Self-Discipline versus Self-Control

     These days I am reading a book called The Shack, it is a wonderful book by William Paul  Young.  Not only am I reading his book, a book of self-examination, I think, but I am also watching his videos on Up Faith and Family.  

     This morning as I was watching the video that I am up to, Paul was speaking about self-discipline versus self-control.  I had never really considered what I was about to hear.  He said that "self-discipline is of the flesh and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). Now I did know this, but I had never really considered these two ways of thinking about these processes.

     Now any of you who have read my blogs in the past know that I am a good one for looking up definitions...

     The following definitions are straight from Google Search:

          Self-discipline - the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.  "his observance if his diet was a show of tremendous will power and self-discipline"

          Self-control - the ability to control oneself in particular, one's emotions and desires, or the expression of them in one's behavior, especially in difficult situations.  "Lucy struggled for self-control"

     I had been working, taking care of three of my wonderful grandchildren.  And while I was doing this and especially now when I am not caring for them on a daily basis, I realize that one of the things we must teach our children and our grandchildren is the fruits of the spirit. 

      And if we haven't mastered them ourselves, well there is no time like the present, if this is possible.  It is frequently good to teach others the things we are trying to master ourselves.  But keep in mind that all things take time to learn.

     Children have joy down pat!  This is one we adults should look at much more closely.   And if you have a child that is joyless, oh now that could be a significant problem.  As an adult, I have lost my joy in the past, not a fun place to be.  The only way I have found to fix this situation is by going to the Lord.

     With joy comes peace.  Without joy, there is no peace.  Again go to the Lord.

     Forbearance...google dictionary says...

patient self-control; restraint and tolerance.  I think we ALL need to work on this.  I know I do.

     Gentleness - this is a one that we as adults understand, but, try teaching this to little ones, little tough.

     And that brings us to self-control if God says this is a good thing for us as Christians to have and/or to display as part of our character, then this is definitely something which we need to be vigilant.

     So man says we need self-discipline, and God says we need self-control.  

     Which path will you choose?

Happy Easter

Today is Restoration Day.   2019

Think about it, God devised a plan for each and every one of us.  A plan to attain eternal life, with Him, in heaven.

What an amazing place to spend life eternal?  Do you know the streets are paved with gold?  Now there may be some of you who are reading this and thinking some different thoughts, but for those of us who love the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, what could be better?

But I digress...let's get back to this day, this day of restoration.  Thank you Father for this amazing day....this is the day that the Father in heaven prepared for us, to be able to come back to Him.  So that we might have an eternal life filled with Glory rather than anguish.

As some of you may know I have moved to Florida, my earthly father is down here and I wanted to be closer to him.  Now we may not be living in each other's hip pocket, we are still closer in proximity than we were.  He has a good life and a wonderful girlfriend and I really don't want to intrude on that, I just want to be a bit closer than an 18-hour drive.

So I moved.

Happy Easter a year later. 2020

A Pandemic Easter

Easter at home watching a video of our church service.  How different was that?

Very different! Up and had coffee and took some notes during the service. I made a few phone calls to family and friends, wishing all a very happy Easter.  Our pastor, Pastor Kevin, a really kind and considerate pastor who doesn't pussyfoot.  If you ask him a question, be ready for the answer.  It may not always be what you want to hear, but it will be a biblically accurate answer. I am sure you all know the Easter story.  So what is Easter really about?  It's about the resurrection of Christ, our redemption story.  You might read this and think, "Easter isn't my redemption story." I beg to differ...this redemption gift, if you would, is a gift that is there for each and every one of us.  It's just sitting there, perhaps on a shelf, or in the garage, or maybe right next to your easy chair.  All you have to do is open it!

What's to Come

A couple weeks back, Tim and I traveled down out of Pennsylvania,  into the western part of Maryland, then into Virginia, then West Virginia for just a brief  stretch and then back into Virginia.  We drove just a bit farther and ended in Front Royal, a really pretty part is what we saw.  The campground is along the Shenandoah River, a lovely area.

 I made my first attempts at trying to capture our adventure, and holy smokes, kudo's to all of you who do this.  Not an easy task.  By any stretch of the imagination.  

However as you can see I was able to take a few pictures.
                            
We were staying at a Coast 
to Coast camping area called 
West Fork .  A very nice 
campground, however we now 
have a better idea of which sites 
we may like better the next
time we come.

