Category: Uncategorized

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

What if you trusted in God and he gave you everything you wanted? It is good to trust in the Lord, but is it really good to get everything your heart desires even if it is not really good for you. I submit to you that we do have free choice and a choice to choose what is good for us as well as what is bad for us. “However, personal freedom has to do with a decision to protect the heart, mind, and body from evil influences?” CHARLES STANLEY  Several years ago I wanted what I wanted and I didn’t care about being that obedient to GOD and his positive rules for my life. I didn’t realize that his tenets were not put in place to stop me from having fun in my life, but to protect my heart and soul. I only sought him when I was hurting. I took him off the shelve for my benefit. I didn’t realize I needed to keep him always in my life. And I was to take God permanently off of the shelve and obey his commandments. And that there could be value to me in living a positive life. This reasoning became apparent when a boyfriend that I thought would become a permanent fixture in my life suddenly dumped me. This was to be a permanent relationship with marriage as the conclusion. Heading off to my local church, I sought solace and comfort from God and felt so helpless and hurting. Upon reaching the entrance to the chapel a middle age woman accosted me. “So happy to have you here, she blurted. Welcome, Welcome, God is good,” She exclaimed, and then she quoted moving words and scripture that I wasn’t interested in hearing or willing to listen too. This was one of the reasons I had neglected coming to church in the first place. People always accosting me trying to save me and wanting to espouse their favorite reasons to convince me to love and obey the LORD. Didn’t she see that I was hurting? Did she not have any compassion? Just a religious nut, I thought. She then told me that when she was hurting she recited the 23rd PSALM sometimes over and over perhaps 100 times. Oh lardy, I though this woman is crazed. Didn’t she see my pain and anguish? What about me, me and me? Then she directed me to my seat. She said “The 23RD PSALM is so wonderful especially for me. You see I have three months to live. I have been diagnosed with an incurable type of CANCER!” I paused…….. I WAS WORRIED about a boyfriend dumping me? …How could I be so SELFISH?

Fast forward years later. I have had many trials and conflicts in my life some near death escapes, but I too wake up in the middle of the night repeating the 23RD PSALM and it peacefully gets me back to sleep. I often say it during the day when I am accosted by evil. It begins… THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD I SHALL NOT WANT!  I CHALLENGE YOU to Learn the rest of it for yourself. It will comfort you. It is HEALING!  A footnote…Is it good for GOD to give you what you want? The boyfriend that dropped me has since had three destructive and unhealthy marriages and divorces. Now my heart is calmer because God had a better plan for me. And he is permanently OFF THE SHELVE AND FOREVER IN MY LIFE! “WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I SHALL FEAR NO EVIL… HIS SWORD AND HIS STAFF THEY COMFORT ME!”

CATCHING THE RIGHT BUS

THE SALVATION BUS
Why do we need a Plan??????

Hey what is the Salvation Bus? What does salvation mean? The good old dictionary says “saving a person from evil.” One religion says “saving one from the consequences that might affect them in an afterlife.” My friend says” preparing to be with GOD not just “winging it.” That is “winging your life.” Why do have to have a plan or guide for living and preparing for an afterlife? What’s wrong with winging it? I can only tell you the story about my friend Pam in her own words:

I awoke one morning from a night of partying. How long had I been lying on the hard marble kitchen floor? I was still in my bright red silk party dress. My red swede shoes were thrown nearby and one appeared to have a broken heel. Had I fallen? Now I remember, my long time boyfriend and I had a horrible fight. He told me he didn’t love me anymore and that we were breaking up. I remember him slamming the door to my apartment and being left utterly alone crying in the darkness of the empty room. And then I had grabbed the bottle of wine and consumed most of it before I guess I had passed out. Dulled by the liquor, I didn’t have to feel the pain of loss and the thought of ending it all. My dear friend Angie had questioned me earlier in the week about my lifestyle and the boyfriend that was really just using me. She had told me, “God has a plan for your life it is for good not evil, it is for hope not despair.” She told me that I needed to realize that God cared and Jesus was a bridge to a better life. It was a chance for salvation and would I jump on the Salvation Bus with her, because there were passengers there that really saw the consequences of a destructive life and wanted to have a relationship with God. They wanted to be saved. It all sounded like a bunch of hooey to me!

Why would I want to have a relationship with a Savior who I trusted and wanted to guide my life? Why would I want to prepare for eternal life that would bring me peace and joy? What would I have to give up to achieve that? It was just too overwhelming to think about. But as the empty pain of loss filled the pit of my stomach, her words echoed into my ears. The words didn’t seem to be so stupid after all. I called her! As I sobbed into the phone, she gently prayed with me and that morning I gave my life to Jesus. It felt wonderful to let GOD take control and to know that I was going to jump on the Salvation Bus with Angie. My life now was going to get better, because I had a plan. My days of winging it were over.

Later that night the phone rang. It was my boyfriend explaining he was sorry. He didn’t want to break up and he had made a mistake. My mind froze for what seemed to be forever. My heart answered. Yes, I’m sorry too but I’m afraid I’ve given my love to someone else. Someone who loves me unconditionally and I’ll be jumping on the Salvation Bus. “What, What are you insane? What are you talking about,” he shouted. Sorry I exclaimed as I politely slammed down the phone. “I GOT A BUS TO CATCH!”

What do you want? Come and see. Find a forever Savior and open that door. Are you ready? The road ahead is not easy, but it will lead to your Salvation. Yes, gather others. Jump on that bus and go down that road. Come with me and change the world with me!

ARE YOU READY? THE BUS IS WAITING!