Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

I know it's been awhile since you have heard from me! Things have been very busy in the Gordon household, but I am very optimistic that I will have more time to blog in the upcoming months.  Easter is approaching very quickly and if your looking for something to put in your child's Easter Basket I may have a suggestion... Meet The Leapers and The Bogdown Pond !  They would make great additions to your collection and will help your children keep their eyes on Jesus, instead of an imaginary bunny.

Tomorrow, Davis and I get the pleasure of teaching the kids at church in 3rd -6th grade tomorrow about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  When I found we were teaching about these guys I got really excited. The reason is extremely childish... but seriously how fun is it saying their three names together?  I used to love saying it when I was younger and I think there may have even been a song about them we learned at vacation bible school.

As I delved into the lesson, there was something that made me even more excited then the names of the people in it. It was the gospel presentation at the end of the lesson.  I benefited from it and I think you will too!  It gives a clear and concise path of God's plan of salvation for us using scripture.   Here is a copy of the document I put together to pass out to the kids!  Enjoy!

God Rules – The Bible tells us that all things were created by God. He is in charge of everything.

Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 4:11- Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

Colossians 1:16-17 - For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

We Sinned – Everyone has chosen to disobey God, ever since Adam and Eve.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God Provided - God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve.  He is the perfect solution to our sin problem.  It is something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Jesus Gives – Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again.  Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s family for eternity.

Romans 5:8 - But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Corinthians 5:21 - For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.

We Respond – Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He has already done on the cross.  Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus.  Tell God and others that your faith is in Christ alone.

Romans 10:9-10 - Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:13 – For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  

If you would like to talk more about what you have read please email me.  I would love to answer any questions you have!

In Christ,

Jennifer

A New Year

One of the most intimidating things in the world to me is a blank page.  Some of you may think seriously?  A piece of paper?  But, if your a writer you know exactly what I am talking about.  You hope that the words you type will mean something to someone besides yourself.  That someone will read what you have written and it will help them.  Perhaps something you write will stay with them, linger in their minds and one day that seed that was planted would grow into something new.

Every single, solitary time I sit to write, when faced by my computer screen, I am made uneasy by the blank page that stares back at me.

Let my words be Yours and not my own, is my prayer when I write.  Because if they will touch someone's heart, if they will make a difference and if they will help someone - they won't be of me.  They will be of Him.

Much like a clean piece of paper a new year has started.  Say hello to 2014!  People are energized and ready to start a new.  Before I became a Christian, a new year always promised a clean slate.  Time to lose weight. Time to do better at my job.  Purchase the newest and best self help books.  But, most importantly I would stop doing all the bad things I had been doing and replace them with the good. This would be the year to get my life together.  I would do well for a few weeks or so and then slowly the bad things would creep back in.  Spring would pass, summer would arrive and  I would start to tell myself...next year....that will be the year.

In my head, I knew right from wrong and good from bad.  But, my head wasn't the problem, the problem was my heart.   When we love something that we are doing, we tend to find ways to rationalize our behavior and why it's ok that we are doing it.  So, that we can keep doing it.

One last time... I deserve it... They will never find out... I work so hard... They don't appreciate me... 

What are some of the things you tell yourself?

Over the years God brought different people  into my life that graciously and boldly talked to me about Jesus.  At the time I would politely smile, think they were super nice, appreciate their efforts, and think they were a little nutty.  But, they took the time to plant seeds in my heart that God, in His own perfect timing would grow. One day at a women's conference, God brought to my knees by the reality that I had a major problem in my heart and there was absolutely NOTHING I could do to fix it.

Ezekiel 36:26

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

I went through life before knowing that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, but I never knew Him.  I was hit with the reality that while I may be a "good" person by the world standards, God's standards are much different.  God's law is the ten commandments, and when I put myself up against the ten commandments, I had broken every single one. I had broken God's law and just like in our court system where there are consequences, a penalty must be paid for my sins.  With His blood, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. To receive this grace all you have to do is repent, turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior.  He will give you a new heart with new desires.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 Pastor Gib at my church, Living Hope, always says, "Jesus came and lived the life we were supposed to live, died the death we deserved to die, so that God could treat us as if we had lived Jesus' life."

2 Corinthians 5:21

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

That's how much God loves us!   He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us! Jesus loves us so much that He laid down His life for us!  This year instead of looking inside at yourself to make the needed changes in your life, look to the cross. Seek Christ, He promises you will find Him.

Jeremiah 29:12-13

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  

In Christ,

Jennifer