Saved As I Can Be

But God commendeth His love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Jane (Doe) is what I will call this lady who was a dear friend of mine several years ago. Jane was at the time as active in our church as anyone could be. She was active in the women's ministry, a director of one of our children's Sunday school departments, sang in the church choir, wife of a respected deacon, mother of sweet children, and professionally successful.

I realize I've painted a picture of what sounds like the perfect Christian lady and she was from all outward appearances.

One Sunday morning during the invitation time and on the last verse of the invitation hymn, almost like a flash, Jane came running down the aisle and just fell on the altar steps. One of the pastors went and knelt by Jane and they talked for a good bit of time. Soon, she and the pastor went up some side steps that led to the baptistry and even sooner, there stood Jane in the baptismal water. People were shocked almost all 1,000 of them.

When the service was completely over, I asked Brian and our children to go on to the car because I wanted to linger and talk to Jane. When Jane came back into the auditorium I went to her and gave her a hug and in so many words congratulated her on her decision. She asked if I was upset with her and I assured her that there wouldn't be any Christian right with God who could be critical of of her.

Jane told me of her spiritual struggles for more years than she could remember, knowing she wasn't a born again Christian. She had walked a church aisle as a teenager along with friends but knew her profession of faith wasn't genuine. She married a fine Christian man which caused more conviction in her. When her children accepted Jesus as their Savior, again she felt condemned, knowing she wasn't saved. But on this Sunday morning, standing with her family with her fingers dug into the back of the pew in front of her, she had the feeling that at that moment, it was her last opportunity to get this thing settled. She laughed as she said how she almost knocked people over as she shoved her way out to the aisle. She said that she couldn't get to the altar fast enough. Now as we spoke, she confessed to feeling a freedom and love for Jesus she had never known in her 53 years of life.

When I teach ladies whether in Sunday school, Bible study class, retreats, or conferences, I never take for granted that everyone sitting before me is a born again Christian even though all would say they are a saved person. I'm always conscious that there could be one or more “Jane's” sitting in the room, ladies who know they are leading a phony Christian life. Ladies who walked a church aisle when the age of 10 rarely have any follow up. They sign a card, parents weep with joy, church staff are happy for the new soul added to the rolls but such a child can be left with the title of Christian without the real relationship. It happens all the time, but anyone who dies without Jesus no matter the circumstances will still face a Christless hell.

Therefore, I ask patience on the part of readers and your prayers as well with this next part of this blog because I feel so led to present a simple plan of salvation. Readers of this blog aren't just from Texas, Tennessee or a couple other states. Readers are from just about every state but I lost count of foreign countries after I counted 47 of them. Some are readers from countries who would be in a great deal of trouble if authorities knew they were reading anything Christian in nature. I pray for their protection every day.

It doesn't hurt for any of us to take spiritual inventory. I'm not out to encourage doubt in the life of a Christian regarding her salvation. We women are very chemical with our up and down emotions. There may be days when none of us feel very saved but inside we know better.

So where do we begin? Let's be very basic. I am going to give some verses from the book of Romans...the Roman Road, we call it.

The problem of sin for the unsaved person must be faced and dealt with. We read:

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

This is perhaps the most difficult of any plan of salvation. We don't like to think of ourselves as being sinners. We may even compare ourselves to some really good people but guess what, they too are sinners. Looking at ourselves in the mirror and saying, “I am a sinner” is very difficult. The willingness to repent, turn away from our sin may be unthinkable but this is the place to begin. Are you a sinner?...yes? Good, we can move to the next step.

2. Wages come to us when we are an employee and we get paid on a regular basis.

Romans 6:23 says:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.”


Yes, there are those earning their way to Hell. However, God provided us with a gift. Gifts are free. I like gifts. I don't have to shop for one, don't have to pay for it, don't have to wrap it...someone else does all of that. How great is that? God has given us a gift...eternal life...provided through His Son Jesus Christ who died on a cross for our sin that we might have a wonderful relationship with God. The huge bonus is receiving the gift of eternal life.

3. So what steps do we take. We sure can't save ourselves. However Romans 10:9 tells us that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe by faith in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. In confessing our sin we need to ask forgiveness of God and be willing to repent and turn away from our sin. To confess Jesus as Lord involves agreeing with God about our sin and our need for salvation. When we believe in our heart, we are placing our faith in Jesus, trusting that He died on the cross to pay for our sins.

