The Beginning, Middle, and End

Every good story has a beginning, a middle, and an ending, right? Well, this same concept applies to our walk with the Lord. I am not speaking Genesis to Revelation, but our individual relationships with Jesus Christ.  

Your story as a Christian began before you were born.  John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "The world" means every person who has or will ever live on this Earth.  Therefore, Jesus died for your sins before you were born.  Salvation is a free gift you do not have to earn.  This is the beginning for all of us.  However, from there it is up to you to decide what will happen next.

As with any gift given to you, you have the free will to accept it or throw it in the garbage.  And even if you accept it, you again have the free will to fully use it as intended, only use it when it is convenient for you, or put it on a shelf and ignore it entirely.  In other words, we must actively choose the precious gift of salvation by making the decision to repent of our sins and ask Jesus to come into our hearts. It is also an active decision to keep walking the walk and daily repenting of your sins lest you lose your salvation. 

To be clear, I do not believe we are saved by our works, again, God's salvation is a free gift we could never earn. However, we must show the utmost respect for this gift and as it states in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" In other words, we are not to abuse the grace of God and use it as an excuse to sin.

If you do not continue striving for holiness and following the principles of Jesus Christ, you put yourself at great risk of losing the precious gift of salvation. I am not talking about every little mistake you make, but willful rebellion, the active choice to go against what the Bible says and refusing to repent. 

We need to continue to grow in our walk with the Lord and make a daily decision to give up our sinful habits. Jesus said in Luke 9:23 "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."   Daily means daily, not just denying your sinful nature when you feel like it or are asking God for a favor.  This also means choosing to follow Jesus and His ways of righteousness. It requires daily self-examination and repentance.  For Jesus also said in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." And 1 John 2:4 makes it abundantly clear, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."  

In doubt of what is right or wrong, read the Bible. If God (not man) says something is wrong, it is as simple as not doing it. Here are some examples (see also Revelation 21:8 at the end of this writing):

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance [quarreling], emulations [jealousy], wrath, strife, seditions [rebellion], heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings [drunken parties], and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

I think that list is pretty clear for what we should do our very best to avoid as long as we live on this Earth that God so loves.  No one is or ever will be perfect, but the key is to strive for holiness, this is what pleases the Lord.

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13:24

As with every story, the plot must develop and grow lest the storyline become stagnant. In fact, the middle of our stories is really the key to how it will end. Wasn't that point above? Well, yes and no. Aiming for a pure life is vital, but God wants us to do more than just try to avoid sin. We need to grow in Him by reading the Bible and praying, as well as treating others with love and kindness. 

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:13-14

This is essentially telling us that we need to do more than just understand the basics of salvation (milk) but to grow in the Lord by studying His Word as much as we can and seeking to know the will of God (meat). The more we study and ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we read, the more discernment we will have and the more we will desire to please the One who willingly endured torture on a cross for us.

Now we come to the end of our story. But do we? For Christians who have not merely read the Words of the Lord, but obeyed them as well (But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22), there is no end. There will be an end to this Earth and our mortal bodies as they now exist, but there will not be an end to your existence.  This is why the beginning and middle are so very, very important. If you want to spend eternity with Jesus, you must press forward in attempting to always do the right thing, or your end will be in the lake of fire, not in paradise forever.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:1-8

The Lord of the Harvest, Written by my Husband

 

The Lord of the Harvest, Written by my Husband, Mel 

Luke 10:1-2 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

The entire world is a mission field and if you belong to Christ then you are called to share your faith with those who are perishing. You do not need to be a pastor or have a degree in theology to be a missionary for Christ, only faith. The Lord is looking for willing hearts who will be vessels that he can work through. God is not pleased with man made denominations or seminaries, because they tend to stifle the work of his Holy Spirit. God is looking for humble people who will reflect the love of Christ. Peter and John were uneducated men but they were vessels that God's Spirit could speak, as well as work through. 

Acts 4:13  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 

Peter and John were not trained with the theology of man, but by the Master himself. God's Word teaches us that we need to study to show ourselves approved, a workman not ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. This means that we are not to only just read God's Word, but to study it, so that we may interpret the scriptures correctly and teach others sound doctrine. We  should consume God's Word, because it is spiritual food that will teach us God's ways and lead us to Christ, our only hope of salvation. If a person is truly filled with God's Holy Spirit, then his Spirit will teach us his ways and open up our minds to understand scripture.

