are to be ordered and controlled by the Spirit. But, obviously, from the example of David, emotions are not sin.

Titus 2:3-5 removes any preconceived notion we may have that reverence is an inborn trait, and natural. It is learned, it can be taught, we can improve in the skill, but it is supernatural. Without Christ, this is impossible. The natural man knows nothing of this "calm," reverent behavior. It is so foreign to the world, that it is one of the traits that will cause people to ask you for a reason of the hope that is within you. When you are mistreated, insulted, abused, and you do not give way to anger. When you remain calm in times of overwhelming circumstances, people will ask you your secret. This is why satan wants us to fail in this area. It is a great testimony to the world. And the way we act, as wives and mothers, greatly influences our family's behavior, especially our children's.

We must cry out to God, for there will be times when we are overwhelmed. There will be times when we are tempted to respond to insult, injury and offense with anger. There are, at times, storms raging in our souls. God, through His Spirit at work in us, is our only hope. He says we can overcome, and so we must make effort every day, but we must know that it is only by His strength that we will be victorious over sin.  Being reverent/sober is a command, not a suggestion, with a dire warning: that the Word of God be not blasphemed.

It is a lie from satan that those outbursts, those fits, those times of giving way to worry, fear and anxiety, those times that "I just lost it", are acceptable and normal.  No, I am sinning. The steps to take in those cases are to confess my sin to God and those I have offended, to ask God for help to change, to commit to steps which will bring a different outcome next time, to spend time in God's Word and in prayer, crying out to God for help and strength.

I will therefore that the younger women...give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 1 Timothy 5:14 (Nor the older women.)

There will be times when we will fail. This is very humbling. But, with the humbling to our souls from failing, from having to ask forgiveness, and from being on my knees before the Lord begging for help, comes grace. God gives grace to the humble.

Remember the saying, "It's not where you're at that counts, but the direction you're going." Let's remember that God is there to help us, and by God's grace, let's go in the right direction.

"Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.  If thou, Lord, shouldest mark (keep track of) iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope."  Psalm 130:1

A Prayer of Repentance and Request for God's Help:
"Lord, I am not calm in the worldly sense and often I am not calm in the spiritual sense. I feel things so strongly. I (over)react often. Father, at times I am a storm: tempestuous and blustering. Please forgive me for acting even wildly, at times, and for being given to extreme emotion (extremely agitated and sometimes even angry) in the face of insult, "injury" or offense. Lord, please change me by Your Spirit that I may demonstrate a regularity of calmness, and the ability to exercise cool, dispassionate reason. May I know how to be a woman of stability and sober judgment, that I may demonstrate to a needy world that reverent, sober, calm spirit which You alone can give, that Your Word may not be blasphemed, and I may be a testimony to all of Your grace and love."

At the Well: Contentment In Christ Alone

Today At the Well (click and scroll down to participate) we're talking about contentment--In Christ Alone.  In Philippians 4:11 Paul makes the amazing statement that he has "learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content."  Whether in want or in abundance, he was content.  I think the key word here is "learned."  I am not Paul, and I have not learned, but I am learning, to be content in whatever state I am.  Paul didn't say that he was always, from the beginning, content.  He said he had learned to be so.  The way that we learn something is by starting out "not able/not knowing" and "practicing, while being taught." Then, after time, we arrive at a higher level of knowledge, understanding and skill. The method of ascertaining what level we have attained is often testing.

Christmastime is a test for me.  At Christmas, I experience the deep feeling of "longing": I "long" to be more organized. I "long" for happier times past or future.  I "long" for a house more beautifully decorated. I "long" for a skinnier body more physically fit when we're going to take our Christmas picture.  I "long" to see all my loved ones saved as I write my yearly Christmas letter to extended family.  I "long" to truly celebrate the Lord's birth as I "should" (whatever that means). I "long" for all my relationships to be warm, loving and fulfilling, at a time when busyness, expectations, too much eating and too little sleep make us peevish and fretful, like toddlers needing a nap. The world continually tells me "this is the happiest time of the year"! Why do I feel I am in a perpetual state of angst.

Is this discontentment?  Perhaps. Some of these longings, however, will never be fully satisfied until I reach heaven, for they are longings for perfection and holiness. I am discontent with sin and imperfection, in myself and the world.  The discontent with sin in myself: covetousness, bitterness, hatred and an out-of-control tongue, which sin causes chaos in my surroundings and strife in my relationships, should cause repentance, and change. My longings and discontentment, then, may decrease, too, if I do, in fact, learn to be more organized, so that Christmas becomes more Worshipful and less Will-I-Ever-Finish. (Not looking to that perfect world that only exists in my imagination, magical movies, and Christmas illustrations on glossy greeting cards, where families laugh and sing while decorating a gigantic Christmas tree--the house spotless and mom carrying a tray of dazzling decorated cookies, dressed in heels; later cozying up in an overstuffed easy chair by a warmly lit fireplace, the mantle festooned with greenery and flickering candlelight, sipping hot cocoa while she reads lovely stories to happy little children sitting on her lap.)  The world only feeds discontent.

