Confidence in Christ

I have been thinking about the things in which I am confident:  my faith, my marriage, the love of some people in my life (some family and some friends), and I am confident in death followed by eternity in heaven. I used to be confident in so much more!  I was confident I could run 10 miles, go days without sleep, remember things, and fit into a size 2.  Boy are those days G.O.N.E. I barely want to drive 10 miles, I can't function if I don't sleep, I should wear a name tag just to remind myself of who I am, and a size 2?  But my confidence is still BIG...

Ephesians 13:6  So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?"

Proverbs 3:26 For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.  

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Confidence is defined in Webster's as "the state of feeling certain about the truth of something". The scientific community of JAMA doesn't "truly understand confidence and hopes to do more research in the future."    But I don't need research, I have Jesus!  
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However, there is a difference in what the world feels confidence is about and what I view as being confident. The things I am confident about cannot be seen, held, or put in a box.  Confidence in the world looks like medals, trophies, expensive cars, homes and toys, It looks like extravagant vacations, beautiful appearances and big paychecks.  So, basically what the world would call success can also be perceived as confidence.  Here is the problem with that "confidence", it can be taken away.  In one swoop a tornado, a fire, someone smarter than you coming along or the firing from a job and BOOM....confidence squished!  My husband is quite successful, but I do not look at our life as valuable.  I do however, look at him as a MAN OF VALUE.  He knows we could lose it all in one day, and that is why his confidence is in Christ alone.  

  I hope you have, at some point in your life, received a love letter. (I have a box full of them from my husband)  Love letters assure us that others care for us deeply and it is a wonderful thing to know. If you have ever read First John in the New Testament, you know it is a love letter from God giving you great confidence in His love. If I John 4:16-18 were written as a love letter it would look like this:
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Dear Child, 
I want you to know you can rely on my love.  Why?  Because I AM LOVE. If you live with me in your heart, you cannot help but love. Because of that, love is made complete in you. You can be 100 percent CONFIDENT of my love for you.  Because of that perfect love, we will be together forever. Never be afraid that I will not love you.  That would be impossible!  If you allow yourself the CONFIDENCE of my love, you will never be afraid to lose it.  

My love for you is perfect, God

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God is love.  SO BE CONFIDENT
He is the beginning of love. SO BE CONFIDENT
He is the Creator of love. SO BE CONFIDENT
He is the definition of love.  SO BE CONFIDENT
  And of God's love there is no end.  SO BE CONFIDENT!

 Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Easter 2017

Our family has a ranch in southwest Texas called The Texana.  We love the seclusion, the land, the wildlife, and how with each sunset God reminds us that wherever we go:   HE IS THERE!  My daughter and I love getting on the ATV's  with our wireless headphones.  We ride for hours checking out the roads, the animals, and the wildflowers. Remember, everything is Texas is bigger!  You can ride for 3+ hours and not hit every road on the Texana. This Easter we went to the Texana and I was a little concerned about not being at our home church for this important Holy day.  But God was not, He was going to bless us outside of our comfort zone.  

We got up on Sunday morning, had breakfast, got ready while we listened to worship music and headed outside the gates to the small town in which The Texana resides. Mertzon, Texas, population 781 fine people They have a Methodist, Catholic and Baptist church.  We attend the Baptist church when we are there.  I honestly chose this church because I love how it looks in the distance when you get up the hill from the ranch. (It was cloudy the day I took this photo but you can see the steeple in the distance)

 

 The pews are covered in red velvet and lined with white, painted wood.  At the end of each pew is a hand crocheted afghan in case you get chilly during the service.  The pastor leads the music as well as the sermon.   The sweetest ladies play the piano and the organ and they are highlighted by the stained glass windows behind them.  On Easter, the organist donned a tiny, laced hat with flowers.  (boy did that make me miss my Nana)  The pastor gave the sermon with passion and love.  The congregation "amen'd" on certain points; and after the invitation was offered, the congregation joined hands and circled the tiny room singing "We're a Part of The Family of God."  

