Thursday, February 5, 2015

Fifty Shades of Pure, Unadulterated & {RADICAL} Love

Here's what I know:

1. I Love Jesus & I want to follow His commandments. 

-Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands. Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes! Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Proverbs 7:1-3

I have learned (the hard way) that HIS plans for me are far better than my own agenda and desires. I can trust that by submitting to His authority He will bless me in ways I would've never imagined! On the contrary- when I have blatantly ignored His commands and gone my own way- I have (and still do) face consequences. 

The Lord does not turn a blind eye toward sin.

-For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18

-We are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 1 John 1:6

-So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. HAVE NOTHING TO DO with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these sins the wrath of God is coming. Colossians 3:5-6

He disciplines those He loves. 

-For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. Hebrews 12:6

2. The Bible tells us what God's intentions were with sex. He meant it exclusively for marriage. Outside of marriage it is wrong and it is SIN.  

-Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

-It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

-They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin...  2 Peter 2:14

-They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. Ephesians 4:19

-You have heard the commandment that says, "You must not commit adultery." But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

Not saying that there isn't grace enough to blot this sin out, but Grace is not a permission slip to go out and sin freely. The Bible says that if you love God you will obey Him. 

-Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. John 14:21

3. The Bible also tells us what to do with sin and temptation. 

Run. FLEE! Get away from it! Chop off your hand if necessary! 

-And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.  Matthew 5:30

Why is it so important to flee? Because God LOVES us & He knows the destruction that sin brings. 

What He wants for us is so. much. better. 

Holiness. Look that one up. 

The icing on the cake here- He promised to always provide a way out, an escape! 

-The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 

Again, because He LOVES us! 

4. I don't say any of this in a self-righteous or judgmental tone! 

I love Christ and because of my love for Him, I love you!  

I have learned so much the hard way. Too much. I know (too well) the (self-induced) pain of sin. 

I don't want that for you. 

HE doesn't want that for you. 

He wants your heart - your full surrender - for you to follow hard after Him - to trust Him & let Him rule your life. 

It's a radical choice. 

Just as the sacrifice for He made for you was radical. 

Because His love for you is radical! 

I pray that these words will take root in your heart and spur you towards holiness. 

-But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the scriptures say, "You must be Holy as I am Holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16 

This means to be set apart for Him. Let your desire be for Jesus & nothing else. 

Bottom line- the books and the movie Fifty Shades of Grey promote sin- 
which God instructs us to RUN AWAY FROM - because of His great and radical Love for us!


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Yes, as a matter of fact, Heaven IS for real... (TAKE 2!)

In anticipation of the nearing release date of a major motion picture based on the best-selling book "Heaven is for Real" I am re-posting my original post from April 2011 with a few minor edits and additions. 


Yes, as a matter of fact, Heaven IS for real...


And what source might I base this bold claim on...?


Brace yourself.

...

It's

...


THE BIBLE!


Yes, it's true, the Bible ...
His WORD ...
tells us about Heaven!

I don't know about you, but I believe the Bible
and it is enough for me!

I believe that the Bible is the Revelation of God
through His Son Jesus Christ.

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

Jesus was the physical embodiment of the Word of God.
Everything in Scripture points us to Jesus.

God gave us the Bible so that we would know Him.
Everything He wants us to know is in His Word.

What He wants me to know about sin,
is in the Bible.

What He wants me to know about Love,
is in the Bible.

What He wants me to know about forgiveness,
is in the Bible.

What He wants me to know about money,
is in the Bible.

What He wants me to know about Heaven ....

well you guessed it-

it's in the Bible!

So you may be wondering what exactly my point is?

and other books like it?

No, I'm not.

I simply want to point you back to Jesus.


If we truly long to know what God wants us to know
about Heaven then why not go to the ultimate source-
HIS WORD?

And what do we find when we go there?

“All the Biblical writers who saw Heaven and described their visions give comparatively sparse details but they agreed perfectly: their visions are all fixated on The Glory of God … which defines heaven and illuminates everything there …  they are overwhelmed, chagrin, petrified & put to silence by the sheer magnitude of God’s holiness!” 


What is it that we're looking for
when we read a book like "Heaven is for Real"?

Are we looking for a sign?

"A wicked and perverse generation will seek a sign" Matthew 16:4

What should we be looking for?

Let's look for Jesus.

