So, I'm not really good at repeating what other people have said, but the speaker we had at church this Sunday was so great that I just had to share : ) so bear with me if I am really bad at explaining, I am practicing since I need to be good at explaining things if I am going to be a good teacher.
A lot of people think that going to heaven consists of following rules and doing good deeds, but the truth is, it doesn't. You can't earn your way into heaven, none of us deserve anything and we certainly could not even get close to be doing enough good things to get in. Life is the greatest gift and I don' know about you, but if someone died to save me I don't feel as if there is anything I could possibly start to even do to repay them...
That is what is so great about God, we don't have to try and earn our way or try to pay back anything. What do we have to do then you ask? The most simplest thing you can do, but for many is hard to do or even comprehend... just receive this gift. The first word for life change, RECEIVE. God sent down his son to live and breath and then be sacrificed all to save us from our sins, you and me, and to know that I don't have to try and do as many good deeds, devotionals, say as many prayers, go to church as much as I possibly can and mess up as least as I can before I die is a relief.
So how do we receive this gift? First of all receiving a gift requires humility, being humble, not proud. In other words not acting as if you deserve it, but receiving it with open arms and thankfulness, knowing you don't deserve it, but are thankful for it all.
"God opposes the proud, but favors the humble." 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6
Secondly, you have to be able to forgive, so that you can be forgiven. Because if you can't forgive others for the wrongs they have done to you, how can you expect to be fully able to receive a gift of forgiveness yourself?
"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."Mathew 5:23
Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. You can't worship the lord fully when you are holding a grudge against someone else. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we have a hate for others. Our attitudes towards others reflects our relationship with God, and that is why it is so important to forgive and needs to be apart of your life in order to fully receive the gift yourself.
So what happens after we receive this great gift?! The second life changing word, CONTINUE.
No matter what keep going, don't stop, never quit!! Life gets rough sometimes, we all know that. We might loose a job, be deep into debt, lost a loved one, fallen ill, had an accident, not be able to pay bills, not able to provide for our families, be caught in a bad situation, etc. whatever it may be continue in your walk.
"So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:9
The speaker told us a little story about how there had been a year when there was a really bad drought (kind of like in Texas right now!!) and a tree farmers trees were suffering badly and dying left and right. Well his neighbors trees were looking pretty good, not great, but they were surviving, so he asked him how much he had been watering them. He replied, "Just a little here and there. See when I first planted them, when they were just babies, I barely gave them any water for the first two years of their growth. This way their roots would grow deeper into the ground and they would be able to stand through a drought or stormy weather.
Just like these trees God may let us go through hard times, but that's when we need to continue to look to him so that our roots grow deep and we can survive the drought and stormy weather when it comes.
"Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples."
So, don't stop, keep going and never ever quit!! And even if you may going through what you may think may be the worst, someone always has it worse than you do. Count your blessings!! We were told to make a list of everything we are thankful for so this is what I thank God for:
My wonderful loving family
My amazing friends
My trusty car
My computer
Love
Clean water
My health
My clean plethora of clothes
My many shoes
All of my books
My job
The ability to walk, talk, hear, taste, feel, and see.
A bed to sleep in
A safe home in Texas and in Minnesota
An Awesome roommate
The ability to attend school
My great cooperating teacher and school
Freedom
The ability to read and write
The ability to go to church and read my bible
My roller blades
My cellphone
My GPS
My hair
Soap
My glasses and contacts
Dishes and utensils to eat with
The opportunity to travel
My camera
Bags to carry things in
Electricity
Clean air
My tooth brush and toothpaste
Face wash
My bible
Shampoo and conditioner
Music
Blankets
Towels
Deodorant
Color crayons
Paper
Paint
Paintbrushes
Markers
Pencils
Pens
Every mistake I ever made
Every good and bad decision I have ever made
Our accomplishments
Wisdom
The awesome students at school
My amazing coworkers back in Cloud
Creation
My heart, soul and mind
Easy transportation
Life
Laughter
Smiles
And the three greatest things I am thankful for are God's grace, love and everlasting life : ) but I'm sure as I grow I will have more things to be thankful for. What are you thankful for?