 John 14:25-26  “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

All a person needs is the Holy Spirit to teach them God's Word, not the schools of man made doctrine which are Spiritless. 

If you pray for divine appointments, God will bring people to you so that you may share your faith with them. I have witnessed to people in Wal-Mart, on hiking trails, as well as to my neighbors. If  you make the most of every opportunity to share your faith when engaged in a conversation, you may plant a seed of faith in someone. You may plant the seed, then God may raise someone else up to water the young plant, then yet another person to reap the harvest. God's Word teaches that everyone who sows faith into another's life will share in the reward for their salvation. I have noticed that people get very defensive, as well as sometimes hostile, when you share your faith with them, this is because their conscience is being pricked by God's Spirit. Quite often you are getting through to them when they become agitated, so don't be discouraged by their reaction. We are living in a lost and dying world, and you may be the only reflection of Christ that someone will see, so always keep this in mind when someone is being offensive. If you were on a boat and saw someone drowning, wouldn't you throw them a life preserver, or even possibly dive into the water to save them? Or if you saw a young child playing in the middle of the road and a semi truck was heading their way, wouldn't you try to save them? True love warns people of danger even if they don't want to hear it. People all around us are dying spiritually, and it is up to us to share our hope of salvation which comes only from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ with them. So I encourage everyone who is born again, to become a worker in the fields of the Lord, for they are truly ripe for the harvest!

Will You Answer the Call?

 

How many of us pray, "Here I am, Lord, use me?"  Now really be honest; how many mean it?  If God said, "Wonderful, now go serve Me in homeless shelters and retirement homes," would you do it?  If God asked you to go overseas on a mission trip, would you quickly pack your bags?  Not so easy to literally answer the call, is it?  The harvest being "truly great" means the whole world is our mission field.  Schools, workplaces, grocery stores, and the Internet are all places we can witness to people.  But what about spending time with the homeless, incarcerated, and mentally ill?  What about telling the homosexuals their lifestyles are wrong, but non-judgmentally tell them that God loves them and wants to see them repent, change their sinful ways, and come to His Kingdom?  Are we willing to be bold for Christ and go against the popular opinion?  Would you travel to Africa (or other countries) and risk your life to witness to the starving people whose lives are terrorized by war?  

Here's the truth: God will not call you to a place you are unwilling to go.  What He will do is soften your heart and gently try to encourage you to go where He needs you to serve.  God is a gentleman; He will not make you go anywhere you feel uncomfortable.  If you really have zero desire to go overseas, chances are that is not where God wants you to go.  We are not all called to be missionaries in foreign countries.  We can and should minister right where we live.  I am very shy.  Therefore, it is not likely God will call me to public speaking.  However, I can write for the few that read my blogs as well as serve dinners for the homeless and work with children.  I can show the love of Christ to co-workers and even strangers.  However, If God did call me to a more outspoken ministry, I am certain He would gift me with boldness.  My husband has been involved in street ministries in New Orleans during Marti Gras as well as ministering on the streets of Kansas City, MO and Little Rock, AR.  He is also a gifted pastor and preaches bold sermons.  

Ministry does not have to involve money. At the moment, I am not able to bless others monetarily, but I would if I could. What I can give is my time.  

Therefore said He unto them, "The harvest is truly great, but the laborers are few: pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest."  Luke 10:2

There are many examples in the bible where God called His children, and they answered the call.  I am not using myself as an example to follow, but these Godly saints.  Here are just a few:

When Mary was called to be the mother of Jesus Christ, it is easy to assume she was terrified.  Yet, she said, "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."  (Luke 1:38) She had one of the greatest responsibilities in the world, and yet she said was willing to serve.  She did not question the reality of a virgin becoming pregnant with the Son of God.  Her faith was truly great as she was quick to be willing to serve God.

In Mark 1:16-20, Jesus meets Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and asks them to follow him.  Verse 18 says, "straightaway they forsook their nets, and followed Him."  Then Jesus meets James and John.  When Jesus asks them to join, verse 20 says, "they left their father... and went after Him."  In Mark 2:13-14, Jesus calls Levi (Matthew) who, when Jesus asked Him to follow, Matthew "arose and followed Him."  Notice there was no hesitation in these first five disciples that were called. 

