A Difference

Hope and faith are similar.  For Hope in its essence is like faith in that they both involve trust or belief in God.

Faith is believing God in the here and now, each and every day.  It is built up as we look at our past as Christians and seeing the past and believing Jeremiah 29:11-13 is for today.  Faith is believing we came to the end of ourselves and couldn't do life alone anymore that we need help the rest of the way, and that the same is true today, and that today is everyday.

Hope is believes God will be just as faithful and more so (if that is possible!) in the days to come.

In a personal aside, I've been forcibly reminded this week of how many miracles take place in my life every day.  I was driving home from various things this week, after taking my sweetie of 46 years of marriage, to appointments and I realized how blessed I am at nearly 70 still being able to handle heavy city traffic.  I see better than most people my age, I hear and react better than most people my age and I exercise by walking, trotting or biking several miles a week and doing Pilates 3 days a week.  All of that helps along with eating correctly more than most, but I'm not perfect and I am totally blessed.  What a miracle that I'm healthy and able to take care of my sweetie who has trouble seeing, remembering and hearing.  It nearly blew me away when I thought of all the things I do and take for granted.  Yes, I take miracles for granted everyday!

The question came to mind if I want to take such blessings for granted.  The answer was an immediate, No, I do not!  Therefore, I'm much more conscious of taking what the Lord has given me as a total blessing each day.  I thank you Lord!

In today's religious/spiritual circles it is popular to focus on love and nothing else that goes beyond human ability to understand.  That's really sad for neither religion nor spiritual belief in la-la ville will do you any good.  Knowing what the Son of God said, repenting of sin and love are necessary for a living relationship with the Living Jesus.  Therefore, I think you could say that this is a blog of exhortation.

First of all do you know what repentance really involves?  It isn't complicated, but it reaches are far beyond your usual boundaries.  The reason being that repentance involves turning 180 degrees from the path you've been traveling.  What does that mean?

You can puff yourself up in indignation 

It means that the limits you've set for yourself are redrawn.  By repenting of sin and asking Jesus to come in and be Lord of your life you are bound by the law of love.  Guess what!  That yoke is easy and  doesn't mean you won't sin again, but that you want to do those things that please God, His Son and the Holy Spirit.  So yes, you are set free from the law, but no one is ever free from the consequences of their actions!  Wow!  Sobering, isn't it?  The reason is that while you have freedom to sin, you chose not to when temptation comes along; also that God has not changed his morality, but we are not bound to what the law says is our penalty is (death forever) but we will pay the consequences of our actions.  

Yep, there is always a consequence.  Some people pay for eternity.  Some just for this lifetime.  The choice is yours.  You may puff yourself up in indignation and you'll be full of hot air.  May I suggest you chose knowing God!

A new blog for the renewed me. In the last two years I've become a different person in many ways and would love to share that with you. The journey has been unique for me and I hope you give you a glimpse, when I have the time to write, and refuse to feel guilty when I can't. Yes, posts could be very sparse, but I'll try to make them meaty when I do post. Come along on this new venture as I find where the Lord Jesus leads me in finding my home in Him. Not with Him, but in Him! It should be an adventure.