Free Stuff

I love free stuff! "Buy one, get one free," "Free shipping," "In you act today, FREE." How about free samples? I love the little make-up samples at the mall. At those Bulk Discount Warehouses my kids love to sample the yummy foods, and they're free!

God offers us something wonderful, for free. It is the gift of eternal life. While we receive it without cost to us, Jesus paid the price in full so we could have this free gift. He died on the cross, paying the price for our sins. The wages (cost) of sin is death. But because Jesus paid that cost by his own death, then we are free to receive this gift.

But wait, there's more! If you act now, you will also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In addition to the gift of eternal life with God which you will receive at the time of your earthly death, you will also receive now, without waiting, the gift of the Holy Spirit. No shipping fees! Acts 2:38 says "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." There is no cost for this additional gift.

Act now! Don't miss out on this great offer. Simply confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

There is no phone call to make, and He doesn't need your credit card number! Simply pray something like this:

"God, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.”

Don't let this FREE offer slip away! And come back for more FREE STUFF on Wednesday.

John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 8:32 -- Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Galatians 1:3-5 -- Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

What a Friend We Have...

I'm doing a new bible study. I can't tell you the title or author, because the author has a little thing on her PC that alerts her when people write about her and she comes over and reads it and possibly even responds to it. It's Saturday night, and I'm just not up for that kind of pressure, but if you want to know the details, Sue J blogged about it here. So you can click over to read Sue's thoughts on the book.

This week the author is challenging us to think of God as a friend. I have to admit, I think of God as ruler, authority, king and judge, but friend? Not so much. Hey, it's just me & God hanging out. We're going to Starbucks and chat.

But really, what are the characteristics of a friend? Someone you want to hang out with? Isn't that exactly what God desires from us, a relationship, that we should want to be with him, hang out with him, spend time with him? How about someone you can talk to about your troubles? Psalm 147 tells us God heals the brokenhearted. Another thing a friend will do, a really good friend, will tell you when you're wrong. God tells us this because he loves us and wants us to do right. He doesn't shame us, or hold grudges. He forgives us.

John 15:13 tells us "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." I don't know how many of my friends who lay down their life for me, but my friend Jesus would and did so that I may spend eternity with him. That isn't just a friend. That is a best friend.

And so today, for Amy's Then Sings My Soul Saturday, the song I am thinking of is Redeemer, Savior, Friend. The chorus says "Redeemer, redeem my heart again. Savior, come and shelter me from sin. You're familiar with my weakness. Devoted to the end. Redeemer, Savior, Friend."

So today, I'm thankful for my friend, Jesus.

John 15:14, 15 -- (Jesus said) You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Joey - Part 2 - What Happens When Satan Attacks

On Monday, you read about Joey. (If not, you can click his name, and go back and read it.) All my friends already know the story of Joey. When I run into someone I haven't seen in years, one of the first questions they often ask is "How's Joey?" Everyone knew all about Joey. He was on everyone's prayer list, the topic of constant conversation. At his school, everyone knew Joey. And everyone loved Joey.

But there is another part to the "Joey Story" that few people know. It is the story of what happens when Satan attacks. You see, my sister ET was the first of the sisters to get Jesus. ADHD-Jo and I were more passive believers at this point. But not ET. She was welcomed in a church that loved her. She joined a bible study. She had been sprinkled as a child, but was immersed to show her personal commitment to Christ. She was living in Florida at the time.

She moved home to Virginia, much to our delight, and planned on finding a new church right away. But then Joey got sick. All of her time was spent on visiting doctors and trying to get her son healthy. Once he was given his diagnosis, ET's faith was shattered. I'd ask her about it and she'd say "God and I aren't on speaking terms right now." Obviously she still believed in God on some level, but her spiritual life ended. Her husband totally renounced God calling him "one mean {expletive deleted}" for what God did to his son. Nothing could convince him otherwise.

It has been 8 years since Joey got sick and ET has not been back to church since. But nothing is impossible with God. ET has a daughter who is 10. And she wants to go to church. She has been to church with us many times and is asking her mom to take her. The bible says "a little child will lead them."

There has to be some fear involved. Imagine if the first time you gave your life to God, Satan attacked you. Would you be able to fight off the attack? Would you be willing to go back to God again? None of us can say for sure what we would do, if we haven't been in that situation. But I know God can turn things meant for evil into good.

Will you pray today for ET & family? Thank you.


Dear Lord, this family has been through so much. And you have been there with them the whole time. You know exactly what they went through, even more so as you did lose your son, who died on the cross. Yet, you have protected them, and you have allowed Joey to be healed. Thank you. Now I ask in your mercy to heal ET as well, that she may open her heart to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

One Month to Live

Thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday from 2nd Cup of Coffee. If you're new here - thanks for coming back!

On Monday, I blogged about my nephew Joey who was given five years to live. (To catch up on this story, click HERE.)

What would you do differently if you had only 30 days to live? This is the premise behind the New York Times bestseller One Month to Live by Kerry and Chris Shook. I haven't read the book, but it looks intriguing, and is the subject of a meme hosted by Gerry, that I read about at Mommy Accountability.

When my sister was told her son only had five years to live (when he was 5 yrs old), she originally planned to not send him to school. She didn't see the point, she wanted to spend every second with him. Her husband intervened and insisted that she allow Joey to have as normal a life as possible. Imagine if she hadn't sent him to school? He now goes to a special school for the gifted and is in honors classes at the gifted school! He plans to go to MIT. Luckily, she made a wise decision, with the help of her husband.

A couple of weeks ago my favorite show (House) had its season premier. I'd had it on my calendar for weeks - Tuesday night at 9 on Fox. On that Tuesday night, I turned on the TV five minutes early so I wouldn't miss one second...except the network had moved the show to 8, so I only saw the last five minutes. I was so upset. Somehow I think if I had only 30 days to live, I wouldn't have cared. I wouldn't even be watching TV!

How would your life and mine be different if we only had one month to live? What would you do? Who would you reconcile with? How would you act differently?

I know that I'd hug my husband goodbye each morning as he left for work, holding him just a bit longer, rather than calling out "have a nice day!" over my shoulder as he walks out the door. It I'd spend more time with my kids, less time on the computer.

The bible tells us we don't know what hour the end times will arrive. We could all be called home tomorrow. We could have a tragic accident two weeks from now. We could live to be an elderly person.

It's something to think about, isn't it? What would you do in your life differently if you only had one month to live? And why don't you start doing it today?

James 4:14 -- Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Matthew 24:42-44 -- Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 -- Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.