What are we saved from?

Here is a thought:

I was talking with a friend of mine and he asked me if I was saved. Well of course I said: Yes! Because I remember the night I asked Christ to come into my life. But then he asked me what I was saved from. Well, I told him from my own self, my sin, from eternal death...etc. He told me: Wrong. Here is what he said:

We are saved: 1. By God
2. For God
3. From God

Christ chose to save us. We deserved death. We still deserve death. But God did not unleash His wrath on us. Just like in the Chronicles of Narnia with Aslan the lion. God is good even awesome and amazing but He is not tame or safe. But Christ in His Sovereignty chose to give us a chance to escape this wrath (what Satan and his follwers will receive) and has give us the chance for eternal life forever living for Christ and glorifying His name. Although we may not live up to that yet here on earth, it is something we should strive for. No one is perfect, but because Christ is perfect, we must strive to be like Him, we must strive for perfection.



I'd like to hear ya'll's thoughts on this. Thanks!

Emm

A little something I thought I'd share...

Well, I am back! Lots of stuff has been keeping me busy, but this site is important to me. So I am going to update it as often as I can. I'm sure those of you who are keeping up with my site will appreciate that. :)

Just a little something I want to share...

This is one of the big things God has been teaching *me* lately. The thing is a lot of times...when God points out things in my life He doesn't like, but I do like, I often try to put God aside saying "Oh it isn't that bad..besides! I love it too much to give it up." You are probably wondering what exactly it is I'm talking about.

I was listening to something on the radio not too long ago and the man talked about how people want to grow in Christ, want to have a passion for Him, but don't seem to be growing. I thought, this is Me! I want to grow spiritually so much! I want to have a passion, a yearning for Christ, but I just haven't quite gotten there yet and didn't know exactly how to get to that point. Well, the man continued on talking about how sometimes things in our life can hinder us from growing. He said that sometimes we ask God to forgive us of big things, but sometimes little things in our lives can hinder us such as the music we listen to...the movies we watch...the friends we hang with... If these things are hindering us from fully experiencing Christ, if these things are hindering us from growing, then Christ commands us to rid ourselves of these things. Not just the big things. A lot of times I get right with God about the bigger sins in my life but I continue to watch movies or shows with language...or worse "scenes", hang out with people I shouldn't, etc... and go on with life saying it doesn't affect me. But the truth is, it SO does. God has taught me that I need to avoid these things as much as possible. When I hear bad lyrics in a song or language in a movie, I should be surprised and wanting to turn it off! But no...most times I am like...Hmm...that isn't good....and keep on listening or watching. The man I listened to on the radio talked about the reason I was not growing. He said that if these things are hindering me from being closer to God, then I should be willing to give up these little things to God as well as the big things. If I am not willing to do this, I can't get closer to Christ. I should be willing to give up everything for Him. I mean, gosh! He gave His life. Why can't I give up Grey's Anatomy and Other thingsfor Christ? These little things in my life are hindering me from experiencing an amazing walk with Christ. So next time I come to one of these things, I need to walk away. The Bible tells us to just say no! It might be hard at first, but once I do it, I will feel so much better and by putting these little things out of my life, I will be back on the road towards a closer walk with Christ.

Well, that is all for now!
Emily

Hey!

Hey Everyone! Just a reminder... Don't forget to check out previous posts to check out on what you missed! Please email me with comments, prayer requests, questions, or whatever. Thank you for checking out my site and I hope you come back soon!

Emily (Site Publisher)

Scripture of the Week

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

______________

2 Peter 1:3-11 (NIV)

________________

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ."

