New Name Love Name

A few Sundays ago our pastor spoke about how when we accept Christ, we wear His name. It's like we wear "Christ" on our chest. A few minutes later when I went into the nursery to pick up my girls, the Holy Spirit brought my eyes to the stickers stuck to their backs. Their new names were printed on them. Not their old ones that they were born with. Not the old life that they were born into with no father in poverty. No they have a daddy now that loves them so much he gave them his name to wear. The names we chose for them are blessing names, names that carry joy. Their birth names spoke of heaviness and grief.
What a picture of what Christ does for us when we accept Him. I get to wear His glorious, LOVE name.

Movies that Don't Damage the Soul

I watched a lot of really yucky movies growing up and I realize now the damage it did to my soul. The cliche phrase "garbage in garbage out" is true but there is more to it then that. Much of the popular media out there today is made to desensitise us to evil things. We see it so many times it doesn't shock us anymore, it doesn't make us cringe when we should anymore. It shapes our worldview and belief system. There is a reason why the Word of God says in Philippians 4:8, " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Does our media line up with this scripture guideline? How is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about this? If He is not, why not? Get into the Word of God and ask Him if what you are putting before your eyes and hearing with your ears is beneficial to your spirit.

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive.1 Corinthians 10:23

Here are a few movies that are really good quality, entertaining and beneficial to our spirits. There is a lot more out there but these are a few I have seen and liked very much.

Debt vs. Grace

What good news. We cannot work enough for salvation. We cannot be good enough. There is freedom in that. A pressure lifted off. If we could work for salvation then God would owe it to us. That negates grace. Salvation is a gift. When we believe on Christ then righteousness is given to us. Then everything we do is in love and out of gratefulness to God and love for God's creation. Not to become righteous. No we could never do that! God does that. Read Romans 4:1-8 carefully. Beautiful.

Romans 4:1-8

1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “ Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” (or in the Holman Christian Standard Version it says in verse 8: "How happy is the man whom the Lord will never charge with sin!"