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“I have chosen. Jesus, into your righteous hands I place my soul. I have been saved by your sacrifice. My path is lavish in your grace. You’ve changed the course of my life forever.”
T. Garafola You know, one of the things I love about Christianity is that you are not bullied into blind belief. Christ doesn’t want you to walk with Him with your eyes closed. He wants you to ask questions. He wants your trust and love. He wants you to see Him for what He is, a spectacular gift from God. I’ve been asked, if Jesus were the Son of God why would He allow Christ to die in such a heinous way? If you’re not sure, let me try to explain. We are all children of God. From the moment we come into this world kicking and screaming, to the very moment we exit it, we are the children of God. It doesn’t matter where you come from, where you’ve been. It doesn’t matter the color of your skin, nor does it matter what sex you are. God does not discriminate. He doesn’t love you less because you don’t fit in societies mold of what you should look like. God does not care what man made religion you have chosen to follow. He certainly does not want you to be harmed, especially, in His name. To God and Christ, you and I are His beautiful children. The Lord does not want us to suffer; He does not want to condemn us but as any parent would, He has commanded us to follow His rules, thus the 10 commandments and the Holy Bible. Jesus is not a fictional character, He is not a prophet, He is the Son of God. Plain and simple, God told us that Jesus is the way to Him. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” I’ll give you a super brief overview but as always, speak with a pastor and read from your Bible. Just as what we see happening now, humanity fell away from God. They were deceived by Satan and began worshiping false idols. Hay, they don’t call him the great deceiver for nothing. The devil knows what tickles our fancy; he knows how to tempt us and does a good job to-boot! We first became separated from God back at the Garden of Eden. Later, as the world plummeted into chaos, God cleansed the earth and gave us another try. But then we did it again; the world turned it’s back on God, so… He sent us His Son. Jesus taught His disciples and commanded them to share their knowledge so that others could be saved too. Those who feared the changes feared Him and accused Christ of blasphemy, demanding He be crucified. God knew they would sacrifice His Son but as He always does, God never allows suffering to go without purpose. By the sacrifice of Jesus, we were given the amazing opportunity to be reunited with our Creator, God. Christ died on the cross for all of us; even those who deny Him and His father. How do we know this? The Bible is not a fairy tale. It isn’t a collection of stories meant to frighten people into submission (as it’s often said). It is, in fact, a collection of books written by the prophets who witnessed the wonders and works of God Himself and His Son. When you reach out to Him, the Lord is there. Why should you believe in God you may ask? I say to you, why not? You have everything to gain! Think of it this way, if I believe in God, and I’m wrong (He doesn’t exist) then I’ve lost nothing. I’ve lived a good life. I’ve respected others. I’ve loved others as I wish to be loved and lived believing whole-heartedly that there is something more to this existence than me. I had faith that comforted me through my darkest hours. But, if I chose not to believe and I was wrong... I have a whole lot to worry about when I stand before God in judgment. It will cost me everything. Is the life of a Christian easier? Nope, it’s not easy at all but we have an amazing support system! Regardless of how society ridicules us, regardless of how foolish they say we are, God does exist; Christ is the way to heaven and the very best part of it all, They want us back. They don’t care about where we’ve been. They do care where you are going... Are you ready to give your heart to Christ? Then do it right now, don’t let another moment go by. You can talk to the Lord right there from your chair, go ahead, He’s waiting for you. There’s no need to fear or to be embarrassed. Speak what’s on your mind or if you need a little help… “Dear Lord, I’m ready for you. My heart is open, and my spirit is willing to receive you as my Lord and Savior. I’m here and ready to run into your open arms. Jesus, I know you gave your life for me, and I thank you with all that I am. Please Lord, wash away my sins and take control of my life. You are my God, and I am your child.” Your next step is to pick a church that adheres the Bibles teachings and standards. It’s okay to shop around for the one that makes you feel at home. Talk with the pastors and the people. Then take bible studies to grow in your understanding of God’s word. When you are ready, becoming an active member of your church is a great way to continue your spiritual growth and become part of a great community. Do you have more to say on the matter? Do you have questions or need to talk to someone? Comment below or send me an email. I always welcome and respond to respectful comments. May the Lord bless you and keep you now and forever. 1 Timothy 1:13 NIV “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
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Hello again, this was sent to me by email and I thought I'd share it with everyone. This is a good reminder that great things come in unsuspected packages. It's also a reminder to be grateful and loving to those who love us because we never know what the future brings or when our loved ones are called home to the Lord. And we should always remember to give God our time, after all, he took the time to wake us up this morning.
“Father help me please. Be merciful my Lord and hear my plea. I have been lost in this vast wilderness without hope. May your Devine light shine upon my wilderness and set my thirsty soul free.” T. Garafola I once read a cute but true saying, “No one ever promised us a rose garden but with the amount of fertilizer we get, we should have prize winners!” Author unknown. It’s easy to get lost in this world. So many days we feel alone and filled with uneasiness. While of course there are physiological reasons that can’t be ignored, there are so many more reasons why we feel the way we do. Life is stressful.. really stressful. And oh yes, we can’t forget about the news. If you want to feel bad, just watch the 6 o’clock news, with more at 11! There are days that the troubles of the world seem to be resting on our shoulders and then there are days it just feels like the whole world is out to get us. 
 Those of faith understand that God always answers our prayers. Of course though, the answers are in His time and are always what He knows is best for us. Sometimes the answer is ‘yes’ and it just fills us with joy. Then there are times that the answer is ‘no’ and we’re not so filled with joy. But, whenever He turns us down, it’s usually because it wasn’t the right choice for us. But… we have to be listening. We have to open our ears and quite our minds to hear the message being sent to us. When the answer is no, we should remember that God always has something better in mind for us. I know it’s sometimes hard to accept when you’re praying for an ailing loved one or praying for freedom from a difficult situation but it is the truth nonetheless. It is during those difficult times that Christ is the closest to us but… that’s a whole other discussion. The days that we are chained to despair and pray for freedom but don’t seem to get the loud and clear answer we hoped for, then maybe the Lord is waiting on us. Pray loud and hard, give your love and thanks to the Lord and then go out and seek some happiness. We have to look past the madness in the world and check out the goodness God created for all of us. As they say, don’t sweat the small stuff. Reach out to an old friend, make a new friend out of a stranger, love your family, sing a song of praise, go for a walk, go to the beach and watch the clouds sail by, enjoy nature, cuddle your pet, paint a picture, go to church or seek a bible study group to make new friends. There are so many things we can do to help ourselves become free of our burdens when pray and take full advantage of the wonders God has given us. Most importantly, know that God has everything under control.  “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13 NIV "Father, use me as your vessel always, may the Holy Spirit work through me.
That my words be the planter of the seeds that bear the fruit of your perfect love and Devine purpose and that my actions be a reflection of your Glory." T. Garafola "I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in Him bears much fruit. ~" John 15:5 |
Victoria GarafolaHi there! This devotional blog is a place for followers of Christ to share thoughts and experiences. Please remember to be respectful. Archives
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