Reflecting on the Cross

Why is it that the cross has become a symbol of beauty?

No one in Roman times would have ever worn a cross or crucifix as jewelry.  It would be like us wearing a hang man's noose, guillotine, or gun around our necks today.

The cross was how many were executed in the most brutal, gruesome, and inhumane fashion. 

Countless of guilty criminals were executed on crosses no different from the ones on which Christ was crucified.

And yet, the cross has become a symbol of hope.

The cross has become a thing of beauty.

To think, death can be a thing of beauty.

But it can, because of Christ.

We can sing of His death, and have joy because of His resurrection.

We can have hope, precious peace, and a relationship, a real relationship with God.

It's passion week, we remember Christ's death.

We remember His sacrifice.

But we can have joy.

Even though there was a cruel death, there was a magnificent miracle that occurred three days later.

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.

Will I go to heaven one day?

Is heaven for real? Where do good people go when they die? Where do bad people go when they die? Is there life after death?  Will I go to heaven when I die? How can I know for sure? What happens when you die? 

My uncle is gone. After a single phone call I find out he won't be making jokes at anymore family gatherings, he won't be amazing my kid's with his slight of hand, and he won't get to see his son graduate from high school.

He was in a car accident, turning into his own driveway.  There is no way he knew yesterday morning when he woke up it would be his last day on earth.

There is no way his wife knew before he left that it would be the last time she hugged her husband, and there is no way her son knew that he would be spending the rest of his childhood fatherless.

Gone, just that quick.  Gone.

None of us have any guarantee of tomorrow.

We could be gone, in an instant, in a heartbeat.  We could be gone. Without Christ we haven't a hope of heaven.  We're all sinners, none of us deserve heaven.

In his love and goodness though, God has given us all a free gift if only we would accept it before we're gone. We've earned death, but God gives us the gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9,10  says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

My uncle is gone into eternity.  He wasn't expecting it, and yet he's gone.

Everyone will die, will you be ready when your time comes?

Have you confessed to God the Lord Jesus?  Have you believed in your heart that God raised him from the dead?

If you haven't won't you be saved today? 

Revelation 3:20 says "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

I don't know how you wound up on this website, but God brought you here, he's knocking on the door of your heart.  He's speaking to you.  Be saved.  Lay down your stubbornness and pride and be saved.

Christians, we have such a responsibility for evangelism.  Our friends, our family, our co-workers, those in foreign lands we've never even met.  Those precious souls, those precious people, the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters could be gone, gone in an instant. Will they know of Christ when that time comes?

Will you be there to tell them?

To stay up to date, and have access to my free e-book  Subscribe or  Like Lessons from Ivy 

Yesterday in Jr. Church

We're working on our kids Christmas play during Jr. Church, needless to say our practices are very entertaining.  There were 3 boys sitting in the back "singing."  At one point the youngest of the boys is messing around with something and sticking it in the other boy's face next to him.  My sister being the authoritarian of the adults in the room, demanded that "whatever it was" to "give it to me now!"  The little boy hung his head and gave my sister his treasure.  She took it in her hand and asked him what it was, he again hung his head and said, "my toenail....."

I'm so proud of my sister, and shocked she didn't get terribly grossed out. Needless to say our Christmas play this year should be a hoot.

Reasons to Go to Church Part II

God desires us to go to church

Our salvation certainly is not dependent on us going to church or any other action of our own for that matter.  Just because it doesn't affect our status as a believer however doesn't mean we have carte blanche to skip out on church services.  God desires that we fellowship and worship with our fellow believers, and quite frankly if God wants us to do something that should certainly be motivation enough.

There is also something to be said about worshiping Christ with our fellow believers.  For a moment we are taken away from our present worries and struggles as we join those around us in song and learning.  We are there for the same purpose: to bring honor and glory to Christ, it's something bigger than us and our tiny problems in comparison.  God desires us to worship Him not only so that He may receive glory but for our benefit as well.

Not only does God desire us to come to church he also desires that we be evangelistic.  We're told in Matthew 28:19 to make disciples of all nations, this is something we certainly can't do on our own but need the full fledged support of the body of Christ behind us.

I plan on continuing this topic throughout the next coming weeks, but there are other things on my mind to write in the meantime. 

I'm Encouraged By My Church Family (Reasons to Go to Church Part I)

As I said in my last post it's been very easy lately to come up with excuses in my mind not to go to church, so these next few posts are certainly as much for me as anyone else. It's so easy to get consumed in ministry that you forget why exactly you're coming to church in the first place.

We should go to church to love, encourage, and teach our fellow Christians and to be loved encouraged and taught by fellow Christians.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ
Galations 6:2

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galations 6:10

Our relationship with Christ is certainly the most important aspect of our faith, but our relationships with other Christians are also of great importance. I cannot bear the burden of another if I don't know what that burden is.  To loose touch with fellow Christians is to loose touch with the Body of Christ.  Not only is it detrimental to the one not attending church it's detrimental to the body as a whole.  We cannot be encouraged and we cannot encourage if we are not worshiping together.

God designed us to be relational, and there is certainly no shame in desiring to see friends or love them.  It lifts our spirits when we can fellowship with other Christians.  Christ said the second greatest commandment is to love one another, we are certainly not showing love to our fellow Christians if we neglect seeing them on a regular basis.

Not only does going to church encourage fellow Christians but it can teach them as well, particularly the younger generation.  My Children come to church with me every Sunday and Wednesday not because they are going to be learning some spiritual truth they couldn't learn at home, but because we're forming a habit.  They need to know every Sunday morning, and Sunday and Wednesday night we go to church.  Not only am I setting an example for my children I'm setting an example for the children and teenagers my husband and I teach.  If we don't come to church every Sunday why should they? 

Going to church also encourages the Pastor and other church workers.  Pouring yourself into ministry and then having no one to share it with can be a very discouraging thing indeed, but one new person in church or someone who hasn't been seen in awhile can change a discouraged spirit into an encouraged one quicker than anything.

Top 10 Reasons to Go to Church

Lately Wednesday evening services have been very difficult for me.  It's past the girls' bedtimes and quite frankly it's hard not to think "I could have just stayed home and listened to them fuss."  Going to church however is far too important for me to skip, and occasionally I have to remind myself of why I'm there, even if I can't hear the message or "be fed" myself.  Over the next few days I want to explore why going to church is important.  But first, the top 10 "lousy" reasons to go to church:


10- So I can go to heaven (See Romans 4:5)

9- I'm less likely to get one of those pesky visits or phone calls from the pastor

8-  To catch up on gossip

7- I'm more likely to get a favor from the pastor

6- So I can get some God Points (in case He keeps score)

5- I want to look righteous

4- It's free babysitting

3- If I go to church once a week I can judge others because I'm soooo righteous

2- 2 words, Pot Luck

1- There's nothing good on TV

Will you learn along with me? Let's encourage one another.

I'd love for you to sign up for e-mail updates or follow me on Facebook.