Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

God never said our walk with Him would be easy,
He never said our faith would not be put to the test!
He did say, “Come to me, for my burden is easy
and my yolk is light. Come to me and I will give you rest!
Yes, in Christ we will have times of rejoicing and jubilation,
But its during times of trial and temptation
that our faith in Him will grow strong!
And even though the night and hard times may seem long
In the morning there will be gladness
For He will comfort our tears of sadness

We all know hard times may come with out warning,
But we will trust in HIs goodness and from Him we won’t be turning
I will remember that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end, for they are new every morning.
Yes, these are the lessons we keep on learning!

 ”Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?  If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!  They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:7-11

What a glorious day to celebrate, remember and rejoice in our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  Started off the day with a great sermon at church and hearing the choir sing.  Hearing the choir sing made me think of how we will be singing with millions upon millions of other believers one day in heaven in worship to our God!  Can you imagine how amazing that will sound?   As I said, it was a wonderful sermon and I would highly recommend going to our church’s website http://www.cbcroseville.org/sermons.php and listen to the sermon from today, April 24th, 2011. 

The older I get, the more I realize what a complete wretch I am!  I need a Savior!  Praise be to God for sending His only Son to pay the penalty for my sins!  Thank you God for reconciling me to you through your Son!

The below song is one of my favorites!

“In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
’til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand”

In light of all the hoopla coming out in regards to Rob Bell’s new book, I figured I would do some more research on him and be reminded of what he is all about.  I’ll admit, I’ve not read a single one of his books, nor do I desire too.   A while ago, Bryan and I were part of a small group that did a study using the NOOMA videos, so that is what I am most familiar with at this time.  

Yesterday, I watched the belowYoutube video and I was once again reminded of how Rob Bell takes scripture and twists it.  Using scripture, the pastor made points that sums up Rob Bell exactly. 

Exposing Rob Bell

People, please be aware of what the Bible says in regards to those who preach a different gospel then the one Jesus preached.  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galations 1:8

Tonight, Bryan and I went to his work Christmas party.   It was the first time I left Katherine for more then a couple hours.  Katherine turns 4 months old on the 23rd of December and still nurses quite frequently, so I wasn’t quite sure how she would do if we left her with a babysitter.  I made sure she had a bottle, but she still hasn’t gotten the hang of using a bottle as opposed to feeding with Mommy.   We were gone for nearly 3 hours and decided to call back to the sitters (ie, my younger sisters) to see how she was doing- which was not well!  She wouldn’t take her bottle and was crying every few minutes.   We left the party and when we pulled up in front of the house where my dear baby girl was, my sister was in the window, holding Katherine in her arms and you could see that Katherine was crying.  I walked into the house and took my baby in my arms and  immediately she stopped crying!  It was as if she had an off and on switch- Katherine’s reaction was so immediate.   It just made me feel so special and blessed.

As I fed her, I got to thinking that Katherine’s longing for me, her mother,  is comparable to how we should long for Christ!  We aren’t going to be satisfied until we have Him and only Him.  Nothing and no one else will do.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”  Phil. 3:7-21

My Grandpa Summerville died in 2004, and I wrote this poem for him right before he passed away.   I don’t write poems very often and when I do, I usually need a major inspiration.   Knowing that we have the hope of seeing Grandpa again in heaven gave me the inspiration to write this one.   Knowing that he is in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a most encouraging thought! As Christians/believers in Christ, not only do we get to be with our God forever, we get to be with those loved ones who died in Christ forever as well!  I also like to think of life eternal in terms of these verses from Hebrews 12.

^“1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Black and White Pictures

Black and white pictures tell of life’s trials, of hopes and dreams, of the past, present and the future,

Of memories, tears and smiles.

A black and white picture, a young family of four,

my great grandparents, so fresh and young, already have slipped through the hourglass of life, departing through heaven’s door.

Time is so precious, it flies by so fast

Life like an hourglass slips away,

and my heart ever hopeful rests on this thought each day,

“Only one life to live, twill soon be past,

Only a life that’s lived for Christ will last.”

From that black and white picture, two young children squirmed, so innocent and mild, a great-aunt and my grandpa, what ever happened to that child?

Before anyone could blink an eye,

my Grandpa has grown old, gray and withered and now is ready to die.

I am sad but happy, knowing that soon, into his Savior’s arms he will fly.

