Stripping, sanding, staining and steel wool, this is the process I used to restore an old cedar chest that my wife owned before we were married, almost 57 years ago. In order to bring the chest back to its original condition all of the above things were needed. God uses the same process in restoring our sin-worn lives back to their original condition, the way man was in the Garden of Eden.
Stripping and sanding a piece of furniture is the only way to remove the accumulation of paint and varnish that has been applied over the years. It seems to be a harsh way to treat a piece of furniture, but is absolutely necessary. Stripping and sanding humanity can be harsh and painful also, but absolutely necessary.
God’s word tells is in Ephesians 4:22-24 that we are to put off, that is remove, the old man, which grows more corrupt day-by-day, and put on the new man whom God creates. When we surrender our lives to Christ we start the process. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold all things have become new.”
In the tense in which this verse is written, the word ‘passed’ is ‘passing’ and the word ‘become’ is ‘becoming.’ In other words, this is a process.
Submit yourselves to the restoring work that God wants to do in your life to make you ‘fit’ for the Kingdom of God. It may be painful, but it’s necessary.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://HeartoftheCanyons.com.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
JUST BE HAPPY... by Ray Eddy
If you asked a hundred people if they’d like to be happy, the overwhelming response would be ‘yes.’ Everybody wants to be happy right? In that case why are so many people unhappy?
The secret to being happy is to discover what brings happiness. Some people think wealth will make them happy. Winning the lottery will do it right? Wrong! More people are made unhappy in their search to win the lottery. They are also made poorer. What about power? Will that make you happy? Probably not because with power comes tremendous responsibility. How about popularity? Many of the people I see who are popular spend a lot of time in rehab trying to get their life straightened out. They don’t seem to be very happy.
You can find happiness if you look in the right place. And the best place to look is in God’s Word. Consider the following verses regarding happiness:
Proverbs 16:30: “He who gives heed to the Word will prosper and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Proverbs 8:32: “And now my son, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.”
Psalms 34:8 says: “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
Happiness is not a state of mind; it is a state of being. Becoming a follower of God through Jesus Christ leads us to true happiness.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.
The secret to being happy is to discover what brings happiness. Some people think wealth will make them happy. Winning the lottery will do it right? Wrong! More people are made unhappy in their search to win the lottery. They are also made poorer. What about power? Will that make you happy? Probably not because with power comes tremendous responsibility. How about popularity? Many of the people I see who are popular spend a lot of time in rehab trying to get their life straightened out. They don’t seem to be very happy.
You can find happiness if you look in the right place. And the best place to look is in God’s Word. Consider the following verses regarding happiness:
Proverbs 16:30: “He who gives heed to the Word will prosper and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Proverbs 8:32: “And now my son, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.”
Psalms 34:8 says: “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Happy is the man who takes refuge in Him.”
Happiness is not a state of mind; it is a state of being. Becoming a follower of God through Jesus Christ leads us to true happiness.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? by Ray Eddy
What keeps you from becoming a Christian? Perhaps it is because no one has ever told you about God and of His gift of new life given to us through His Son Jesus. If that is true in your case, read John 3:16 and let God’s Spirit speak to your heart.
I find a lot of people who believe in God and even believe that Jesus was His Son, and yet they have not accepted the offer of Salvation found in John 3:16. Their question is not what ‘What do I have to do?’ But ‘What do I have to give up?’ They are afraid they will have to stop doing some of the things they are doing that they find pleasurable. Nothing in this world is greater than, or better than, or more pleasurable than having a relationship with God. Your eternal soul is at stake.
In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus says; “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (“I knew I’d have to give up something,” read on), “for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? …”
Do what you have to do and stop worrying about what God may no longer want you to keep doing. Receive Jesus as your Savior!
Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.
I find a lot of people who believe in God and even believe that Jesus was His Son, and yet they have not accepted the offer of Salvation found in John 3:16. Their question is not what ‘What do I have to do?’ But ‘What do I have to give up?’ They are afraid they will have to stop doing some of the things they are doing that they find pleasurable. Nothing in this world is greater than, or better than, or more pleasurable than having a relationship with God. Your eternal soul is at stake.
In Matthew 16:24-26 Jesus says; “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (“I knew I’d have to give up something,” read on), “for whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? …”
Do what you have to do and stop worrying about what God may no longer want you to keep doing. Receive Jesus as your Savior!
Looking for churches in Santa Clarita? Check out Heart of the Canyons Church.
Monday, June 7, 2010
A NEW COAT OF PAINT by Ray Eddy
For the past few days my wife and I have been redoing our bedroom and adjoining bath. Part of this was applying a new coat (and color) of paint to both areas. I have to admit it not only looks different, it also looks better.
Buried somewhere under that new coat of paint is the old color, but now you can’t see it, and it looks brand new. But if you scrape away the new paint, the old will reappear.
People sometimes treat their lives with a new coat of paint. They make some outward physical changes and maybe some new attitudes and actions. To look at them they now look different (and sometimes even better). But underneath their new exterior is hidden the old self. If you scrape against it, the old will reappear.
Life cannot be permanently changed by simply applying a ‘new cost of paint’. No matter what we do, the imprint of the ‘way of the world’ will remain upon us. The only way to eradicate the old and discover the new is found in Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world [a new coat of paint?], but, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Verse 1 tells us how to renew our mind, by: “presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice holy, acceptable to God.”
Check out John 3:16 and start your spiritual makeover today.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.
Buried somewhere under that new coat of paint is the old color, but now you can’t see it, and it looks brand new. But if you scrape away the new paint, the old will reappear.
People sometimes treat their lives with a new coat of paint. They make some outward physical changes and maybe some new attitudes and actions. To look at them they now look different (and sometimes even better). But underneath their new exterior is hidden the old self. If you scrape against it, the old will reappear.
Life cannot be permanently changed by simply applying a ‘new cost of paint’. No matter what we do, the imprint of the ‘way of the world’ will remain upon us. The only way to eradicate the old and discover the new is found in Romans 12:1-2: “Do not be conformed to this world [a new coat of paint?], but, be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Verse 1 tells us how to renew our mind, by: “presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice holy, acceptable to God.”
Check out John 3:16 and start your spiritual makeover today.
Find out more about this Santa Clarita church at http://www.HeartoftheCanyons.com.
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