June 2, 2012 Greetings My Friend, I am reading Hebrews 12:12 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” As I read the last part ‘without holiness no one will see the Lord” I had a moment of hmmmm. Many times I hear that “once saved always saved.” I also hear that “good works” will get you into heaven. This generally makes me wonder. The way I understand a faith journey is that you need to truly give God your heart and then allow God to direct you. You can’t go on with being a drunkard, a drug addict etc. I do believe if you are talking to God He will direct you and help get out of your struggle. So it may take time but eventually you will leave that behind. When I look at Abraham, the father of our Jewish/Christian heritage I find many times where he sinned. Abraham was directed to go Canaan. There were some places where Abraham was afraid for his life and he did not talk to God apparently. Abraham told his wife tell the king you are my sister….and she was. Back then sister’s and brother’s married each other and that was before the 10 commandments. Now we can’t. Again there is Jacob. His name means deceiver. Jacob deceived his brother’s inheritance and received it instead of the brother. Jacob was Abraham’s son. Jacob wound up leaving the family and traveling to his mother’s family. He wanted to marry Rebecca and he himself was deceived. He was given Rebecca’s sister and so she was his wife. Jacob had to work another 7 years before he could get Rebecca and he eventually did get her. Both men grew in their faith. Both men began to trust God and turn to God and they made fewer and fewer mistakes. Oh there is King David and the sin with Bathsheba. David repented and he went on to have a marvelous life in the Lord. I believe that trying and allowing God to change us is what makes us holy. As I think upon the word “holy” I find that it means set apart. Set apart to me means we are different than the norm. Not strange although we may be perceived as strange by the world’s standard. I think it means we are to be more honest and caring. We, well for me I believe we want to do “good works” because I am so grateful for the gift I have been given. For me I have been given a new life, a second chance and I am ever grateful for that. Since I have begun my faith journey I find peace even in the midst of strife. I have spent many years with depression and through that I have known that God was with me. I have felt His hugs, I have felt His direction and I knew that I knew I was not alone. I am amazed at what trials I can face when I know that I am not alone. Just as Abraham, Jacob and King David messed up, I too find moments where I mess up. I find having a repentant heart and asking for forgiveness brings me back into relationship with God. I need to admit my mistakes and then allow God to show me how to walk away and sometimes I know what I need to do to walk away and sometimes God will direct me. I have friends that have dealt with a loved one dying. As the loved one went through their struggle many church friends stopped by with food and visited them. The ones who were receiving the help commented over and over how their non-believing family and friends were amazed at the support that was given to them from the church family. To me this is a witness of a Christian community and gives God the glory. Through the years I have wondered if I would have family around me in my older years. I wondered if they would give me the support I may need. As I continue on in my faith journey I realize that God will see to it I get the support I need. I saw this with Aunt R. Aunt R. never married. She was eccentric and she often would disappear from family for long periods of time. Her brother and parents were all dead and I worried about her. One day we received a phone call that she was in a nursing home. Friends had found her living in her home with no heat in the middle of winter. I had tried a few times to call and got no answer and gave up. Her friends knew how to keep up with her and they did and she was put into a nursing home. At that point I realized that God will make sure I have the help I need. My goal in life is to live as cleanly as possible, be as honest as possible and give where I can. To me this is honoring God. I try to have a daily conversation with God. I have not mastered the art of praying through each moment of the day. I hope to someday but now I mainly pray in the night as I fall asleep and wake up throughout the night finishing as I wake up in the morning. As I look on FB I do find I pray for the various requests I see. So I am learning to be more prayerful throughout the day. I find I need to read my Bible pretty much daily. In prayer and Bible reading I find God’s ways and his holiness. I find how to live my life and at times I find specific things God wants me to do. I feel God wants me to be a writer for Him. That is the reason I write this blog. May God bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you. Love Janet