Month: March 2018

With Easter coming up, I can’t help but think about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ the lamb of God.  Have you ever heard the song “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?”  

Here is a little history on this song. 

An African-American spiritual that probably predates the Civil War, “Were You There” was first published in William Barton’s Old Plantation Hymns (1899). The spiritual’s earlier roots include a white spiritual known in Tennessee as “Have you heard how they crucified my Lord?” Additional stanzas are available from oral and written tradition:

“Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?”

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?

Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in a tomb?

Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when He rose up from the dead?

As I prepare my heart for Easter Sunday I can’t help but feel a humble and undeserving. I was talking to my friend Jennifer Harris about the movie, “Passion of the Christ.” It is the one staring Mel Gibson. When I went to see the movie, I was prepared, or I thought I was. I heard about the 11 minutes where Christ was beaten with a cat of nine tales. I was prepared for a number of scenes. However, there is one that I wasn’t prepared for. I tried watching the movie again and I had a meltdown all over again.

That scene was after Christ was taken down from the cross. He was being cradled in the arms of His earthly mom Mary. As she cradles Him, she holds his limp body and stares towards the audience. She didn’t say a word, but it was as if her eyes pierced my soul.

I don’t know if others felt the way I did. But, without words she stared off and said that it is because of me that her Son had to die. He didn’t do anything to deserve death. He never sinned and yet He was killed as if he committed the worst unpardonable sins. It was if I was the one holding the hammer in my hands and driving the nails into His hands.

There is another song about the Crucifixion of Christ. The song is called “The Hammer”. The first time I heard it and watched the video, it immediately brought tears to my eyes. I felt as if I was there with the hammer in my hand. Every time I struck the nail it was as if my sins was the hammer and I kept hitting the nails over and over as tears stream down my face.

Listen to Ray Boltz singing “The Alter/The Hammer/Feel the Nails

Ray Boltz singing “The Alter/The Hammer/Feel the Nails

I was in the crowd
The day that Jesus died
And as He hung upon the cross
His mother cried

I saw the crown of thorns He wore
The stripes upon His back
The water and the blood ran out
And then the sky turned black

My mind was filled with anger
My heart was filled with shame
This man brought only healing
Who could bring Him pain

Why does it seem the strong
Always victimize the weak?
And suddenly I found myself
Standing to my feet

1 Peter 1: 18-21 –  For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.  Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

He is the Lamb of God. So at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptizer’s words invite us to “Look!” and see the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” All that is required of us is to open our hearts, listen and keep watching, then we will see the Lamb.

Since I have been away from Facebook and thinking about the importance of the birth, death and Resurrection of Christ, I have been reminded of the unconditional love God has for us. I’m also reminded that the power He has over death is more than a colored Easter Egg or candy that is shaped like a bunny.  Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and He overcame death by rising on the third day.

Most people who knows me personally knows that our family celebrates Christmas and Easter on Easter Sunday.

Springtime is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Not because of flowers blooming and such, it’s because Easter reminds me that Christ is alive and how blessed I feel. The trees are blooming, birds are singing and new life is everywhere you look. Easter also reminds me that the problems I have faced in the past and continue to face are small when I take into consideration of eternity, my problems are temporary.

Every day Christ provides me with all of the things that I need or want. There are times when He provides for me that isn’t exactly what I want lol. He does that for everyone if you only ask. He gives us all the strength we need to get through another day. He blesses me with awesome friends, family and more. I don’t always understand His ways, but I know that He understands me, even when I don’t understand myself. He knows my every thought, desire and hopes. As my heart and mind prepares for Easter, I know that His love for me and everyone else is deeper than I will ever be able to understand.

Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price when He died on the cross. He paid the penalty for my sins. He died for you and everyone else. I have made countless mistakes and it seems as if I keep making the same mistakes over and over again. I can’t save myself. I’m my own worse enemy. Jesus Christ knows what is on my heart and He knows what my imperfections are. He knows the sins I have committed. And, yet, He loves me despite of all of the things I have done wrong.

2 Corinthians 5:21  (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Christmas and Easter are the only holidays I celebrate because they remind of why I am a Christian. When I focus on Christmas and Easter, it helps me keep my eyes open so I can see the path that is laid out in front of me.  I have found that celebrating Christmas and Easter together, it helps me stay focused on Christ, not the world.

