SALVATION [A Verse Blast]

Love, peace and blessing to you, through our Savior, Jesus Christ. 💙

The Human Heart, Lives Set Apart

The prophet Jeremiah, whose writings are quoted in snippets all over social media, had this full doctrine charge to say, well not he, but the Lord God used him to speak these words to the people (Judah), but is very applicable to us today. It establishes who we, the people are, in relation to a Holy and just God. One that is above our ways (Isaiah 55:8), yet we try to put Him in a box of our own design. 

This is one of the many places that bring up the deceit of humankind and our feeble see-saw nature. Examples are shown through-out the Bible, from Cain and Able to the Israelite nation wondering 40 years, to Judas. We are born into a fallen world and therefore born into sin. You don’t have to teach a child how to lie, it is a trait that we, as humans, seem to just pick up. Unchecked emotions and selfish-nature can cause “the best of us” to do something we would not have normally done in a clear headspace, and no one can deny it. Henceforth a “temporary insanity plea” would not even exist. Right?

This is one of the things that keep people from accepting the truth of the gospel. You/me/we may be considered good to a world around us and un-needing of a savior, but what does “being good” look like to this world, in our current time or place, when there is so much backwards in our society that is openly tolerated (abortion, racial injustice, the mockery of God, etc)?

We are not holy on our own accord, only the Trinity is, and He (the Father) sent His Son (Jesus Christ) to Earth (100% man, 100% God) to make a way back, so that He (the Father) might look upon us a holy (Hebrews 10:10).

The law was originally given to the Jewish people to set them apart and reveal their sins. The first of those laws, the Ten Commandments were given as an original moral guideline, since cultures were engulfed in ungodly practices, witchcraft, child sacrifices, and the list goes on.

When I look at my own life, I can see how even I allowed the good and evil switch to take hold at times, it always starts out small at first, but can have a nasty grasp if left unaddressed.

Do I say *awesome humans* and mean it? I do, we were all handcrafted and created by God, the same God that stitched together the universe, but we are in desperate need of a Savior to be reconciled back to Him.  

Do I say this to *trigger and upset you*? I write it in hope that if there is anyone whoever reads this that doesn’t have a personal relationship with Abba Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit of God, that it might lead them to that choice. Or strengthen believers in their own walk with the Trinity. There is so much false doctrine going around, and it is very important that we search the scriptures ourselves, and ask God for wisdom and guidance. 

The Bible is not all sunshine and roses, and yes, God is Love, but let us not forget about His plan, which does include all who oppose Him being sent to an eternal, never-ending, tormenting fire for all eternity. 

This is serious business and I do not know how much time any of us have left, but today is a great day, to accept Jesus Christ into your life, as King, Lord, and Savior, and start your own communion with the Trinity.

Love, peace, and blessings to you through the Savior, Jesus Christ. 💙

The Rock and The Roll

Have you ever woken up from a restful sleep and the first thing that enters your mind are “way/ways you went wrong” in your past? Well that is totally what happened to me last tonight, and it was a particular event that happened before I even reached high school, so like 23 years ago.

What-the-what I found myself questioning as I tossed and turned at 1:45 a.m., trying to go back to sleep, however, nope that was not how it all played out. Instead, I came, sat at my computer and started watching Youtube videos, pinning, and all the while reminding myself about forgiveness.

I must write to share that I give God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit many thanks, praise and adoration for everything, for being with me, and keeping me around (in this world) even though I fallen many times. There have been times in my life when I sought death, lived like I did not know God (even though I 100% did), and just royally messed stuff up. However, God is a mighty God, and as we are told in, 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” The Creator knows us better than we know ourselves, and has a purpose and plan for you and I, Psalm139.   

As I have shared, this whole pandemic – house locked time has allowed me a lot of time to reconnect and refocus. However, with that has come a fair bit of condemnation for things in my past. Even though I have repented, and I didn’t know what I didn’t know at the time (in regard to some teachers / preachers I used to listen to), it still happens.  We all grow, change and evolve during our lives (or should), and not only do we need to ask God for forgiveness, but we need to accept it ourselves, and extend that forgiveness to others. Also I write condemnation, because I sincerely believe most (if any) of this is not coming from God, because there is normally a small after echo that tells me to “stop doing all things for God and the Kingdom because you are not worthy and it isn’t worth it”, so yeah …

This is not saying I am never brought under conviction, but there is a difference. I found a post that sums it up pretty well :

• Conviction is from God (accept it); condemnation is from Satan (reject it).
• Conviction leads you to repentance; condemnation drives you to despair.
• Conviction inspires you to keep striving; condemnation tells you to quit.
• Conviction says God will help you; condemnation says there’s no hope for you.
• Conviction shows you the answer; condemnation only shows you the problem.
• Conviction helps you change; condemnation says you’ll never change.

Also, we are told in the Bible, that God doesn’t remember our sins (Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”) and an article (audio and text) by John Piper can be found here in more detail on that topic, should your desire further study.

