Grace, Mercy, Faith, Salvation, Redemption

From the December 2911 issue of Yavoh:

"grace is 'unmerited favor', mercy is 'unmerited favor'. Faith is 'believing the promises (the word) of God'. Salvation is receiving 'redemption'. Redemption is ' being purchasesd out of slavery'.

What is the difference between grace and mercy since both are 'unmerited favor'? Grace means you received something you did not deserve. Mercy is receiving something you did deserve. Grace is God sharing His blessings with us while mercy is God restraining His judgments against us."

Think about this

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did'. When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you'.

'If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got'.

Christmas and Hanukkah

From the Nov-Dec issue of Gates of Eden - a bimonthly publication by Daniel Botkin in writing about a study of the Book of Maccabees:

"The Hannukkah story is found in the Book of Maccabees. The Jews, to whom 'were committed the oracles of God' (Rom. 3.2), never considered Maccabees to be Divinel-inspired, authoritative Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, Maccabees is an important book in Jewish history...not inspired, but it is inspir...
...
...
.God's people were pressured to celebrate a king's birthday on the 25th day of a winter month
.The celebration included wreaths of ivy
.There was revelry and feasting on swine's flesh
.Those who ignored these winter festivities, and instead celebrated Yahweh's festivals of Leviticus 23, were viewed as the weird ones
...
There is a sad irony in the fact that Christmas and Hanukkah both fall on the 25th day of a winter month. On the 25th of Kislev, Jews celebrate their victory over the Hellenists' attempts to force them to mingle heathen customs with the worship of God. On the 25th of December, Christians mingle heathen customs with the worship of God. The Maccabees refused to honor the real birthday of a temporal king on the 25th day of Kislev. On the 25th day of December, Christians celebrate the imaginary birthday of the real eternal King of kings.

Money

Artist Tom Sachs, quoted in The Wall Street Journal:

"If you worship money, you'll always feel poor."

1 Timothy 6:
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Door Will Open - It's up to you

"You are what you learn. If all you know is how to be a gang member, that's what you'll be, at least until you learn something else. If you go to law school, you'll see the world as a competition. If you study engineering, you'll start to see the world as a complicated machine that needs tweaking. A person changes at a fundamental level as he or she merges with a particular field of knowledge. If you don't like who you are, you have the option of learning until you become someone else. There's almost nothing you can't learn your way out of. Life is like a jail with an unlocked, heavy door. You're free the minute you realize the door will open if you simply lean on it." - Scott Adams in Dilbert.com

Matthew 7:
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Revelation 3:
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21 "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

A lesson to learn

From Readers Digest, November, 2011 - submitted by Fran Lebowitz:

The opposite of talking isn't listening.
The opposite of talking is waiting.

The wisdom of Larry the cable guy ... 17-24

17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?
20. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?
21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering 'What the heck happened?'
22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
23. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today might burn your butt tomorrow.

Comforting thoughts

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.' The antithesis is 'If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got'

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

Concentrate on this sentence... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

Something good will happen to you today; something that you have been waiting to hear.

When Your Hut's On Fire

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering

Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

A thought to consider

Since I have not received any comments about this post, I thought I would add my own.

Remember, the unpardonable sin is one blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Satan has definitely done that, so it is VERY unlikely that he could be forgiven. Just as it is unlikely that he would ever repent anyway.

-----------------------------------------------------

I am reading The Early Church and reading about the philosophies of Origen (184-254). One of his positions:

"... even Satan himself retains some vestige of power to acknowledge the truth; even he can repent at the very last."

I have never considered that possibilty and find it very interesting. What IF, Satan repented. I think it is very unlikely, but I can see that it might be possible.

Think about it. God changed His prophesy about Nineveh. Satan's repentence could change His prophecy of the end times.

We can only pray and live our lives so others can see His teachings in our lives.

Don't Panic

Something may happen today that shocks you. Don't worry about it. God anticipated it. Remember, Satan is merely an ex-employee of Heaven. God knows him quite well. He fired him. Get alone today in the presence of God. Fear will die and courage will flourish.

"Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46.10

from Mike Murdock

2 quotes to remember

Barry Goldwater, quoted in the Port Huron, MI, Times Herald: "To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable."

Ingrid Bergman, quoted in the Irish Independent: "Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get."

Then and Now

Fifty years ago:
Muslim #1 "We're too afraid to send Muslims to America"
Muslim #2 "Why?"
Muslim #1 "They'd convert our people to Jesus"

TODAY:
Muslim #1 "We're going to make America a Muslim nation!!!"
Muslim #2 "What happened?"
Muslim #1 "They outlawed Jesus and made Him politically incorrect. Our opposition has been removed."

The Pink Dress

There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad...

Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word. Many people passed by her, but no one would stop.

The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see If the little girl would still be there.

Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes.

Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone.

As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress. It was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her.

Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.

As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form.

I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, 'Hello'.

The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a 'hi '; after a long stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty.

I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, 'Because, I'm different..'

I immediately said, 'That you are!'; and smiled. The little girl acted even sadder and said, 'I know..'

'Little girl,' I said, 'you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent.' She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and Said, 'Really?'

'Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all the people walking by.'

She nodded her head yes, and smiled. With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said 'I am.'

'I'm your Guardian Angel,' with a twinkle in her eye.

I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things.

She said, 'For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done'..... .

I got to my feet and said, 'Wait, why did no one stop to help an Angel?'

She looked at me, smiled, and said, 'You're the only one that could see me,' and then she was gone. And with that, my life was changed dramatically.

So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you. Like the story says, we all need someone...

And, every one of your friends is an Angel in their own way. The value of a friend is measured in the heart.

I hope your Guardian Angel watches over you always.

Matthew 25:
36 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

Attitude is important

"Where men are the most sure and arrogant, they are commonly most mistaken."

David Hume, The Glasgow Herald

When you are absolutely convinced you are correct, you cannot learn. Because you are not convinced that you need to learn any more. When you feel that way, be careful. You really could be wrong!

How Do You Handle Life?

What you do with your life depends 10% on what has happened to you and 90% on how you choose to handle it.

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience. Eleanor Roosevelt

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt, 'This Is My Story,' 1937

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. Eleanor Roosevelt, My Day

Food for Thought

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Watch

Quoting from an article by Hugh Bucahanan in the July/August issue of Faith Network:

1. Watch for Satan - 1 Peter 5.8
2. Watch what you say - Psalms 141.3
3. Watch out for false prophets - Matthew 24.4
4. Watch against returning to the ways of the world - Luke 21.34-36
5. Watch out for covetousness - Luke 12.13-15
6. Watch for an unforgiving attitude - Luke 17.3-4
7. Watch for a complacent attitude - Romans 11.21 and 1 Corinthians 10.12

Letter to you

To: You
From: God
Re: You
Date: Today

This is God. Today I will be handling all of your problems for you. I do not need your help. So, Have a nice day. I love you.

PS - And remember, if life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do NOT attempt to resolve it yourself. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (Something For God To Do) box. I will to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in MY time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them.

The Mayonnaise Jar

I have seen this one several times in the past and just thought I might share it with you.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, When 24 hours in a day is not enough; Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class And had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And start to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured It into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.
He then asked the students again If the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand And poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table And poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively Filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car...

The sand is everything else -- The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are Important to you.

So...Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner.
There will always be time To clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand And inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked.' It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Shipwrecked

By Sharon Frame
www.streamingfaith.com
This week's topic: Faithfulness

A couple set sail on the velvet-blue ocean for a lazy weekend getaway at sea. Instead they got shipwrecked by a sudden and perilous storm. All that surrounded them were miles of lashing waves. Help was nowhere in sight. The turbulent winds blew more fierce. The couple’s frantic hope of getting rescued grew dim with every passing day.

When food and drinking water ran out, fear and panic set in. On day 27, the desperate man just couldn’t take it anymore. He figured even death was better than the torture at sea. So, he jumped overboard and drowned. On day 28, search crews spotted the crippled boat and rescued the feverishly weak and half-starved woman. What a difference a day makes!

