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#Post#: 8407--------------------------------------------------
How Good is Good Enough?
By: Jella Date: July 4, 2014, 7:30 am
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A friend of mine...who was also my Pastor's wife...rarely heard
the word Christ when she was growing up, but when she did it was
a swear word. Her family would have been considered upper class
and very business minded, and so she went into the world of
business herself as an adult.
Sometimes she'd go up into the mountains for weekends by herself
to recoup from the week. She would look for a secluded spot to
pitch a tent. One weekend she was in her tent and she began
hearing this beautiful music even tho she thought she had found
a spot where there were no people...in fact she made sure there
were no people. She kept hearing it without stopping, and even
tho she would take long walks in all directions to try and find
the source...she found none. By the 2nd morning she woke up very
early, and as she continued to hear that music she began to
weep...and could not stop. By the end of the weekend she was
drawn to open up her heart and cry out to what she said was
"Something bigger then she was", but she didn't know who exactly
that Someone was...but she knew something changed within her
that weekend.
Throughout the next week she said that people from work were
mentioning that she seemed (pleasantly) different...but she
didn't know what to tell them...so she figured she had better
find out. She had never been to church before except for
funerals or weddings, so didn't know which church to go to...but
since she drove past a particular church on her way to work
everyday, she thought she'd try that one.
It was there where she began learning Who it was she gave her
heart to...
It is interesting to me how much we seem to fight grace...the
idea of grace. No matter how much God says it's already been
paid for...we still think we have GOT TO chip in at least!
Something that is "free"...can't be totally free, can it? So we
think --> Beforehand, before we can get saved...and take that
gift...we had better know something about Christ/God already, or
believe at least one of the right doctrines, or say all the
right words so God really understands that I want to be saved,
or do something! in order to be eligible. Right?
I guess it is in our human nature to think that anything good or
worthwhile has to be worked for or should be paid back...at
least to some degree. In our minds we have to be good...we have
to have the right beliefs, and think, feel and act the right way
in order to deserve something that is THAT wonderful...so we
search for any clues that will support this conclusion.
But IF any of my behaviors/beliefs/way of thinking has to be
correct/good in order
to gain or keep my salvation - then HOW good do I have to be?
So, the question is - can we measure good to see if it really is
good enough?
If I go to church every Sunday, and pray and read the bible for
20 minutes every morning without one miss, then maybe I am good
enough? But then my neighbor says she reads for 30
minutes!...wow, that's really good! So, what do I do so I can
get to church, pray and read without a miss? (well, except that
time I misplaced my bible...but that doesn't count, right!?)...I
get angry and yell at my kids to be quiet...BUT I STILL have not
missed!
Well, then how about the good deeds I do...as I teach Sunday
school and then I volunteer at the nearby clinic every other
Monday and Tuesday. But now I heard that my neighbor doesn't
just read more than I do...but she also teaches Sunday school
before BOTH services! But, yet, even though she says she loves
Jesus...she doesn't believe in the virgin birth or hell...so,
those are strikes against her! Hmmm...I wonder how many strikes
it takes to wipe out the good?
Then, how about the man that lives across the street. I always
see him shoveling the neighbors snow next door to him...and
he'll even do it before he does his own! I also always see his
kids happy, friendly and well behaved...and he is always helpful
when my husband needs a hand. But then I'll not see him go to
church for many weeks at a time...and I even heard him say,
"d*mn" once too! (Hmmm...how many d*mns does it take to lose
ground?)
Then the other day my granddaughter asked me something,
"Grandma, you said if I am good that I will go to heaven one
day. Right? You also said I was good to help old Mrs. Smith
cross the street to visit her sister in the nursing home...so,
since she goes a lot, I want to know, how many times do I have
to help her cross the street so my good is really good enough to
go to heaven?"
Ephesians 2:8 It is by grace you have been saved...
My latest thoughts,
Jella
#Post#: 8418--------------------------------------------------
Re: How Good is Good Enough?
By: Runner Date: July 4, 2014, 11:27 am
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HTML http://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy76/kattsue_2009/smilies2/JC_goodpost.gif<br
/>
Amen! We "do" because we are. We are hidden within His
righteousness...His becomes ours.
I don't set my heart "to be" a doer...we are called "to be" all
that He has called us to be.
Those who set their mind on being a doer are soon burned out.
