Living Simply Saturdays

Hosted by Stephanie @ http://www.keeperofthehome.org/

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With the holiday season behind us, today’s blessing is to have a normal, simple Saturday.  All remnants of Christmas and New Year’s decorations have been tucked away for another year.  Old toys have been thrown out or donated making room for new ones.  And all goodies have been eaten or shared. 

Today, I look forward to chores that usually happen on a Saturday:  rooms dusted and vacuumed (although my vacuum is broken), laundry finished up for the week, and downtime for a family game, walk through the woods or a movie. 

Solomon’s wise words remind us that “to everything there is a season…”   The recent holiday season came with its ups and downs; questions about what and why we celebrate.  Solomon continues saying there “is a time for every purpose under heaven.”   (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I have come to the conclusion that Christmas, despite its pagan origins and traditions, is a season with a ‘purpose’  that Christians can redeem by using the time to point to our God Incarnate in Christ Jesus.  Focusing on this simple truth will make next season much more enjoyable. 

May the LORD bless you with a Simple Saturday!

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Living Simply Saturdays

 

Hosted by Stephanie @ http://www.keeperofthehome.org/

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A Simple Understanding of the Gospel

Let’s start with how one comes to a true knowledge of, and relationship with, Jesus Christ.  It begins with a simple understanding of the gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”  (Rom. 1:16)

that Jesus is God,

“I and the Father are one.  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  Jesus answered them, ‘Many good works I have shown you from My Father.  For which of those works do you stone Me?’  The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”  (John 10: 30-33)

who became a Man

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…”  (1 Tim. 2:5)

in order to save mankind from everlasting separation from God

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”  (John 14:6)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  (John 3:16-17)

that resulted from man’s sin.

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”  (Isa. 59:2)

Jesus satisfied the perfect justice of God

“And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  (1 John 2:2)

by His once-and-for-all-payment for the sins of humanity

“By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. “  (Heb. 10:10-12)

through His death on the Cross.

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Heb. 12-2)

His resurrection from the dead

“…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”  (Rom. 1:3-4)

assures the salvation of all those who acknowledge before God their sin

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to slavation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”  (2 Cor. 7:10)

and their hopelessness in saving themselves,

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Rom. 5:6)

and who by grace through faith

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…”  (Eph 2:8)

accept Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf

“…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:15)

and His free gift of eternal life.

“Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”  (Rom. 5:18)

This is how one is reconciled to God

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.'”  (John 3:3)

and born again spiritually.

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  (Gal. 2:20)

“…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever…”  (1 Peter 1:23)

This is how one’s relationship with the biblical Jesus Christ begins.

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”  (Col. 1:27)

Amen.

(Excerpt from ‘The “Jesus” the World Loves’ by T.A. McMahon in The Berean Call, December 2008)

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Living Simply Saturdays

 

 

Hosted by:  Stephanie @ http://www.keeperofthehome.org/

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This is the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  I would like to know of one wife/mother who is not busy with preparations today!  I will confess!  I am going to be running around like a chicken with its head cut off!!

Here’s a sneak peek……basketball evaluations

 

      4H Thanksgiving Potluck

             cooking for Thanksgiving

                      wrapping presents to take to family gathering

                             packing for trip………YIKES!

How can one find simplicity in all that?

Scripture.

I need a Scripture verse to meditate on throughout the day; a simple verse to calm my frantic mind.

Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The LORD of hosts is with us;  The God of Jacob is our reuge.  Selah.

(Psalm 46: 10-11)

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May the LORD bless you with a simple peace today.   Amen

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Living Simply Saturdays

Originally, today was going to be anything but simple.  We were all supposed to be up bright and early to attend an all-expenses-paid 4H fieldtrip to Mount Vernon.  However, three of us are now sick with sore throats, stuffy heads and general yuckiness.   So…..our day will be nice and simple! 

Lots of hot tea with honey,

warm beds and videos,

naps on the couch in front of the fire,

chicken noodle soup.

 

Let us remember the words of Matthew:   “…And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sickness.”   (8:16,17)

 

~~~Thanks be to God!~~~

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