In Exodus 3, God dramatically calls to Moses from a bush that is on fire but does not burn.  When God says, "Moses, Moses," he says, "Here am I," but then argues with God that he is not worthy to serve God due to being poor of speech.  Perhaps he was shy or stuttered, we don't know.  What we do know is that although God was angry with Moses' impertinence, He agrees to send Moses' brother Aaron as his mouthpiece.  God chose Moses (as He chose all before and after) because God sees a broken vessel willing to be used by and for God.  God would not take no for an answer, and reminded Moses that He would be with His servant and Moses would be more capable than he could ever imagine.   God knew Moses was the right man for the job not just to go before Pharaoh to demand he free the Hebrew slaves, but also to be the leader of those he helped escape from Egypt.

Also consider the prophets that were willing to prophecy even after being badly mistreated: Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, (etc.) as well as Paul, Silas, Peter, and Barnabas (etc.).  They were all willing to answer the call even though they did not all see their predictions come to fruition in their lifetime.

There are so many others I could name that willingly said, "Here I am Lord, use me," such as Samuel, David, and John the Baptist, (etc.) in some form or another, but for the sake of time, I will move on.

God does not demand perfection.  What He expects is one who is willing to be obedient not only to what he/she is called to do, but to follow the laws of Jesus Christ.  No matter how willing you may be to serve, God wants vessels that are clean inside and out. 

And the Lord said unto them, "Now do ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness?  Ye fools, did not He make that which is without make that which is within also?"  Luke 11:39-40

In other words, wearing a three-piece suit and sporting an expensive haircut are not requirements for serving the Lord.  Having the lifestyle to back up the words you want to preach is much more important.  I have many flaws, but if I try to tell you not to cheat on your spouse while lusting after a man not my husband (which I would never, ever do), I am merely a hypocrite and have no place writing a blog.  Why do you think the false "grace for everything without repentance" message is so popular? Sadly, it is because so many that stand behind the pulpit are into pornography and other habitual sins of which they do not want to let go.  We must clean up our act before serving the Lord.  And not just by our moral actions, but by our attitude.  Don't walk into a homeless shelter and sit at a table with them and witness about the love of Christ than walk outside and insult the people inside.  Most of us are all one or two paychecks away from being in the same situation, so please do not judge them for losing their homes.  Do not go into the inner cities if you cannot love your fellow man no matter what color his skin is. 

Don't minister with a condemning heart, but with a heart of compassion and a goal as a healer, not a criticizer.  I see my job as attempting to lead people down paths of repentance while making a daily choice to continue down the roads of righteousness based on the teachings of Jesus, not based in the teachings of Julie or anyone else.  I want people to understand God's grace and salvation are free, but we still need to keep our garments clean less we fall away and wind up in Hell.  (Backsliding away from salvation is in the Bible, readers, these are not my theories.) I want to see my fellow man in heaven worshipping at the feet of their Maker, not tormented by flames. 

If your goals have anything to do with fame or money, then shame on you!  Serving God is all about bringing glory to God.  We should want to decrease so God can increase.  When I pray that God would empty me of me and fill me with Him, I am sincere in my prayers.  I do not want to shed the light on what I have done, but on the Love of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Obviously, if you are behind a pulpit, you will receive a lot of attention.  If you publish books or end up on the radio, or television you may get some semblance of fame.  As long as you use your notoriety for God's kingdom and do not heap riches on yourselves as the television evangelists do, God very well may bless your life with wealth.  But keep the focus off yourself and keep your ego in check.  Give glory where glory is due.  It is difficult for me to put it into words so this paragraph makes sense, but I think it's pretty obvious there are lines that can be crossed when we preach, write, or serve just to get attention and make ourselves look holy. 

If you are willing to answer the call to be a servant of Christ, serve God with a pure heart, pure motivations, and pure lifestyle.  Whatever your motivation is to serve, God knows your heart, always keep that in mind.   

Don't give up and keep praying.

 Ever notice that whenever someone starts to come around to the Truths of the Bible, Satan immediately steps in to try to discourage them and makes them doubt what God's word really says?

Don't give up and keep praying. Spiritual warfare is very real and they need you to keep fighting on your knees for them!

Ephesians 6:11-12 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

Do you stand out? Part 3

 

If the world can't tell whether or not you are a Christian, then how do you stand out?  When you claim to be a Christian, trust me, people are always watching and waiting for you to act in an ungodly manner so they can call you a hypocrite. Instead of being a bad example, your lifestyle should point to God so strongly others want to get to know Jesus. 
  

