Our Faith is what sets us free

Have you ever just stood on top of a mountain or high cliff and just felt on top of the world? Last year, on a business trip, I was able to travel to Phoenix, AZ. I have not been out of the state of Texas but once in my lifetime prior to that trip. I was very excited to ride on an airplane and go to a new world, at least to me. As we drew closer to Phoenix, I saw these mountain ridges from my plane window and the excitement just grew. When we landed and drove to the hotel, I could see what looked to me like mountains. How awesome it would be to climb those....long story short, 1 week later with some "old" high school friends I had reunited with while there, I was up on these "mountains" at the top to overlook God's country. I was amazed and felt like I was flying. You know that sense of peace and rush at the same time. A feeling I will never forget.

The mountain ridges from my plane window

Lori and I on the top of the mountain

The sense of rush that I felt that day is the same feeling that one feels once he/she experiences God's Grace. I can remember when I dedicated my life to the Lord and made the decision to serve in His ministry. I wanted to tell the whole world. Most new Christians are very pumped up and excited to share what the Lord has done for them. He has saved them. You want to tell everyone. Just like when you score an unbelievable deal at the store or with your coupons, you want to get on Facebook and tell everyone you know about it. Even those of us who have been saved 5, 10, 20 years, we should still feel this incredible desire to shout God's awesomeness. No fear should stand in our path to prevent us from sharing the Good News. 

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.

God's Grace saves us but we have to first have Faith. How do we get that Faith? This scripture informs us that when we hear the Good News, we then receive the Faith. You know, just when you hear a friend's testimony of not being able to walk because of an injury or birth defect and then they are able to walk because God answered their prayer. That encourages your belief or Faith in what God can do for you. We were not there to witness Christ's death and resurrection as the disciples did. We have to have that Faith. It is our Faith in what happened many moons ago that gives us our salvation. I challenge you today to go forth and step out of your comfort shell and share the Good News with someone today :)

Unworthiness

How can I be worthy of judging someone else's actions when I am so guilty of sin of my own. I have not sat at this computer to type on this blog for a while now for I felt that I was starting to speak on here and not letting the Lord speak through me. I was coming up with topics and it was me, me, me. I have been so guilty of wrong-doing myself here lately that I do not feel worthy of the Lord's mercy. I am downright dirt, mud even. My actions all day long should scream - I am a Christian! I love the Lord! I do no wrong! But, do they? Nope, not even close. Why, you ask? Regina is not perfect because she is HUMAN. Sin is sin and there's no question about it. Is sin any different today as it was when Moses climbed that mountain or what about when John the Baptist walked the streets? Just 30 years ago, it was looked down on when an unmarried couple lived in the same house and slept in the same bed....oh and you would rarely see a woman pregnant out of wedlock. Today, girls, kids even are pregnant and living together is more common than you ordering the same menu item at the local burger joint as the person behind you. The sin is still the same but the perception here on Earth has changed. It is accepted. Gay marriage is encouraged. It's sad that we have allowed God's Word to be overlooked and passed us by. Galatians 5:19-21 tells us that, "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." God tells us in His Word that there are different levels of sin that is judged differently. FE: murder and adultery. However, how is lying to someone any different than taking a piece of candy out of the Brach's bin? No different than me running the red light today on my way home from work when I was too busy to notice that the red light turned red or me not going back to the register at the store when the cashier forgets to charge me for the dog food on the bottom rack of my grocery cart. We have all been there. There is a reason why we have speed limit signs. It's not just to put cash in the State Patrol's pockets. God judges our heart's desire in the sin just as much as our actions. All sin, no matter how “small,” is against an infinite and eternal God, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty. Further, there is no sin too “big” that God cannot forgive it. Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin (1 John 2:2). Jesus died for all of our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). You know, the thief that hung on the cross next to Christ that day? He had a life full of sin. No telling what all he accumulated over his lifetime. He had no time to go to a priest and confess or be baptized...all it took was his belief in our Messiah. God read his heart right then and knew that he knew he was in the wrong. He saved him right there. How awesome is that? Jesus died to save us from Hell. He suffered the ultimate sacrifice so we would never have to live that torture. Why did God allow this precious baby girl die and her mother (killer) go free? Because He has a plan. God allowed His son, His baby, to be beaten to death and for what cause? Our salvation. His plan was revealed in due time. The followers of Christ had no idea at that time of the crucifixion why their master was being nailed to a tree. Their Faith wasn't stored just yet. Just as we do not know why this precious little girl had to die or the fact of all the other babies out there murdered daily while their killers go free. We have to keep the Faith b'c there is a reason coming forth. There were too many people praying for God's Will do be done today. His Will was done. Just as when Christ was crucified. Sometimes our will is not God's. It is so hard for us to step back and realize that. I have prayed many years to have a baby girl and that is my heart's desire and plan, but not the Lord's. You may want to see the rain fall from the sky and refill the lakes here in Texas. There might be a reason why God is allowing Lake Houston to be so low. We might not be able to see it right now, but that doesn't change his plan. We are to pray to accept God's Will and have peace b'c He isn't changing His plan. 


Accept what God has for us, Repent of our sins (daily), and believe that He is our Savior.