This may all sound just too simple. God never wants to make salvation difficult for anyone. He loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son that you might be saved. All you need to do at this point is just to pray to God by faith asking Him to save you. You could pray a prayer as simple as this:

Dear God, I know I'm a sinner and am in need of your forgiveness

and salvation. I am trusting you in this moment as I turn away from

my sin and place my faith in Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Thank

You for saving me and for giving me the gift of eternal life. Amen.

If you have prayed either this prayer or one like it and have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior at this time, please let me know and I will get some material to you to help you on this new road. It will take real courage for some who like Jane had struggled for years knowing you are not truly saved. You may be very weary of putting on the front like Jane did for so many years. Jane would say that it's not worth the struggle and it really isn't. I am praying for our readers and ask readers to pray as well for those who need Jesus to be their Savior.

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your open arms, arms open to the unsaved, but arms that are open to those of us who are Your children already. May we regularly confess our sin, not wanting to take You for granted. May our relationship with You grow as we study Your Word and spend time talking to You on a regular basis. We love you. Amen.

Love Those Physical Checkups

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear

the Lord, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy body,

and marrow to thy bones.

Proverbs 3:7,8

Doctors were people I rarely had contact with even up until I went for “that” checkup when I was about to get married. All of those beginning years, I saw a doctor mostly if I had a sore throat and needed an injection to take care of the problem. When four years old, I had to have ten straight days of injections because of a dog bite I had sustained while on a trip to Wisconsin with my mother, grandmother and baby sister.

Then my 30's hit and all of a sudden, all sorts of things occurred with my health that required doctor's visits but they weren't all that often. As I got older, the visits became more frequent. I guess aging, wear and tear on the body requires such even though I try to take good care of myself.

There have been some things that seem to occur at every doctor's visit. I'm talking about our primary care doctor when we just go for general check ups. Among the things that the doctor or his nurse checks up front are: heart, lungs (respiration), tapping the knee, throat (“say ahhhhh”), blood pressure, temperature, pulse and there might be more depending on the doctor.

With my most recent check up, I got to comparing the physical check up to a spiritual one using some of those same procedures. We have heard over and over that our Lord Jesus is THE Great Physician. I wonder what kind of final report we would get from our Great Physician if He could run a regular check up on us that would be spiritual in nature. Let's compare some of the parts of our physical body that could be viewed from a spiritual stand point. How would we measure up...how healthy would we be spiritually from every part of us or would there be parts of us found to be lacking or unhealthy. I won't include everything a doctor checks nor will I put things in the same order as a doctor would. Let's do a bit of a checkup on our spiritual selves.

Lungs:

“Take a deep breath” is what we hear as a doctor moves his stethoscope back and front along the rib cage. He is watching for normal breathing but also for any infection that might detect. Without oxygen, the other parts of our body wouldn't be worth much. Even the heart requires healthy oxygen intake. In Genesis 2:7, we find that God breathed the breath of life into man. That was the beginning of physical breath so necessary for life. However, by God's Holy Spirit, He still wants to breathe the things of the Spirit into us, perhaps not into our physical lungs but into our spiritual being. He does this at the point of our salvation and we have the opportunity to live our lives with the Holy Spirit's breath bringing spiritual life beyond our comprehension into our beings. He loves more than we can know when we breathe every prayer to Him with great frequency. What is my prayer life like? Is it lacking or is it vital to my being. Beyond our salvation experience, the Holy Spirit should be our very breath spiritually speaking.

Heart:

The pumping of our physical heart keeps us alive. It keeps blood racing through every vessel in our bodies. I read one day that you and I should be so full of the Word of God that if we were to sustain a serious cut, we would bleed Bible. We know that couldn't happen physically but it's an interesting thought. The heart is the center of our physical being but is the very core of who we are spiritually speaking. In our culture, we think of the heart in a romantic way as well as a place from which our sensitive, loving feelings originate...those feelings we have for God and others. We may have to occasionally have blood tests that help detect if there is either too much or too little of something in our blood. The Word of God is that filter spiritually speaking that also keeps us strong and healthy spiritually. The biggest question in this particular area though is: Does my spiritual heart beat for the things of God? Remember that our spiritual heart is the core of who we are.

