Letting Go of Sin (copied from Baptist Bread)

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

            Recently a little boy had his hand caught inside a jar. His parents tried every way they could think of to get his hand out of the jar. They tried liquid soap and water. They tried to pull his hand out of the jar. They tried greasing his arm, but all to no avail. Finally, they had to carefully  break the jar away from his hand only to find that the little boy had been clinging very tightly to a nickel.

            I know a lot of Christians who want to get out of all their problems, but they can't let go of the sin in their hands. They pray very vague prayers like, "God, if there's anything in my hand that shouldn't be there, I just want to confess it all right now." They never say, "Lord, I'm willing to let go of the nickel so that my hand can come out of the jar."

            "….and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:7b & 9)

Jump In And Participate!

          During the first few years of my marriage I was very jealous of all the time my husband spent with his family, leaving me at home. I would rant and rage because I was left out, angry because he seemed to prefer his family over me. His parents would invite him out to play golf while I was left at home. I felt left out, a gangrenous appendage. I felt unwanted and unloved.

            Maybe this sounds petty and immature. It was. I had been a loner most of my life and was inept at relationships and joining in. I would rant and rage because he seemed to prefer his family over me. People had to walk on egg shells to keep from upsetting me.

            Perhaps they should have offered to include me, but why should they? I had given them no incentive to include me with my attitude. No one wants to be around a grouch. My in-laws put up with an awful lot of guff from me. What right had I to treat them the way I did? It wasn't their fault I wasn't a joiner. It wasn't their fault I had always been a misfit, a loner. It certainly wasn't their fault that I had a chip on each shoulder.

            A few days ago my mother-in-law was cleaning out her closet and she gave me a couple of skirts. The old me would have wondered if it wasn't a sneaky way of saying my clothes weren't good enough. However, I know better now. My mother-in-law has forgiven me for all of that stuff from many years ago. We have a great relationship now. I wore the skirt to church yesterday and we made a trip to see her before going back to church last night so I was still wearing the skirt. She was very pleased to see me wearing it. It's a pretty skirt and goes nicely with a shawl/scarf I received for Christmas.

            If you want to have good relationships, if you want to be included, be someone people want to be around. Romans 12:18 says, "If it be possible, as much as lieth within you, live peaceably with all men." Be a contagious personality. Be someone others want to be around. God bless.

Who Are You Listening To?

            The world says "everyone's doing it." The advertisements say, "you have to have one of these. Everyone has one." The news media makes it seem as though everyone in the country from ten years old and up is doing drugs or drinking excessively. We are bombarded multiple times a day with messages about what to eat, what to wear, how to live, where to live, get the best buy. These don't even include the rumors you hear at work, the gossip, the innuendos.

            And then there's the church, you know, the worldwide church. The TV preachers with their plastic smiles and $1,000 suits who promise that if you put a smile on your face, speak to that checkbook and tell it to be filled, and send them money, you will be blessed. Or there are the ones that sound so sincere but all they ever talk about is God's love.

            Is there any truth to be found any more, anywhere? Who can you trust? Who can you believe? I have the answer. Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Keep reading.

            Genesis chapters 2 and 3 and describe the beginning of life after God finished creating everything. He made Adam and placed him in a beautiful garden where he could care for the animals and water God's garden. It was a rich, fertile land with all manner of fruit and vegetables just begging to be eaten. Adam saw that all of the animals had mates but he was alone. God then created Eve from one of Adam's ribs, a place close to his heart. Adam cherished his wife as we read his poem upon her being presented to him.

            God had told Adam he could eat of any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We always want what is forbidden, don't we? But Satan came in and challenged God's word. He didn't go to Adam. He went to Eve because he knew that God had not specifically told Eve not to eat the fruit; He had told Adam. We read that Adam was there, with his wife, however, when Satan was tempting her. Adam didn't say a word. He listened and ate the forbidden fruit with his wife. God's judgment was swift; it came later that day and the couple was banished from the garden. Now Adam was no longer calling Eve his wife; she was "that woman you gave me," when he answered God. He blamed her for his sin.

            Satan still challenges God's Word today. He sets up false teachers, false prophets, preachers who only tell us what we want to hear. He fills our churches with entertainment instead of truth. He gives us bibles that have changed the truth of God into a lie. If you want the truth, read God's Authorized version of the Bible, the King James. Too hard to understand, you say? I recommend a good concordance: Vine's or Strong's. Also, get a good study Bible such as Life Application or Rainbow Study Bible. We must be careful not to get a wrong understanding of God's Word. I have a free downloadable program called e-sword. It has Strong's built in so you can immediately look up the meaning of a word. Happy studying and God bless.

An Unparelled Peace

Here I go again, copying a lesson from my daily Bible study book, "Feature." I'm glad it's not copyrighted with a message stating that it cannot be copied because it has many good lessons.