God does not want us to fit in with the world.  Yes, we are to be kind-hearted to all, but there needs to be a limit with how close we become to the world.

Let's explore a little why God does not want us to be unequally yoked.

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness...  for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate," saith the Lord, "and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18- 7:1   

 

It is not wrong to be friends with unbelievers, but you should not be overly involved in their lives lest they drag you down (Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; 1 Corinthians 15:33-34). You cannot blame anyone if you backslide, you are responsible for your own actions, but why tempt yourself to give in to doing things you know are wrong and that go against the will of God?  It is better to keep relationships shallow with those who practice things that we know go against the principles of Jesus Christ.  In other words, we should not be so closely knit with the world we become "unequally yoked."  

Too often Christians who are on fire for the Lord allow the cold influences of the world to cause them to temper their desire for the holy things of God.  Whether it is out of wanting to fit in with your buddies who make fun of you because you refuse to go to the bars with them, or your coworkers who laugh at you because you will not dress provocatively, or your family members who make sarcastic jabs at you because you have given up movies, television, and secular music.  Whatever the reason, you have given in to peer pressure and compromised your holiness beliefs just to be liked by the world. 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:1-2

As Christians, our goal should not be to please the world, but the please the Lord.  Notice in Romans 12 it says that not conforming to the world is "good and acceptable and perfect."  Not that anyone can be perfect, but God honors our efforts.  Considering the amazing gift of salvation Jesus graciously died to give us, striving for holiness truly is our "reasonable service."  

Galatians 1:10 puts it this way, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."

I know it is not easy sticking to your values when you feel rejected by those who you care about the most.  However, and I do not say this to be cruel, but to be bluntly honest, your TRUE friends will NOT make fun of you for your morals, and if they do, they are the wrong friends.

Don't forget, Jesus was despised and rejected by his family and friends and ridiculed by the very people He came to die for.  And He is still mocked today.  We can endure the criticisms and remain steadfast in our beliefs when we remember our Lord and Savior went through the same rejections, only on a much, much larger scale.

The goal of every blog and video I make is always to encourage you in your walk with the Lord.  The biggest frustration some of you face is trying to be Godly in an ungodly world. You get tired of being the odd one out in groups and not getting invited to join others because they think you are too judgmental.  But if you are truly desiring to please your Creator, the best way to feel strengthened is to consider what the Bible says. Think of it this way: would you rather be uninvited to parties, family gatherings, etc. because of your moral beliefs, or uninvited into heaven because you compromised and gave into ungodly behavior just to be liked?

I have seen too often people who claim to be Christians praise the Lord on Sunday, curse with their friends on Monday, go the bar on Friday night, and to a movie full of violence, sex, and/or the occult on Saturday.  Then when back in church on Sunday, guilt sets in and they repent and feel on fire again.  However, as soon as they try to speak about the Lord to family members or friends, they are made fun of, and their fire gets doused with the coldness of the people they care about the most. Make no mistake, God will spit you out of His mouth if you cannot make up your mind whether you want to please Him or the world! 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 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 spew thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:13, 15-16

Your buddies did not die for you so you can have eternal life (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John  3:16)!  Your family members will not be the ones judging you after you die (And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:12)!

Now is the time to choose Jesus over the world and repent for all the times you have allowed the world to douse the fire you had for the Lord and quench the flames you had for pursuing righteousness. 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15  

Now is also the time to be bold for the Lord and be the influencer for His name, not the other way around! Jesus ate with the sinners, but He was not the one changed, the sinners were!

Now I want to also address the issue of being unequally yoked in marriage. What do you do if the unbeliever you are unequally yoked with is your spouse? If you are currently married to an unbeliever, it is clear that the Lord does not expect you to get a divorce, but just the opposite ("For the Lord God of Israel says That He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence," Says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 2:16).

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed.  1 Corinthians 7:10-16 & 27

Also consider:

Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  1 Peter 3:1-2 (NIV - all other verses listed are KJV)

Live your life by a good example, and you very well may lead your mate to Christ.  Do not be a nag when it comes to differing beliefs because that will just drive a deeper wedge between you.  Stand firm in your faith and do not compromise in your love for the Lord.   Most importantly, do not give up praying for him/her.  There have been many instances where the believer’s kindness and patience paid off, and their loved one eventually became a Christian as well.  Unless your partner is doing something immoral, illegal, or causing you and/or your children harm, stick to your wedding vows and follow the principles of the Bible to be type of spouse God wishes you to be.    