Today may be the day you feel shipwrecked at sea. Life’s storms seem ready to swallow you up. And as far as the eyes can see, there is only a sea of sadness; help is nowhere on the horizon.
Indeed, challenges can overwhelm us at times. And even though we’ve been tossed and tried before, new setbacks still stun us.

We seem all too ready to wonder about our worth or question our ability. The once-steady plan to pursue a better life falls victim to sudden doubt.

“Could we be off course,” we ask, as soon as we hit a bump in the road, or a crashing wave on the high seas.

But now is not the time to consider bailing out. In fact, there is never a good time to give in to the feeling of giving up. No matter how strong the urge to abandon hope, we must cling on for dear life. Struggle with one nostril above water, if we must. But don’t be swallowed up by the feeling of failure or hopelessness.

Sure darkness will close in on your bright and happy plans now and then. But don’t let it choke the life out of your will to press on.

So your compass may be broken, and it seems you’re drifting aimlessly. Remember, another day is dawning. Don’t be found jumping overboard, just as fate prepares to toss you a life line. Hang on. You possess the power to persevere through any wretched shipwreck.

Scripture Of The Day: "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." - Hebrews 12:3 (ESV)

Therapy - self applied

Cooking, for me, with some good music in the background, is good therapy. It keeps me from thinking about things I'd rather not be thinking about right now. Otherwise, I'll burn myself or cut myself :). I can let my mind relax and let the Holy Spirit in. I used to find that golf worked much the same way. Too much thinking and you end up in the lake with a horrible score :(

Don't let the Devil win

The devil wins a battle:

Every time a comedian cracks a joke about hell or judgment or God or Satan.

Evey time some opportunistic medium helps a grieving soul "communicate" with a loved one who has died.

Every time a preacher or teacher promotes or supports the doctrine of Eternal Torment.

Evey time someone turns his or her back on God because they think He is a cruel and vindictive judge.

Morning Motivation

From my cousin:

When I woke up this morning lying in bed,
I was asking myself, What are some of the secrets of success in life?
I found the answer right there, in my very room.

The fan said "Be cool"
The roof said "Aim high"
The window said "See the world"
The clock said "Every minute is precious"
The mirror said "Reflect before you act"
The calendar said "Be up to date"
The door said "Press hard for your goals.
The carpet said "Kneel down and pray"

Carry a Heart that Never Hates.
Carry a Smile that Never Fades.
Carry a Touch that Never Hurts.

HAVE A PURPOSEFUL DAY
IN THE LORD!

'God Blesses Us To Be A Blessing Unto Others'

Jeremiah 29:11 "for I know the plans I have for YOU, declares the LORD…’
"Never give the devil a ride, he will want to take over the driving."

Be still for a while and praise God for His favor, His grace and His
Awesomeness. God is able to do the impossible and is always near.
He loves us unconditionally.

Walk the Talk

After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong.

Finally, the boy replied. "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."

Do your children view your home as "a Christian home". We need to walk the talk every single day. Remember, someone is watching and listening. It definitely is God, but it may also be your spouse or your children or your grandchildren.

No Church is Perfect

Someone is purported to say "I wouldn't want to go to a church that would have me as a member".

Another said, "If you find the perfect church, don't join it, because then it won't be perfect anymore".

A third quote is a poem "If you should find the perfect church, without one fault or smear, For goodness sake! Don't join that church. You'd spoil the atmosphere".

Paul apparently never saw a perfect church, either. After all, he dealt with drunkeness at the Lord's Supper, disputes over many things such as head coverings, misuse of spiritual gifts, false teachings, heresies, divisions and much more. Why should we expect anything different?

Church is the people, not the building. The services are interactive. Participate to make your church better!

What You See Is What You Get

From Faith Network, May/June 2011 edition. Article written by Richard Allen from Kentucky entitled "What You See Is What You Get"

"... when it comes to right and wrong and how we treat others our behavior should be consistent. If you are polite with others in public and not so polite at home then there is a problem. None of us are perfect; we all at times fail to live up to God's standard. But that should not be our narmal mode of behaviour ... one of the beauties of Christian living is a set of simple core values which work no matter how confusing things may get at times. If we are dedicated to those values, then what people see when they look at us will be exactly what they get. That's the way God likes it, and that's the way we should like it too."