As you can see by some of the pictures
we took our 10 almost 11 year old puppy, by the name of Louis, along with us.  He and I did much better this trip than we did on our first trip. Louis isn't used to walking on a leash, so that makes my life quite interesting, since I am Louis' caregiver.  Tim isn't quite up to walking Louis anywhere.  While we were there we went to the dog park.  This was really great fun for Louis. He made friends with two delightful English Bull Dogs.  And they all really seemed to get on must pleasantly.  It was fun to watch.

Can you tell Louis was pretty well played out by the time we arrived back at the RV.

 This is what we saw from one of our windows in the RV.  A nice little view. We really did have a nice quiet time.  I was able to spend time in the Word.  Spent some quality time with my husband, and I did a far amount of knitting. 

A sweater for Hannah.

         It was all very pleasant!

And this was on our way home.   And once again I took my wonderful husband on a tour of little tiny town, and I mean tiny.  To me the streets were really not much more than a big alley with parking on one side.  We have an eight foot wide motor home, let me tell you, Tim is GOOD!

Sanctification and Salvation

7/29/17                              rebeccacreates2012@gmail.com                                                        

Dear Father,  

I was having a conversation  the other day with a gentleman about the two words in this title.  And although I know what salvation  is, I realized I really didn't know what sanctification is and/or what part if any it plays in our Christian lives.   So I decided I needed to take a closer look at this word, what it means, what it means as far as our Christianity, does it have a baring on us and if so what is that baring.

According to Bible Study Tools,  at http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sanctification/  The Greek word translated "sanctification" (hagiasmos [aJgiasmov"]) means "holiness."   So this word means to become holy, the process of becoming holy.  Now we all know there is but one who is Holy and that is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, our Triune God.  
So when we become born again, when we invite Christ to abide within us, we are to become like little Christs. So how do we do this? When you read the Great Commission:

Matthew 28:18-20King James Version (KJV)

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We have also been taught that God is Love.  If we look at 1 John 4 there is so much great instruction from the Father, I was going to copy some here for you, but it would be better to just look it up and read it. To put it quite simply, we are to love.  You all do know this is a choice, right, just like walking with Christ is also a choice.  The big choice is do you, I, us, walk with Christ always, every day, every minute, that is what "always" is?  

Being born again and asking Christ to come into your heart is really the most wonderful gift we can ever receive from God.  I was actually going to say something different, but I was prompted by the Father to say what I just said instead.  Now what is the best gift we can give to the Father?  How about being sanctified? As our gift to the Father.  Leviticus  11:44 For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

That's pretty clear, wouldn't you say? Or there is Matthew 5:48...(a little more difficult) Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.  

Father you are the ultimate example of sanctification. Thank you Father for this  example of what we are to look like.

Love you Father,

Rebecca 

The Begining of Christ's Teaching

7/22/17 for 7/5/17              rebeccacreates2012@gmail.com

Loving God Greatly ~ Sold Out, Bible Study, Week 3

Read: John 1:35-42 SOAP John 1:40

John 1:35-42King James Version (KJV)

35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

Dear Father,
What must have been going thru John's head when he saw Jesus approaching? A thousand thoughts  I would think, here He is, He's here, what will His life be Like? How many will be saved? I would think that there would be an absolute myriad of thoughts just going round and round and round in his head, all vieing for being in the center. 
This was the begining of the earthly reign of Christ.  But what most of us do not realize is that His reign is still proceeding forward. We still celebrate His birthday.  
You and He and the Holy Spirit love us all so much.
God is so good, God is so good,  God is so good,  He so good to me.
He answers prays, He answers prayers, He answers prayers,  He's so good to me.
That song just jumped into my head.  Thank you Father. Or was it the Holy Spirit that prompted that? Not really sure, but wouldn't you prefer to have positive wonderful thoughts of Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit filling your brain? I would.
Well it is time for SOAP...
S - John 1: 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
O - this particular scripture to me is a digger scripture.  For any of you who are aware of how my quizzical brain works, you probably understand, for those of you who don't know me, it is simply this.  This scripture makes me want to dig.  If you continue reading you will find that this man, Jesus renames Cephas, which means "A Stone."  That is in verse 42.  Okay so now I have a done just a little more digging and I believe that Cephas is also the same Simon Peter. On this rock I will build my church....something like that.  More work to be done on this One!
A - so how do we apply this?  We hear many speakers.  But their goal should be to have their audience want to follow Jesus, not them.  On Sunday or the occasional Saturday  or sometimes on Wednesday's  when I go to church I hear Pastor Don Wolabaugh's wonderful teaching, and lately I hear him and he tag teams with others and the messages are "off the hook,"  so much so that I have to frequently relisten to the teachings. When I listen live, I can not pause and write down important stuff, but when I relisten, I can do just that.  Listen to speakers, but spend time in the word, and follow Jesus.
P - Thank you Father, you constantly supply us with wonderful words.  Teachings that are all right there in front of us. Just dig a little bit.  Father I pray for my family, especially today.  My baby's birthday is today.  And she has a wonderful family, as I do have many more children and grandchildren and one great grandchild.  My cup runneth over and I pray that you will teach me so I can teach them and just love them as you would.  Father place your hedge of protection around each and every one of them, keep them safe from everything and guard their eye gates, and ear gates and mouth gates.  Just please keep all safe and sound and help us all to follow You, not man.  Amen and amen.

