Jesus himself makes a startling statement in Matthew 7:22-23,

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Can you imagine anything more devastating than taking your salvation for granted, and finding out on judgement day that your Christianity was a sham in Jesus’ eyes? In a day and age where people claiming to be Christians are “prophesying” and doing miracles in Jesus’ name, it pays to have discernment…and the only way to gain reliable discernment is to study our Bibles, and see what God says about salvation and the fruit of true Christianity. If it can’t be 100% proven by the Bible, then what are we doing trusting in what man says, over what God says?

Case in point. I really thought I was a Christian. My parents assured me that I’d prayed the “prayer” when I was two years old. At the age of seven, I began sweating my own “un-recalled” salvation experience. I now realize that God was prodding my heart. My biggest question at the time, was childishly simple:

Is there a difference between believing Jesus died for me on a cross 2,000 years ago, and believing any historical fact, such as “Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492″?

That question plagued me as a seven year old! I was raised in a godly home, a pastor’s daughter, my parents knew that I *knew* the ABC’s of salvation, but they didn’t know that I didn’t understand the heart’s involvement and response to what Christ had done for me. I was so young, that my head was nodding to the factual side of what needed to be done, but my heart wasn’t involved. Sure I wanted to escape hell, who wouldn’t. Sign me on the dotted line! I didn’t have a fruitful Christian life on the inside until more recently in my adult years. Thus, I fully believe a person can be a very good, moral person, and believe that they are doing everything required by a  church, or a fellowship of believers, to fit in, to be of “service” to God…and even bring others to the saving knowledge of Christ, but not be really saved. We’ve got to remember that to the Lord, all our righteousness is as filthy rags. It’s HIS righteousness, never ours, that makes the difference.

I urge you, if you are a “Christian” with doubts, please be sure you aren’t trusting in any of the following:

1. Someone else’s assurance that you indeed “prayed a prayer” of faith when you were very young.
2. Infant baptism, or any other baptism for salvation. Don’t take my word on this, study the instances of baptism in the Bible. There are no cases of infant baptism, and all other instances of adult baptism follow decisions of salvation.
3. Faith in a prayer you prayed. The prayer doesn’t save you. Jesus’ shed blood on the cross saves you, once you repent of your sins and turn to Him, believing! Did Jesus or Paul ever outline a “salvation prayer” in the New Testament? A “1-2-3 Pray-after-me” type of prayer? No.
4. Did you “make a commitment” to the Lord? Did you “trust Jesus as your Savior”? Did you “give your heart to Jesus”? None of these phrases have Biblical backing when it comes to salvation.

Let me say this again. Faith doesn’t save you. Christ saves you, and faith is the channel that gets you there.

What does it take to be saved? Different denominations make different claims. Check them to see if they are biblical. Repentance of our sins, and faith alone in Jesus’ shed blood alone, is what saves us. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve eternal life.

Our pastor reminded us last Sunday, that there are two kinds of sorrow…a godly sorrow leading to repentance, and a worldly sorrow, somewhat akin to “regret”. Check out what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 about these two kinds of sorrow. (emphasis mine)

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though [it were] but for a season.

Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal, yea, [what] revenge! In all [things] ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Bottom line…we can come to Christ in prayer, and repent of our sins and believe that his shed blood on the cross wipes our debt of sin clean. But it’s not our prayer that saves us. It’s Jesus alone. If you aren’t trusting Jesus 100% alone to save you–you aren’t saved–works do not save. Works are anything your church says that you need to do in addition to the above…when you add works into the mix, you are changing the gospel, and making it as if Jesus death was in vain. Dangerous stuff as Galatians 2:21 tells us:

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Romans 10:9-10 says it so simply:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

This is only a partial glimpse into my own personal journey through this issue. I hope to share my full testimony here one day soon. Meanwhile, what would it hurt to re-examine your own heart before the Lord?