"Does this book say anything significant or of substance
about Jesus Christ or his atoning work on the cross?"
-Bill Wright (my Sunday School teacher)


"The Burpo family offers us confidence,
through their experience,
that what God says is true.
This proof is exactly the kind of proof
we should not need
and should not want.
If hope is to be found in any person,
it will be found in the person of Christ.
It is the Spirit working through the Word
who will give us confidence in our faith.
And what is faith?
It is simply believing that what God says is true.
We do not need tales of heaven
or stories of those who claim to have been there.
If God's Word is not sufficient for you,
if the testimony of his Spirit, given to believers,
is not enough for you,
you will not find any true hope
in the unproven tales of a child.
This hope may last for a moment,
but it will not sustain you, it will not bless you,
in those times when hope is waning and times are hard."

Let me challenge you to immerse yourself in GOD'S WORD!

When you go to outside sources for spiritual nourishment
scrutinize every word against scripture!

If it lines up with Scripture
it will always point you to Jesus
and what He did on the cross.

Other Reviews I recommend:

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Overnight Bundt Caramel Rolls

SOOO Easy & SOOOOOO GOOD!!!! 


Overnight Bundt Caramel Rolls

18 frozen, unbaked bread rolls (do not thaw)   
1 pkg.(3 1/2 oz.) dry butterscotch pudding (not instant)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup lt. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Butter (or spray) a 12” Bundt pan.  Place bread rolls in pan, touching and filling the bottom first, then layering on top.  Sprinkle pudding evenly over top of rolls.  Set aside.  In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat, then stir in the brown sugar & cinnamon and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved.  Pour butter mixture evenly over rolls & pudding mixture.  Leave, uncovered, on kitchen counter overnight (they will rise over the top of the pan).
The next morning, bake rolls at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.  Put a cookie sheet on the rack under the pan to catch any drippings.  Remove from heat & let cool slightly in the pan.  When ready to serve, place a serving plate over the top of the bundt pan and holding the plate & pan together, flip them over.  The rolls hold together like a coffee cake & are topped with yummy caramel sauce.  Pull rolls apart with hands.  *Note – Be prepared when you flip the pan to do it fast over the sink as caramel sauce is runny – then as sauce cools & sets up you can spoon it on top of rolls. Enjoy!!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A Nation That Slumbers



They say you don't know what you've got until it's gone. Today, I feel, is a great day to chew on that.

We live in a country that allows us to be a part of the political process - a great privilege and honor it is for each one of us to be able to go out and cast our vote! Think of the men and women who have gone before us and sacrificed so much- even as much as their own lives, to give us the freedom we have today! We owe it to them, to our children & to each other to exercise this freedom today!

Please consider how your actions (or inaction) today will affect the future of our country. Today may be the last time you or I ever get to participate in a presidential election! Four years from now the United States of America could be just another chapter in the history books! Democracy? Gone. Our freedoms? A memory. Our liberties have been being stripped away slowly and subtly for the last several decades.... as the vast majority in this nation have slumbered. One morning we will all awake and it will be gone.

I'm a 4th of July baby ... born in 1976 even (and on a United States Air Force Base)! I am honored to share this birthday with our nation- celebrating our freedom & diversity for over 200 years! To think that this day would be just another day on the calendar- with nothing of great consequence to celebrate ... such a sad thought!

It is time to wake up! Please don't take your freedom for granted today! I know many are not wanting to vote because they don't like either candidate. I'm sorry to say, but sometimes it is necessary to choose the lesser of two evils.

Today is the day -  NOW GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Drops Of Character



Have you ever watched an icicle form? Did you notice how the dripping water froze, one drop at a time, until the icicle was a foot long or more? If the water was clean, the icicle remained clear and sparkled brightly in the sun; but if the water was slightly muddy, the icicle looked cloudy, its beauty spoiled. Our character is formed in like manner. Each thought or feeling adds its influence. Each decision we make - both great and small - contributes its part. Everything we take into our minds and souls - impressions, experiences, images, or words - helps create our character. At all times, we must be aware of the "droplets" we allow to drip into our lives. Acts that develop habits of hate, falsehood, and evil intent mar and eventually destroy us--but habits born of love, truth, and goodness silently mold and fashion us into the image of God.
[God's Little Devotional Bible] 

*Photo taken by Lois Rinert of Tracy, Minnesota




Wednesday, July 11, 2012

QuAcK!


QuAcK!

You’ve heard it said, “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.” .... but what if it says it’s a duck and it doesn’t look like a duck, swim like a duck or quack like a duck???