Yesterday, before the prayer time in our church, a young man quoted Philippians 4:6--"Be careful (anxious, worried, fretting) for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. (It goes on to say, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.") I was cut to the quick. The hopeless state of my heart was revealed, as the Scriptures cut straight through to the deepest level. I realized my sin of fear, worry, discontent, and bitterness, all in one fell swoop. I recognized my lack of faith. There were areas of my heart exposed in which I had given up hope that God would answer my deepest longings. I didn't believe that God would do what was best for me and for those I loved. I was bitter and angry at God. I sat in my chair confessing my sin before the Lord, under a dreadful blanket of unthankfulness.

Is there something you're longing for, but God seems not to answer, or the answer seems to be, "No?"  The temptation is to give up hope. But that is really lack of faith, like saying, "If God gives me everything I want, when I want it, then I will trust Him, praise Him, believe in Him."  Hebrews 11:1 says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." When we have the thing we hoped for, we no longer need faith.

If our longings are for "things," then looking to Jesus, and and setting our thoughts and affections on eternal things will give us a clearer vision. Everything we can see and touch is going to burn. If our longings are for things we cannot see, they may be a picture of the true spiritual world which we are really longing for: the love in our relationship with God, our Father; the perfection of holy living; the peace of righteousness. These longings should turn us to Him. In any case, the answer to our discontent and longing is Christ. Christ alone can satisfy our deepest longings. As I live in this world of imperfection, I am learning contentment by turning my longings into prayers, my complaints and bitterness into confession, my sighs and whys into supplication. "No good thing doth He withhold from them that walk uprightly." Does God do anything ill?  God is good.  God is loving. James 1:17 states, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." During prayer time, as I listened to a prayer request for a woman once healed of breast cancer, who now has months to live because of brain cancer, the thought of my own cancer-free status hit me in the face and I was stunned by the image in my mind of my clenched fist in God's face over His delay and even possible "No" to my longings.  When had I stopped waking with thanks on my lips for life?  When had I forgotten that "His lovingkindness is better than life?" It's so easy to lose perspective. After confessing my sin to the Lord, I asked for restoration of my soul, and His power to change me.

Learning contentment is a lifelong process. At every stage of life, we experience "longings" and must exercise faith. When I was a child, I longed to be older, more grown up.  When I was older, I longed for someone to love me. Then I longed to be married. Would God ever answer? When I was married, I longed for children. I thought I would never have any.  We waited 7 years before our first child was born. Then my second pregnancy ended in miscarriage. Would I ever be able to have any more children?  We began thinking about adoption. But it didn't look like we would qualify. Then we were able to conceive again. Later, my husband decided we should not have any more children. I longed with all my heart for more. Then when my children were grown, I longed for them to traverse the path into adulthood without falling. Now, I long for them to find the right Godly marriage partners. We never arrive, because change is a part of life, and life here on earth is temporary.  What we experience here on earth is just a picture of spiritual truths.  It points us to Christ.  I am sure that later, should my children marry, as I'm longing, I will long for grandchildren. Then I will long to see my children and grandchildren more. Then I will long for my grandchildren to be saved and walking with the Lord. And on it goes.

At every stage of life, we must exercise faith. We must learn, through taking all our longings to Him, and saturating our hearts and minds with the Word, that "Christ is my all in all," and that He is enough.  In Christ alone, I have my hope. In Christ I trust. In Christ I rest contented.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

This week we began attending a seminar and heard about the principle of design. (I have heard this information many times before, but because it is founded and based on Scripture, God always teaches me something new as He applies it to where I am now in my journey through life.) Over the next weeks, as I have time, I'm going to post some of the things God is teaching me. I hope the Lord will use them in your life, too--Please let me know how He does!

Most people don't accept the way God made them. How we view ourselves affects all our relationships: with God, with our family and friends, with ourselves. Oftentimes people are just "not happy" with themselves or their circumstances. (I'm not talking about sin which we are convicted of in our lives, and that we need to repent of and turn from, or the consequences of it.) I'm talking about things that we cannot change in the way God made us, and the circumstances He's allowed: the "unchangeables". Who our parents are, our time in history, our people group, nationality, gender, birth order, brothers and sisters, physical features, mental abilities and aging and death.

