Saved and Sanctified

This week's sermon was a much needed explanation of what it means to be sanctified with Christ. I always thought I explained it fairly well as letting God have complete control of your life...the "Jesus take the wheel" mentality but the pastor this week explained it better. Being sanctified means to "set apart" from the world. LOOK!!! this next statement sums it up...Saved is God giving himself to you completely, being sanctified is YOU giving ALL of you to God. That means every thought, every decision, everything you do is given over to him first. Each of us are born with a love of self not a love toward God. God gives us the opportunity through getting saved and sanctified to have a pure love, one that is personal and mutual between God and Man. To be saved is a process...the day that someone asked to be forgiven, there is instant forgiveness and the Holy Spirit comes and fills their soul. The holy spirit is that voice of reason in tough times, the voice of conviction that keeps us from doing what we know is wrong, the comforting presence when we need it most. Being saved does not make us perfect, we will never be perfect until we come face to face with God himself but it gets us one step closer. Being sanctified is letting God use you as his arms, his feet, and with his compassion to reach those around who don't yet know him. To be like him and to strive to be like him is to be sanctified and holy. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (a) it says: It is God's will that you should be sanctified:
For more on this see John 17:6 through the end of the chapter. It is Jesus praying for the disciples and for all believers.

Ok...that is what I got out of the sermon. Feel free to re-direct me if necessary...I never know if I hit the mark or I am way off. I just tell it like I hear it.

On another note...We had a wonderful weekend with family. It seemed like we spent most of the time at the grandparents' house. I am sure that they needed at least today to recover and clean up after the boys were there. We spent Saturday planning for my mom's visit at 1pm but as many of you know she tends to make a late appearance so at about 5:30 she finally showed up. I made dinner for all that night and then I stayed around after Wayne took the boys home until about 2 in the morning trying to fix my grandpa's computer. All the time waiting for the computer to update, I spent sorting coupons which was quite a feat since I had about 2 or 3 weeks worth to go through and several copies of each coupon. Anyway...I still have a few more to do. BUT...I did go on Monday morning and purchased $146 worth of groceries for $64. I would have not spent so much if I didn't have to buy the many items for homemade ice cream that are not on sale and have no coupon. Anyway...we had a great time and thanks to grandma and grandpa for opening up their home for us all to enjoy. It was so much better than having everyone at my house that doesn't have an A/C. Also thanks to grandma and mom for going shopping with me. I guess that is all...Sorry to ramble at the end there.

Why do we need to read it?

That was the question this week at church...Why do we need to read the bible? Is there really anything in there that pertains to me and my life in the year 2007? Why?
Here is why:

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (New International Version)

15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Tonight at choir practice we had a wonderful demonstration of how even just one page of the bible pertains to us. The person in charge of the devotional handed out a single page from different parts of the bible to every person that was present and asked each of us to read through and see if we find anything that pertained to us. It was amazing to hear people read an excerpt from their page and how it met there need or spoke directly to their heart. I have been diving lately in my bible for answers that I always looked elsewhere for and I have been reminded time and time again that the answer is right there. I have mentioned in one other blog that I looked several times at Psalms 139 and it has helped me through so much that God knows me and understands me when no one else seems to. He knows when I sit or stand...when I am near to him or when I am straying. He is there all the time. So why the bible...because it not only holds a ton of truths but it has some really wonderful and comforting things to say when we seem to be struggling the most.

Amazing Song...Amazing Singer...

Tonight I heard the most beautiful song and it was sung by my cousin Kelley at the mother-daughter banquet. The words kind of sum up how I have been feeling about my faith and where I am scared I will end up. I don't ever want to lose my passion for Christ...it seems that when people are most on fire for Christ is early in their walk and then it slowly dwindles away, not intentional but as a matter of getting comfortable with just "going" to church or just "living" a good life not passionate about all of our duties to win people to Christ. To get His name out there and let them know that he really does accept you "just as you are" and that there is a place for everyone in the kingdom if they ask to be forgiven.

It's another good to see you Sunday morning
Though I hardly hear the words roll off my tongue
Looking in myself for signs of something, that's long gone
Oh I stumble through a verse that says You love me
As the voices echo my thoughts drift away
And I close my eyes ashamed I'm feeling nothing
And I pray, I pray
Heal me heal these eyes heal this heart heal my mind
Breathe Your breath of life
Heal me, wake my soul from this sleep
Give me back the joy of when I first believed
Heal me
Oh I lose myself to one more day's indifference
When my eyes are everywhere but fixed on You
I don't have the strength to overcome this distance, but You do, You do
Heal me heal these eyes heal this heart heal my mind
Breathe Your breath of life
Heal me, wake my soul from this sleep
Give me back the joy of when I first believed
Heal me
I don't want to waste another minute
Taking all Your love for granted
I just want to feel Your Holy Spirit rushing over me
Heal me heal these eyes heal this heart heal my mind
Breathe Your breath of life
Heal me, wake my soul from this sleep
Give me back the joy of when I first believed
Heal me

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

You sure have gotten "OLD" er...

