Doses of Faith

     Recently, I've seen some post on Facebook that I found not appropriate.  In fact, I was very disappointed in the women who posted them.  These were copied statements about husbands.  The statement is lengthy, but the whole point of the post is a woman saying, "Please feel sorry for me, because my husband doesn't do anything around the house and doesn't appreciate anything I do."   Really!!  Don't you think!  You are letting the world know that you don't have a good relationship with your husband. Where is your respect and love for your husband?      Reading these lengthy posts made me look back on my own marriage.  Kevin and I started our marriage with love and respect.  We both worked, so we agreed early in our marriage to support each other and to share household work.  He was the best dishwasher ever.  I can thank his mother for the summer he had to do dishes because of his grades.  I enjoyed h...

     Faith.  Simple faith.  Is that all that we need?      What is faith without action?  Are you going to sit back and do nothing?      First, let me explain.  We can place our faith in many different people, organizations, or things, but faith is not enough.  Look around.  We see people placing their faith in politicians.  As an old Southern Lady, I say, "Bless their hearts."  In my years of living, I've followed politics, worked in several jobs, and volunteered.  I've found that my faith in God gives me more peace and assurance than any politician, manager, or anyone/thing.  My faith has helped me through hard times.  I've been able to find joy when facing obstacles in life, because I have hope through my faith in the redemption given me by my Savior, Jesus Christ.      My faith in God has lead to action.  After committing fully to God in 1977, I was filled with ...

     How great is your burden for your neighbor, co-worker, family, and all people who have not received salvation?  As I look at Paul's life and his letters in the gospel, I want to be more like Paul.  I don't want lip service but action.  I don't want to lifted up by the glory of the world but to be simply a humble servant.  I remind myself daily, "It isn't about me so overlook their ways and be an example of love and grace."  I don't want to be lifted up because I lack so much.  I have the same desire as Paul for those without salvation, but I lack the confidence to share.  My burden grows, but how do I make a difference?     "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.  This sorrow is so great that I could wish myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." (Romans 9:1...

     There is a battle raging in each of us.  We make choices and what leads to those choices?  Paul wrote, "I am carnal, sold under sin."  Don't fool yourself, you and I are also of the flesh with temptations at every turn in life.  Each of us has a battle within us with righteousness or sin.  It is a battle of the flesh against the Spirit.      "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  O wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:23,24)      Yes, it is a battle!  It is a mental battle which can wreck your life or save your life.  Our minds and the state of our minds control our decisions.  Have you watched CNN or NBC?  Many anchors have let their hate over power their judgment resulting in news becoming about destroying our president or even...

"Was he a Christian?" Grandson asks. "Is he a Christian?"  Grandson asks.      In a day with one of my grandsons, I get asked these questions.  My answer is "I don't know."  Why?  Because, I don't know.  I told my grandson, "Only God knows what is in the heart, and I'm not the one to judge."  I still mourn for those who die lost, but I know that it is my responsibility to ask, "Are you a Christian?"  So, I tell my concerned grandson, "We have to ask the person."      Jesus had said to Martha in John 11:25,26: "I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And, whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe?"      Martha replied, "Yes, I believe that you are the Christ."      Jesus asked.  Yes, he knew the answer, but he asked.  It is a decision for each individual.  I can't judge, beca...

     Christians are not promised a life of wealth, good health, and perfection.   We are promised peace with God and access by faith through the Holy Spirit, but there is no promise of a life free of being broken.  In life, there are good times and bad times.  There are highs and lows.  We all have times where we grieve and times we rejoice.  It is called life.  Christians have this life, and they have both good and bad with the hope of God's promises.      "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  (Romans 5:1,2)      The words which stand out in these two verses are faith, peace, access, grace, and hope.   We are justified by our faith, and because we believe and know God is with us, we can have this everlasting peace within us.  No...

"We conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law."  Romans 3:28      At times, we have to examine ourselves.  Where is my faith?  How can I write about faith without understanding my own faith?  I tell myself, "It doesn't matter because God knows."  However, in the hustle of my busy days, do I rush through a prayer instead of taking time to talk to God?  Am I trying to measure my faith instead of living my faith?      The Bible holds life stories of many men and women.  Each one had flaws and weaknesses.  Even with those weaknesses, God found them to be righteous because of their faith.  Paul uses the life story of Abraham to show justification by faith.  Abraham's story starts in Genesis 12 where God said to him, "Leave your country and your father's house to go to a land that I will show you.  And, I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your nam...