Yet, we are told multiples times that we will be attacked by the evil of this world (spiritual warfare), and to be honest, all I want (and I will say it on repeat for years to come), is that people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and develop a personal relationship with the Trinity (Creator God, Son/Savior Jesus and Helper Holy Spirit). I’ve always written in hopes that I can encourage, plant a seed, water what has already been planted, but in no way think myself higher than anyone, and surely not better than the Redeemer of this world, for only by His sacrifice can I be called worthy.

I conclude with this, no one knows the time or place of Jesus’s return (rapture and/or 2^nd "official coming" aka anti-Christ dethroned), but what I do know is that there isn’t a better time than now, to accept that Jesus Christ is the risen Son of the Holy God, and give your life over to Him.

This is why I write. This is why I design pins. This is why I help and do everything else that I do.

I know where I am going when I take my final breath, do you?

Love, peace, and blessings to you through the Savior, Jesus Christ. 🖤

Mental Clarity & Freedom in Christ

As the nation around us celebrates our 'independence', I have a mixed headspace with what all else is going on here in our country, social unrest, political absurdity, and the pandemic. Our county is the worst in the state at the moment, and we are not in the same county as Atlanta. People in the masses are not adhering to the rules, and even some of my friends think it is a lie (though I know someone who passed away from Covid-19 and another who recovered). I have found myself becoming consumed with who is doing what, and why aren't they doing a, b or c when those options are "clearly" the better choices for humankind. However, I can talk, text, or write until I pass out, but ultimately each of us is grown and responsible for our own lives/choices. It was upon hearing this video I finally realized that what was going on, and that is that my focus in these moments are off of Jesus, and drowning in the world. 

When I reflect on what quarantine life has been for me, outside of everyone else and everything outside of my control, it has been pretty great. The reason for that is because it has given me a lot of time to realign, refocus, and reconnect with the One who gave His life for mine, and it is something I want to hold on to. I have been many people in my life (as I am sure you have too), made good choices and bad choices, but I am always my best when I am in constant communion with God, and doing what He desires for me to do every day. Also, I am stuck in my *first purchased home* with my (sweetie buns) hubs and awesome Momma, who are my top 2 peeps in this world. 

So I pen this to say, if you are feeling anxious, depressed, confused, or baffled, take a moment to reflect and ask God to show you "what the in the bananas is up" because He will answer you, though sometimes it might come from an unlikely source, and not the moment you asked for it. 

So freedom eh? Though I see-saw thoughts on just "how free are we" in America from time to time, I do know that freedom in Christ is 100% real. 

Here is what the Billy Graham Evangelical Association has to say on freedom, from the article found here. 

1. People have been searching for it for thousands of years.

The quest for freedom is a theme found throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Just three chapters into the story of God’s creation, humanity gave up its freedom by choosing to rebel against God. From that time forward, the perfect freedom God created in the Garden of Eden was gone, and the long-term effects were both physical and spiritual.

The Old Testament of the Bible records how God’s people lost their physical freedom time and again as various empires overtook them (most notably the Egyptians, as recorded in the book of Exodus).

The loss of physical freedom was often tied to spiritual disobedience like worshiping false gods. But time and again, the one true God forgave His people and rescued them. When God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was foreshadowing the arrival of Jesus Christ, who came to free humanity from sin—the spiritual slavery that leads to death.

Today, many people are living in spiritual slavery without realizing it. They chase false gods of money, success, personal comfort and romantic love—only to realize they still have an emptiness that can’t be filled by any of those things.

2. God’s answer to our loss of freedom has always been Jesus Christ.

When Jesus began his short period of ministry on the earth, He announced He was the One that God’s people had been waiting for since the fall of humanity. He did this by reading a particular passage from the book of Isaiah—a passage his listeners knew was referring to the Messiah, or the Savior of the world.

The words had been written hundreds of years earlier and spoke of a new freedom that was coming in the future. When Jesus stood up to read, He was saying the future had arrived. Liberty would come through Him.

“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:17-21).

3. Jesus came to free us from death, sin and anything that enslaves us.

The core message of the Christian faith—the Gospel—is that Jesus Christ rescues us from the slavery of sin and offers true freedom in this life and beyond. This is what Jesus said:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The Good News—the best news ever—is that faith in Jesus frees us from the death we deserve for sinning against God. It frees us from the punishment that would be inflicted upon us at the end of our lives for the evil things we’ve thought and done.

While Christ followers still battle with sin, they are no longer slaves to it. Through the power of Christ, His people can be set free from the bondage of greed, vanity, pride, pornography, addiction, abusive behavior, gluttony, selfishness—and any other sin under the sun. Here’s what Jesus said about the freedom He offers:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36).

4. God gives us freedom to choose our own path.

God created human beings, not robots. We don’t have to accept the freedom He offers us through Jesus Christ. He gives each person the free will to accept or reject His salvation. But the Bible warns that hell is a real place where real people end up when they knowingly reject the truth.

Likewise, those who choose Christ are not forced to obey Him at every turn. But God makes it clear: the best life is one that’s devoted to honoring Him. As the Apostle Paul explained to some of the first Christians:

“’All things are lawful for me,’” but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12).

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

Coram Deo awesome humans ❤ 

& 

Peace and blessings to you through Jesus Christ. ✞