Personal?

I am going to write today about what one preacher describes as "a gray area." However, it is a pet peeve that may be deceiving many people right to the doorway of hell.

How many times have you heard a person come forward to make their good confession at the end of the service, and you hear them say, "I accept Him as my personal savior?"

What does this imply? Is this mentioned in the scriptures?

What ever happened to people saying, "I accept Him as my Lord and Savior?"

I am afraid that in our society we are taught early on that we live in a "me" society. Our culture is all about selfie.

It troubles me a bit that people want a personal savior. I am afraid that some may think that by having this special relationship that they will come to think that Jesus "understands" them and their circumstances and will have a compassion on them because of their relationship. In believing this, they are bringing Jesus down to their level of humanity, instead of growing up in grace, being faithfully obedient through trying times, and having a godly sorrow within themselves when they fail.

They use their personal relationship to justify behavior instead of repentance and being obedient to their "Lord" and savior. Really, who wouldn't want a loving friend rather than a Lord?

Now, please don't misunderstand me, I definitely believe that each of us, Christians, must have a relationship with God. We do need to talk to Him (prayer) and listen to Him (meditate) and be committed to Him. That is a relationship. However it is not personal. I am not special (favored) by God because my prayer life is better than someone else's. and just because you can quote the Bible backwards and forwards, you aren't loved better by Him. No, scripture teaches us that God has no favorites. “For God shows no partiality.” Romans 2:11 and Acts 10:34 “So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,”

God loves everyone. EVERYONE! Even those that do not love Him back.

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 ESV

When we become children of God we begin to grow in Grace and Knowledge. We grow up into Him by learning to trust more fully and by doing our best to continue on with the work that Christ, then the apostles started. Jesus prayed to God for us, you and me, when He said, 

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

John 17:22-23 ESV

Jesus wants us to be unified, but not just with Him. He wants unity with all believers. We are all one in Him. It is never and was never meant to be an individual journey. We are saved into a body, The Body, of Christ. It is one of the very first things God does for a new convert, He adds them to the church, the body. “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:41, 47 NASB

If God wanted "a personal relationship" why would He add us into the body (church?)

It's because we need each other. We are meant to be side by side, working together, each doing our part, functioning as a body, with Jesus as Head. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV

Let's work toward unity. Let's build each other. Let's love each other instead of trying to do it on our own. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:11 ESV

Let's have a relationship with God. Let's have a relationship with Jesus. Let's have a relationship with each other. Let's' have the kind of relationship that Jesus prayed for, that we are all ONE.

Wait

When I was in the fifth grade, I got my first man teacher. His wife was also a fifth grade teacher and they lived on a small farm. It was in the spring of that year that the teacher brought in an incubator and some chicken eggs. 

Every day we watched those eggs and waited patiently.

After about 3 weeks they began to crack. And then small holes appeared. And one by one little peeps began to appear.

But a few of the eggs never cracked. And after a couple more days the eggs disappeared. There was a solemn sadness in many of us. 

We learned a couple of lessons during that time:

*Sometimes it's exciting to wait for something to happen.

*It's amazing to watch a new beginning.

*Occasionally the outcome isn't what you want.

*Sad disappointment can be overcome.

Last Sunday when we came home from church I had a message on the answering machine. It was from the Maryland State Police. I was being asked to come for a job interview....for a job that I had applied for last April. I remember after submitting that application, waiting hopefully to hear from someone. But much time went by and I had forgotten all about that job. 

When I woke up Monday morning I called the number and set up an interview for Thursday.

The interview would take place over an hours drive away. So Thursday I woke up at my normal time. My husband was going along for the ride. I was pretty anxious. I wanted to check the confirmation email one last time to be sure I was bringing everything that I needed. 

As I was scrolling through the hundreds of emails and spam I noticed an email I hadn't paid attention to before. It was an email about another job working for the State of Maryland. Oh no, why hadn't I seen it? It was from a month ago. It, too, was inviting me to an interview. Oh, I was just sick about missing it. But that job would involve a daily drive of about an hour and a half. 

I quickly replied to the email with an apology for missing the interview and a plea to be remembered for the next opportunity.

Ugh! I just can't believe I blew that chance.

I put aside those feelings and off we went to this interview. It was a long drive. Tension built. Bill and I talked a lot about, what if.