Temperature:

If the doctor doesn't do it, the nurse does...taking a temperature. It used to take what seemed an hour to hold that thermometer in my mouth. Now they have quickie little instruments for that. If our Lord Jesus were to take our spiritual temperature, what would He find. We know how He feels about spiritual temperatures. Revelation 3:15,16 tells us how God felt about the spiritual temperature of the church at Laodicea:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

God's disappointment in that church was evident. What is our temperature for the things of God? Are we hot, cold or pretty indifferent? A lot of our spiritual temperature is encouraged as we meet with the people of God at our own church. With Christian friends, we should be encouraged to be more for Jesus than we've ever been.

Knee-jerk:

Those little hammers all look the same. We sit with legs dangling over the edge of the examining table and the doctor does a tap on the front of the knee to see what kind of knee jerk he gets, thus checking our reflexes. He is looking for an immediate response. He knows if we cheat, or if the knee jerk is a natural reaction to a tap on the knee. You and I live in a society that deals with a lot with gray areas. I remember when in grade school that right and wrong were NEVER debated. We all knew right from wrong and also knew which one we had better choose. Whether at school, church, or with friends or any other place we happened to be, there was never a debate about the right thing to do. God is looking for an instant response when it comes to proper behavior or standards in our lives. We should have an immediate reaction regarding the right thing to do, like the knee jerk when tapped on the knee by a small hammer-like instrument. In today's society, I'm afraid there are many children and adults as well when confronted with a decision find themselves debating as to right and wrong. Our instant response should be that of doing what is right. It is the only acceptable response as far as God is concerned.

If we are going to be healthy Christians it will be much like being healthy physically. We all want a strong heart, healthy lungs, strong bodies, blood and oxygen that keeps us going. The same can be said for our spiritual being that comes only through a strong relationship with our Lord Jesus.

Dear Father, help me to be strong spiritually in every way knowing that I can't do it on my own. I want to be a healthy Christian that brings you glory in my words or behaviors. I thank You for Your love and direction in my life. I love you. Amen.

God's Will For My Life

Not with eyeservice, as men pleasers,

but as the servants of Christ, doing

the will of God from the heart.

Ephesians 6:6

All through my teenage years and even into my 20's, there was a strong emphasis of God's will for my life (and for others my age who happened to be present for some of the same preaching I was getting). No matter the church service, youth conference, or where there was a gathering of Christian youth, that subject would always come up. It didn't happen with every sermon but with enough of them to become bored with the subject. Then all of a sudden, around the age of 25, the subject dried up. I guess at the age of 25, a persons life choices seemed to be set in concrete with no more a necessity to approach the subject of God's will for one's life.

If one were to go to a gathering of Christian senior saints and the guest speaker preach on God's will for one's life, most might think the man had something wrong with his sense of timing. After all, can't he see the over abundance of gray hair and balding heads before him?

A few months ago, a very brave lady came to me asking about coming into my Sunday school class. She had been in the other ladies class, that is a wonderful class. She knew she would be making a really big change with leaving a class full of dear friends who had been classmates for a very long time. My guess would be that this dear lady is in her 80's but I'm not sure. In my mind, I'm thinking “Why now after so many years?” This usually isn't the time in ones life to make a major decision like that one. I did what I usually do...I tried to talk her into staying in her regular class. This is usually a pretty good test. She was determined and quickly let me know that she felt it was God's will to make the move. She wasn't mad at anyone in her class, but just felt God's leading in this particular direction. When anyone gives me that kind of reply, I never question them further.

I think we Christians age 30 and above very often get locked into activities and service opportunities we feel we are doing for the Lord when we are really doing some of those things for our own personal satisfaction. I'm convinced that many Christians get bogged down in church activities without ever seeking the will of God regarding their areas of service. How much better for us if we are actively involved in one spiritual activity that is God's will rather than serving in five or six activities that aren't.

For years I've seen church members who are frustrated even to the point of becoming problem people in their congregation. They often are big name people in the church who have their fingers in every area of church life. It's so easy for this to happen. Subconsciously, I think we believe it convinces other folks what good Christians we are. Some may think that but in it all, there is only one opinion that counts...Gods.

Several years ago, I had a job with a Christian agency that I dearly loved. I began to get restless, unsettled as if God were “rustling my nest.” I couldn't figure it out. It was a good work and why shouldn't I stick with it, but the restlessness continued. My boss was shocked when I resigned giving a two week notice. I had no prospect for a job, but knew if God were leading, He would provide and He did just that. I was doing a good work but it wasn't what God wanted me to continue doing. I left, found a good job and in a couple of months met Brian and within months and within months of that, we were married. God has His plan for us no matter our age or stage of life and although we might be serving God in a good way, it isn't good if it isn't God's will.