I don’t know about you, but I know for myself that it is hard to see God’s promises when I’m going to trials and hardships. It’s hard to see God while we are suffering from diseases and illnesses. It’s hard to see God while we deal with the loss of someone who is close to us.  What I have found while going through these times in our lives is that God uses His believers to bring us back to where we need to be. He brings us through these trials by wrapping His loving arms around us and comforting us.

Since I have limited my time away from Facebook and refocus on Christ during Lent, it has allowed me to open my heart up to those who are going through difficult times. I’m reminded that I can count on God’s love, light and peace during the hard times in my life. As I journey through life, I’m striving to honor God and to do whatever it is that is God’s Will.

James 1:12 NIV, it says, Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

I don’t know how people make it through life without hope. He gave his life so I can live. That gift is something I can never repay. My hope and prayer is that I will never forget what He has done for me. I hope I never forget to thank Him for being there for those that are in my life.

We are all saved because of Christs sacrifice. My sins are washed away because of Christ. I have overcome death because you payed the price by dying for me. You died so that anyone who asks can be saved. I look forward to the day when I take my last breath here on earth and wake up and see you.

I found this Easter Prayer or Blessing on a website and I want to share this with you and close this post with it. I don’t know who wrote it.

May the celebration of resurrected life bring new hope to your being. May the victory over earthly death turn your eyes to the promises of heaven. May the empty tomb help you to leave your sorrows at the foot of the cross. So that God’s hope, promises and forgiveness reign in your life forever.

Have a happy Easter.

This blog post was written by Pastor Ray Schroeder at St. George Community Church. He is one of our guest writers here at Senseless Ramblings of the Mindless.  

THE COMMUNICATOR

APRIL 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“Christ is Risen!” “He is Risen, Indeed!”

This is the joyful shout and response of Easter morning. Interestingly, this year Easter falls on April Fool’s Day. However, the resurrection is no joke. It is the absolute truth. The resurrection of Jesus Christ in a physical body is so important that the Bible says without it our faith is in vain and we are still in our sins. We must constantly and committedly lift up the truth of Jesus’ resurrection to a world that thinks it is of no consequence or ignores it completely.

There are two factors that constitute the truth of the resurrection: the empty grave and the appearances of Jesus after his death. We know that Jesus was completely and totally dead on the cross. After the initial whippings and physical torture he endured he was then nailed to a cross and a soldier punctured his side with a spear. Blood and water rushed out which is a sign of cardiac failure. Let no one tell you that Jesus was not completely and totally dead on the cross. He was dead.

Then Jesus was buried for three days before arising from the tomb. No one was present at the actually moment of his resurrection but when the women arrived at the tomb on Sunday morning it was empty. Romans and Pharisees tried to spread the story that His body had been stolen but no dead body was ever found.

Then Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene and to the other Apostles and finally to more than 500 believers at one time (1 Cor. 15:6). Many of whom were still alive at the time of the writing of the books of the New Testament and who could have verified to anyone that they saw the risen Lord Jesus. He told his disciples that he was not a ghost and to touch him and see, for a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

No rebuttal to the resurrection has ever been proven. The body was not stolen or hidden. The tomb was empty. Jesus appeared physically to his disciples and it was not simply a vision or a spirit. This is the great good news of Jesus’ resurrection. It’s true! And because of Christ’s resurrection we know our sins are forgiven and we have eternal life. Our great and blessed hope is that we, too, shall be resurrected and we shall be changed to be like him.

Also, because of the resurrection we can be assured that every Word of Jesus is true and every word of the Bible is true. Jesus believed all of the Bible and He believed it in a literal fashion. Because Jesus rose from the grave I believe the earth was created in six days. I believe Jesus was born of a virgin. I believe that Christ ascended to heaven in the same resurrection body and that He is coming again in that same body. Praise God for the resurrection! Let’s spread the Good News reminding everyone that this is no April Fool’s joke. This is the glorious truth!

My love be with you all in Christ,

Pastor Ray

This blog post is long. I tried to cut down how many words I used. Thank you for reading it.  This is one of those topics that is very near and dear to my heart. This post is dedicated to all of you have knows that dogs aren’t just dogs, they are family members. I will be doing the final part of this blog that has pictures of four-legged family members that have done over the bridge and some are still with us. If there is anyone who would like to add a picture of their 4 legged family member to that page, let me know. It is going to be a showcase of beloved pets that are still with us and those who have made it to the Rainbow Bridge.

