Death did not become our destined end until sin entered life and we became disobedient to The One who created all of life.
The Creator God gives and takes away. He has the True Right.
But sin permeated our being, first with Adam and Eve, and then with Cain, and it continues down through history to today.
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying,Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17)
The Lord God rules.
The serpent, representing Satan and all that is evil, suggested God was not All Knowing, All Powerful.
The woman, Eve, questioned and considered. And then she determined to check it out for herself.
"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate." (Genesis 3:6)
And she gave to her husband, who freely ate.
And then their eyes were opened and they knew they had sinned.
FEAR
DECEPTION
HOPELESSNESS
It all came down around them.
Life in Paradise, where sin did not lurk and conquer, where death was not the distasteful end, was no more.
The promise God declared, "you shall surely die," became the curse for every man, woman and child, for every creature that was created by The Lord God.
The curse of pain and sorrow, of exhausting labor, of thorns and thistles, rocks and sandy soil.
The Lord God rules,
This Will Be Your Life
"till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19)
The Lord God pronounced sentence. Judgment was made as Adam and Eve were driven from God's glorious world of Paradise to the world of selfishness.
It was not until God came to mankind in the form of a human - Jesus Christ, that a way to return to Paradise was made.
Paradise came at a heavy price. Jesus came to save our souls from the damnation of sin we carry and live under each and every day.
He bore the weight of every sin we possessed - past, present and future. He who knew no sin, went to the cross to redeem you (and me), to set us free to live a life of Love and Peace and Everlasting Life.
His death came and He was buried, but three days later, His body was resurrected.
He Arose! He Lives! He Reigns! Paradise is His.
Paradise can be yours too.
Come to the Father.
Come to the Lord Jesus.
Seek His forgiveness.
A New Beginning.
Accept His Love for you.
Believe He died for you.
Confess your sins to Him
and live
Paradise awaits!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
a prayer for less fear, more faith
I understand worry accomplishes nothing. So I strive to have less of it. I have conversations with God about my concerns. It seems I have these conversations almost daily.
I am reminded of who is in charge and what I don't gain by worrying. Of course, by taking it to the Lord first I am at least on the right track. And when I take it from him, I at least return it. I know He can. I guess my fear is He won't.
Our resources, our financial resources, are pitiful at best. I'm sure there are others who are shouldering similar burdens or worse. Being surrounded by others in a similar boat doesn't really ease the concern however.
I pray. The Lord hears the heartfelt words I pour out, written on paper and shared now with the few who may read these lines.
Oh Lord, I have sought Your help. I came first to You. I wondered what to do, how will we make it work. We do not have enough funds. We would have IF we hadn't spent some of it earlier, a few months ago. You provided. Perhaps you are angry with us, with me, and now You are showing us exactly what that means. You know we needed the money when we took some out of savings. Were we not to take it? Now we are $320 short and taxes are due. Plus we had the brakes replaced on the car. The cost is astronomical. How will it be paid?
Some say just right a check. Hah! Write a check and watch it bounce. I think not.
Do you want us to borrow from one place to pay in another? I somehow do not think so. But perhaps you do. Please tell us.
We've been given 6 months to pay for the car repair. A payment needs to be made every month. How we do that will be a testimony to You. Please Lord I ask that funds be made available.
I don't know where to start. Perhaps I am only scared to start because of what I know will be revealed. I need guidance Lord. Show me how to accomplish this.
If there are items in our house we can sell, please tell us what and where, how much and to whom we should sell. If there are products we currently pay for that we do not need, show us, show us both, not just me, but Jim as well. Show us what we need to discontinue.
Lord, help me place all my anxieties with You and then, help me to rest in Your promises that You will help.
You have helped before. Why would you not help again? Yet we perhaps presume too much?
We have fallen and in our struggle to get up, we fall again.
Oh Lord, I so want to do Your will and be in Your will always. I want our respective desires to be in agreement with one another.
Do we rely too much on income tax refunds? Should we not use those funds for longer trips, special places? Should we not go to the Cedar Falls Bible Conference this year? Should we see if we could stay with friends or family instead of renting a cabin? Should we drive back and forth? When do we go out East? When to Boone - Des Moines area? Everything is in an uproar and my mind is full of when's and what if's.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,and it shall be done for you." - John 15:7
"Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." - Mark 11:24
Believing, without doubt, that God can do all He says.
Lord, I pray it is Your will, more funds will become available to pay what needs to be paid when due. Lord, I believe in You. There is no doubt that You can and have and will. You are the master of the universe. I seek Your wisdom, Your advise, Your aid. Guide me, show me the way. Bring me peace. Take my anxiety, my fearfulness away. Bring me rest from the endless thinking and rethinking. Bring me peace. I have peace. I know You will deliver. I am a witness, a recipient of Your undying love. Help my unbelief Lord!
I pray in Your Name.
Amen.
I am reminded of who is in charge and what I don't gain by worrying. Of course, by taking it to the Lord first I am at least on the right track. And when I take it from him, I at least return it. I know He can. I guess my fear is He won't.
Our resources, our financial resources, are pitiful at best. I'm sure there are others who are shouldering similar burdens or worse. Being surrounded by others in a similar boat doesn't really ease the concern however.
I pray. The Lord hears the heartfelt words I pour out, written on paper and shared now with the few who may read these lines.
Oh Lord, I have sought Your help. I came first to You. I wondered what to do, how will we make it work. We do not have enough funds. We would have IF we hadn't spent some of it earlier, a few months ago. You provided. Perhaps you are angry with us, with me, and now You are showing us exactly what that means. You know we needed the money when we took some out of savings. Were we not to take it? Now we are $320 short and taxes are due. Plus we had the brakes replaced on the car. The cost is astronomical. How will it be paid?
Some say just right a check. Hah! Write a check and watch it bounce. I think not.
Do you want us to borrow from one place to pay in another? I somehow do not think so. But perhaps you do. Please tell us.
We've been given 6 months to pay for the car repair. A payment needs to be made every month. How we do that will be a testimony to You. Please Lord I ask that funds be made available.
I don't know where to start. Perhaps I am only scared to start because of what I know will be revealed. I need guidance Lord. Show me how to accomplish this.
If there are items in our house we can sell, please tell us what and where, how much and to whom we should sell. If there are products we currently pay for that we do not need, show us, show us both, not just me, but Jim as well. Show us what we need to discontinue.
Lord, help me place all my anxieties with You and then, help me to rest in Your promises that You will help.
You have helped before. Why would you not help again? Yet we perhaps presume too much?
We have fallen and in our struggle to get up, we fall again.
Oh Lord, I so want to do Your will and be in Your will always. I want our respective desires to be in agreement with one another.
Do we rely too much on income tax refunds? Should we not use those funds for longer trips, special places? Should we not go to the Cedar Falls Bible Conference this year? Should we see if we could stay with friends or family instead of renting a cabin? Should we drive back and forth? When do we go out East? When to Boone - Des Moines area? Everything is in an uproar and my mind is full of when's and what if's.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,and it shall be done for you." - John 15:7
"Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." - Mark 11:24
Believing, without doubt, that God can do all He says.
Lord, I pray it is Your will, more funds will become available to pay what needs to be paid when due. Lord, I believe in You. There is no doubt that You can and have and will. You are the master of the universe. I seek Your wisdom, Your advise, Your aid. Guide me, show me the way. Bring me peace. Take my anxiety, my fearfulness away. Bring me rest from the endless thinking and rethinking. Bring me peace. I have peace. I know You will deliver. I am a witness, a recipient of Your undying love. Help my unbelief Lord!
I pray in Your Name.
Amen.
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