I once heard a person say that the best way to get along with everyone is to treat friends as if they were family and to treat family as if they were friends. I have found this to be very true. At times when I did not follow this advice, I found that I put relationships in jeopardy.

Religion and Church

In the May/June 2011 ediction of Faith Network, Lenny Cacchio wrote an article that caught my eye since it closely parallels a few sermons I have give on the Sabbath, including one on June 25th.

From that article, I quote: "Religion is not a spectator sport. Nor is church a consumer item. It is not just what we get out of it. It is also what we put into it. He (a friend of Lenny's who had stopped going to church) could have kept right on attending with the idea of using his gifts and abilities to help solve some of the very problems he was complaining about. It is not about being served. It is also about being of service."

The loyal members of our congregational church understand this and work together to make each Sabbath the type of Sabbath that THEY want it to be.

3 types of people

One thing I have learned, among many, in working with people. It is easy to generalize, but I want to bring to your attention at least 3 diverse talents. I am not sure that I have ever seen 2 of the 3 in any one person.

Type 1 - the creative person. This person can visualize things that absolutely do not exist. It is often difficult for these persons to communicate theirs ideas to others and they rarely have the talent and/or desire to actually complete their creation. Many time they start the creation, but leave it before it is completed.

Type 2 - the problem solver. This person can take an incomplete product, perhaps one started by the Type 1 person, and "fix" it. That might include making a computer program run better, or an office to operate more efficiently. Once the "problem" is fixed, they are ready to move on to the next issue.

Type 3 - the maintainer. This person is never creative, and really is not very interested in fixing anything since "it should work" already. They do not like change. They make very good long time managers or assistants because they like routine and are never bored by it. They are, however, threatened by creative types and gladly yield problems over to the Type 2 person.

Isn't it wonderful that God put these skills into different persons?

Ideas for Helping the Sick

Having just finished my chemo and radiation treatments, and looking back on the past year, an article from a Guide to Chemo booklet caught my eye and I thought I would share it with you.

Most people ask, sometimes only to themselves, "What can I do to help?" when someone they know is going through a difficult physical challenge. This booklet listing a few things to consider.

1. Look after my kids
2. Help with my parents
3. Listen (very important!)
4. Keep me company (very important!)
5. Help with rides to and from the doctor (I appreciated those who did this)
6. Do laundry
7. Provide meals (I appreciated them)
8. Mow the lawn
9. Take a walk with me
10. Help me organize my bills

When asked, most people will honestly respond that they have no idea. My suggestion to you is - don't ask - just show up (call first to make sure the timing is good) and do it. Whatever you do will be appreciated.

Warner Press - Christian Art Greeting Card

I received a card from the Fellowship Church of God in Oklahoma City this past week. I thought so much of the verse that I wanted to share it with you.

What Cancer Cannot do

Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple Love. It cannot shatter Hope.
It cannot corrode Faith. It cannot destroy Peace.
It cannot kill Friendship. It cannot suppress Memories.
It cannot silence Courage. It cannot invade the Soul.
It cannot steal Eternal Life. It cannot conquer the Spirit.

Author Unknown.

God sees your struggles.
God feels your tears.
God holds your hand.
May you find comfort in knowing you are never alone.

Stephen Randall in the LA Times quote

"We live in an era in which it is important to have opinions. Not necessarily smart or original ones; almost any opinion will do as long as it's forcefully expressed. We post them on Facebook; we tweet them; we express them in comments on Huffington Post. It wasn't that long ago that opinions were something carefully considered and weighed, so that they'd stand the test of time and reflect well on the author. Thinkers were like gourmet chefs laboring over an elaborate meal they wanted to be perfect. But today, opinions are like Big Macs - thrown together hastily, served by the billions, and not very good for you."

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

Proverbs 22:17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;