I have been being called to delve into the Good Book lately and mostly I have been resistant until today. I open my real life Bible to where I had marked the next book to read months ago after finishing one, it was Ephesians. It is a fairly short book with only six chapters, I prepared myself to read the first one or two but as I began to read I realized that this was written just for me!
Since I have accepted Christ into my life, I have made many changes. I used to talk like a sailor the F word was my favorite word. Many, many years I dropped it like it like the bomb it is. Even as a born again Christian I have let many a curse word fly out of my mouth. I had been told that I was remade but my old self would creep back in and I would slip into old habits. I didn't really understand what that meant.I knew that I was to be a light in the darkness, that I was to radiate God's love to others. I had yet to read the instruction manual that is neatly tucked away in the back of the Bible. Today, however, I found it.
I began it as I do with all of my readings, the history bores me so I skim over it. I skim over the introduction, but wait what is this? I like the very first passage, where is my highlighter? Up I go. Highlighter in hand I have to stop myself or I will have pink pages. I keep reading with delight and then I hit the instructions. Up again I go for a pen and a note pad, this is getting serious. Let me share with you what I have written in my notebook.
As I am made new in Christ I must change myself from the woman corrupted by my deceitful desires. Therefore I must:
Speak truthfully
In anger, do not sin
Do not let the sun go down while in anger
Do NOT give the enemy a foothold
Share with those in need
Do not let unwholesome talk come out of me
Speak only what is helpful for building up others as they need to be
Get rid of all bitterness, rageand anger, brawling and slander, and every form of malice
Be kind, be compassionate
Forgive others just as Christ God forgives me
Live a life of love
Imitate God
No obscenity, foolish talk or course humor should come out of my mouth instead give thanks
Do not be deceived by empty words
Do not allow myself to be lead astray
Do not be partners with those who will lead you astray
I realized that I am daily battling for my soul and my salvation. I am constantly being tempted to turn away from God and I hate to admit this, most of the time I allow myself to stray. I am committing to ready myself with the armor of God! I will put on his armor as this is a battle for my soul, for my sons' souls and I have been called to be actively engaged in our salvation. The world we live in, the enemy wants nothing more than to separate us from our loving, merciful God. Will you join me in being on guard of our souls, on guard for our families' souls?
We cannot lose our salvation. :) We can act in the flesh. You've ask Jesus into your hear, right? The Good New is, you're saved. I truly believe we cannot lose our salvation if we've truly, undoubtedly given our life to Christ. Oh yes, I too struggle with the things of which you've written (okay, so not the cussing like a sailor part), such as feeling like you're losing your salvation and such. Daily we have to get up and converse with Jesus just as we would a dear friend we call on the phone. He is there always. In any situation. We ask and He gives, even in what seems the "lack" of what we've asked, He always gives whether it be in the thing we asked for or a lack of it because that is His will. Once we are saved, we receive the Holy Spirit, which is IMO, the greatest gift of all besides Jesus dying on the cross! Because with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we just don't sin and we act in pure love. It's "retraining" our stained and badly damaged conscience to be filled with Him and not the world...something I am battling and working through day by day. :)
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