            We live in a time where peace is scarce. Without jobs, unemployment running out, and people feeling desperate, hope and peace seem to be hiding in the depths of the ocean. Relationships are strained as finances become high wire balancing acts with the ends fraying rapidly. People begin to feel hopeless and worried, afraid that things will never get better. Alcohol and drug abuse often become easy escapes from the pressure, but the come-down only leaves those people feeling worse.

            Today, nations are seeking peace but failing to find it. Religions are looking for peace, yet it eludes them. Individuals are searching for various kinds of peace, but they lack peace more than ever before. Do you want real peace today and throughout this coming new year? It can only be found in Jesus Christ, the Living Word, and in the Bible, the written Word. Jesus promised His peace to those who would heed His Word and submit to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (John 14:26, 27). This peace is not available through the world. Only the genuine, perfect peace of God results in untroubled hearts and in the banishment of all fear. This peace can be ours even in the very midst of tribulation; we are to be filled with joy (not the same as happiness) at the assurance that our Lord has overcome the world (John 16:33). In these difficult days, Satan seeks to fill believers with fear regarding their overwhelming circumstances. But God's Word promises, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" (Is. 26:3). Are we looking to Him when trials happen?

            It is important to realize that peace with God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1) is a prerequisite to experiencing  "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Phil. 4:7). Also, we must not forget that this perfect peace is intrinsically coupled with prayer and thanksgiving—the only way to avoid anxiety (Phil. 4:6). We all need this divinely given grace in these troublesome times. If we truly want peace, we must remember that it cannot be obtained through determination or self-effort. With a yielded heart, we must "let the peace of God rule in our hearts" (Col. 3:15).

Cast All Your Care Upon Him

Many of our problems stem from disagreements over small things. My Sunday School children argue over who's going to sit in the front seat or whether something was done on Sunday or Monday, etc. Have you ever noticed that the attitudes of children seem to mirror ours as adults? They learn from the adults in their lives. Yet, we are born sinners and no one has to teach us to get angry, to hate, to lie, cheat or steal. Our problems, James says, come from wanting things for our own pleasure so we can brag about our possessions or puff up our self-esteem. All of these lead to discontent and strife.

I Peter 5:5-9 says, "
1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Satan wants you to be miserable. He wants you to have strife and not get along with people. This is just one of many passages in the Bible that give us instruction as to how to have peace. If we lovingly submit to the will of others (as long as it does not conflict with God's word), preferring their wishes to our own, we will have peace, contentment, and strong relationships. This life is not about us; it's about God and others.

If you would like a free bookmark, e-mail me at themarriagecounselor@yahoo.com with bookmark as the subject. I will not share your information with anyone else. May the Lord bless and keep you, make His face to shine upon you, and give you peace.

A New Poem

I received this poem in a Christmas card from a dear friend and felt compelled to share it with all of you. As you read this poem think of someone who may benefit from you with a helping hand or a word of encouragement. Don't forget to tell your family you love them, and please remember to thank them for loving you. "Thank you" are not very big words but most people greatly appreciate them. Please leave me a comment or suggestion. Thank you for reading this blog. May your life be filled with hope, joy, and comfort this blessed Christmas season.
Sincerely,
Aleta Kay

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
and to see just who in this home did live.
I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
and on the wall pictures of far distant lands.
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
a sobering thought came to my mind.
For this house was different, so dark and so dreary,
the home of a soldier, now I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
not how I pictured a United States soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice;

I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more,
my life is my God, my country, my corps."
The soldier rolled over and soon drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
and we both shivered from the cold evening's chill.

I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, "Carry on Santa, it's Christmas day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night."
          By Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt

Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School

The news today is unbelievably horrible. A young man at the age of 20 went to a local elementary school in Newtown, CT shot and killed 20 children and 6 adults. I cannot imagine the horror those people felt, nor the grief the families are experiencing tonight. Though I live in a state far from the event, still I feel the grief.  I am broken-hearted that anyone would have to go through such a nightmare.
     At times like this it seems an automatic response to blame God. I want you to know that it was not God who did this, but Satan, God's arch enemy. Satan has been a murderer from the beginning when he had Cain kill his brother, Abel, out of jealousy. Throughout history Satan has been killing children. Many ancient cultures would throw their children into the fire as an offering to their pagan gods. King Herod ordered all baby boys 2 years old and under killed when he found out Jesus Christ had been born. He knew the prophecy that said Jesus would be the King of the Jews and Herod didn't want that to happen.
     So in your grief, please lay the blame where it belongs. Satan will always have people to do his bidding. Most of the time they have no idea that they are being controlled by the supreme evil being. The only way I know to get through this kind of grief is to run to God's arms, repent of your own sin (because we are all sinners), invite him to be Lord of your life and ask Him to help ou through this most difficult time. Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." He wants to comfort you and take your grief. He wants to help you through this. He's waiting with open arms. God bless.