Our pastor has been taking us through the lives of Elijah and Elisha recently, and he has such a gift for placing us in the story. I’m often wanting to share my sermon notes here at the site, but usually run out of time. I just want to say up front, that the bulk of this post’s teaching are straight out of his mouth, as fast as I could jot them down, not my own. With the exception of a couple minor embellishments of mine…and with his permission to share it here, let’s dive right in!

But I digress. Naaman’s servants end up reasoning with their master. They point out to him that if God had asked something BIG of Naaman, Naaman would have done it. If he’d been told to do some “big tough guy thing” like slash his chest, walk on his knees on glass, make a sacrifice, etc. he would have obliged. But God was asking something simple. Wash and be clean. The servants implored him to “Do it and see if it works”.

Wash and be clean. Salvation is SIMPLE. We can’t do any great thing to earn or deserve it.

So today I want to take a closer look at Romans 9:6-13. As you read it with me, keep in mind that Paul makes the point in verses 6-7 that God’s faithfulness to Israel and His covenant promises to them would be kept…God wasn’t done with Israel–true Israel. And Paul then goes on to illustrate those points made, in verses 8-13. Let’s read.

Romans 9:6-13,

Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel:Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

For this [is] the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac;

(For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

An important thing to remember, is that we are talking about the nation of Israel here. That this is a national election to a specific purpose, not a personal election to individual salvation, is seen by Paul’s references to Israel in verses 1-5 as: Israelites, kinsmen, brethren…to whom God elected to receive the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants, national promises given to the Jewish people “of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came” (vs 5). The Israelites were the chosen race through which Jesus Christ, our Savior, Himself came in the flesh. Israel was blessed with many privileges, but all Israel did not accept these advantages. Paul is laying a foundation here for a great truth.

“For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” Romans 9:6b-7

What’s he saying here? That even though Ishmael and Isaac were both physically of Abraham, it would be through Isaac’s seed that the covenant promises would come. Isaac’s seed received blessings not given to Ishmael’s, through no merit of his own. God chose to bestow the incredible advantages mentioned in Romans 9:4-5 upon this nation of people.

Let’s check out the original story in Genesis 21:12-13.

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed.

It’s important to go back and check these references…because here we see, it was always about nations. Don’t misunderstand me, not “national salvation” but national service for God’s purposes. Both Isaac and Ishmael represented nations. And from Isaac came Jacob, whose name eventually changed to Israel–very fitting for the father of the 12 tribes of Israel. So these men are being referenced here not only as individuals, but as heads of nations.

In verses 10-11, Paul gives yet another example of God’s unconditional election of two nations. We know he is further expounding on these points by his wording at the beginning of verse 10, “And not only this;” This time it’s Rebekah and Isaac’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau, who are chosen for heads of nations. God told Rebekah this in Genesis 25:23,

And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

So we see Paul is quoting Genesis 25:23 in Romans 9:12: “The elder shall serve the younger.” We gain even further light on Romans 9:12-13, by checking out Malachi 1:2-4, which says,

I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? [Was] not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

Key point here–notice at the beginning, “you” is plural “ye” is always plural (which is super helpful, and one reason I find the KJV easier to study), and “hast loved us”. All plural references, even though Jacob and Esau are primarily referenced, as they were the heads of these nations. Then lastly, Esau is equated with the Edomites…and the end of Malachi 1:4 says it all: “The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.”

So Romans 9:12-13 is talking about God’s choosing nations for service, just as it plainly states. The election here deals with Israel’s rule over Edom, not about the spiritual salvation of Jacob or Esau. Romans 9:12 does not say that Jacob would be saved and not Esau, rather it says, “the elder shall serve the younger.”

Paul is writing at a pivotal time for the Jews. After centuries of being under the law and their exclusive claim to the promises, grace has come through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and things have changed to include the Gentiles. The Jews needed to understand that true spiritual Israel would see fulfillment of these promises, and that just being of pure Jewish lineage did not automatically guarantee individual salvation. True spiritual Israel are those who do not reject the advantages God’s given (Romans 9:4-5). Not only this, but true, spiritual Israel now has expanded to include Gentiles, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as children of the promise, even those who have no physical claim as descendants of Abraham.