_______________________

2 Peter 1:3-11 (The Message)

________________

I have kept coming back to this over and over again for the past couple days. I have just left my Bible open to the spot. I love this passage because it reminds us of God and his amazing, glorious, divine self and what we are to do. It says "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." When we are in Christ, we have all we need. God is all we need. Anything we physically need will be provided, but we must keep our focus on Christ. And it says "godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us..." Through our knowledge, which we gain by reading God's Word, we might live more like Christ. And it says God chose us. He chose you! When we come to Christ, yes we are "deciding to follow" God. But before the world was even born, Christ knew you were coming to Him. He already knew He was going to soften your hardened heart to respond to the message of Christ, to come to Him. So God chose you. How awesome!! Then it says "Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires". I like how it is worded here... "His very great and precious promises." God has made promises in His Word. They are very great and precious promises and He will always keep them. God can not lie or sin. Remember, God is perfect. But the promises He has made are amazing promises. One of those great promises is this: We don't know when, but Christ is coming back. And when He does, He is taking His children (Believers/Saved) away from this world forever. I hope you will be one of those that are taken and not left behind... As it goes on it says because of His amazing promises, He wants us to take part in them so that we can get away or escape the corruption, the evil and sin, in the world which is caused by our evil desires or sinful nature. Because of that day when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, everyone sins. It is our nature. From the time we are born to the end of our life, we will sin. Now once we accept Jesus into our hearts, He cleans the slate. Takes away our sin. Doesn't mean we won't sin any more, but it tells us that God forgives us and doesn't care what we have done in the past. Jesus is always sad and angry when we sin against Him, but if we repent or say we are sorry and ask for forgiveness with an honest and true heart, He will forgive us. Next, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." Or as The Message says: "So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others." I usually take the NIV because of accuracy, but the Message sometimes has a way of making things more understandable. (Note: I personally would advise you keep the NIV or (whatever it is you use) as your main translation, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a copy of the Message to help understand passages better.) I like what the message says here: "So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith..." What it is saying here is that once Christ has come into our lives, we shouldn't just sit back and expect things to be great and perfect. What we have been given is Eternal life through Jesus Christ. A free gift. But now we need to continue to read the Scriptures and study them so we can gain characteristics to our basic faith. Such as good character, spiritual understanding, warm friendliness, generous love, etc... No good works will never save you. But once you are saved, you need to continue to do good. One day when we stand before Christ, He will ask us what we did for Him. Anything done for ourselves or selfishly will burn away, but what we have done for Christ will remain. And we will give it all back to Him. As we continue on in the NIV, it says: "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." Ever feel like what you do for Christ isn't enough? Feel worthless? Well, Jesus says if we possess these qualities in abundance, they will keep us from being (or feeling) ineffective or unproductive in our knowledge of Him. What you do for Christ doesn't go unnoticed. Everyone doesn't have to know the big or little things you do for Christ. It's for Christ. Not them. Just know that when you feel like you are unappreciated, God knows what you are doing, He knows your heart. It then says that anyone that does not have these qualities is blind and he has forgotten God saved him. He asks God to forgive him and save him, then goes on living like the world instead of standing out. And last of all it says: "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Here is what I think this means... We need to be on fire for God and wanting to do His work. We won't always know what it is God wants us to do, what His will is... But we should always be eager to find out God's will. Not to where we are like: "God! Tell me what I am going to do in the next 5 years!" But to where we are like: "God. I have done my best to do what it is You have called me to do. What would You have me do next? Show me Your will, Your plan." It says if we do these things, we won't fall. Now this doesn't mean we won't sin. But if we do sin, Christ will forgive us (if we ask) and we can continue on growing in Christ and doing His work. We know we will be with Him one day. And it says that we will be welcomed...no...we will receive a rich welcome, a glorious welcome into God's eternal kingdom. How Awesome and Amazing! This week, I encourage you to do your best to seek God's will...pray about it and God will reveal what He wants you to know in His time and in His way. And pray that God would give you these attributes or characteristics. Now do know that just by praying for these you won't just get them that easily. It is something you must work at as well. I hope you have an amazing week and that God shows you amazing things that will keep you in Awe of Him.

Happy Valentines Day! ("We love because He first loved us.")

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

1 John 4:7-21

Scripture of the week

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)



_____________________________


"So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."


1 Peter 1:13-16 (The Message)



_____________________________


I love this passage. I used to have it on our wall so that everytime we walked into the room, we would see it and be reminded. In this passage, Peter, an apostle of the Lord (apostle: early followers of Jesus who carried the Christian message into the world), tells us in this passage to get ready! Maybe not physically, but mentally and spiritually. We need to study God's word and learn all we can before He comes again. It says we shouldn't just sit back and do what we feel like doing just for the heck of it. We didn't know any better then because we were lost and didn't have Jesus. Sure we probably knew right from wrong then...most people do. But until you are a child of God, your good works do you no good. They don't save you. I'm not saying, If you aren't a Christian you shouldn't do good things. But I am saying that no matter how many good things you do in life, if it isn't for Jesus it will mean nothing. The Bible says in Ephesian 2:8-9 -

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

Then continuing on in our 1 Peter passage, he talks about being like Jesus, being on fire for Jesus, being Holy. I think this part is kind of self-explanatory, but I'll elaborate a little. Jesus is perfect. He is the creator of everything and everyone. So we should strive to be like Jesus. We should be excited about Him because of Who He is and What He has done. God is holy. So we should strive to be too.

Happy Birthday!

"Each day is God's gift. It's all you get in exchange
For the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one!
Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!
This is your last and only chance at it,
For there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think
In the company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed."

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (The Message Translation)

____________________

Well, I turned the big ONE SEVEN today! How exciting! And as I look back over this verse again, I see another meaning in it that applies to me. Each day is a gift from God. And God has given me 17 years so far. What better gift to receive on your birthday! God gave me the gift of life through amazing parents. He placed me in an awesome family with a great mom and dad, two wonderful sisters, amazing Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins! With each day God has given me, I should make the most of it. Because I don't know what tomorrow holds or if I will be in it! So I thank God and praise His Precious and Holy name for giving me life and letting me have these wonderful 17 years. And I can only hope and pray that I will get to enjoy 17 more years, plus 17 more after that, and so on and so forth until God chooses to take me Home.