NOTHING STAYS THE SAME, EXCEPT...

In this post I would like to point to my blog header photo. It is very special to me. Not only because I love living in the Oregon Outback, which I kind of consider by "backyard", but because within the past couple of years that sign has been missing. At the beginning, a semi truck slid into it and knocked it over. It layed there on its side for months. I waited and waited for someone to put it back up on its rock base. However, that never happened. During that time, I wondered whose responsibility it was to fix it. Next thing I knew, it was gone! The base remained but the wooden sign was just gone. I felt saddened by its disappearance. I made calls to different agencies and organizations to find out what happened to it and if it was going to  be replaced. No one seemed to know anything about it, not even when I gave them the location. The city sent me to the county. That county sent me to another county. Then that county sent me to the state road department. No one seems to even care about it. To me it was a special landmark. It marked the gateway into the Outback. I still do not have any answers as to its whereabouts. It may have even been stolen.

Proverbs 22:28 says, "Do not remove the ancient landmarks which the fathers have set." These were markers that marked out ones property. The command to not move them had to do with not stealing you neighbor's property.

Psalm 16:6 "The lines of my boundary have fallen in pleasant places. Surely my inheritance is delightful."  Ephesians 1:13&14 "In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him you also, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." 

I Peter 1:4 states that we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled  and unfading, kept in Heaven for us. This is all by Faith which according to Hebrews 11:1 is the "substance of things hoped for  and the evidence of things not seen." The Righteous live by Faith!

Jesus is our Boundary lines. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. Colossians tells us that it is in Him that all things exist and hold together. It is our responsibility to keep our boundary lines or landmarks within Him,

It is by Grace we are saved through Faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the Cross to remove the separation from God that came about through sin. We have now been brought back in and have received a beautiful eternal inheritance. The goal of our Faith is the Salvation of our souls.

I said all that to say that John 10:10 lets us know "the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy (our landmarks, our boundaries, our inheritance... in essence our FAITH). Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly."

We need to watch out in these last days to not allow our "ancient landmark of Faith" to be removed. We must not allow ourselves to be tempted to doubt what God has said like Eve did in the Garden. We must not allow ourselves to lose faith because of persecution or suffering. We must not allow ourselves to lose faith in the ability of God to expose the lies of the "thief". We cannot look to this world, the government, the economy, the medical field, the pharmaceutical industry or anything that promises hope in the natural. Those boundary lines are temporary. Some may disappear never to be seen again like my special landmark. Our boundaries are according to the Truth found only in Scripture and they remain firm and steadfast forever. We have to contend through Prayer, Fellowship and the Word of God dwelling in us richly. 

Encourage one another daily. Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever." Don't be deceived. Abide in the true Vine. Stay close to the Shepard. His Sheep hear His voice. Only through deep intimate relationship with Him can this be accomplished. 

I hope you have been encouraged by this "word". Love one another deeply!

BarbaraJean

 

One Purpose

 Well, I can't believe it has been over a year and a half since I have posted on this site! It seems in my life that there are seasons for all my different activities. That could just be an excuse for being lazy, but I would rather hope it is because there is something within me that wants my actions to count. So many times, we go through our days just filling time. We run here and there as circumstances would dictate. But how often do we say to the Lord, "What would you like me to do today?" It is He who has given you life and breath for each day and it is He to whom we give back that life. If we don't commit our days to Him and to His guidance, we can just go through them operating by rote, meaning, without much thinking or care, even mechanically. People who are depressed often perform in this manner and it helps them get through each day, however lifeless it may be. When you have the "Christ", who is Jesus, the Messiah, your days demand meaning. By the way, Christ is not Jesus's last name nor is it a name at all. It is a designation, meaning Anointed One, The Divine Son of God, the One sent by God to take away the sins of the whole world. We only need to Believe and Receive. 

Colossians 3:23-24 tells us to "Do all things heartily as unto the Lord, knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ." It is actually more than receiving a reward, it is knowing you are part of a divine plan and purpose. This life is temporary no matter whom you have chosen to serve or how you have chosen to live it. We are all leaving this planet at some point in time. Our biggest purpose is to show the Love of God so that people will be drawn to it and come to the realization that God wants the world to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. The Scripture says in Matthew chapter 5 to let our light shine; to let people see our good works. Why? So that God will be glorified. Our purpose as Believers is to point people to Christ. 

There was a time in my life I did not realize my purpose. I cared about people and was touched by their suffering. As a teen, I would try and stand up for those being bullied and abused. There was something within me that caused that reaction. I didn't understand God had placed that within me by design. He was preparing me to bring Him glory. "There is none righteousness, no not one.", Romans 3:10. That care and compassion for others comes only from our Creator Himself. But if we don't understand that we can begin to take it to ourselves perhaps beginning to believe we are such a good person. We were made that way to point to the One who with the strongest compassion had the perfect plan and ultimate power to deliver the hurting, not just temporarily but eternally. We can share a smile, give a word, dry an eye, put a bandage on a wound, but we cannot ultimately heal, deliver or save a soul. It is the power of the Love of God, through the Sacrifice of His Only Begotton Son on the Cross and the Resurrection of that Son, Jesus, from the grave that offers the permanent solution for man's suffering.

I said all that to say, that I want my life to point to Christ. I want my actions to cause people to know I live for Jesus and His Spirit within me is what touches them and draws them. I remember three years after I received Jesus as my Savior, my beautiful sister said, "If what my sister has is real, I want it." That is the impact I want to have as I walk through this life. 

So, whether I am posting a video on my YouTube channel, sharing a blog post, speaking to someone out in public, singing a song I have written, I want people to be drawn to something below the surface of my outward being. I want them to say, "What is it that I am feeling, sensing?" I want them to ask as opportunity arises, "What is it about you?" 

"...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15

Let's continue to walk each other home, living our lives with purpose and bringing as many with us as we are able by the Love of God in and through us! God bless and strengthen you all as you endeavor to live your life with purpose in these last days.