I hope everyone had a Blessed Christmas. I know I did! Everyone was together and healthy and we were able to share our gifts with each other. My Christmas will be continuing tomorrow as I take a long trip to see my side of the family and spend time with them. So keep us in your prayers for a safe and happy trip. Thank you!
Now, for my latest reading!! I sat down for a few while the kids were in bed, and there were many, many bits of information I wanted to share with you. Then I came across one that really touched me and how I have come to believe so strongly in my Catholic faith. The more I read, and the more I think, and the more I BELIEVE with my whole heart, the more I appreciate the Church and the rules that have been set forth. I used to get caught up in the mindset of the rest of society that thinks Catholics are too strict and kept asking why it was so important to do the things we do. Well, God must have heard my questions, and He certainly answered them.
I was one of those Catholics that took some stuff and believed it, and left the rest because it must have been nonsense. After all, my friends didn't believe that and they got to sing and seemed to have a good time in Church. I can remember talking about that to a friend of mine when I was only in elementary school. So I guess I didn't have that STRONG belief in my faith from the beginning.
So I have been researching a lot, and reading a lot about God, our Lord, and our Mother. And in this latest book I have been reading by Mother Angelica, I came across a nugget titled "Tranquility and the Lord." Here is what she had to say:
Scripture says, "If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9). Some have cut it short and say, "Whoever believes in Jesus is saved." No. The devil believes in Jesus, but he is not saved. It's "Jesus is Lord" that makes you saved. He must be the Lord of your life.
Powerful isn't it?? Doesn't she make you THINK?! I love the part about the devil. It just blew my mind. I never thought about my belief that way before. Just because we believe doesn't mean we are saved. Many of us have rejected parts of the Bible because it requires work from us. We are sinful, erroneous human beings. But He sent us His only Son so that we may still be with Him when we die. He didn't send His Son to cover all of our sins so we could live free and without guilt though. Just because we believe and want to see Jesus as our way to the light, the way to our Father, doesn't mean we earn the right to be there just because we are alive. We must also live like He lived. We must take EVERY part of the Bible and LIVE it!! It's not easy, but it's important that we try hard. God knows the love that we have for Him in our hearts. He knows our intentions. If we love Him and EVERYTHING that He teaches us, and live according to Him, according to the Truth, then we have earned that eternal life in Heaven with our Father.
So, "He must be the Lord of your life." What does that mean to you?
I loved reading this. what I have realized over the past two years, opening myself up to Him again was that I don't know much about what the Bible says. I know what my childhood church taught and I have learned that many of the rules I was following was 'church created' and not from the Bible. I love my new church as it provided a safe spiritual home for my family and I and free from the judgment of my old church form and a place to come. When i walk in, I feel like they are Bible based and full of people who live from the Bible and are willing to teach me, and learn from me of course (it's always a two way street). I actually have a person who's wing I have fallen under. It's a blessing. I am a teacher of children there which is a position I have taken to be able to learn myself and educate myself better. I'm really excited as last night when I was reading my bible (which as a child in my childhood church was never prompted to do from my recall), I found that in the back of my Application Study Bible (a gift from a wonderful friend who has helped to lead me back to Christ), that there is a 365 step guide to reading through the whole bible. I'm doing it! I'm gonna get through the whole thing! I'm actually really excited and a so glad to have this forum to share my experiences. Well enough for now but more later. Have a blessed day.
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