Thursday, January 28, 2016

Getting Through the Gate

It's amazing to me how you can go through your life knowing that something is wrong, even knowing what it is that's wrong in your life and not do anything about it. Man is a selfish and self-centered being. You may think these descriptions are the same, but I assure you they are different. A selfish man wants everything for himself. A self-centered man thinks only about himself.


Interestingly, I spent years of my life knowing that I belonged in church on Sunday mornings. I knew I needed changes in my life. I even believed that Jesus was the Son of God, but I was unwilling to accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord. To do that would mean that I would have to call Him my Lord. I would have to get off the throne and let Him have His deserved place in my life, and that was something that I simply was unwilling to do. I didn't want to give up being my own god and doing what I wanted to do rather than what He wanted me to do. My selfishness and self-centeredness caused pain and dysfunction in my marriage, in my children's lives, and especially in my own life.





Matthew 7: 13-14 Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."


He had been calling my name for years, but one Saturday morning I didn't turn my way, I turned His way, and I said a prayer of repentance and acceptance. I dropped all the trappings that kept me from entering that narrow gate, and I have spent the rest of my years wondering what on earth took me so long. Walking through life with Jesus has been so much fun; a new surprise and joy every single day. There's no guarantee that all will go well with no problems, no frustrations, and no disappointments. The guarantee is that through all of it He is there with you. He's been through it Himself, so He knows how to help you through.



Today, the only way I get up on His throne is to sit contentedly in His arms and enjoy the love of a Master Who wants nothing more than to shower His love upon me. I don't need rules or laws to keep me in line. I love Jesus so much that my highest ambition is to please Him in everything that I do or say. I want to be transformed into a woman worthy of spending eternity in the kingdom of God.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Know the Difference

There are many quotes by famous people that sound really good, and we take so much of what they say 'to heart'.   Everyone has an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. Yes. everybody's got one.  But,  the answer to every single question, or problem, or situation is always answered in God's word. We would be able to recognize wise or unwise quotes and opinions if we knew Scripture. 
              

Paul instructs us in Ephesians 5:26 that our spirits are to be washed with the word, just as we wash away the dirt with water from our bodies.

God's word is the only truth there is. God's word is the ONLY answer that works.