Click Here to view a video about the four-legged family members we have rescued.

This is the part two of are “Dogs In Heaven?”  I have to say right off the bat that I totally believe that pets will be in Heaven. I don’t think they will be there in the same way they are here since I wouldn’t think they would be owned by anyone. They would be there to be enjoyed by all. I don’t think we will have to train them to walk on leashes or tell them to not pee on the furniture or the other dogs in the house.  In my house the most used saying is. “Henry, don’t pee on Jasper”and “Henry, don’t pee on Parker!” Now, the question is, what does the Bible say about pets in Heaven?

I belong to a number of rescue groups and over the years I have experienced many losses when it comes to my dogs going to Heaven. I have put together a few videos about some of the dogs we have rescued and dogs that people have thrown out or wasn’t as cute as they think they should be. Dogs have such a short life span compared to humans, so it is a difficult emotion to deal with when it comes to the time when our four-legged family members cross over.

As a friend of mine lost his family members Anna and Bart, it’s hard to not think back to those times when Brandie, Maverick and Maddie crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. I know this sounds bad, but I have loved all of our four-legged family members, but there are some I was just closer to and broke my heart.

Last week as I was taking my bath, I was listening to some Christian music and some studies that a friend loaned me to listen to. As I was listening to the music, I was looking at Jasper. I have been noticing that he is having a harder time seeing. I have to turn the lights on so he can see the door is open or that it’s OK to go into the room. If the light in the hallway is off, he will wait at the door waiting for me to open it, even though it’s open. Once the light is turned on, he will go into the room. Then, he is getting a lot of grey. I couldn’t help but think about how he may only have a few years.

I rescued him, so I don’t know how old he is. I’m guessing he was about 3 yrs old when I got him. I have had him for 6 yrs or so. During my bath time, my heart was breaking since I could tell he is having a hard time. I couldn’t help but cry over the thought that in a few short years, he too will be crossing over the Rainbow Bridge.

Now to the point of this blog post.

Will Our Pets Be in Heaven With Us?

Anytime I think about if my beloved family members will be there, I’m sure I’m not alone when I ask about if they will be in Heaven. This is one question that many Christians and people of faith have asked over the years. I’m no different. There are many opinions when it comes to these questions.

• “Pairs of all creatures that have the breath of life in them came to Noah and entered the ark.” – Genesis 7:15
• “God wishes other creatures besides humans to be included in the plan of salvation.” – St. Francis of Assisi
• “One day we will see our pets in the eternity of Christ.” – Pope Paul VI

There are many Christians who believe that God will allow our pets to be in Heaven after they die and they will be with us for eternity. But, there are also those who feel that none of our four-legged family members will be there when we get there.

I have been studying this topic for some time and I have talked to a number of pastors. When my previous pastor was at our church before he retired, I asked him what his thoughts were on the subject. I just lost Brandie and I was distraught to say the least. I didn’t realize how upset I was and angry that she was gone. I asked him if he thought Brandie would be in Heaven. When I asked him thought, I worded it this way, “do you think Brandie is in Heaven? If you don’t think she is in Heaven and that God doesn’t think dogs should be in Heaven, then I don’t want to talk to you about it.” I pretty much put of anger those him that if he didn’t think my Brandie would be there, then I will no longer talk to a pastor who doesn’t feel that she would be there.

Pastor Dean told me that while the Bible doesn’t say that our four-legged family members will be in Heaven, there are verses that can give us some clues and answers. Pastor Dean pointed me to Genesis 1:26-28. I don’t think I would have accepted any answer if that answer meant that our four-legged family members wouldn’t be there.

God has a special reason and place for each of His created beings. Animals, too, have a purpose in God’s creation. Man, as the highest order of creation, has been given dominion over the animal kingdom (Genesis 1:26-28).

I have no doubt that animals were created for our enjoyment and use. Even though the Bible doesn’t say if there is life after death for animals since they don’t have a soul. I have gotten into some pretty heated debates over that topic.  There are those who say that animals were created by God for a specific purpose. For example, cows are for hamburgers and steaks. You have pigs for pork chops, bacon and Jello. They say that the purpose for animals is full filled on this earth, and not in Heaven.  In my thought, if animals aka our four-legged family members make us happier in Heaven, I would think there would be a place for them.