If you are unequally yoked with your mate, do not give up praying for him/her!  Continue to be a witness without being a self-righteous or judgmental nuisance that only pushes your loved one farther away from the things of God.  Also, if you have not done so in a while, consider offering to pray for your mate’s specific prayer requests (silently or out loud, it is up to you) to show your love and compassion for his/her needs.  If it would not cause dissention, consider hosting or leading a Bible study group at your home for a few weeks or months (even if it is for youth or a gender-specific group) as your mate may be more likely to attend (or at least overhear) what it being taught in the safety and privacy of his/her own home.

Do you stand out? Part 2

 

If the world can't tell whether or not you are a Christian, then how do you stand out?  When you claim to be a Christian, trust me, people are always watching and waiting for you to act in an ungodly manner so they can call you a hypocrite. Instead of being a bad example, your lifestyle should point to God so strongly others want to get to know Jesus. 

 

Aside from appearances (as addressed in part 1), there are many issues we need to consider when it comes to being separate from the world.  Please prayerfully consider the areas addressed in the below verses and ask God where He would like you to change so that you can stand out for Jesus.  What is your vice: alcohol, drugs, bad attitude, gossip, filthy talk, sexual perversions, television/movies, occultic/New Age practices?    

 

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21   

 

Do your friends, co-workers, and family members even know where you stand on such issues?  Are you ashamed and/or afraid to speak out?  I know it's not easy.  If you are too timid to say anything, you can still walk away when someone is telling a dirty joke, gossiping, asking you to drink with them, etc.  Pretty soon your friends/co-workers will respect you and will quit talking about such things in front of you. If they do not, just keep walking away, because they will get your message whether they acknowledge it or not.  I know because I have been the “odd” Christian at all my jobs where co-workers were more careful with their language around me, told their dirty jokes out of my earshot, and quit asking me to go to bars.  Not all the time, of course. There was one man who used to shout “Hallelujah!” just to irritate me. After about the tenth time he realized he would not get a reaction from me, he quit doing so.  He later told me he admired my stand and saw a Light in me that he envied and then I was able to witness to him in words rather than just in action.  And that’s just one example of many I have experienced.   

 

But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 10:33   

Also remember:

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4

 

The best reason of all to want to stand out from among the crowd is to want to please Jesus Christ. He gave His very life for you and is preparing an eternal paradise for those who faithfully follow His ways. He forgives every sin you repent of and wants only the best for His children.

The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:4

 

 Also:

 

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” I Peter 1:13-16

  

And finally:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.   And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:1-2

Jesus Christ Our Sacrificial Lamb, Written by my Husband

 

Jesus Christ Our Sacrificial Lamb, Written by my Husband, Mel

There is no greater love than a man that is willing to lay down his life for a friend. Our Lord Jesus Christ left his throne in Heaven, clothed himself in the frailty of human flesh, and died a horrible death in order to provide redemption for us. For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, so that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

It was no small sacrifice that our Lord made upon the cross of Calvary, for he gave his very life, so that we may live with him in the eternal Kingdom of God. Redemption means to redeem or purchase something. Christ was literally buying us back from Satan through his sacrifice upon the cross.

Because of the disobedience of Adam, the earth fell from perfection into corruption, and Satan became the prince and power of this fallen world. However, Christ became the second Adam, in that through his obedience to the Father, he provided eternal life to all who will make him Lord of their life.

Jesus Christ is our sacrificial lamb. On the day of preparation, when the Jews killed, as well as prepared the lamb for the Passover meal, our Lord was crucified. Through the shed blood of our Lord, provision was made for sins to be passed over.

The Passover lamb had to be spotless and without defect, or God would reject it. The blood sacrifice of the lamb was symbolic of the sacrifice of God’s sinless Son upon the cross. Christ was tempted in every way that we are, yet he remained the only sinless man ever to walk the earth. Christ was the only man who could take our place upon the cross.

To repent, means to turn away from sin and to become a new creation in Christ, a person that is set apart from the sinful world. Many churches fail to teach people that they must be truly born again. Christ taught that we must remain in the vine, in other words in him, as well as bear good fruit, or the Father will cut our branch off, and throw it into the fire.

When a person is truly saved through repentance and placing their faith in Christ, their spiritual garments are made white by the blood of the Lamb. All of our sins are passed over and we are saved by grace, apart from our works. However, God's Word teaches us that we are to keep our garments clean, for they can be defiled by living in a backslidden state and we can lose our salvation.