A lot of people think that going to heaven consists of following rules and doing good deeds, but the truth is, it doesn't. You can't earn your way into heaven, none of us deserve anything and we certainly could not even get close to be doing enough good things to get in. Life is the greatest gift and I don' know about you, but if someone died to save me I don't feel as if there is anything I could possibly start to even do to repay them...
That is what is so great about God, we don't have to try and earn our way or try to pay back anything. What do we have to do then you ask? The most simplest thing you can do, but for many is hard to do or even comprehend... just receive this gift. The first word for life change, RECEIVE. God sent down his son to live and breath and then be sacrificed all to save us from our sins, you and me, and to know that I don't have to try and do as many good deeds, devotionals, say as many prayers, go to church as much as I possibly can and mess up as least as I can before I die is a relief.
So how do we receive this gift? First of all receiving a gift requires humility, being humble, not proud. In other words not acting as if you deserve it, but receiving it with open arms and thankfulness, knowing you don't deserve it, but are thankful for it all.
"God opposes the proud, but favors the humble." 1 Peter 5:5, James 4:6
Secondly, you have to be able to forgive, so that you can be forgiven. Because if you can't forgive others for the wrongs they have done to you, how can you expect to be fully able to receive a gift of forgiveness yourself?
"So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."Mathew 5:23
Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. You can't worship the lord fully when you are holding a grudge against someone else. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we have a hate for others. Our attitudes towards others reflects our relationship with God, and that is why it is so important to forgive and needs to be apart of your life in order to fully receive the gift yourself.
So what happens after we receive this great gift?! The second life changing word, CONTINUE.
No matter what keep going, don't stop, never quit!! Life gets rough sometimes, we all know that. We might loose a job, be deep into debt, lost a loved one, fallen ill, had an accident, not be able to pay bills, not able to provide for our families, be caught in a bad situation, etc. whatever it may be continue in your walk.
"So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:9
The speaker told us a little story about how there had been a year when there was a really bad drought (kind of like in Texas right now!!) and a tree farmers trees were suffering badly and dying left and right. Well his neighbors trees were looking pretty good, not great, but they were surviving, so he asked him how much he had been watering them. He replied, "Just a little here and there. See when I first planted them, when they were just babies, I barely gave them any water for the first two years of their growth. This way their roots would grow deeper into the ground and they would be able to stand through a drought or stormy weather.
Just like these trees God may let us go through hard times, but that's when we need to continue to look to him so that our roots grow deep and we can survive the drought and stormy weather when it comes.
"Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples."
So, don't stop, keep going and never ever quit!! And even if you may going through what you may think may be the worst, someone always has it worse than you do. Count your blessings!! We were told to make a list of everything we are thankful for so this is what I thank God for:
My wonderful loving family
My amazing friends
My trusty car
My computer
Love
Clean water
My health
My clean plethora of clothes
My many shoes
All of my books
My job
The ability to walk, talk, hear, taste, feel, and see.
A bed to sleep in
A safe home in Texas and in Minnesota
An Awesome roommate
The ability to attend school
My great cooperating teacher and school
Freedom
The ability to read and write
The ability to go to church and read my bible
My roller blades
My cellphone
My GPS
My hair
Soap
My glasses and contacts
Dishes and utensils to eat with
The opportunity to travel
My camera
Bags to carry things in
Electricity
Clean air
My tooth brush and toothpaste
Face wash
My bible
Shampoo and conditioner
Music
Blankets
Towels
Deodorant
Color crayons
Paper
Paint
Paintbrushes
Markers
Pencils
Pens
Every mistake I ever made
Every good and bad decision I have ever made
Our accomplishments
Wisdom
The awesome students at school
My amazing coworkers back in Cloud
Creation
My heart, soul and mind
Easy transportation
Life
Laughter
Smiles
And the three greatest things I am thankful for are God's grace, love and everlasting life : ) but I'm sure as I grow I will have more things to be thankful for. What are you thankful for?
I am also thankful for God being in control and not our politicians!! For the next year, we need to keep that in mind. :) I am also thankful for your blog. It's the best!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not religious. Probably because I have grown up in Germany and religion is not a very "popular" thing here ;) But I still love those words and I think they are very true. And I especially love the story about the tree farmers! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Grandma I'm glad you like it : )!
ReplyDeleteWhether you are or you aren't I am glad you love what I wrote Lisa, that is all I was hoping for : )