It's Just That Simple!

I literally filled up on God's word this morning. I think I'll to have to force myself to eat for the first time today (3:00). I just can't seem to work up an appetite. I'm just... satisfied. Yes, you read that correctly. I'm not hungry! This time last year, if I wasn't talking about food, I was eating it! I'm still suffering from other symptoms of the steroids, but thankfully the garbage disposal inside my stomach has taken its leave!

This morning I was watching a show on Netflix that I'm totally sucked into right now. I'm trying to watch it as fast as I can so I can be done with it and stop flooding my brain with filth (it is so past R rated). Yeah, flooding it on overtime doesn't make a whole lot of sense, I realize that. But I just have to see what's going to happen next! Home alone, lying in bed, sucked into this show allowing each curse word to become more and more comfortable to my ears, the enemy had me exactly where he wanted me! We all know that idle hands are the devil's playground and he was toying with me! All of a sudden, "BANG!" A huge thunderstorm came out of nowhere.

Suddenly I realized what was going on and without hesitation, I put down my tablet and picked up my bible. I went to pick up where I left off in Proverbs. Then I started singing one of my favorite hymns. "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus there's just something about that name.." I know this probably all sounds silly. But there's one thing I know for certain: if ever you're scared or feel you're in trouble, just say His name! The bible also instructs us to cling to God and the enemy will flee. So I kept reading.

The rain started coming down like a monsoon which reminded me of the story when Jesus walked on water. So I flipped to John. I read about the disciples being terrified, "yes, this is so me right now!" I thought and the verse right after stated, "But He said to them, 'It is I; don't be afraid.'" Jesus came to comfort them in the middle of their storm, and he came to comfort me in the middle of mine the second that I read this verse.

So I read on. John 6:23 "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." It filled me with pure joy to read this. Nodding my head and exclaiming, "Yes! Yes, that's right!" It summed up a sermon I heard from my church in Arlington, spoken by my former youth pastor. In which he explained, the majority of us work very hard to finish school, get a degree, and earn a successful career. There's nothing wrong with that, but where is it in the bible to make that our main focus?

We work so gosh darn hard to have nice things and live a comfortable lifestyle, which is what most people would define as "happiness." A nice home, enough money in your pocket so you don't have to worry about little things; things like buying a new outfit for the party this weekend or accepting an invitation to meet your friend for lunch. I know this sounds very familiar to many who are reading this. And don't think for a second you're being accused... I have these desires too! However, I know where peace is found and it's nowhere near those things. When you chase for that so called "happiness," you'll just wind up chasing. The bible describes it perfectly: "A chasing after the wind." Come on, you can't catch the wind! 

Studies have been done that have determine the desires of the average millionaire: they would be comfortable if they just had $7 million. I guarantee if they got that $7 million, they still wouldn't be satisfied! They will either want more money, or "more out of life." This is not what God wants us to pursue. So what is it then?

I kept reading. John 28-29 "Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, the work of God is this: To believe in the one He has sent." Wow. That's it? We spend thousands of dollars on an education, sign our next 30 years away to a mortgage loan, and kill ourselves working for that hefty car payment... and all He requires of us is explained in one sentence? Yes!! It is that simple! It gets better...

John 6:23 "Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."

John 6:40 "For my father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and will raise Him up at the last day."

A paragraph. The answer to life's most meaningful question is answered in a paragraph. Standing in awe of my salvation once again, with tears in my eyes, I prayed, "God, thank you! It really is that simple! I guess our little pea brains can't really handle much more than that!"To have eternal life, you don't have say a bunch of Hail Mary's, or make sure that you're in church on every Christmas and Easter. You don't even have to be "a good person." Isaiah 64:6 God says our works are like filthy rags! All you have to do is believe that He loved you so much, that He sent the best thing He had to offer, to come humbly to this Earth that He created, and die for you. 

Time for my pop tart :)

Want to know more about this? 1 John talks all about salvation. And the book of Ecclesiastes explains in the the uselessness of all of that "chasing." ;)

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of....

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of a whole lot of things according to the Bible." True words spoken by my pastor during our evening service. And man have I been fearing God these last few months!

 

This "fear" all started when a documentary came on a while back explaining the book of Revelation. It was the beginning of a frustrating rampant for Harrison. Once something gets in my head, it doesn't go away until I've completely dissected it. Many of my friends reading this are probably recalling this particular rant! I have a tendency to bring up my "obsession of the week" during casual conversation. Not exactly table conversation! But you have to be patient with me when I'm thinking in my "thinking zone." I will get it all out eventually! However, this particular one really caught my attention because realized I didn't understand the end times as well as I thought. The unknown gave me a sense of terror in the pit of my stomach. Knowing what could be lying ahead of me drove me into a scare that had me diving into God's word trying to figure out if I was really as "ready" as I thought I was. The end times: A scary revelation for me! 

 

How about anger? I know I have been very angry lately (mostly due to post-chemo out of whack hormones) did you know the Bible talks about not inheriting the kingdom of God when it comes to "hatred," or "fits of rage?" After reading that I had a long sit down with each of my loved ones asking for forgiveness, in an attempt to rid myself of all of my anger.

 

After reading things like this and (in the new testament, mind you! So there's no excuse of "well that's before Jesus died for our sins,") I was questioning my salvation. Now that is terrifying. The only way I know how to understand, or grasp the reality of eternity is by putting into perspective: after 1,000 years, you're no closer to the end of it than when you were there for 10 seconds. I do not want to spend that amount of time in hell. Are you beginning to feel that sense of terror I was talking about?

 

To calm my panic attack I started looking for ways to convince myself that I'm ok! I tried reminding myself of my faithfulness. There's one thing I can proudly claim: I trust God with all of my heart. I know that His ways are far better than mine. I have given Him my life: my marriage, my cancer, and look how He took care of those things! I also tried reminding myself of my accomplishments. God has used me on several occasions to lead others to salvation. This blog is another product of my faithfulness. I don't write these posts to puff myself up; I write them for Him.

 

This has been my struggle of mine for quite some time now. Am I saved? Was my seed of salvation planted on rocks instead of nutritious soil where it could thrive? According to these things I've been reading, the simplest of sins can send you straight to hell. But that's not what I was taught? I'm missing something! What is it? Then tonight, something wonderful happened! I ran across Proverbs 16:6 Which oh so pleasantly states, "Through love and faithfulness, sin is atoned for. Through the fear of the Lord, a man avoids evil." Ahhhhh... Yes! do you feel better? I sure do!

 

There's this thing that I sometimes forget to keep in mind when it comes to reading God's word: The context! Our bible lists symptoms of unbelievers. That would be someone who continues to live in sin; With no intentions and no drive to turn away from it. This certainly does not describe someone who sees one verse about anger and turns around to repent immediately, asking forgiveness of all their loved ones. That would actually be a symptom of a believer! Are you beginning to sense the bigger picture?

 

Through love and faithfulness my anger; my sin, is atoned for. Man, do I fear God! And that's how I will avoid evil. My fear of God's wrath scared me quick into repentance! That is just one of the many beginnings of fearing God.

 

If you have questions, or are struggling with understanding like I was, I'm a very good listener :) jones.taylorann@gmail.com And if you are interested in learning more about the blessings what come from fearing the Lord, the book of Proverbs is full of them!