Monday, January 30, 2006, 08:15 PM
You’re in a lifeboat adrift and you don’t have a paddle. There’s no wind. You sit in the hot sun and wait and hope that you will drift into something a lot more pleasing than where you are. Several hours later you see a piece of driftwood and you are able to get it into the boat. It’s the right size to paddle with. But which way do you go? Where is safety, security, comfort, peace, and joy. You paddle not knowing where you are going. Not knowing where to find these things. A storm comes up and the wind blows. You have no control over your boat against the waves. You lose your paddle. And finely the storm is over. The loneliness is overwhelming. You must find a solid place to rest your wiry body. Where is that solid rock? Where can you find that sure foundation? Where is there always peace and fulfillment? Life keeps trampling on us. Loneliness, depression, unhappiness, unfulfilled dreams. Why are we here? What’s our purpose? Why can’t we be satisfied? Why are we always searching? And what in the world are we searching for? What in the WORLD? I believe that’s the problem. We are searching in the world for worldly things. We believe the world can supply all our needs. And that’s when we find ourselves in that little boat with no breeze, no paddle, no hope, and not knowing the direction to go. Your just sitting there with the sun beating down on you knowing you will soon die. Our body will die with all of our hopes, dreams, and desires for a beautiful life is gone forever. You are at the end of all hope.But then you decide to make one last ditch effort. It’s a last resort: Pray. So you pray to a god you don’t know. Pray to a god you have ignored all of your life. You’ve taken His name in vain and you’ve used Him in dirty jokes. You’ve blamed Him for all of your problems because you think He caused it all even though you confess to others you don’t believe He really exists.
If you were God would listen? Our pride would say forget it. The way you’ve treated me. No Way! You’re on your own buddy. You got yourself in this mess, get yourself out. Thank God, God is not like us. God says come to me all of you who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will set you free of all of your heartaches and give you rest.
You Pray and God hears because it is from your heart and your truly sorry for all of your sins and you desire with all of your heart for God to forgive you and help you. You want Him to restore you to a life that is not void. A life with substance and meaning. You want to be able to say; “I know why I’m here. I know my purpose in this life.”
And you are still in that little boat on a big ocean with no paddle and a hot sun but you wait and you continue to pray with hope. God has started His work in you by giving you hope in a hopeless situation. And when you feel all is lost and maybe God isn’t helping you see a tiny dot on the ocean. It looms larger and larger. It’s a ship and it’s coming toward you. You have no way to signal. Your too weak to even stand and wave your arms. All you can do is wait and pray that the ship will come to you. It does. You are saved.
What did you do to be saved? Nothing, except to be desperate and to grab for the straw of prayer to a God you didn’t know or believe in. All you had to offer God for His goodness was your pitiful, sinful, unbelieving condition. And He heard your prayer. Do you think your special? Yes you are. We are all special that know God because we are all in the same condition. We are all pitiful, sinful, and unbelieving. God never says no to any contrite heart.
Now there is a reason to be alive. There is a purpose to life. It’s to serve God. And all joy, contentment, and peace is yours. Even when the world is throwing rocks at you. You will have THE ROCK to hold you up. You are now on solid ground forever.
You can reach Nancy at:
Crossing the GAP
PO Box 384
Marshall, IL
62441
art@nancysgallery.com
Monday, January 23, 2006, 08:13 PM
Did you know that no one’s sin is greater than God’s forgiveness? Don’t believe me; read the Old Testament. My, Oh My, how they did sin. Let’s take David and Bathsheba in II Sam. Chapters 10-17. David commits adultery and murder. Next go to Ps. 51:12: David wrote this passage referring to his sins. “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” David did not say, “restore my salvation.” He had never lost it. He had only lost its “joy” due to his sins.When a person says they are not sure of their salvation, they are saying Christ did not do enough. You must do your part by changing your self or becoming good enough to be saved. No sin is greater than another sin to God. All sins condemn. A white lie, unforgiveness, murder and hatred will put all people in hell without Christ. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one part is guilty of breaking all of it.”
You don’t lose your salvation because you sin-be it a big sin or a little sin. If you did, I would be a yo-yo. Saved, not saved, saved, not saved. Up and down, up and down. There would never be any assurance of where I was with God. What you do lose is your joy, peace, and feeling of being close to God.
God took all of everyone’s sin on the cross 2,000 years ago. He was God who became a man to live the life e could not live (a perfect life without sin). Then He who had no sin became sin for us (II Cor. 5:21). On the cross He died a real death and suffered hell in your peace and my place. On the third day He rose from the dead. He is alive and well today. He is calling to all of mankind, “Come to me with your burdens, I will carry them. Come to me and believe that I did what I say I did in the scriptures and you will be free from your sins. “The debt is paid in full to God. Stop saying “my way” and let God have His way. A repentant heart is all He demands. A repentant heart is enough to summon the Son of God Himself to walk through our walls of guilt and shame.” From, No Wonder they call Him the Savior by Max Lucado.
God says we inherit salvation. What must you do to inherit anything? Nothing! No good works. Good works are for a witness to others. They are not for salvation.
A friend of mine has a good answer for the question, “When were you saved?” His answer is, “2000 years ago but I just found out about it.”
Focus is the answer. Turn your focus away from yourself and your problems and turn it to Christ and His forgiveness. His arms are always open and waiting. Prayer and focus brings great spiritual rewards. Even when you’re down and out, you’ll be joyful in your heart.
I have suffered much and sinned much through my lifetime, but since I have become a Christian, I have never doubted my salvation because it does not rest on me even when I fail so miserably and sin so greatly. What a load Christ has lifted from me and what a joy he has given me.
I fall again and again. I sin and I focus wrong and I worry and I can’t sleep and life seems awful. How many “I’s” do you count in that sentence? That’s the problem, my focus is on me. But then God gets my attention again and the problem may not go away but my focus is on what Christ has done and is doing in my life. I feel peace and joy again because I know He is in completed control of all things. And all will work out for His glory and my good. It’s a yo-yo life but it is not a yo-yo salvation. Remember that you do not lose your salvation when you sin. You have just stepped away from God and you are trying to do it on your own. God won’t force you back, but He will not leave you alone either. He will be calling to you to come back. He will be there when you stop resisting Him and His arms will be open wide and love in His heart for you at all times. He loves unconditionally. No matter what you do, His love never stops. He hates the sin and loves the sinner. He loves you.
This free gift of God’s love and salvation does not give you the license to sin as much as you please and then run to God for forgiveness. Your heart must not desire sin above God.
Max Lucado wrote: “God would rather die than live without you.” And that is exactly what He did. And He took all of your sins and He has freed you of them. He rose from the dead and He lives so that we too will live. Lay all your burdens on Him that is what He desires for you to do.
You can reach Nancy at:
Crossing the GAP
PO Box 384
Marshall, IL
62441
art@nancysgallery.com
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