Isaiah’s description of the peace of God’s future kingdom where he says that “the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25). Heaven will lack nothing that is good and that will bring glory to God

My life has been enriched because of my four-legged family members. Dogs and other animals have many purposes. Not only are they there to love us unconditionally, they also save lives. How can there not be a place for them in Heaven considering everything they can do and want to do. They don’t ask for anything in return.

I have many bad days and no matter how bad my day is, my dogs lift my spirit and they make me smile. Well, unless they are peeing on each other lol. As I walk through the door and it doesn’t matter if it is 5 minutes or 5 hours, our dogs makes me feel loved and missed. How can there be no place in Heaven for dogs or other animals when they demonstrate such love and compassion? In my personal opinion, I can’t imagine Heaven without dogs or other animals. The only animals or creepy crawlers that I hope aren’t there is snakes, spiders, roaches and wasps. I know they have a purpose, but, I would prefer them to NOT be there lol.

I wish people/humans had the kind of love that dogs have. I think God gave us dogs and other animals as examples of how we should be and how we should treat each other.

My thoughts on why dogs or animals will be in Heaven.

Dogs love us unconditionally and are considered “mans best friends. They are always loyal and trusting.  I could be having one of the worst days and just at the end of my rope. For example, a number of years ago, I went to my Dr. I was sick of living at the Dr’s office and all of the life changing diagnosis’. My neurologist let me know that I was having another bought of Guillian Barre Syndrome and I would have to go back into the hospital. I will be doing a blog on Guillian Barre Syndrome since it is awareness month.

As I was going through all of the paper work and signing the papers that I brought home, I was visibly upset. My dogs and one of them was Brandie, came up to sit by me. She put her head on my lap and her eyes met mine and she comforted me. The dogs we have now are the same. How can God not have a place for them when they demonstrate unconditional love, loyalty, faithfulness and trust? These traits are things that all of mankind should be doing. Every relationship in life has to do with unconditional love and trust

Another question that many ask when it comes to dogs in Heaven is,  do pets have a soul? Do you need a soul to get into “heaven”? I had to do some research on this instead of just going on “what I think”.   

One of many things you can think about when it comes to pets in Heaven is that they are part of God’s creation and God said “they were good. Since He said they were good, I can’t say that animals won’t be there. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever it may be.

Genesis 1:25 – God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Isaiah 11:6 – The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

I may be interpreting Genesis wrong, but those who boarded the Ark of Salvation wasn’t just Noah and his family, it was all living creatures that were welcomed, even snakes and spiders, yuck.   In Genesis it doesn’t say only those who are super smart, or speak correctly will be there, it says All living creatures were welcome aboard, including Noah and his family’s pets.

There are some that feel that pets lake the ability to reason in the same way we do, but they don’t lack the ability to love humans in the same way. I have listed some of the ways dogs and other animals have made our lives easier.

Service/Therapy and Assist people on the job 

Dogs have the ability to detect a wide variety of allergies all work to improve the lives of their human companions and allow them to live more independently. I know a number of people who have service dogs for their children or an adult that is under their care. I have witnessed how huge the difference is when it comes to alerting someone who a seizure is about to happen.  Dogs aid those who have psychiatric disorders, mobility problems, autism, PTSD or hearing/blindness disabilities.

Search and Rescue

• Their ability to smell  human scent allow them to track the air as well as the ground and locate people, both living and dead.

Guarding/Watchdog/Police and Detections

• Dogs can be used to guard just about anything and anyone. One of the most popular breeds that are used by the military and law enforcement agencies are the German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. Dogs are used to keep soldiers and their surroundings safe.
• Dogs use their keen senses of smell to detect everything – from bombs to bedbugs to contraband in prisons (such as cell phones!).
• Police dogs can play many rolls including enforcing public order, detection, search and rescue and cadaver detection.

If dogs are able to provide these types of services and be such a benefit to man kind, why would there not be a place for them in Heaven. These very special creations are wonderful gifts from a loving God to bring joy, laughter and warmth into our lives. When I think about the saying, “heaven-sent”, I truly believe they are.

I have spent a lot of time in the hospital and when someone brings in a therapy dog or other animal, the people’s faces light up. They begin smiling and sharing stories about what kind of dog, cat or other animal. Many hospitals and care centers will bring therapy dogs. For those who are on hospice and are on a memory unit that treats patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s, the dogs roam from room to room freely.