It did not matter, Easter 2017, if I worshiped at our home church. It made no difference if I was with 2000 or 75 people in a building.  It made not a bit of difference whether there was smoke and artificial lights or lights from a stained glass window.  The fact that there were not drums or guitars did not change the way my heart felt singing to a piano and organ. When we left we did not talk about Clint's work, but had people ask us if we had been successful in our turkey hunting.  We did not go out to eat with friends afterward, but drove back to The Texana and ate a home cooked meal together.  I did not wear my finest clothes and Clint did not have on a suit and tie; however, God chose to bless us anyway for our willingness to worship.

I should have known this all along.  I climb the hill every single night, rain or shine, on The Texana to worship at sunset.  God is there with me.  I have been all over the world and THAT dusty hill is my favorite spot on earth.  So, I should have been prepared for what God was going to do at First Baptist Church Mertzon, Texas on Easter 2017.  It was a precious experience not to be forgotten. I was reminded that in scripture God never tells us WHERE to or HOW to worship him specifically. But instead, wherever we are and however we are led to worship Him is all he really wants from his children. 

 Psalm 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

Isaiah 12:5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously

Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. 

 I Timothy 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray

Hebrews 12:2  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe

So, no family photos of pretty dresses and bow ties.  No high-healed shoes and Easter egg hunts.  Just a few photos about how God re-taught me what Easter is about:  worshiping wherever you are for Him and not man. 

 

Leading Others to Christ

When I was an 8th grader in the youth group, I learned Roman's Road.  It is an easy way to lead someone to the Lord.  

Six verses, all in the same book of the Bible, all within 7 chapters, and easily accessible.  They are perfection. 

• They tell how we all sin. 
• How God loved us so much that He saved us from what we deserve, eternity separated from him in hell.
• But through the giving of his Son, Jesus, our sins were paid for once and for all. 
• We only have to call on him for salvation.

 
I have used it on many occasions throughout the three decades of being a Christian.  It has served me wonderfully to lead others to the Lord. Especially when God has already been working on their hearts and they are ready to ask and follow.  I have mostly used  it with about 50 high school students when our city participates in Fields of Faith.  Last year God brought 11,000 students to Texas Tech University's football stadium. They are mostly student athletes from all over west Texas that hear the gospel, participate in worship, and then have an opportunity to speak with a volunteer about receiving Christ as their Savior if they so choose. Romans Road was a helpful tool when leading them to Christ because time was limited. 

 However, in cases where you are praying continually for someone who is hesitant or even for someone who is NOT interested in becoming a Christian at all:   it is best to SHOW them Christ!  I Peter 2:16 says "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, 

but living as servants of God."

Those who know we are Christians are watching our actions and listening to our words, do not be mistaken!  God sent Jesus to be an example for us; and although we cannot be perfect....we are to do our best to follow his ways. Phil. 3:17 urges us "Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us."

Jesus walked this earth 2000 years ago and although we have The Word, not everyone reads it. (not even Christians stay in God's word daily--including me!) So, this is important:

WE ARE THE ONLY EXAMPLES NON CHRISTIANS MAY HAVE FOR JESUS.  (how scary)  John 13:15 says "For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." I don't know if you have looked around lately, but in this world it is almost impossible to show God's love!  I googled, just now,  "what happened in the news today?" and I got 42 million hits of pretty bad stuff.  But forget news worthy stuff:  people cut us off in traffic, some are rude to us, children bully one another, and there is gossip, killing, stealing, and so on....

Our nature tells us to fight back but His Spirit says LOVE.  John 13:35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Our nature says to get what we are owed and look out for ourselves and our families, but His Spirit says in Phil 4:9 "What you have learned, received, heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

 

We can know Romans Road forward and backward; but the best example if you have is your life, your testimony and your love for others. People look at us and think our family has everything and life is peachy.  That could not be further from the truth!  We have problems, BIG ONES, and we turn to God.  We are blessed and we try diligently to give back. We have been served by God's people and we, in turn, serve others.  

In no way, shape or form will I ever be good enough or work hard enough to get to heaven.  He gave that as a gift out of His love for me. But what DOES he require of me? Micah 6:8  "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."  

That I can do!

LEARN Romans Road, but SHOW this world Jesus!  SHARE your personal testimony.  BE his hands and feet with service because THAT can be better than Romans Road sometimes.