Galatians 4:22-31 is a great passage shedding more light on how Ishmael and Isaac represent two covenants, one for bond and one for free, typifying the same struggle the Jews and Gentile converts were facing thousands of years later. That being, shall we rest in Christ alone for our salvation and the liberty of the gospel as sons of the “freewoman” (Sarah) and partakers of the promise, or are we to still be under the law, sons of the bondwoman (Hagar)? The answer for the Jews is the same answer for the Gentiles, as we’ve been “grafted” into their promises today (Romans 11:17):

Galatians 4:28 and 31,

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of the promise.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free.

Galatians 3:29,

And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

I’m so thankful that God had a plan for the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, aren’t you? In Romans 9, Paul helps us distinguish between personal and national election, and spiritual and physical Israel. Whom will God save? If you have personally accepted Christ’s sacrificial death for your sins, and in faith confessed Him as your Savior, you have met the conditions necessary to be one of God’s elect.

Jesus’ did it all, and all to Him I owe…won’t you surrender all to Him right now, if you haven’t already?

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;

Whose [are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Paul sets the stage in Romans 9:1-5, as a Jew himself, expressing his abject sorrow for his fellow Jews, those of the nation of Israel who have been rejected for the sake of the Gentiles. Romans 10:1-13 goes into this further, with verse one stating:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

And verses 12-13 in chapter ten:

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.

The tragedy here, for the nation of Israel, is their continual resistance to the Lord. In Romans 10:19-21, Paul quotes both Moses and Isaiah to this end:

But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

But Esaias is very bold and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

And if you keep reading, the very first verses in Romans 11 declare that God has not cast away his people Israel, but has preserved a remnant according to grace.

So we’re back to Romans 9:1-5. I want to zero in on verse 3, where Paul’s strong declaration of love for the Israelites seems a startling contradiction to the Calvinist doctrines of Unconditional Election and Limited Atonement:

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh…

Unconditional Election refers to a Calvinist doctrine maintaining that God chose certain humans for hell and certain for heaven, and Limited Atonement, likewise, is the belief that Jesus died only for the elect, not for the entire world*. If so, isn’t Paul’s statement in verse 3 in direct opposition to such a claim? Paul would wish himself accursed from Christ for the sake of the Israelites? Why would Paul dare to state such a thing, if he believed that his own salvation was “luck of the draw” so to speak, and that the Israelites themselves had nothing they could do differently to effect the outcome of their eternity. Who is Paul to oppose God’s sovereign will here, if indeed, the Israelites had been chosen by God before the foundation of the world for eternal damnation?

Furthermore, if the doctrine of Limited Atonement is true, that Jesus Christ died only for certain people*, then Paul is definitely out of bounds here to even express sympathy for those whom Christ himself did not die. Only if God were unwilling for these Israelites to perish and if Christ had died for them does Romans 9:1-5 make sense.

Romans 9 deals with the national election of Israel, and as we study it further, we’ll see how Paul distinguishes between national election and individual election. Namely, that Israel’s national election, did not guarantee them individual salvation. God’s “chosen people”, the Israelites, had rejected their Messiah. Thus, they could not fathom God’s acceptance of the Gentile race. Their objection is that it seemed completely contrary to God’s word, and His promises to their nation. We see in Romans 9, Paul’s earnest explanation of this tough concept to the Jewish people. Proof of this, is found in Paul’s summing up of Romans 9, in verses 30-33.

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*1 John 2:2,

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

This is a difficult passage taken by itself. Many people have been led down the road of Calvinism by majoring on certain of its verses. I can’t over-emphasize the importance of studying the whole book of Romans in order to truly grasp the truth of Romans 9. At the very least…read chapters 9-11. Also important is the greater context of the passages referred to in the Old Testament. Paul makes this easy for us, by embellishing Romans 9-11 with many quotes from the Old Testament, that when read in their context, shed a great deal of light on chapter nine’s meaning.

J. Vernon McGee’s Thru The Bible series says this about the theme of Romans chapter 9:

“Israel defined; Israel identified; the choice of Israel in the sovereign purpose of God; the choice of Gentiles in the scriptural prophecies.”

