Or it could be said, "I don't know that anyone can know for sure that they are saved."
I've heard people say things like this my entire life. There was a time in my life when I thought the same thing.
As I meet with my amazing mentor, Kandy, this topic kind of keeps popping up and so I thought maybe, if nowhere else, I can address it here.
The two phrases in the title and the second line are false. We can know if we are saved or heaven-bound. First John 5:11-12 says, "And this is the testimony, God has given us eternal life and this life is found in His Son. He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son does not have eternal life."
Simply put, if you have chosen to believe in who Jesus said He was and still is today and you have received Him as your Savior and Lord...you have eternal life.
An illustration given by Kandy is...
If you ask someone if they are married they do not answer, "Well, I think I am" or "I'm pretty sure." They either say yes or they say no. They may be dealing with some issues within their marital relationship but they will know if they are or are not married. They know if they are still in a committed relationship bound by marriage.
The same with salvation. God's Word says there is no question. We are or we are not because we know if we have the Son or not. We may be dealing with some issues (aka working out our salvation) but we know whether we are or are not in a committed relationship. God is committed to us. He has been since before we existed.
So the only question left is...are we?
23 February 2010
18 February 2010
Last week I was a high school biology teacher. This week I was a fourth grade english/reading teacher. I am currently substituting in a school district in central Texas.
Prior to this job, I was substituting in a school district east of Houston. Yesterday I got fifteen (15) phone calls for jobs in the Houston area. Jobs in my area here, in central Texas, seem to be scarce although I did get two (2) calls yesterday.
Ordinarily I would be frustrated with the lack of jobs available. Lack of jobs = less chance at possible income.
But God has truly spoken to my heart lately. He has shown me that ALLLLLL that I have comes directly from His hand alone.
See, this time last year I was teaching and coaching full-time. That was my job which I worked at to provide for myself.
I had previously come to the conclusion that the money I made was really "God's money" and that the place I find myself in life is only by the grace of God. I acknowledged that the people in my life, the places I've been and the lessons I have learned are all gifts from God.
But the lesson has gone deeper, into my very being I'd like to think.
I willingly gave up my full-time teaching position to substitute, hoping to move to W. Africa by the end of spring. I spent last semester substituting and preparing for how/where God would lead me. I had a savings account that eased my conscience as I worked making less than a third of the income I previously made. But soon that savings was depleted.
And even though the savings were gone, the bills kept coming. At the same time I was trying to move from southeast Texas to central Texas and had to make trips to south Texas, east Texas and central Texas. It was crazy and exhausting!
Finally I found myself in Texas. I was exhausted in every aspect of life!!
Currently, I am sitting waiting on a job for tomorrow. But I don't see it as merely waiting for a job. I am waiting on God to provide. There was a job for 1/2 the day tomorrow but I did not want to take that in case there was an full-day job that came along.
So I prayed that God would provide and decided the next job available I would take no matter how long it was or what level. Before I could finish typing the paragraph above, God provided a full-day job as a second grade teacher! Praise the Lord for His provision!! I believe that the job I have tomorrow is truly a gift from God!
God is good. He is merciful. He is just, righteous and patient. He is faithful even when I am not.
I am learning that His grace is very real, not just an idea or concept. For it's by grace we have been saved through faith, and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that none of us can boast. (Eph. 2:8-9 adapted)
I am learning that just as I am to wait on the Lord to provide a substitute job (sometimes I have to wait until 5:30 the day of), I am to wait on Him for all things.
He may not show me what capacity He wants me to serve until I am more ready to do so. He may not provide all the finances for Ghana until I am prepared in all ways to go.
A missionary to Kenya once told me that he realized that for years he had made a mistake. In reading Psalm 119:105 he interpreted it as "Thy word is a spotlight to my feet and a floodlight to my path." However, the verse says it is "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Think about carrying a kerosene lamp under the pitch black night sky. It sheds light but not near as much as a maglight or a floodlight would. In fact, with a kerosene lamp, you can't really see much ahead of you until you take another step and as you take that step a little more is revealed to you.