Imagine, if you will, a doctor. Well, he says he’s a doctor anyway. He offers medical advice to anyone and everyone, solicited or not, but he doesn’t own or operate his own practice, and is not employed by any health care institution. He drinks and smokes heavily and every time you see him eating it involves junk food. Actually, truth be told, he doesn’t even have his doctorate. But he sits at home with his laptop and sells his “medical advice” on the world wide web. So, what are we to make of this self-proclaimed “doctor”?

Well I’ll say, if he’s a doctor, why doesn’t he act like one? Shouldn’t a doctor be the first in line to take proper care of his own body?? How much do you trust a doctor to help you take care of your body if he doesn’t take good care of his own?
Now I’m not here to say he is or isn’t what he says he is, but let’s take a look at how we can apply this to our lives.

If I SAY I’m a Christian, but I go about in this world not acting like one, then what do I expect others to make of me? If I swear like a sailor, dress like a stripper & fill my mind with worldly smut ... how am I portraying myself to the world?

Does it ever occur to you that what you put into your mind will eventually work itself out in your attitude, language and behavior? I dont know about you, but this makes me want to be extremely cautious of what content I allow my mind to absorb!


Here’s a quote from my favorite author & speaker, Andy Andrews- Wisdom can be gathered on your downtime. Wisdom that can change the very course of your life will come from the people you are around, the books you read, and the things you listen to or watch on radio or television. Of course, bad information is gathered in your downtime too. Bad information that can change the very course of your life will come from the people you are around, the books you read, and the things you listen to or watch on radio or television. One of wisdom's greatest benefits, is accurate discernment- the learned ability to immediately tell right from wrong. Good from evil. Acceptable from unacceptable. Time well spent from time wasted. The right decision from the wrong decision. And many times this is simply a matter of having the correct perspective. One way to define wisdom is THE ABILITY TO SEE, INTO THE FUTURE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR CHOICES IN THE PRESENT. That ability can give you a completely different perspective on what the future might look like... with a degree of intelligence and a hint of wisdom, most people can tell the difference between good and bad. However, it takes a truly wise person to discern the oh-so-thin line between good and best. And that line... gives you the perspective that allows you to see clearly the long-term consequences of your choices.



The way of the world is not the way of the wise!


Does scripture not say, “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 



Remember this quote?
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” –Unknown

And this scripture?
“...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” -Matthew 12:34b

 And this one?
"My thoughts are not your thoughts, 
nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.
'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 
so are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9


How about these?

“Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” -Ephesians 4:29

“Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.” -1 Corinthians 6:18 
Not sure what constitutes sexual sin? According to the Bible it includes adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, prostitution, rape, and lust.

"For all that is in the world -- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -- is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."   
1 John 2:16-17

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

So, who are you? 
What defines you? 
Do your choices reflect what you claim to believe? 
What do you “feed” your mind? 
I’ll leave you with another old adage- “YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!”



Have a lovely day!
~

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. 
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, 
and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8

Monday, April 23, 2012

Sucking too hard on your lollipop!

Lollipop lyrics
Songwriters: Penniman, Michael;

Hey, what's the big idea?
Yo, Mika

I said, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Hey, love's gonna get you down
I said, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Hey, love's gonna get you down

Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down
Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down

Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down
Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down

I went walking with my mama one day
When she warned me what people say
Live your life until love is found
'Cause love's gonna get you down

Take a look at the girl next door
She's a player and a down right bore
Jesus loves her, she wants more
Oh, bad girls get you down

Singing, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down
Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down

Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down
Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down

Mama told me what I should know
Too much candy gonna rot your soul
If she loves you, let her go
'Cause love only gets you down

Take a look at the boy like me
Never stood on my own two feet
Now I'm blue, as I can be
Oh, love couldn't get me down

Singing, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down
Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down

Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down
Say love, say love
Oh love's gonna get you down

I went walking with my mama one day
When she warned me what people say
Live your life until love is found
Oh love's gonna get you down

Singing, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down
Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down

Say love
(Say love)
Say love
(Say love)
Oh love's gonna get you down

Say love
(Say love)
Say love
(Say love)
Oh love's gonna get you down

Mama told me what I should know
Too much candy gonna rot your soul
If she loves you, let her go
'Cause love only gets you down

Whoa, oh, whoa, oh
Whoa, oh, lollipop
Whoa, oh, whoa, oh
Whoa, oh, lollipop

Sucking too hard on your lollipop
Oh love's gonna get you down
Say, sucking too hard on your lollipop
Hey, love's gonna get you down
(Lollipop)

View music video here