My big point is that no matter our age, God can tap us on the shoulder to get our attention in order to present a new plan to us. For people over the age of 60, the normal reaction is to say, “I'm too old for this big change in my life right now.” God's personal will for us has no age consideration. God would never lead us in a direction that would be impossible for us to do for Him. He knows, despite age, health concerns, etc, what we are capable of doing for Him.

Several years ago when I became a nursery director, I found myself supervising children who were birth through three year olds. I started out with a staff of 72 ladies. One of the first things I needed to do was to try to acquaint myself with the nursery staff. One lady stood out to me. She was in her 60's and was proud to let me know that she had worked with the toddlers for about 30 years. She also let me know that her job in the nursery was God's will for her life and He had never led her to do anything else. I got the impressions that she was serving me notice that she was there for life. I gave each nursery staff lady a sheet with questions regarding the nursery ministry just wanting to get everyone's input for new ideas and suggestions. Consistently, ladies reported regarding this one lady in the toddlers that she was mean to the children, wouldn't change diapers, wouldn't even pick up the little ones to love on them, yelled at the children as well as at the ladies she worked with. I guess this had been going on for quite awhile.

I made an appointment with the lady. We had friendly conversation and then I began to probe. I had questions for her such as: “How is your health?” along with some other personal questions. I learned that she had chronic back problems. She lived in constant pain. She said she couldn't even carry a bag of groceries from the car into her house. She suffered from migraine headaches, never knowing when one would strike. I offered her another position where she wouldn't have to pick up children, where she could do her share of the work but she didn't want to make the move. She gave me no choice but to remove her from the nursery work. What bothered me about this was that she should have gone to the previous nursery director and resigned ten years prior to my time with her. She forced me into an impossible position, that of removing her from ministry. She was a risk in so many ways around the children and it couldn't continue. It didn't mean that there wasn't anything else she could have done. She ended up totally dropping out of church...what a shame.

Believe me, I'm not saying that everyone should resign their church responsibilities. I do think we should be very real about who we are and where we are in life. Health issues often play a huge part in what we are capable of doing. Family responsibilities change that demands we change with them. We need to give serious thought and prayer as to what God wants of us in serving Him. I have seen folks, good people who in their 50's on up, decide to give up everything they've been doing for the Lord to “let the young folks do it now.” WRONG...the wisdom of senior saints is needed in church life. The youth, enthusiasm and energy of the young are needed just as much. The key is for each person seeking God's will for their life no matter the stage of life they find themselves in. He has something for each of His children to do in this wonderful Kingdom work of His.

Lord Jesus, thank You for every ability and gift You've implanted in me to use for Your service. Help me to always seek Your will with regard to every opportunity for service presented to me. I want to be doing what You want me to do, not what a nominating committee things would be a good opportunity for me. Grant me Your wisdom in the choices of service I make and then continue guiding and directing me as I serve You the best I can. I love you. Amen

Am I The Only One?

These things I have spoken unto you,

that in me ye might have peace. In the world

ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Since high school, I have loved reading biographies, especially of great Christians. I read of some I had never even heard of before, but in reading about about them, often felt I had a new friend after finishing the book. In my youth, I enjoyed hearing about the ups of life of these great people, but skirted around the problems each had.

One famous preacher I came to admire was C.H. Spurgeon, that great preacher who is still thought to be the greatest preacher since the Apostle Paul. With no sound system in his day, his voice would resound all over any place, large or small, where he preached the Word of God like no other. The interesting thing I saw about him, however, was that he suffered tremendously with the problem of depression. After preaching, he would often have to go straight home to lay on his couch in a darkened room. He would lay there for hours and sometimes days. Back then, people didn't know about depression like we do today. We have come to know that there are types and levels of depression and what can hopefully be done about any of them.

Beginning in high school, I found myself often with what we called “the blues.” I had a teacher my freshman year, who detected this problem in me. I'm sure she carefully observed me for quite awhile before she ever spoke to me about it. I didn't know what it was but it was the pits as far as I was concerned. Ms. Nave was a wonderful, sensitive lady that I think any students in the high school would attest to. I had a couple of classes with her. At times after a class, she would simply say, “How are you doing today, Glendarae?” I'm sure she would have wanted to hear more than my one or two word replies. So even through college, I fought the same battle. It was never a problem that ever required seeing a doctor because as I matured, the bouts with depression became less and less. It also helped that I recognized some of the triggers that brought on a season of “the blues.”