Further, McGee writes of Romans 9-11:

“it deals with the eschatological, that is, the prophetic, section of the Bible that reveals God is not through with Israel. Now as we begin chapter 9, notice that this has to do with God’s past dealings with Israel. In chapter 10 we will see God’s present dealings with Israel and, in chapter 11, God’s future dealings with Israel as a nation…”

This post is intended as a very brief intro to this study…maybe there are others who read here who have often been puzzled at certain verses in this passage, verses that seem to lend credibility to the Calvinist’s claim that God created certain souls for hell and certain souls for heaven.  After all, Romans 9:21 sure seems to indicate as much:

“Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

But let me assure you, that the answers to these riddles are all to be found in God’s word, with just a little cross referencing. I hope you’ll be as blessed by this study as I have been.

Disclaimer: I am a woman, with no theology degree, with only a deep love for God’s word and a sincere desire to understand it. Differing stances on Romans 9, as we get into the series, will be welcome when accompanied by scripture references. Thank you!

Our pastor picked a great location, as usual. We spent the weekend creek-side, in a fantastic woodsy clearing complete with a gi-normous Zaccheus tree and tree house, and a forest maze adjacent to a pasture for night-time hayrack rides. All our meals were fireside ones…and we had the convenience of a portable outhouse on the premises. What a grand time we had escaping to the woods for this three day getaway!

Upon our arrival Friday night, we were greeted by an impressive firepit that the men put together, including even a stone oven (far left) that required, if I remember right, two hours of preheating to bake the bread we ate with our hobo meals on Saturday night.  When this shot was captured, the guys hadn’t yet covered the stone oven with the huge stone “lid”.

After admiring the set-up, we quickly got our bacon-wrapped, cheesy sausage stuffed peppers on the grill cooking, for it was almost time to roast brats and hot dogs. Two kinds of baked beans were simmering away, and all our friends were milling around greeting one another. It was past time to set up our tent!

Friday night’s after supper activity was perhaps my favorite of the weekend. We went on a night hike. In the dark. With no flashlights. I know…we walk by faith not by sight, but this was a little stretch for yours truly. Pastor did have a high beamed flashlight–for emergencies–but the point was to stay close enough to the person in front of you that we all made it across the creek and through the forest maze to the pasture in one piece. Yes. Through the creek. Imagine walking this skinny semi-squishy path through the creek, IN THE DARK, totally holding your breath and hoping that the personnel in front of you are all faithfully following the man-in-the-know! Then imagine the relief *I* felt to make it through with dry tennies. Whew. :O)

Our night hike was replete with hilarity as we stumbled along, waiting for our night vision to kick in. Did you realize that after about fifteen minutes, you really can see fairly well in the dark? I’m here to tell you it’s true. (Can you tell I’m a big time flashlight wimp?)

So we arrived on the other side of the Big. Scary.Woods. to find a tractor and hay trailer just waiting to give us a long, winding ride out to pasture. When we arrived, our Pastor gave us a tour of the stars, taught us how to navigate by the North Star, showed us the difference between satellites and airplanes, and pointed out a planet rising in the distance. What I learned: that the North Star is not the brightest star in the sky! And that the constellations move around the North Star in such a way that you can tell time by their positions. Sooo…if you are following the “brightest star” thinking it is the North Star, you will be going in circles all night. It’s so important to make sure you are building on the right premise, the right foundation, before you take off!

Back at camp, we settled in our sleeping bags for a chilly night. Soon we heard coondogs tearing up the countryside. That went on for….. hours. Morning arrived, and we all gathered around the campfire to cook breakfast. Scrambled eggs and blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. And hot chocolate too, made with raw milk and cocoa. Mmm. Mm.