The interview went well. I liked the sound of the job. I feel pretty confident that I am qualified. But there is a process, background checks, reference checks, and interviews of other people. So I now will wait, excitedly, anxiously.

But wait... there's more...

Remember the email that I had overlooked? About the other interview? When I got home I CAREFULLY checked my email. I had gotten a response from the woman that had sent the email!!! It was a one sentence inquiry. A question actually, "Would you be interested in this position in Cumberland?"

What?!? I could not believe it. I just couldn't believe it. 

In less than a week, I am getting the opportunity for not one, but two, very good State jobs, neither of which I had applied for recently. It was like out of the blue.

Of course I'm interested in working in Cumberland. That's where I work now. She then asked me to send her my resume and I did.

So I now wait, excitedly, anxiously to hear about one or the other of two jobs. I remember a lesson I learned in the fifth grade:

*Sometimes it's exciting to wait for something to happen.

*It's amazing to watch a new beginning.

*Occasionally the outcome isn't what you want.

*Sad disappointment can be overcome.

It all brings to mind one of Joseph's experience's in the Old Testament. 

Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous older brothers. Once in Egypt he overcame his trials and excelled to the point that he became a trusted, loyal servant of the hierarchy. 

He resisted the seduction of Potiphar's wife and then she lied about him trying to rape her and he was put into prison. He was there a very long time. 

There were two others there with him. They both had dreams that God allowed Joseph to interpret. Within 3 days the cupbearer was released from prison and re-instated to his job as cupbearer to the King. But he forgot to mention Joseph.

Here are the scriptures.

“Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house. For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon."

Thus it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand;

Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

Genesis 40:14-15, 20-21, 23 NASB

Joseph's life was chock full of ups and downs. And full of waiting, excitedly and anxiously for God to work in his life. Very often I think of Joseph and what his human emotions went through time and time again. 

I can't imagine his family hating him so much that they plot to kill him,  but then sell him knowing they will never see him again and telling his  father that he  were dead. It must have been a very sad realization for young Joseph. But he faced adversity bravely. And he worked hard and grew using the adversity as stepping stones.

And then to be lied about and put into prison. I wonder how he spent those long days. I wonder what he thought about, what his prayers were, his reflections on his life.

And then to correctly interpret those dreams and have his hopes soar that maybe now he will get out of the cell only to come to understand that he was forgotten. 

 Yet we are given the vantage point of seeing how all along God's hand was with Joseph, building and equipping him for each new chapter of his life.

He will do the same for you and I. When we feel abandoned, when we feel forgotten, when we feel slandered, when we are working extremely hard for people that "are not our people." God is there. God is with us. He is building us and equipping us for the tapestry that will be our lives and our legacy. 

You have a purpose. God has a plan. Hold on, Wait for it. Wait excitedly and anxiously, no matter what.

Judge me

People tend to get real defensive when they feel criticized. And usually their first words will be, "Don't judge."

But I must tell you, we are to rebuke each other. Not in any malicious way, or the sin is within us, but with love and gentleness. Our motive should be, when rebuking, is to restore that person to the straight and narrow path.

If I become defensive, and rebellious toward someone's correction of  my behavior, then my heart becomes hard and harder until a God will just allow me to go, unless and until I become repentant and turn back to him.

 

“For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. 

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 NASB

“Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?”

1 Corinthians 6:3 NASB

Blind Betty

I remember as a child having a neighbor that we called Blind Betty. Not to be mean but because there were two ladies named Betty and we had to differentiate between them and she was blind.

In later years, during my work at a hospital cafeteria we often described patients by their ailments rather than names because it was easier to remember than their names.

Very often we know people by something that has befallen them.

Is that how you want to be known? How do you want others to know you?

I was having a pity party the other night and feeling especially lonely and craving the voice of someone other than my husband. And I said to him, I don't think anyone likes me. And he in his infinite wisdom and compassion said to me, "Go eat worms."

But it helped. It made me chuckle. I don't want to be bitter or down-hearted. I know I have friends and people that care for me.

How does God know us? What is it that He sees when He looks at us?

Well He sees us as we can be. He sees us complete and whole. 