This is what I have learned in my faith. As I wait on God, He provides. As I wait on God, He reveals to me the next and not much more. And because I "actively wait" preparing for what may be in store, when the next step is revealed to me, I have been ready to take it.
So I will continue to work with story-telling, farming, discipling, and any other thing God puts before me so that when He says I am ready, I can take these tools and serve Him!!
So don't be disappointed that you're "floodlight" is only a lamp because it gives you a greater opportunity to trust and rely on God. Easier said that done, I know.
My love to all!! God bless!!
Prior to this job, I was substituting in a school district east of Houston. Yesterday I got fifteen (15) phone calls for jobs in the Houston area. Jobs in my area here, in central Texas, seem to be scarce although I did get two (2) calls yesterday.
Ordinarily I would be frustrated with the lack of jobs available. Lack of jobs = less chance at possible income.
But God has truly spoken to my heart lately. He has shown me that ALLLLLL that I have comes directly from His hand alone.
See, this time last year I was teaching and coaching full-time. That was my job which I worked at to provide for myself.
I had previously come to the conclusion that the money I made was really "God's money" and that the place I find myself in life is only by the grace of God. I acknowledged that the people in my life, the places I've been and the lessons I have learned are all gifts from God.
But the lesson has gone deeper, into my very being I'd like to think.
I willingly gave up my full-time teaching position to substitute, hoping to move to W. Africa by the end of spring. I spent last semester substituting and preparing for how/where God would lead me. I had a savings account that eased my conscience as I worked making less than a third of the income I previously made. But soon that savings was depleted.
And even though the savings were gone, the bills kept coming. At the same time I was trying to move from southeast Texas to central Texas and had to make trips to south Texas, east Texas and central Texas. It was crazy and exhausting!
Finally I found myself in Texas. I was exhausted in every aspect of life!!
Currently, I am sitting waiting on a job for tomorrow. But I don't see it as merely waiting for a job. I am waiting on God to provide. There was a job for 1/2 the day tomorrow but I did not want to take that in case there was an full-day job that came along.
So I prayed that God would provide and decided the next job available I would take no matter how long it was or what level. Before I could finish typing the paragraph above, God provided a full-day job as a second grade teacher! Praise the Lord for His provision!! I believe that the job I have tomorrow is truly a gift from God!
God is good. He is merciful. He is just, righteous and patient. He is faithful even when I am not.
I am learning that His grace is very real, not just an idea or concept. For it's by grace we have been saved through faith, and not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that none of us can boast. (Eph. 2:8-9 adapted)
I am learning that just as I am to wait on the Lord to provide a substitute job (sometimes I have to wait until 5:30 the day of), I am to wait on Him for all things.
He may not show me what capacity He wants me to serve until I am more ready to do so. He may not provide all the finances for Ghana until I am prepared in all ways to go.
A missionary to Kenya once told me that he realized that for years he had made a mistake. In reading Psalm 119:105 he interpreted it as "Thy word is a spotlight to my feet and a floodlight to my path." However, the verse says it is "a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
Think about carrying a kerosene lamp under the pitch black night sky. It sheds light but not near as much as a maglight or a floodlight would. In fact, with a kerosene lamp, you can't really see much ahead of you until you take another step and as you take that step a little more is revealed to you.
This is what I have learned in my faith. As I wait on God, He provides. As I wait on God, He reveals to me the next and not much more. And because I "actively wait" preparing for what may be in store, when the next step is revealed to me, I have been ready to take it.
So I will continue to work with story-telling, farming, discipling, and any other thing God puts before me so that when He says I am ready, I can take these tools and serve Him!!
So don't be disappointed that you're "floodlight" is only a lamp because it gives you a greater opportunity to trust and rely on God. Easier said that done, I know.
My love to all!! God bless!!
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