     You find yourself in a tight situation and you want to help your associate make a sound decision.  In your mind, the only way to influence the associate is a little white lie.  It will not hurt and the associate will never realize the good decision was based on a lie.  Or, your friend is excited about a dinner date.  You don't like the date, so you make up a false accusation to change your friend's mind.  They will never know the accusation is false, and it is for their own good.  These lies are justified with the thought that it is for the best.  The best for who?  Do you lie to change a situation to your desires or to make you look good?  Can you justify that lie?     As Christians some say, "This lie is for the good and God will forgive me."   Should you sin considering that you will be forgiven?  Oh!  We humans are such a self-centered bunch!  We think we can commit an evil, but judge oth...

     After Christ returned to heaven and His disciples began their mission, they found it difficult ministering to the Gentiles.  The culture of the Jews lead them to avoid Gentiles since Gentiles were considered unclean.  Evidently, the Christian Jews in Rome thought of themselves as better than the Gentile Christians.  Paul asked the church in Rome, "What then, are we better than they?" (Romans 3:9)      Does church members think this way today?  Are there church members who place themselves above others because of membership, church office, leadership role, or family?  Yes, I listed family because some are only there because of family tradition or charter membership.  I don't know of any church that offers "charter membership" but some think they have this special membership because their great grandfather helped build the church building.  By now, you may see where this is going.  Does family membership or your...

      Laws.  Men make them, twist them, and justify their beliefs with laws.  Paul wrote about laws.  Paul wanted to travel to Rome.  He did make it to Rome as a prisoner, but before he was in Rome, he wrote a letter to the Christians in Rome.  Paul was educated in his home town of Tarsus and was a student of the law in Jerusalem.  The Romans and Greeks placed a lot of emphasis on education and philosophy.  So, when Paul wrote to the Romans, he wrote as a teacher.  He asked questions.  He asked questions about the Law.      His first questions were directed at teachers.  "You who teach others, don't you teach yourself?  You who preach to not steal, do you steal?" (2:21)  In other words, do you practice what you teach or preach?  But, these questions are only leading up to THE question.  Paul starts with a little bait to make the readers look at themselves.  See where these questions...

     Today, our nation is so very divided.  There has always been division of some sort.  The difference from our past history and present history is lack of civility and respect.  Either side is not willing to sit down and have an intelligent and civil debate.  Everything is along political party lines and emotions.  Instead of using our minds and love for our nation, the political parties are feeding on hate which only leads to destruction and more division.      Since November 2016, many good citizens were in shock when Donald Trump won the election.  How can someone who slandered every opponent with degrading words win the election?  How could anyone like the "Donald" win the election?  He is a successful businessman.  He had a successful television program.  He ran a campaign with promises that we have heard from other politicians.  Evidently, the shameful and degrading campaign which played out l...

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 Pride isn't always bad. We should take pride in our accomplishments and be proud of others for their accomplishments. This pride is to be satisfied and pleased with our situation or accomplishments. This isn't bad when we feel good about ourselves, because it motivates us to continue to be our best. However, pride can be pushed where we have so much pride that we become self absorbed and egotistical. Now, this type of pride motivates one to arrogance, vanity, and egotism. This pride turns one into an overbearing and self centered person who thinks they are above everyone on the planet. As I've heard over the years, 'When you are at the top, there is only one way to go.' There was once a leader who found himself thinking he was the best, and his way down ended his dynasty. This was King Saul. King Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. ...

     After reading Ezra 8:21 and 22 a few months ago, I've had many thoughts about motivation.  Ezra was motivated to not ask King Artaxerxes for protection in their travels from Babylon to Jerusalem, because he "was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way."  I had many thoughts about what has been motivating me.  I took a close critical look at myself and saw many flaws due to what was motivating a few of my decisions.  Since I can be too analytical at times, I've even found myself wondering what is motivating those around me.  Shame on me!  But, on this day, I wonder what turns a good person down a path of evil and destruction.      In the last two days, two families are suffering grief due to one action, murder.  One family has lost a daughter who had a bright future and the other family grieves with much pain the son who once had a bright future.  Wha...

     Fourteen days into the New Year without writing a devotional on this blog was not my plan.  Sometimes, life will throw a curve ball to knock you off your feet.  This has happened to me.  I've been completely knocked down.  My own plans shattered.  I'm talking retirement plans.  Plans I made without consulting God.  Plans designed for selfish reasons.  As I'm attempting to get back on my feet, I'm wondering 'WHAT WAS I THINKING!'      Over the last six years, I've been thinking about retirement.  You know, when you are in your sixties, it is important to know where you stand for retirement.  Well, actually, you need to start planning when you are in your twenties.  Kevin and I never were concerned because he worked with an excellent company who looked out for it's employees.  So, when he passed away suddenly in January six years ago, I had very little worries.  Yes, the stock market fell ...