Me? I listen, and only DO what I hear Him tell me to DO. Nothing
else counts....it will be wood , hay, and stubble...nothing that
is not done by "the hearing of the ear" will count for
anything...it is just the "busy work" of the enemy, stops us
"getting quiet" and hearing.
ONE thing done in a week that was done as a result of hearing
God speaking it...is worth gold compared to all the 'busy-work'
which does nothing but make the DOER "feel good" about himself.
ie " Look at me, look at ALL the things I am doing for Jesus."
Ego = wood, hay, stubble...
#Post#: 8423--------------------------------------------------
Re: How Good is Good Enough?
By: Jella Date: July 4, 2014, 2:04 pm
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< I don't set my heart "to be" a doer...we are called "to be"
all that He has called us to be.
Those who set their mind on being a doer are soon burned out >
Amen Helen. When I realized that Jesus was inviting me to be
yoked with Him, I came to know that if I am merely willing, He
will lead the way. So, I go about my day believing...(another
way to put it is "the just shall live by faith")...that He will
lead me/us to the people or situations that need ministry...or
even just a smile or encouragement of some kind...or even if it
is I that has the need...and of course I have to do this by
faith as only He knows what/who is around the corner, because
He's the one who is guiding the way.
This coincides with what I shared in another post about those
who are filled and have allowed themselves to be directed by the
Holy Spirit don't always know which way their steps will take or
their direction will go in a day...so, we become just like the
wind.
Blessings!!
#Post#: 8434--------------------------------------------------
Re: How Good is Good Enough?
By: Laurie Date: July 5, 2014, 6:43 am
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Liked your post, Jella. Thank you Lord for your mercy and
grace----and the gift of faith to know it!
All we can 'do' is work 'out' what He has worked 'in'…IMO.
THe best I can do is try to repent when I discern a thought or
action is grieving the Holy Spirit, and I can look back and see
some progress, but know I am far from what God will make me to
be in the future.
IMO, true faith is more than just believing….it's knowing,
without doubt---and I think it is a gift from God.
Over 20 years ago I felt called to teach children at a small
church.
I asked them, "Does the Lord love us when we're good" Does He
love us when we're bad?"
It took about 3 weeks for them to answer "yes" to both
questions….and I'd only ask again when a new child attended.
Then we would pray all their requests and ask for faith and to
have Him work in us so that we could love like He loves.
We made a big tree of poster board with the caption, "The Deeper
the Roots Go, the Better the Fruit Will Grow"…and before leaving
I would question them about their previous week until I could
find something to write on a construction paper fruit to put on
the tree. I sure learned a lot from that…LOL! Plenty of
goodness and kindness fruit…but the best were the tolerance and
patience ones. ;D
That little church was no more a year later--sad, greed
story--but, about 5 years later I ran into little Victoria's
mother at Walmart. She told me how unshakable a faith and trust
the now 13yo has….I like to think the Lord set up that meeting.
:)
#Post#: 8443--------------------------------------------------
Re: How Good is Good Enough?
By: Leaf Date: July 5, 2014, 3:12 pm
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Quote by Laurie:
[quote]Over 20 years ago I felt called to teach children at a
small church.
I asked them, "Does the Lord love us when we're good" Does He
love us when we're bad?"
It took about 3 weeks for them to answer "yes" to both
questions….and I'd only ask again when a new child attended.
Then we would pray all their requests and ask for faith and to
have Him work in us so that we could love like He loves.
We made a big tree of poster board with the caption, "The Deeper
the Roots Go, the Better the Fruit Will Grow"…and before leaving
I would question them about their previous week until I could
find something to write on a construction paper fruit to put on
the tree. I sure learned a lot from that…LOL! Plenty of
goodness and kindness fruit…but the best were the tolerance and
patience ones. ;D[/quote]
I love this. Loved your entire post, Laurie, but especially
this.
[quote]--but, about 5 years later I ran into little Victoria's
mother at Walmart. She told me how unshakable a faith and trust
the now 13yo has….I like to think the Lord set up that meeting.
:) [/quote]
No doubt about it. :)
#Post#: 8455--------------------------------------------------
Re: How Good is Good Enough?
By: Laurie Date: July 6, 2014, 7:01 am
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^Thanks, Nancy. I really learned a lot in that short year. I
loved it.
Not too long after we attended another church and I was soon
coerced by a woman into teaching a class of little ones---it was
awful! I finally had to go to the pastor and beg off. He
understood when I told him that I just wasn't 'called' to
it….but the woman pretty much shunned me after he spoke to her.
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