My thoughts on Valentine's Day

I was thinking that we make such a big deal out of Valentine's Day. We shouldn't focus on love just one day..
For one thing, shouldn't couples treat each other with love the whole year round instead of just one day? Shouldn't they show each other love with little acts of kindness every day or lots of other days? If you love someone, you show it ALL the time. Birthdays are especially important, especially for some people. (My son doesn't think we should observe any particular day as better than another and he has a point. God gave us all days to enjoy).
Another thing is that it is hard on singles to face the big "V. Day" when they don't have a significant other. And there is all this emphasis on being "in love". When we have been rejected or left or never had love or someone died, all the emphasis on this day can be difficult. We are especially reminded of our lack on this day.
But, going deeper, as Christians, don't we know the Greatest Lover of all time? He created us to have fellowship with Him. God loved us before we were born- He chose us to be His people. Whether we accept it or not, He still chose us. Several places in the O.T. and the N.T. He shows how He wants a relationship with us. What kind of Love is this?
In Jeramiah and Psalms and others God tells us He knew us before we were born and fashioned us. He picked Abraham out of all the people at that time to have descendants like the sands at the seashore. Before him there was Noah. And Abraham's linage- still don't understand Jacob, such a scondrel, but He wanted them to be a people set apart. And my favorite, Joseph, He picked him out to save the people from famine. And then, Moses and Joshua..etc.
This great God chose to speak to us through different means- prophets, the Word, signs, other people. He is Mighty God, Creator of the universe, yet He chose to speak to us, to love us, to have fellowship with us, to be our Father. What kind of Love is this?
And He loved the whole world He created so much, that He sent His only Son to show us, to teach us how to live, by His words and by His example. Jesus came to all men, loving , healing, reaching out, but only the humble will accept Him. And then Jesus gave His life to die for sinful man and rose again to give us new life so that we might live with Him. What kind of Love is this?
And we have no condemnation in Him, once we confess and repent, the slate is wiped clean. "If God so loved the world that He gave His Son, will He not give us freely all things?" Rom. 8.
Also He has said He will NEVER leave us. Those of us that have suffered rejection and people leaving us by death as well, don't ever have to worry about God leaving us. If we have God, what more should we need? This is the kind of Love we should focus on- not the human kind. The love between people, although good, pales by comparison.
So, I just want to say that God through His Son, Jesus, is my Valentine

Coming to a new understanding

I guess I am finally coming to a new understanding of the Truths that I have had trouble believing all my life.

I have learned a lot in my journey with seeking after God. I learned about doing good works or legalism. I have been bound up with legalism as if good works would help me to get on the good side of God. But legalism, following the law, tends to either lead to bitterness- "I am doing so many things right, why doesn't God change things?" or depression and anxiety trying all the time and never reaching the goal or being “good enough”.

We are to try to follow the laws but I think "sticking to the letter of the law and violating the spirit" is why we aren't given so many specifics. Being a Christian is accepting Jesus and His death so that we might have life, realizing that He paid the penalty. It is not about following laws because no one could ever get to Heaven that way. We are all sinners, no one is good enough to face a Holy God, because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." It is by His Grace that we develop a relationship with Jesus and God and that we get to Heaven.

Our Christianity is based on a relationship with Jesus and being led by the Spirit. It is harder because there are not specific guidelines so we have to stay in close connection with God to follow after Him, to know what He wants. We have to spend time in prayer and Bible study and waiting on Him, listening, looking to hear from Him. And that is what He desires! He made us to have fellowship with Him, to have that close relationship, not to follow laws. He wants us to LOVE Him. That doesn't mean we should not obey the laws - just how we do that is based on following His leading.

Just a few ideas I am learning. I spent so much time trying to be "good" and do the "right thing" but ended up having bitterness. And I am coming to a greater understanding that I am free in Him, free to live with Him! "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free." free from the bondage of sin but also free from the bondage of legalism.

Jane

About this thing called anger

As a Christian, it is hard to share faults, but actually as someone said, "We are not perfect, just forgiven". As I strive to draw closer to God to hear from Him, He is showing me things more clearly that I need to get rid of. I am an emotional person but emotions need to be expressed in the right way.
I realize that I have anger that is just under the surface. I am easy going and nice, maybe too nice, so that I don't let things that bother me out enough. Then they fester and sometimes come out in the wrong way.
I know that I shouldn't have anger, or that I should deal with it since it is an emotion, and let go of it. You need to deal with it, not just push it down. Anger, if not dealt with the right was, can lead to either depression, bitterness, or more serious things.
But how do you deal with it? The first thing is to find out what causes the anger.. Sometimes it takes some digging to get below the surface to find out the causes.
Many times we get angry because we feel we aren't getting what we deserve for what things we have done. We do good things and they aren’t appreciated. But the Bible says that "all our righteousness is as filthy rags". Whatever we do will never compare to what He has done for us and what He is doing through us. And He was put to death even though He did marvelous things. (That may be simplifying it but it is true.) And whether people recognize what we have done or not, it is God who sees.
The main thing is, why are we doing good deeds? It should be not to please men anyway, but to please God. And He is already pleased with us. As our Father He loves everything we do for Him or try to do for Him. Whether we give “a cup of cold water in His name” or risk our lives to save another’s life, it is all for Him. So what does it really matter if we get the recognition here from men? It is from God we need to hear, "Welcome home thou good and faithful servant."
Another reason we get angry is because of fear down under, fear that we won't get notice or we won't get something we want. Or fear that we will lose something. We may feel this “something” is natural and not something far out, like a million dollars, but rather, people in our lives, or to have money enough to survive. And when we do feel we have lost something or someone, we get angry. We think we will be miserable.
So, it is fear of loss underneath the anger. Fear also is not from God. It is not based on trust in God, that He will provide either people or things. It is not trusting that He has the best answer for us.
If we feel that we are losing things and people or life doesn't make sense, instead of getting angry at God, we/I should try to give the situations into His Hands and leave them there. We must look to the unseen rather than the seen, that His ways are higher than ours. Someday we will understand it all.
These are my thoughts at this time- I don't always follow what I believe. I don't always really trust God, but am trying. That's what it's about, trying, maybe failing and falling, but getting back up again. And lots and lots of prayer. and teaching and/or studying. With each trial, we grow closer to God and are a witness to others.