(Isaiah 53:4-7) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

When Christ died upon the cross, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The temple veil covered the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Only the Levitical priest was permitted to enter this most inner chamber. The Ark of the Covenant was kept there. The priest would sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat, between the two cherubim, on top of the Ark. This was done to cleanse the tabernacle, as well as make atonement for the sins of the people. The high priest would offer up an animal sacrifice for himself, as well as the people. When Christ made atonement for our sins upon the cross, his blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat in Heaven. Christ, our high priest made the final sacrifice for sins. Since the veil was torn from top to bottom in the temple, we now have access to the Holy of Holies (God). The veil of separation between God and man has been removed forever.

The atonement of Christ also provided for the healing of our bodies. God’s Word states that He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, and by His stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Christ was scourged with the Roman cat of nine tails. This device had nine leather straps with bone and metal in each strap. Many men died from this type of torture, but our Lord endured it. His stripes provide healing for our physical bodies. God’s Word says that if there be any sick among you to call for the elders, to anoint with oil and pray over the sick, and the prayer of faith will restore them, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven (James 5:14,15).

The Lord is willing to forgive us of all of our sins, no matter how big they are, if we will repent and turn from them. The Lord is very patient, as well as merciful with each of us; he gives us time to grow in our Christian walk. Will you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior? There is Heaven to be gained, as well as Hell to be avoided. If we repent of our sins, as well as make confession of our faith in Christ, we shall be saved. If you would like to accept Christ into your heart, then please pray with me.

Lord Jesus Christ,

I believe that you are the Son of God, the creator of all things.

I believe that you died upon the cross for my sins, and I ask you to forgive me of all of my sins, as I turn from them to everlasting life.

I believe that the Father raised you from the dead, and that by accepting you as my Savior, you will also raise me from the dead when you return.

Please help me to allow your Holy Spirit to transform me into a new creation.

Lord Jesus, please send your Holy Spirit now to live within me.

In the most holy name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!

This prayer alone will not save your soul, unless you pray with sincerity, as well as conviction. Accepting Christ into your heart is the beginning of your Christian walk, not the end. You must remain in the faith, study your Bible, as well as grow spiritually. The Holy Spirit is our helper, counselor, and friend, he is the portion of God’s Spirit that indwells us.

Please consider these Scriptures in regard to salvation.

(Romans 10:9-13) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

( 1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(John 15:1-4) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

(1 Timothy 6: 11-12) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

(2 Cor 7:10) For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

(Luke 15:7) I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

(1 Cor 6:9-11) Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Do you stand out? Part 1

If the world can't tell whether or not you are a Christian, then how do you stand out?  When you claim to be a Christian, trust me, people are always watching and waiting for you to act in an ungodly manner so they can call you a hypocrite. Instead of being a bad example, your lifestyle should point to God so strongly others want to get to know Jesus. I will start this series from the outside. If we look like the world on the outside, how are people to believe what we say?  

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. 1 Timothy 2:9-10

God has been laying it on my heart for several months to write on the topic of modesty, but I have been putting it off, knowing it may not be well-received. 

When I was younger I often and sang (or played my trumpet) for the church. When attending a new church, the pastor's wife approached me the first time I was scheduled to sing there and gave me a dress code. Although I was only 21 or 22 at the time, I appreciated and respected the church's rules of modesty.  However, watching a Christian singer on YouTube a few weeks ago reminded me the modesty codes of churches 30 years ago have drastically changed and I cannot keep silent on this issue.  The female singer I am referring to was singing at a very well-known church founded by a man with strong holiness views (he has since passed away). The singer always dresses modestly because she also claims to have holiness views. However, her backup singers were wearing very short skirts and high heels. Let's not pretend these women were ignorant that their outfits would get male attention.  First, I do not know if the background singers were the main singer's personal choir or were chosen by the church. Either way, that leads me to ask why neither the church nor the "holiness" singer are encouraging its women to dress modestly.  Who were they trying to glorify? Not God! 

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?  Psalm 4:2

Neither 1 Timothy 2 (above) or 1 Peter 3 (below) say we should not have nice hairstyles, wear jewelry, or dress in nice clothes, they are simply reminding us that our looks should not be our primary focus.  Instead, our focus should be on godliness.