A Bible person (I don't use the word “character”) I have come to admire through the years is Elijah. What a might man of God he was. He placed himself totally at God's disposal but he came up against a very difficult season in his life. The steps that led him to this season of discouragement and depression are steps that I believe leads to any of us taking to the couch of depression. Let me hasten to say that I realize there are folks who suffer from a depression that requires medication. For many, depression has a chemical cause and fortunately there are medications to handle that problem. When I've occasionally spoken with a woman friend struggling with depression, my first word of advice to her is to suggest she see her doctor for a complete chemical work up. That will often reveal a lack or over abundance of certain chemicals in ones system.

Elijah was a thorn in the side of two people, Ahab and Jezebel. Jezebel is thought to have been about the most wicked of women to ever live. I've never known of any couple who has named a new baby girl Jezebel. Even people who have never read the Bible seem to know to stay away from that name. It was through those two people that Elijah found himself so depressed, he couldn't figure out how to get himself out of it. Go to I Kings 19, Elijah’s problem with depression can be traced. Now believe me, books have been written on Elijah and this phase of his life. I'm no expert but in reading this chapter, there are some things from a lay persons perspective that have been of help to me, triggers that I can avoid that have helped me tremendously in my adult life.

* Great spiritual victory

Satan loves this one. One wouldn't think that any kind of victory could trigger the blue moods but it can. Any high point in our lives can do that...job promotion, new car, new house, answered prayer, etc. Add your own things to that list. Elijah had just had two back to back victories...killing the priests of Baal and praying down rain after a great drought. One would have thought Elijah was walking on air but that wasn't the case.

* Great opposition

Needless to say, Ahab and Jezebel were not happy campers in all of this. They already had a deep hatred for this prophet of God. They weren't mildly upset...they put a “hit” out on him. They wanted him DEAD in the worse way.

* Great physical weariness

In order to escape, Elijah literally ran 70 miles for his life. The way he took was rocky and involved running up and down hills. Not an easy flight. That would wear anyone out.

* Great loneliness

Elijah had a servant who traveled with him. During all of this, he left his servant along the way because he wanted to be alone. This wasn't the smartest move on Elijah's part.

*Great self pity

This area leads to some things Elijah experienced, none of which were of any help to him. He was hungry and thirsty and needed that refreshment. God provided that for him. While God was doing that, Elijah was entertaining all sorts of negative questions about God. At this point, Elijah was almost suicidal. His thinking was on the dark side, his body ravished in so many ways. He was even to the point of thinking how fortunate God was to have him as he was about the only faithful servant God had.

We find Elijah responded to God's care of him. God never walked away from Elijah. He continued to use him and love him. God led Elijah to a brighter day as He will you and me. I could have written more about about this but for my own sake, I was looking at the steps Elijah took, steps I want to avoid in order to benefit from what were some of Elijah's very human mistakes. I'm speaking from my own point of view and don't mean to take something so serious in too simplistic a way to the point of being offensive.

What are some things I see that will help me in avoiding those “pit” times:

• If I don't know it by now, spiritual opposition waits around every corner.
• Facing fears is a most important part of life. God is of great help with this.
• I must not isolate myself. We are surrounded by people who love us but pick from among them carefully I want to be around me during dark times.
• Drop the self pity. Elijah even complained to God that he was about the only one left still serving God faithfully.
• I have to keep myself fed and hydrated. Whether I'm hungry, thirsty or not, I can be mentally affected if I don't take care of this important part of my physical being.
  

Elijah needed a new vision and God gave it to him. In fact, God spoke to him in a still, small voice. You and I can be encouraged in that God wants to speak to us in the same way. God speaks and encourages us in the way He chooses. Our job is to always be on the alert, listening for what He has to say to us. Much of that will come from God's word. We must stay in it whether we feel like it or not.

Elijah remained accepted and usable by God. God made us...He knows us inside and out. Despite our weaknesses and even strengths, He's always working with us. He always wants what is in our best interest. We just need to quit running over hill and dale and give Him the opportunity to minister to us.

Lord Jesus, I thank You for all the ways You minister in my life. Forgive me for not trusting You, for doubting You when I know better. Thank You for Your love. Protect my mind and my heart so that I might be faithful in serving You. Amen