Saturday was full of fun, but I especially wanted to share our morning activity devotion. Pastor led our troop back through the woods, to the pasture, and told the kiddos that he’d be hiding something in plain sight, that they’d be able to see, but not find. We watched him trek out about fifty feet, and stick an orange flag in the ground. So far so good. Till he pulled the blindfolds out. Boys against girls. Each competitor got spun around a few times, and pointed in the right direction. Aiming straight for the flag , how could they miss? We soon learned that even when we thought we were walking a straight line, it’s impossible to walk a straight line in a blindfold. Even yours truly almost walked a complete circle back to where I’d started, and I was *sure* I’d walked straight! Needless to say, it made for an excellent lesson on the importance of having a reference point to keep us on track in this life. For Christians, that reference point is the Bible. Without the Bible as our compass, we are doomed to walk in circles, as the Israelites did for forty years in the wilderness after disobeying God. Also key, is that each of the participants just *knew* they were walking as straight as they could. We were all floored to take off our blindfold and see how far off course we’d gone. Proverbs 16:25 sums it up well,

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

It begs the question, are you following your own ways, or God’s ways? Are you sure?

That wasn’t the end of the navigation lessons. Our group built a compass with the help of a shepherd’s staff, some sticks and the noon-day sun. We learned how to determine “South” with the sun and a wristwatch.

Saturday’s lunch was organic lamb-burger sloppy joes in the dutch oven, potato salad, fresh fruit and chips, with cookies for dessert. Saturday evening we all enjoyed custom made “Hobo meals”–foil wrapped patties made with grass-fed beef, and topped with sliced carrots, potatoes, celery and onion and then dolloped with a splash of cream of celery soup. Alongside these, which baked directly on the campfire coals, were foil wrapped baked apples, stuffed with a cinnamon-butter-brown sugar-raisin mixture, and wow, were they a hit! We also had the stone oven bread, which baked in record time…and we must confess, we had to sliver off the top layer because it was slightly……blackened. HOT oven. Otherwise, the rolls were P.E.R.F.E.C.T!

Saturday evening we had another lesson in keeping our eyes on the Lord and His word to stay on the straight and narrow, plus an excellent talk on consciences and what the Bible says about them. To illustrate, Pastor had a type of gyroscope he’d made from a bicycle tire, with handles in the center of the spokes on each side. A gyroscope is a scientific instrument, that when spinning, stays upright and on course. You can balance a spinning gyroscope on a ballpoint pen, and even when you tilt the pen sideways, the gyroscope will not fall over or change directions. It’s another kind of compass. A few of the men were called up to test the theory. The tire was spun, then the men walked a straight line and as per instruction, tried to suddenly turn and go back the way they’d come. But the gyroscope bucked the change of direction and the guys had their hands full trying to change course. Yet another great reminder that God gave us tools–our consciences and our Bibles–to stay on course. And the cool thing is, that even when blindfolded, the person toting the spinning gyroscope will be able to effortlessly walk a straight line!

After this Saturday evening devotional, we sang hymns and visited around the campfire. And all was quiet in our tents Saturday night. Well, in most of our tents. *Smile*

Sunday morning we did scrambled duck eggs and homemade lamb-burger sausage with campfire toast smothered in homemade blueberry jam. See all the happy campers?

Sunday morning we all enjoyed finding a solitary spot of beauty for a 45 minute personal time with God…then we met and shared what we’d been reading…for church, Pastor taught on the “Wilderness Church”, referencing Acts 7:38, 1 Corinthians 10:1-11, and Hebrews 11:32-40. Pretty appropriate, as we’d been having “church” all weekend in our own beautiful wilderness. As we do every Sunday during summer, as the weather permits. The church is not a building, it is not *where* you meet, it is the body of believers themselves. And having “church” outdoors, is about as New Testament as it gets!

One last meal together, and it was almost time to wrap things up. But first, we had some more fire building techniques to learn. One of our pastor’s burdens and practical ministries is his training of missionaries, and folks like us, on how to survive primitive conditions. Water purification tips, wild edible identifications, fire building, etc. So he showed off some handy portable camp stoves that operate on twigs and leaves, and taught us how to build a Dakota fire hole. I want one! A Dakota firehole (pictured left) is a bell shaped hole in the ground, about 12 inches deep, with an angled “tunnel” to another smaller hole, dug on whichever side it will catch the prevailing wind. Into the bigger hole go sticks and leaves, and thus your fire is well insulated, the flames barely visible, and wow, aren’t you impressed? I know I was! Of course, our prevailing wind was David there in the pic…he did a good job, we got flames!

