Commitment  How much time, effort, and money do you put into your race car or project car?  Lots, I bet.  We only get as much satisfaction or performance out of our cars as we invest in them...which is only to be expected.  It's pretty much the same way with life and, not surprisingly, the same way with our commitment to God...the more we put into our relationship with Him, the more we can expect to receive in return.  Before you decide to click out of this page, I hope you'll take a couple minutes to finish reading it.  It can be the best investment in time you'll ever make!

Relationship  How are your relationships with others, and more importantly, with God?   Since I've come to know and understand Him more fully, my life has grown in many ways...not in worldly, material ways, but in intangible ways.  I truly mean that.  My relationship with my wife, Donilee, has grown greatly during the past couple years since we've really started developing our relationship with God.  The difference is we're relying more on Him and less on ourselves!  Yes...we disagree about things, but its less frequent and less stressful.  In addition, we find it easier to give up more of "our" time for each other...selfishness has, in large part, been replaced by selflessness.

Sinfulness  Can we sin and still be saved?  Absolutely.  We are sinners and always will be.  It's as simple as that.  Accepting Christ as our Savior doesn't change our predisposition to sin.  What it does do is it changes our attitude toward sin and our desire to sin!  John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." A true Christian recognizes his/her sin, asks for forgiveness, and then wants to live a life that pleases God and reveals His presence in that individual; and God can be absolutely relied upon to help that changed life come to fruition over time.  Unbelievers, on the other hand, either experience little or no regret for their sins, or ignore the feelings of guilt they do experience when sinning.

Picking some fruit  When we accept Jesus into our hearts and the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, we become new creatures in Christ.  We then have the foundation upon which God can build and nurture us and help us grow...but we can't do it ourselves.  Why?  Because, even being saved, we have a sinful nature in us--even someone as devoted to God as the apostle Paul after his conversion on the road to Damascus.  In Romans 7, he writes: ¹⁵"For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will (my italics) to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.  ¹⁷But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." How do we overcome our sinful nature?   By entrusting our lives to God and His grace, and being committed to growing in what Matthew 5:22, 23 speaks of as the fruit of the Spirit.  These include love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  By reading and studying the Bible, attending a church that teaches and follows scriptural principles, and surrounding ourselves with others who share similar beliefs, God  helps us develop these virtuous traits.  With Him, we can overcome any obstacles that can otherwise keep us chained to sin.

Do unto others...  The more we give the more we get...as long as our giving comes from a  sincere heart and pure motives.  The blessings we receive may not be of a material nature; it may simply be that we experience a satisfaction from knowing that, with God's help, we've "done our best."

Do you have areas of need in your life?  God can help, if you'll let Him...

Inspirational books to read:

Spirit Filled Life Bible, by God/Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, ISBN: 0785257551

The Hiding Place, by Corrie Tenboom, 1984, ISBN: 0553256696

If you have questions, or want to talk, feel free to e-mail me!