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves. I Peter 3:3-5

The way women dress themselves and their children becomes more obscene every year.  In today's society, the way women dress begs for attention. The short shorts, low cut and/or tight tops, see-through clothing, miniskirts, skintight pants/leggings, crop tops, and all bathing suits are designed to show off as much as possible for no other reason than to stir up lust in the opposite sex.  Men are turned on by sight alone, and women are not naïve enough to let this fact pass over her head.  Although not all of us, but most women like to tease and titillate.  Why do you think pornography is a million (or is it billion) dollar industry? 

Ladies, if you claim to be a Christian and are dressing provocatively, why?  You are trying to titillate men and show off your figure.  Lust and vanity are both against what the Lord teaches.  

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is NOT of the Father, but IS of the world. 1 John 2:16

It is bad enough when a single woman is trying to purposefully stimulate men, but when it is a married woman, it is even worse. This revolves around vanity, or more specifically, being so vain you place your ego above your mate to the point you have become disloyal to your marriage.

Let's start with Facebook (or other social media).  I see so many men and women who are married that have only a picture of themselves as a profile picture.  This is not so bad, (although I believe husbands and wives should have a joint Facebook page) but what irritates me is when they are posed in a provocative way and/or dressed to show off their body.  A look of, "Hey, everybody, check me out; aren't I cute!" is written all over his/her face. Rather than, "Look at my spouse and me; aren't we an adorable couple?"  Simply including your mate in your profile picture says to the world that you are very happily spoken for, and you are proud of your marriage. 

When I see a woman with a man (whether he is the husband or not) dressed in a way that leaves little to the imagination, it really makes me sad (especially when they have kids with them).  My husband, Mel, has put it perfectly; he says that women like that are never going to be loyal.  If she wants all men's eyes on her, then she is not honoring the man she is with, be it boyfriend, fiancé, or husband.  Logic says if she is willing to show off so much skin and does not care who she titillates, she is willing to cheat on her spouse.  If you do not want the attention, then why dress that way?  You can be perfectly comfortable in a modest sundress, capris, and not a hint of cleavage needs to be showing even in 100-degree temperatures.  I have seen many women dressed modestly and still be fashionable.  Therefore, using the excuse that it is hot will not work; the truth is that it is all about vanity.  God hates vanity and pride.

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look... Proverbs 6:16-17

Matthew 5:28 makes it very clear lusting after someone is a sin, so why would you encourage someone to sin just to boost your own ego?

 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28

When you get married, it is, as Genesis 2:23-24 states, becoming one flesh. You belong to each other. We may not be property in the literal sense, but in a way, we are each other’s property. We belong to God first, then our mate. 

Do not dress provocatively. The only man I want looking at me with lust is Mel. I cannot control who looks at me, but I can control the way I dress outside our home. I am not talking turtlenecks and only ankle-length skirts (although I feel decent length for skirts should be at least mid-calf length and shorts should be at least to your knees), but I use common sense on what would be considered inappropriate. If in doubt, I ask Mel, "Is this too short?" "Is this too low cut?" "Can you see through this?" “Is this too tight?”  And I fully trust his opinions. I want to honor both God and my husband with my body

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I am especially saddened by parents encouraging their innocent children to dress provocatively. It is a parent’s job to protect their children from all kinds of harm including pedophiles.  Do you think these creeps full of perversion are failing to leer at your immodestly dressed child because they (or you) want your child to look "cute"?  I will say it again, parents need to protect their children, which includes making better choices on how they dress and act around adults! It is not as if all pedophiles have a large "P" on their forehead. You do not know who is happily titillated that you dressed your child in so little clothing and are parading him/her all over town! Or have him/her dancing to secular music and post the very adult movements all over social media. You know I am not talking about innocent kids' dances such as "I'm a Little Tea Pot." Kids as young as 2 years old are being offered up as entertainment all over social media dancing to proactive song lyrics and imitating the sexual movements while the adults laugh. God is not laughing! In fact, He weeps for this loss of innocence.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 18:6

This does not just go for women wearing provocative clothing, but for men as well.  I know that certain styles are in fashion, and most will think I am just being old-fashioned, but a lot of these styles represent a secular lifestyle, which includes the drug culture.  Being a stand-out Christian in a secular world has more to with how we present ourselves on the outside (which I will explore later in this series) but think twice about why you want to look a certain way.  Is it because you are more concerned with being a man-pleaser than a God-pleaser?  Who are you trying to imitate, the world or God?