Our circumstances are obstacles or challenges that sometimes get in the way, but we are meant to overcome them. How we deal with these things will shape us and build us or we can be bitter, give up and forever be described by what conquered us.

When Naomi returned to Bethlehem she no longer was a wife and mother of two sons. No, now she can back poor and destitute with a Moabite daughter in law. 

The women of the town asked, "Is this Naomi?" Naomi means pleasant.

"No." She said. "Don't call me Naomi, call me Mara." Mara means bitter. She felt like God had dealt unfairly with her. Self pity. 

Have you ever felt that God had dealt unfairly with you? That just goes to show that we sometimes forget that God has a bigger plan, on a grand scale, that will result in His blessing.

Embrace your challenges. And be a conqueror!

So they both went until they came to Bethlehem. And when they had come to Bethlehem, all the city was stirred because of them, and the women said, "Is this Naomi?" She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?" So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest. (Ruth 1:19-22 NASB)

Inspection

Yesterday at work we had a big inspection. It was a very tension filled day. Everyone was on edge as the inspector walked around with his clipboard taking notes.

He examined every area of our building and every piece of equipment. He asked some of us questions and noted our answers.

This inspection took over 3 hours.

And then he gave his report.

He had found some things that were of concern for him and brought those to our attention. We have a limited time period to bring those areas into compliance.

After he left, there were several people that were upset with  the inspection. They are content with how we do things. They didn't even notice the things that were unsafe and said that maybe he was too critical. 

But the leaders (bosses) at our job see the sense in the inspection. They understand that it is best to examine and fix things before they become a bigger problem. 

I wonder how an inspection of our hearts and minds would be? Would we be resistant to the notes and recommendations of the inspector? 

Lord, forgive me when I am content. Help me to see my errors before they callous my heart. I pray that I never become unteachable. 

“Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.”

Psalms 26:2 NASB

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”

Psalms 139:23-24 NASB

The River

Down to the River to pray or 

There once was a Ladies prayer group

Acts 16:13-15 ESV

“And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”

The "we" in the above scripture is Paul, Silas, and Luke. Up until this time the gospel did not permit them to  go into Europe. The Spirit of God had prevented this. Then Paul saw a vision of a Macedonian  man telling him to come over. So they went. 

When they came to Philippi, there was no minion, 10 men required to be a synagogue. So Paul and his companions went outside the gate, down to the river looking for a place and people with which to worship. 

There they found Lydia and a group of women praying. Lydia was a widow, yet a very successful business woman. She was a seller of a rare purple dye. She was wealthy. She owned a large home. She had servants. She was a believer of God. She was influential in organizing this group of praying women. 

This was an organized Women's prayer group, meeting to pray, on the first day of the week. Were they saved?? No, even though they were believers, they had not followed the complete plan of salvation........Until they heard Paul speak. 

Then scripture says that The Lord opened her heart to pay attention.

She invited these men back to her home. Apparently Paul and Silas spoke and taught more because her household believed, were baptized and become a church. Thus began the church of Phillippi that met at the home of Lydia.

Let's pray for open hearts.

For discussion or your personal time:

Do you know anyone who is a believer and worshipper of God but has not completely followed the Plan for Salvation?

Let's pray for God to open their hearts to being receptive.

Faithful Obedience

This morning I was wondering about people, people who are in the church yet have no visual spiritual growth. It worries me. My heart breaks for those that don't take to heart God's words and commands. I think of the verses,  Matthew 7:21-23

““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” 

Who are these people that The Lord will turn away?

Apparently these people believed themselves to be "known" by God. They remind God of the works that they performed for Him.

Yet, He says that He never knew them.

If people think and believe themselves to be "right" with God how is anyone to reach them? Very often they become defensive and feel that they are being judged.

People say things like, "God understands." 

And honestly, I believe that He does understand. And He pardons. And He forgives. And another new day, new chance is given.

But there will come the day when we die and all new chances are done away with.

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”

Hebrews 9:27 NASB

Now what? 

Now a person is judged and will be held accountable for every word of God. We will each be held up against the measuring rod of His word and whether or not He "understands" that you believe your circumstances will exempt you, they will not. 

‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Are words that I never want to hear.

If you want to be in The Kingdom, you must obey the King.

A life of faithful obedience no matter what we go through is required by God.

Discussion:

What does faithful obedience look like?