Lastly, a pic of the giant treehouse, taken from the ground…

We already can’t wait till next year! One of our little campers said it well: “I think we should do this every month!”

Big thank you’s to all of you that worked so hard to make this such a memorable weekend! Our family has been so blessed by your faithful witness, example and adherence to the straight teaching of God’s word. Thanks to you, 2011 has been a “closer walk with Thee” for this family!

I was so struck by Dr. Stauffer’s comments about the “personification” of the word of God, that I jotted the scripture references down in my special Bible notebook. So here we go!

Perhaps the first one we all think of, is John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Doesn’t get much more equitable than that, or so I thought.

But it just gets better and better.

Check out Proverbs 30:4-5, noticing the questions raised, that I’ve bolded:

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?”

(and verse 5 gives us the answer to the six questions in verse 4)

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Incredible! Do you see that? The answer to “what is his name and what is his son’s name” is “every word of God is pure”! Do you see how the very next word after “pure” is “he”, referring back to the word of God? I love it.

Another good one,

John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Notice that the “Word” dwelt among us. Another reference to Jesus being the word of God.

Another awesome one, in Romans 9:17,

“For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.”

This passage in Romans 9, is referring back to Exodus 9:13-16, noting specifically the first few words of verse 13, and how verse 16 directly corresponds to Romans 9:17. Here we see that the “scripture saith” of Romans 9, is what “the Lord said” back in Exodus 9! A classic example of how the word of God is personified.

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that [there is] none like me in all the earth.

For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

And in very deed for this [cause] have I raised thee up, for to shew [in] thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”

Galatians 3:8 mentions the “scripture” as “seeing”:

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.”

Lastly, for this blog post, is the wonderful passage of Hebrews 4:12-13,

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

So we see the scripture, both the written and spoken word of God, coming alive…ascending into heaven and descending, gathering the wind in his fists, binding the waters in a garment, establishing all the ends of the earth, shielding those that trust in him, becoming flesh and dwelling among us, as a quick and powerful sword of the spirit, seeing all things and speaking both as the Lord, and as Scripture to his people.

Is it any wonder, that He would promise to perfectly preserve His words forever according to Psalms 12:6-7? And that we’re warned several times of the grievousness of adding to or changing His words? (Deut. 4:2, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18-19)

When we all get to heaven, do you think He’ll say, “Hey, listen, you took my words just a little too seriously there on earth. Lighten up, will you?”

Rather, this is what He tells us is at stake:

John 12:48,

“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

May God lead us all to a knowledge of the life-changing truth of His words before it’s too late.

I saw the telltale signs of hornworm action on two of the tomato plants. Grrr. The hunt began. It always scares me how well those large green worms blend in on a tomato vine. The damage they do is very obvious–they eat the end leaves off of the tomato plants, leaving an empty nub–but the worm itself is good at “making like a vine” and camouflaging itself till your nose is inches away and you suddenly see the thing. Ugh.

Isn’t that the way it is with life? Sometimes you see the effects of sin in your life…perhaps cutting you off from bearing fruit for Christ, or having fruitful relationships with others. Sometimes you have to trace that sin down and deal with it. Maybe it’s plainer to others than it is to you. Whatever the case, if you let it go, it will destroy you and the consequences will spread to those around you…if it’s a hornworm, pluck it off and smash it; if it is a weed, uproot it and throw it in the burn pile before it takes over your life.

Gardening with children is a great way to teach discernment. Last week we were weeding the onions. We have a long row and a half of onions, and it is a wide row, so there are three onions across, then four, then three, alternating in a foot wide raised bed. Lots of training opportunities while weeding with kiddos. Onion tops are green, so are most weed tops. The good and the bad grow side by side, close comparison helps one to discern what to leave and what to pull.

