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CTC Readers' Poll:
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"To be simple is to be rich in
spiritual thought. I think that choosing a simple material life helps
me to remain interested in my purpose that God has for me. I have the
time to volunteer and to help others because I do not have to work
long hours just to pay debts I have accumulated. I have time to spend
with friends and family. I have the energy to devote to my work
without feeling pressured. I sleep well at night which helps maintain
my health. I believe God wants us all to have balance in our lives and
unfortunately so many people have become trapped in a lifestyle that
prevents them from developing their spiritual side. Before I adopted
the 'frugal bug' I remember being confused and frustrated, worrying a
lot about money. After six years of thinking differently it is amazing
how relaxed and confident my husband and I have become. So much so
that we are planning an early retirement next summer! God has blessed
us with this knowledge and I am forever grateful. I feel like a part
of a special group that has 'figured it out.'" ~ Janice
"Whilst we are very complex beings because God made us that way (including our individuality), our outlook should be simple. God enjoined us, when Jesus walked the Earth all of those years ago, to have faith like a child -- trustingly, lovingly, with all of our hearts, no ifs, buts or maybes. How simple is that? It's like my garden. I was thoroughly enjoying the warm sunshine, hearing the birds singing and walking amongst the blossoms. 'You're closer to God in the garden than anywhere else on Earth,' goes the quote. On the surface, beautiful simplicity. But like fractal geometry, the closer one looks, the more complex things become. A child finds delight and joy in a garden. The gardener finds delight and joy on a different level. The scientist, deeper still, depending on the field of specialization. The real Maker knows far more than we ever will, despite our much-vaunted wisdom and learning. For all that, when we get back to the child-like pleasure of a garden, it can have a joyful simplicity, a delight, a know-that-you-know-that-you-know feeling about it that is better than anything intellectualized. Despite the awe and wonder (and proper that is, too) that we feel when we begin to REALLY deep-study God's Word, and God Himself, nothing is better than just knowing God's Love." ~ Leonie
"I agree. And what is the simple
truth of God?
1. We are all sinners in
need of a savior.
But if we walk in
the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:7-9
2. Jesus is that Savior.
Jesus
answered, "I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -
John 14:6
3. Some people distort
the truth and confuse others by telling
them that they must do a certain amount of good works to get into
heaven, or abstain from eating certain foods, or pray specific
prayers daily, or attend a certain number of religious events,
etc... In reality, only faith in Christ is necessary, and
only faith in Christ is accepted by God as payment for our sins and
admittance into heaven." ~ Suzanne
"I am never so amazed
with my Lord as when an opportunity arrives in such an
unexpected way. This statement is absolutely true. I don't
want to ponder on it as I have lived it out and so recently.
To take one's focus off the Lord and to focus on a current
situation is to lose your vision as a Christian. The reason we
are here is to have Hope and not the kind the world
sees.
The Lord blessed my husband and I 18 years ago with an adopted daughter, the little girl we wanted and loved. We homeschooled her through her elementary and junior high years and then she went to public high school like her brothers before her. Then the difficulties began. This all ended with her going into a sinful lifestyle and the trauma that occurred as a result of this in our home is unimaginable...even as I write this I am so pained by the experience. Well back to the subject, at this time I personally was so wrought over the whole situation and the unrest that it brought to our home that I resorted to my before Christ lifestyle which was to drink...I am so ashamed to even admit this but this is all about focus. My focus became so wrapped up in the current moment and the situation that I literally couldn't see clearly any longer. Then I only confounded the problem by having that glass of wine that actually only adds another dimension of difficulty because now I'm dealing with that guilt. It finally came to a head and the Lord and I had a long talk. I KNOW what His word says about how sin no longer has power over me, so I truly was making a choice to drown out all my sorrows because I lost my focus. After spending some time with some wonderful Christian friends, I realized I would not want them to know what I was doing and that I was embarrassed and that the Lord knew, so I should be more embarrassed. I asked the Lord to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness, I would focus on His love and His grace for me for over a year as my way to heal. Again Christian friends would help me to see that I also needed to focus on truth. True truth only comes from the word of God. When the Lord told Paul that His grace was sufficient I didn't realize how many times I had read that passage without realizing all that proceeds that part of the verse. The trials and tribulations that Paul had been through, beatings, shipwrecked and then after all that suffering, My grace is sufficient for power is made perfect in weakness. I was weak through this situation, yet when you lose your focus on Christ and the basics of my life in Christ....you lose, you simply lose. In my journal I have it written MANY times, 'Get back to basics: wake up, praise God, pray, spend time in His Word, memorize scripture.' I know this statement by Dietrich Bonhoeffer is true, because if the Grace of God is sufficient it is sufficient and NOTHING needs to distract us from that. As I struggled to get back with God...I believe He let me be shut up for a time where I wasn't sure I felt His presence but I reassured myself often with His Word and the promises of His Word, and as I made Him my habit again, my back to basics life, He has become more to me now than ever before. When all was confused and distorted in what should have been good and right, our child started seeing the world differently than she had been taught, and instead of clinging to my God because my eyes were turned away from Him by the situation and my focus was on the current trial and not on God...I find myself even now appreciating the reminder to focus on Him alone as we are bombarded daily with a whacky world, and one not favorable to the people of God. God is good and thanks for listening along." ~ Waynette "P.S. Here are
some great verses that could certainly apply to when
everything seems to be falling apart, 2 Chronicles 20:12, 15:
'O our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless
before this great multitude who are coming against us, NOR DO
WE KNOW WHAT TO DO, but our eyes are on You...Do not fear or
be dismayed because of this great multitude for the battle is
not yours but God's.' I am also reminded of Ephesians 6:10 -
12 which concludes, 'For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the powers,
against the world forces of this darkness, against the
spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.'So if
we know this to be true, then we must keep our focus on the
Lord of the Universe." ~ Waynette Editor's Note: Thanks to all these readers who took time to write! |
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