Anytime I was in the hospital and my husband or daughters brought in my Brandie Muffins, it made my day 1000 times better. Not only my day, but others that were on the same unit that I was in just loved her. She would walk up to people and rest her chin on their lap. She has never been trained. I know that God was the only One who trained her and brought her into my life.

For many people, myself included, when I lose a pet, I feel a great deal of grief. Some people have said, it’s just a dog, get over it. I can tell you that when people have said that to me, it didn’t go over well. In my opinion a dog is not just a dog. They are family. There are many who have never been able to have children. They feel the loss just as much as if they lost other family members. I have experienced a loss of family, friends and pets, and it seems to me that a loss is a loss, grief is grief, and love is love.

I can’t even begin to wonder what heaven would be like if no pets were allowed there. I stated earlier that I’m sure dogs wouldn’t be on leases and they wouldn’t be property. If there is going to be lions laying down with lambs, then why wouldn’t there be dogs.

I mentioned before Noah’s Ark.  If God instructed Noah to enter the ark with his sons, wife, and your sons’ wives along with every living creature into the ark so they may remain alive with them.

They are to be male and female. From birds according to their species, from domestic animals according to their species, and from everything that crawls on the ground according to their species —two of everything will come to you so they may remain alive. For your part, take some of the edible food and store it away—these stores will be food for you and the animals. Noah did all of this, precisely as God had commanded.

Genesis 6:19-22 it says,

“ You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive.  You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

I may be wrong on this, but if animals weren’t created to be fully enjoyed by Adam and Eve and humans, then why would God have created them in the first place. He would never have created them if there wasn’t a greater purpose for them.

The question about if dogs will be in Heaven has been a long time question and the Bible doesn’t specifically say they are there. Bible theologians and scholars also agree that there isn’t anything that says they are there or not there.

I don’t think there is going to be a direct answer to this question. It will have to be something that we just have to wait and see. I hope and pray they are there.  While we are living here on earth, we won’t know that answer nor answers to most everything else. People have asked me what is the one question I would like to ask God when I get there. As I think about that question, I would have to say that it wouldn’t be important since I will be there. I will be so overwhelmed by just standing before Christ, that no question I have here on earth will be important.

Because He is our Heavenly Father who has nothing but our best interests at heart and wants nothing more than to show us how much He really does love and care for all of us. If there is one other verse that I would hang my hat on for the argument that our pets could possibly be resurrected for us, it would be this verse:

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withheld from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11)

In closing I want to say that animals such as dogs and cats are very special. The way they were created, how different they all look, how they all have different personalities, and how they all add that extra element of love and surprise into our lives. And again, God already knew all of this before He even created us.

I believe God created millions of animals and creatures before He even created us. He knew how much we would really love, enjoy, and appreciate some of them.

A couple of weeks ago, Lent started and I decided to give up Facebook for Lent. I still do things on there that has to do with church things or if someone needs me. But, I don’t surf the pages and spend countless hours on reading stupid things or viral videos.

Since I have been working at doing things that are focused on Christ more during the 40 days of Lent. Tonight I have been watching a couple of shows on Pureflix.  As I select the movies, I am finding that there is a theme to what I’m watching. Not an intentional theme, but a God directed theme. That theme is Forgiveness.

Normally I have CNN or MSNBC News on. I like to keep up with what is going on in the world, but it has also taken up to much time like Facebook and I am frustrated. So, while I was asking God about what it was that I needed to watch or listen to, whether, it is Christian Music, audio tapes that my friend Sue lent me or Christian shows.

I was meaning to post the blog about if dogs will go to Heaven and I have a feeling that this is what I should be posting instead and just postpone that one for a couple of days.

Tonight I turned on Pureflix, which if you want to try it out, just click on Pureflix and you can get a free trial. I wasn’t sure on what I wanted to watch. I figured I would let God lead me to what I needed to watch and what message I needed the most. I do that with the Bible too. I open it up and where it lands, I read that. Sometimes that isn’t a good thing. One night while I was preparing to read a chapter, I was not appreciating the verses it was opening up to were these particular ones. It was a number of years ago, but I remember them since God was obviously trying to tell me something. Which is why I’m including these verses in this post.