I thought I would blog about this wonderful guy that I know. He is not only a great person, a great son, husband and dad but he is also a great brother. I hope that you know what a wonderful person that you are and that I love you for being the rock and supporter of our family. I am so proud of you for pushing through everything that you have been through. I could never express my gratitude for all the times that you have called at the right time to make me laugh or cheer me up. I don't think I could have made it through dad's death without you by my side supporting me, crying with me, and taking time to sit with me and talk over everything. I really appreciate it. I love you and I hope that you have a wonderful birthday.

YOU ARE THE BEST!

God Planned Surprises...

I say this because today a couple of prayers of mine have been answered and something that I have had on my brain for the last couple of weeks was preached about today. God has to be smiling. Don't you just marvel at the way he works sometimes...I was have been kind of worried about the money for the Africa trip while we have been remodeling the kitchen and today someone approached me at choir and asked me if I was still going to Africa. I said yes...then he handed me $125. I was floored...I said thank you but I don't know if it was audible, does that make sense, I know it was and I did thank him. I couldn't believe it and I am sure God was laughing at me for my reaction because he was thinking...you prayed about it didn't you? Then during our Sunday school class another one was answered. I have been stockpiling groceries along with many, many health and beauty items and I didn't know what to do with it all or who to donate it to. One of the ladies mentioned that she was wondering if we could start a ministry to send boxes to the troops in Iraq because she is on leave from the military and her husband is stationed over there right now and they are in need of health and beauty items...HOW FUNNY! I couldn't believe my ears...here was my opportunity to help God answer her prayer.
So God answers prayers and he hears our thoughts because I have been talking a lot about my bible studies that I have been attending with several people and how I felt that Pilate and King Darius in Daniel had a lot in common, they both picked the social status and their "job" over what they believed. King Darius in Daniel, with a lot of pressure from society, created a law that no one could pray God or man for 30 days unless they were praying to King Darius and if they broke that law they would be throw into the lion's den.

Daniel 6
3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." 6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.

This same thing happens in John 19 with Pilate. He was pressured by his job and by his people to crucify an "innocent man". He even had Jesus flogged so that the crowd might see that this man, Jesus, had paid enough. After the flogging he brought Jesus before them as if to say...hasn't he paid enough. He was shocked when the crowd said...crucify. He kept giving the crowd a chance to not crucify and yet the pressure of the people and the thought that he might lose his job if the people didn't like the decision, he caved. He even had the nerve to say to to Jesus...Don't you know who I am? Don't you know that I decide your fate, I have the power to set you free or crucify you. Jesus answered...You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Jesus was showing Pilate that he was just merely a chess piece and that God was the one controlling the moves.

John 19
1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face. 4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" 6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!" But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him." 7The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God." 8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." 12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." 13When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews. 15But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. 16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

This conversation between Pilate and Jesus is very significant with our lives. We are either on God's side or against Him. We are either holy or unholy. We are either good or evil. There is a clear way to live and not to live. The pastor said that if just 1 person is committed to God's side, they will do more than 1000 who are just interested in God's side. Satan's plan for our life is to get us discontented...disillusioned, discouraged, disgusted and ultimately destroy us. There is only a black and white for God...Heaven or Hell, no gray. If we keep searching in this world for what we can only find in God...which is peace and understanding, answers to prayer and comfort at our times of need and that reassurance that when our "dash" is over...we are going to get to spend the rest eternity with Him then our life will be much like "a blind man in a dark room searching for a black hat, that isn't there. " Charles Bowen

Sorry it was so long...but I couldn't condense it anymore than I already did. Thanks Powell...what an awesome sermon again!

Happy Birthday Mom!

"Happy Birthday" means much more
Than have a happy day.
Within these words lie lots of things
I never get to say.

It means I love you first of all,
Then thanks for all you do.
It means you mean a lot to me,
And that I'm proud of you.

I really am proud of you and all that you have accomplished as a single mom of three kids. Tonight as I was talking to you about this new opportunity for ministry, I was amazed at the knowledge that you have. Thanks for always supporting me and encouraging me in my many ideas and being brave enough to tell me when I am way off base. I love having conversations with you, nightly, about everything from the kids to the deep stuff about my beliefs and this new found faith of mine. Those particular conversations about the bible and God are the ones that I cherish the most lately as I am reminded of how short our dash in life is. Thanks for being a great listener...and thanks for being a great mom. I love you. Happy Birthday!