Side by side comparison in real life is helpful as well. Whether it be in the garden, or when choosing the best Bible translation, there is no better way to gain discernment than comparing the good and the bad side by side for their differences.

In creation and in spiritual things, discernment is critical. Take wild edibles for instance. With wild edibles, poisonous plants and medicinal plants often look alike. Do you know how many campers have dined on what they thought was wild carrots, when in fact it was a poisonous look-alike, poison hemlock? Deadly mistake. Sometimes close inspection is necessary for survival. Whether it be physical or spiritual.

Another parallel to this consideration would be Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares. A tare in the field looks exactly like the wheat, but at harvest time, the wheat produces fruit, and tares do not. 2 Timothy 2:19 tells us that “the Lord knoweth them that are his”…We’re also told a few verses earlier, in 2 Timothy 2:15, that we’re to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Discernment is key if you are Christian living in today’s world. It’s easy to be confused by counterfeits.

Just some thoughts from my garden.

1 Thessalonians 5:21, “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.”

I always double this, and go heavy on the spices and cracker crumbs. But here is the original recipe.

Baked Wild Salmon Fillets

• 4 salmon fillet
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 stick butter melted
• 1/2 of an onion diced
• 1 cup (or MORE)  cracker crumbs (we like Back to Nature cracker rounds)
• juice of 1 lime or lemon

Preheat oven to 350″F. Blend seasonings together and rub into fish. Roll seasoned salmon into the cracker crumbs, packing the crumbled crackers onto the fillets. Put in 9×13″ glass dish. Sprinkle each fillet with diced onions and drizzle with lime or lemon juice, about 3/4 TB per fillet. If you have crumbs leftover, go ahead and add them to the dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes and dig in!

These were AMAZING with fresh steamed garden asparagus, tossed salad and homemade Texas toast! My mom likes to bring her double burner cast iron griddle and a loaf of French bread, which she and the girls slice and butter (real butter all the way, man!) both sides, then grill on the griddle. Ta-da–Texas toast, and is it ever delicious.

Fun way to round out the family time: Quiddler. If you like word games, such as Scrabble and Boggle, you’ll love this one.

Why not schedule a Bible study luncheon of your own?

We’re loving springtime, and the births and firstfruits (like rhubarb and asparagus!) that accompany it. Besides the two foals, we also have six kids (of the goat variety!), and around 160-something chicks. And a Border Collie Mama-to-be that is so big we think she must have about 20 pups in the making! This spring we also got started in the “worm” business. Yes, that’s right. My basement is housing a mini-worm farm, for composting purposes here at home. Worm castings are an incredible source of organic, non-toxic fertilizer for boosting the nutrient health of your seedlings, transplants, and for later side-dressing of veggies. It’s been INTERESTING, to say the least! :O) My hubby says that beekeeping is on our horizon as well! Sweet! 

But I have to say, that the best thing about life these days, is the joy of waking up each day with a heart so full of bride-like love for my Maker and the new found hunger for His word that just leaves me in awe every minute of the day. I’ve been passionate about many things and people in my life…from family and friends to writing, homeschooling, homesteading, “Christianity,” etc. But nothing compares to the light of His word, that the Holy Spirit has fanned from a flicker to a flame in my personal life this past year. Nothing else has come with such a price tag, costing me on many counts as God prunes the unnecessary from my life, replacing what I once held dear with things of greater eternal significance. Regrets in this process? No way, except that I wish it had happened earlier! This is the relationship with my Heavenly Father that I’ve always longed for, and wondered how people of old could gladly suffer and die for…

Ephesians 5:14,

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

2 Corinthians 4:6,

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Like a little foal that doesn’t know what’s good for him till he’s brave enough to leave what’s comfortable and respond to the draw of his long-suffering and patient owner crouched in the corner of the corral, we’re so silly sometimes about putting God off for a rainy day. Why not seek Him now, with your whole heart, casting off any preconceived notions and just letting Him speak to you through His word?

Psalm 119:130 says,

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

My friend, there is light in abundance there, for both your darkness and mine, and an eternity more while we’re at it.