• Proverbs 12:22  Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-10  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
• Proverbs 13:5 The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

I was really relieved when I finally came to 2 Corinthians 5:17 lol.

As God directed me to what I was going to watch, listen to or study, I came across a show called “Faiths Song”. It is about a young girl who is a Christian. She lost her mom and dad in a car accident and had to move into the city to live with her aunt and her husband. The husband was angry and bitter. He hated God and blamed God for the loss of his infant baby.

But, at the end I was emotionally spent. I always thought I forgave myself and have accepted forgiveness from God, but I realized I am still dealing with guilt that I know I don’t need to carry. I know what the Bible says and I know that God forgives.

To many, it would seem like small things that I carry, but Satan uses those small things and builds them into bigger things. What I just typed is going to be in the blog. But, I was and still just dealing with that. I have talked to other Christian friends and even past pastors about the whole forgiving myself since God has. They have said I’m just being silly and that of course God forgives me.

During this 40 days of lent, I have intentionally made it a point to listen to what God is saying and where He is directing me. Before my family moved to Utah, we lived in Phoenix. I never thought twice about swearing or dropping F-bombs. When I was younger I played with the Ouija Board. My grandma told me to never even touch one. I should have listened and not played with it when I knew better. There are so many stupid things in my life that I have done and have had a hard time forgiving myself.

When the husband in “Faith’s Song” finally went to a church he felt as if he didn’t deserve forgiveness and that it was too late. As he was talking and they were praying, I was blubbering all over the place. I get that. My sins may not seem like a big deal or they aren’t anything big. But a lie is a lie and a sin is a sin. If those lies and sins prevent us from getting closer to God, then something needs to be done.

I can’t help but wonder how many people who goes to church each week have the feeling that they can’t be forgiven. Anything can be said and people can seem strong on the outside, but when Satan reminds us every day that we are horrible and that God doesn’t love us, then something needs to change. The only answer I can think of to defeat these moments of guilt that Satan is embedding in our hearts, minds and soul is to get on our knees and pray. Allow God to forgive us all and accept that forgiveness. I have to say, it is easier said than done.

So, I turn on Pureflix. All of the shows on Pureflix are Christian and family oriented.

Heaven is only a half hour, but it will be one of the best spent 30 minutes. Shoot, you can spend more time clicking on viral videos and get nothing out of it.   This short documentary is described as inspiring real life stories intertwined with never-before-seen footage of Billy Graham talking about heaven. You can watch this show on Pureflix. Pureflix has it where you can get a free month and you can check out the site. It is the best $10.00 I have spent.

If you don’t have or want to sign up for pureflix, there is a website with the documentary on.

HEAVEN

We never know what we truly believe until it’s a matter of life and death. Billy Graham, along with a firefighter and a young woman forced to face the reality of death, share the Gospel message, and what really happens when we die.  You can watch it for free on their Website

If there is anyone who reads this blog and needs to talk to someone, I can direct you to my pastor or I can with you and for you if you like. I know many wonderful prayer partners.  You can check out my churches website St. George Community Church. My pastor is Pastor Ray Schroeder and there is contact information on the page.

At the end of Heaven, they have it where you can pray the sinners prayer. Many times people will recite it and not really know what it means.

The two shows that I watched tonight was about accepting forgiveness for our sins and fully believing and knowing that God forgives us of our sins. I felt I needed to touch a bit on the Sinners Prayer and what the sinners prayer is.

Saying the sinners prayer isn’t just words. When the sinner which I am a sinner, this prayer is to God and when it is prayed, it means that they are admitting that we are a sinner.  If I were to just say it just to say it, and not admit that I need God and that I can’t do it alone. I need God to forgive me for my sins. We all need to be forgiven and we are all in need of a Savior. We can’t do it ourselves. I can’t do it myself.

One of my favorite websites to go to when I need answers about the Bible is gotquestions.org. I could easily copy and paste what the sinners prayer is. I will just direct you to their website and if you have any other questions, maybe you will find the answers you need.

What is the Sinners Prayer? 

The first aspect of a sinner’s prayer is understanding that we are all sinners. Romans 3:10 proclaims, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” The Bible makes it clear that we have all sinned. We are all sinners in need of mercy and forgiveness from God (Titus 3:5-7). Because of our sin, we deserve eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). The sinner’s prayer is a plea for grace instead of judgment. It is a request for mercy instead of wrath. Read More….