When we violate the principles of Scripture, surface problems and conflicts arise. Do you see any of these particular surface problems in your life? Self-criticism, depression, inability to trust in relationships, inability to love. These may have the underlying causes of inferiority (if I reject myself, it will be hard for me to accept my husband or my children), envy, or unreturned affection, and we may have the root problem of bitterness. Bitterness is one of those things that no one thinks they have. We say, "Oh, no, I'm not bitter. I'm just so very disappointed." "I'm not bitter, I just wish he'd change..." "I'm not bitter, I just can't believe they treated me like that." "I'm not bitter, I just feel so hurt." We call it a lot of different things, but never bitterness.


We may have a floating sense of..."I'm unhappy" (with how God made me or my circumstances). We would never be bitter towards God. We're just unhappy with things that He has made and only He has control over. Do you find yourself longing to be different, to be like someone else, or saying "if only" I had different circumstances? Do you think that others have it much better than you do: they were given so much more talent, they're so naturally good-looking, they're so lucky because they have wonderful parents/wonderful sisters or brothers/don't have any sisters or brothers/have a lot of kids/don't have any kids/they're a man/they're a woman/they aren't the oldest/they aren't the youngest/they aren't tall like me/they aren't short like me/they don't have these "defects" I have.......

Is there anything about yourself or the way you look that you would change, if you could? This is an important question, the answer to which can reveal a bitter attitude towards God.

Well, God made you and you are "wonderfully and fearfully made," according to the Scriptures. God prescribed you and knew you before you were born.
Psalm 139:13-16 says: "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. (14) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (15) My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them."
He created you. You were knit together in your mother's womb by the Lord Himself.
He's not finished with you yet:
Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

The cause of inferiority is comparing yourself. No matter how smart you are or beautiful or talented or organized or great, etc., etc. etc., you will always be able to find someone better than you to make you feel inferior! So stop comparing:
2 Corinthians 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."

God made you very uniquely and specially, He loves you and He has some work for you to accomplish that He wants to do through you, not someone else! As long as you are on earth, He still has work for you to do.
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

(Works don't save you or get you to heaven, but once saved from hell and receiving forgiveness of sins by trusting in Jesus Christ's shed blood for you on the cross, believing that He rose from the dead and submitting to His Lordship over your life, then He works through His Holy Spirit in your life to accomplish good works, which glorify Him.
Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.")

Today, let's take a look at our hearts and see if there's any root of bitterness there, or any evidences of not accepting my design such as surface things like feelings of inferiority, complaining, envying, comparing, etc. Why not thank God today for exactly how He has made you, and all your "unchangeables"?

"You'd Complain If You Were Hung with a New Rope!"

(Para leer este post en español, ir a la parte inferior de la página.)

The title of this post was a favorite saying of my father's when one of his children would complain! We didn't get very far with a man who'd seen real hardship and deprivation--having lived through the Great Depression left an indelible mark on his life and character. We have it pretty easy these days.

You'll see I've added some links. One is to some of Elisabeth Elliot's messages. Here are some thoughts from one of them I listened to recently.

In our world today "everything's gotta be fun, fun, fun.....and comfort." She says of her experience in the jungle as a missionary with the Auca Indians, "An Auca Indian never complains." They took hard work and suffering for granted.

Am I a complainer?

Jesus learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Am I a sulker?

How do I respond when someone wrongs me? Do I exchange the garment of love for a suit of mail: to stiffen, bristle, withdraw; to be sullen and withdraw and to retaliate! To be angry: at people and at things.

When we've been wronged, she says we should apply the BALM of Gilead:

1. Confess: My anger, desire for revenge, hatred and self-pity

2. Repent--180 degree turn-around

3. Pray--"Wash me with Your blood, dear Jesus--Cleanse me."

4. Bless the one who hurt you: Follow Christ, Who did this--Bless your enemies, bless those who curse you.

Are you broken today? Are you going to be bitter?

Because God allowed something in your life? God knows what is good for you.

When the disciples came to Jesus with some fish and bread (a boy's lunch), do you think he gave it up willingly?

"If your life is broken when you give it to Jesus,

it may be that pieces will feed a multitude

when a loaf would have only fed a little boy."

May the Mind of Christ My Saviour

May the mind of Christ my Saviour

Live in me from day to day

By His love and pow'r controlling

All I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly

In my heart from hour to hour

So that all may see I triumph

Only through His pow'r.

El título de este post diciendo era uno de los favoritos de mi padre cuando uno de sus hijos se quejan! No llegará muy lejos con un hombre que había visto las dificultades y las privaciones reales - que ha vivido a través de la Gran Depresión dejado una marca indeleble en su vida y carácter. Lo tenemos bastante fácil en estos días.