Then he will have life with no aches or pains, no tears of sadness,

Then he will forever worship our Lord Jesus with a heart full of gladness.

A black and white picture filled with vibrant young soldiers, in the corner, Grandpa’s young and handsome face.

A war they fought, and with their precious lives,

freedom was bought.

Today the picture is incomplete, too many blank spots to count, and that face in the corner is fading away, soon to leave another blank space.

A black and white picture, another family filled with tears and joys,

Grandpa and Grandma and two young boys,

A good father and husband he did his best to be,

Running life’s race, trying to keep in sight his goal, the Lord,

Soon he will pass through the finish line cord

Grandpa’s life race is nearly complete, a race that everyone must take,

‘Tis a race not all complete,

Only with Christ by one’s side can one unlock chains of defeat,

and by His strength, the finish line meet.

God is truly amazing!  He is working through my Mom’s situation marvelously.

Sorry its taken so long to post another update, I’ve just been waiting to share anymore info until a couple things were decided, (which happened today)- Mom just went and got a second opinion today at the Cleveland Clinic, found a much less invasive way for her surgery, so now its scheduled for the 14th of December. She will have 12″ of her colon removed and should be home no later then a week after the surgery

Such a blessing the way that God worked that one out. My sister Anna had her scoliosis surgery there several years ago, so my parents would get regular newsletters from the clinic, which they usually tossed. A couple weeks ago, the Holy Spirit prompted my Mom to open a CC newsletter that she was just going to toss, and lo and behold, right there was an article about a less invasive type of surgery for colon cancer patients.

Please continue to pray that our Lord Jesus would completely heal her of this cancer!  Walking by faith can be so hard yet at the same time, it is so exciting!

Philippians 4:6, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.”

Mom

Well, my dear mother was having some issues so her dr. recommended that she get a colonoscopy.  My mom just turned 51 so having one of these procedures is pretty routine for anyone over 50.   They did find a polyp, which they removed.   We didn’t think anything of it as she had some removed when she was younger, (in her 20s).

Wednesday, the dr. called back telling her to come back in with a family member, (usually that means bad news).   My dad took my mom to the dr.  and the dr. informed that the polyp was cancerous with an invasive sort of cancer.   It was devastating news, and I cried most of the day yesterday and prayed very hard.   When I think of cancer I think of the worst case scenerio, which is death.    But God is so good… He has given us all a peace about it.

The next day after the diagnosis, which was last Thursday Mom was able to go in for a ct scan (to determine if the cancer had spread) and when that was over was able to get the results in a matter of hours.  (Another blessing from the Lord- it would have been so hard to wait over the weekend).     It hasn’t spread!  Praise God- we are now praying that nothing more needs to be done, that the cancer was removed in the removal of the polyp, no more surgery, chemo/radiation.

I inserted this post awhile ago, but for some reason it didn’t show up… so I am reposting it!

In light of words I’ve been hearing recently coming out of churches, I echo this man’s response… Run, Run from sin, run from anything or anyone that preaches anything contrary to God’s word and the truth of the Gospel- which is Jesus… Christ, crucified, risen and coming again; Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins so we could have eternal life with Him!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A6lWl_XzKA – Please watch!   It is TRUTH being spoken…

1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.   2 Timothy 4:1-5

5Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:5-12

My heart is really aching for our church nowadays, it seems as if Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross is being pushed to the side as if it has no importance.   A different gospel is being preached, and souls are being lost.

In truth, Jesus Christ’s sole purpose in coming to earth was to die on the cross for our sins so we could have a way to heaven, so we could have eternal life with Him!      This earthly life is just a blip in time, eternity is what matters.   The only way that we can get to heaven is through Jesus Christ.  Again, I reiterate, there is no other way.   Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to Father but by me!”  He also said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.^a”  (Read the whole chapter for a great reminder of why Jesus came to earth).

There is no way around it, if people don’t come to know Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are going to die and go to hell for eternity.

This world is hopeless, dying and falling apart, the only hope for it is Jesus Christ.   As believers, we must urgently spread this message at all costs.

I decided to start a blog, and initially I started one with Blogspot.com, but I saw wordpress.com and thought it was much more streamlined then blogspot.com.  So, I switched over.   We’ll see if I’ll be posting often with my busy “mom” schedule.

I love the beginning of a new day!  Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,  for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Every day is a fresh start with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.