"If You Love Me."

7/21/17 for 7/4/17              rebeccacreates2012@gmail.com

Loving God Greatly ~ Sold Out, Bible Study, Week 3

Read: John 14: 15-26, SOAP 14:22-23

John 14:15-26King James Version (KJV)

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

King James Version (KJV)

Dearest Father in Heaven,

Sometimes when I read your words, I am completely blown away.  I do not know if it's because there is a moment of lucidity, or just what it is.  But sometimes things just become very clear...You have so much love for us, love that is not based on how we perform, love that is just love.

All of these verses attest to this, and they also speak to the issue that the disciples had to deal with.  You had told them that you where leaving.  Albeit just for a time, but they didn't understand this.  They didn't have the book, like we do.  You told them that you would leave a comforter for them, a comforter that would live inside of them, inside of us.  And again they didn't understand.

Thank you Father for these words, words that speak to our open hearts and minds. Words that you give to us, that when we open our mouths we might speak the words that you give us to speak, that we may attest to the love that you have shown us and the love that lives within us.

In Matthew 22 it reads: 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

S ~ John 14: 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. KJV

S ~ John 14: 22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them.  GNV

S ~ John 14: 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said, “Master, why is it that you are about to make yourself plain to us but not to the world?”

23-24 “Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me. MSG

I think sometimes having various versions right in front of us gives us a better shot at truly comprehending what our Lord is trying to convey to us.

O ~ What do I observe about these verses, that the disciples are concerned, plan and simple. Oh let's not leave out a bit of confusion.  But I must say this for the disciples, they were capable of accepting what you were saying to them and accepting it, with a thought, they just accepted. 

A ~ How might we be as accepting as the disciples?  Have you ever considered how a person breaks a habit.  They replace it with a new habit.  I have heard it said that if you do something three times that that will make it easier to commit to doing it again  as a habit. Also this form of thinking allows us as people, to just do it.  Make up your mind to just accept and just do it.

P ~  Father God you are so good to us, give us the wisdom we all need and the ability  to make our minds work for us as you would have these minds to work.  I know Daddy that you gave us the freedom to choose, help us to always choose you.  In your precious name I ask you these things.  Amen

Can You Be Counted?

7/15/17 for 7/3                         Rebeccacreates2012@gmail.com

Loving God Greatly ~ Sold Out, Bible Study, Week 3

Read Matthew 10: 2-4, Mark 15: 40; Soap all.

S ~ 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;


Dear Lord,
O ~ I read these scriptures, and I cant help but think, if I was living in this time period, where might I fall.  Would I be among those that counted as the Christians? or not.  Now in all honesty, this is a very difficult question to answer. (How would you all answer?)

We look at this list of mostly common people, I myself would have to consider myself as common, I am not an executive, nor am I a nurse or a doctor.  I read alot, but I never went to college. so am I educated, yes to some degree, but mostly self taught. So through me in with the commoners.  Not a problem for me Lord.  You made me a very special me.  I am your daughter, so therefore I am a princess. Since my father is a King, that is what I have to be.  This is my pedigree.

A ~ Since I have designated myself as a princess. I had better live as such.  Not materialistically, but rather in my character.
I am quite sure that if we were to look at the character traits of some nobility of current times it could be quite scandalous.
But I am looking at what should be considered character traits of my King's children, you and me.  I don't think I need to list them.  We have Bibles, there's the rule book.  Read it and learn what you are supposed to do and how you are supposed to behave.

P ~ Father, am I living as you would want me to live?  I know I am far, far, from perfect. I will keep on believing and trusting, that with your help and your guidance, I will be able to be a trusted member of your family.  In Jesus precious Name, your son, I pray....

Rebecca