Verás que he añadido algunos enlaces. Una de ellas es a algunos de los mensajes de Elisabeth Elliot. Aquí están algunas ideas de uno de ellos he escuchado recientemente:

En nuestro mundo de hoy "todo tiene que ser diversión, diversión, diversión ..... y comodidad." Ella dice de su experiencia en la selva como misionero con los indios Auca, "Un indio Auca nunca se queja." Se llevaron el trabajo duro y el sufrimiento por sentado.

¿Soy un lamentadora (acerca de todo)?

Jesús aprendió la obediencia por las cosas que Él sufrió.

¿Soy una mohínadora (enojo, disgusto, tristeza)?

¿Cómo respondo cuando alguien me injusticias? Qué debo hacer para el intercambio de la prenda de amor por una demanda de correo: a endurecer, cerdas, retirar, se retiren y hosco y de tomar represalias! Para ser enojado: a las personas y las cosas. Cuando hemos sido tratados injustamente, dice que debe aplicarse el bálsamo de Galaad:

1. Confesar: Mi ira, el deseo de venganza, el odio y la autocompasión

2. Arrepentíos - 180 grados de giro

3. Ore - "me Lavar con su sangre, querido Jesús - Limpiadora mí."

4. Bendice a los que un daño: Seguir a Cristo, ¿Quién hizo esto - Bendice a vuestros enemigos, bendecid a los que os maldicen.

¿Está rota hoy?

¿Vas a ser amarga?

Porque Dios permite algo en tu vida? Dios sabe lo que es bueno para usted.

Cuando los discípulos vinieron a Jesús con algunos peces y el pan (un chico del almuerzo), cree usted que él le dio un buen grado?

"Si tu vida se rompe cuando se le proporciona a Jesús,

es posible que las piezas de alimentar a una multitud

cuando un pan que sólo han alimentado a un niño."

El Himno "Puede ser que la mente de Cristo, mi Salvador vivir en mi"

Puede ser que la mente de Cristo, mi Salvador Vivir en mí día a día

Por Su Amor y Su poder por el control de todo lo que hago y digo.

Puede ser que la Palabra de Dios morará ricamente

En mi corazón de hora por hora

Para que todos puedan ver mi triunfo

Sólo a través de Su pow'r.

Swine Flu/gripe porcina

Perhaps you are tired of hearing about this, but I am musing on 1)why God has allowed this to come about--this "pandemic" of swine flu or "gripe porcina" (en español)? 2)Each year, thousands of people die from the flu--is this "different"? and 3)Can we find any "good" in it? Some thoughts that came to me as I thought about this were:

Would God be unjust if He chose to bring a major plague upon our world in judgment for sin? Does He still do that, as He did in the Old Testament? Do we want to find out? Why was this flu different, or worthy of media attention, in the first place? Forgetting about what it has become, I think one reason it brought media attention is that the media right now loves a story casting a shadow on Mexico. They like to "stir the pot" as my father used to say. And that pot is already pretty stirred up! Whether they deserve it or not is not the issue here.

Aside from all that, now that the "pandemic" is here, I'd like to ask a question about our response. Everyone's talking about our response on the physical level. What should we do physically, to keep our bodies healthy, and to maximize our living on this earth a while longer. I'd like to suggest that, as important as all that is, our spiritual lives and spiritual health are a bit more important, at least, in God's eyes, according to the Bible. What does God want us to learn from this--what is our response to be, from a spiritual standpoint? Is it possible that God wants us to wake up(!) To make us calloused Americans realize we are not self-sufficient, and in control (if we haven't realized it already!) Our lives are held in the Hand of an Omnipotent God Whom we should fear!

Do you realize a whole country basically "shut down" or was encouraged to do so, for 5 days? Even if Mexico acts on this in part, it causes a "braking" on the vehicle of the lives of Mexicans that should cause even the most hardened heart to at least sit up and take notice! Is it possible that God desires to use this in the heart of Mexico's people to cause them to turn to Jesus Christ, to cry out to Him for help, to realize their need of Him and cause reliance on Him--to turn to the Saviour and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth?

I pray that we will use this as an opportunity, we Christians first, to get on our knees and ask God to search our hearts and "see if there be any wicked way in me," and also as an opportunity for sharing the gospel with those who are lost, as it leads to conversation about life and death issues. I pray that it would cause us to pray for the other countries of the world, our neighbors, that this would lead them to humble self-examination and to confession of sins and to crying out to The Great Physician for healing and salvation.

Would God desire to use this to unite our world in humbly turning to Him for help and healing Who Alone has power to save?


A Psalm of David: Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
(Psalms 86:1-17)