Hearing & Doing {Thinking Theology} | Part 2

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock..." Matthew 7:24 (to 27)

As I mentioned in Part 1 of Hearing & Doing,  we are saved to something.  We have not been freed from sin and death to seclude ourselves from the world or to continue on in our lives the way we want them to be.  Instead, the Lord says that if we are listening to His word, we will be called to action because of it (James 1:22, 2:14; 1 John 3:18 etc.).

I referenced verses from Romans 7 & 8 in the previous post but I wanted to move further into chapter 8, verse 26 which says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness..." This, to me, is the key.  Christ accomplished salvation on the cross and when we put our faith and trust in Him, we receive the free gift of salvation (this is the gospel).  We must remember this daily - sometimes even by the minute - but we also must remember that, with the introduction of the Holy Spirit into our lives, we are called to action.  No, these actions will not save us and our salvation is not dependent on them, but a hearer that is truly changed will desire to do.  James says this and more so clearly.

I turned to Acts 2:42-47 for a guide for my own life with regards to how my life should be shaped by these revelations.  These are my initial observations about what the church in Acts became devoted to as they were filled with the Holy Spirit:

They were...

• Devoted to teaching (learning)
• Devoted to fellowship & meals
• Devoted to prayer (& praise)
• Meeting needs
• Meeting together
• Reaching out to the lost

What a list!  When I first read through his passage I was slightly overwhelmed, but as I mentioned before, we must remember that we partake in them with the help of the Holy Spirit!  It is in God's strength that we learn and fellowship together and meet each others needs. 

To bring this close to home, I'll point out a few areas in which I've been challenged:

• Finances
• How are we spending the money God has entrusted to us?  
• Do we wait on helping others until we have taken care of our own needs first?
• Are we willing to sacrifice our more lavish desires for simpler things so we're living within our means and able to give more?
•  Friendships
• Who do we spend our time with?
• What does that time look like?  Is it profitable or always self-focused?
• What is the point of your friendships?
• Are you friends with non-Christians?  
• I'd say this is one of the most important things to ask yourself.  Do you have friends who do not know Christ that you spend time with for the purpose of showing them His love?
•  Free Time
• How do you spend your free time?
• Do you use your free time as an excuse to do what you want, or what the Lord would have you do?
•  Work
• What is your focus on when you are at work? 
• Are you a living representation of Christ to your co-workers?  
• Do you work hard and do your best because you represent Christ?
• Do you look for opportunities to invite your co-workers into your life so they can see Christ in you?
• Home
• Have you asked the Lord where you should live? 
• Do you feel compelled to live beyond what you can afford?  
• Are you opening your home to others?
• Are you reaching out to those in your community? 

Those are some loaded questions, huh? I'm answering them myself as well. They aren't all-inclusive, but they are a great start to get us thinking about our daily lives.  I pray these questions would prompt us to ask the Lord to show us what needs to change and then change it with His help!  I hope that we would make this life about Him - not us.

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For sermons on these topics and others like them check out the end of The Mission of God series titled "The Gospel in Real Life" by Cornerstone Church. 

Hearing & Doing {Thinking Theology} | Part 1

I have been thinking a lot on hearing and doing.  I've spent a lot of time in 1 John where this is emphasized but also in James over my Christmas vacation.  Some of the statements I've read are so clear that I wonder how we get away with rationalizing lazy Christianity.  I'll warn you now - this post is inspired by a passion that I have for making every area of our lives subject to the Lord and is not just about walking away feeling good about ourselves as Christians.  I pray it touches your heart where needed and know that I'm speaking to myself as much as any of you, my dear readers!

First, let me share a few of the verses that have stuck out to me (emphasis mine):

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says." James 1:22

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18

"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are. Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:10

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?"  James 2:14

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17

"Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by is good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom." James 3:13

That is a lot of doing, isn't it?

Now, I know a quick response to this always seems to be that we are not saved by works.  Amen!  I completely agree. But, the Bible also makes it very clear that if we claim to have faith but it is "not accompanied by action" then it is dead.  Dead mean's it is not actually faith - it's a lie.

I have often met people who will claim to be Christians but who sadly fit into this last category - living a lie with dead faith.  You (or I) can claim to have put our faith in Christ, but if we continue on in the lifestyle we've always lived, we are lying.  We are claiming something that sounds good and even looks good to others (maybe we claim faith because it helps us fit in or because it's what we've always known) but if we've relegated God to a small portion of our lives, it's all false. God isn't satisfied with the leftovers.

How do we know where our faith stands? Romans 7:18b says,  "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out."  Here, Paul explains that we can desire to do good and yet fail when we attempt to carry it out because we are doing it by ourselves (apart from Christ).  We aren't expressing a faith that resides in Christ, but one that resides within ourselves.  This form of doing will not bring salvation and is not an evidence of salvation because it is placed in the wrong thing. 

Paul goes on in Romans 8:1-2 and verse 9 to say, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death...You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you."  The key in all of this is the gospel!  His death on the cross is complete and He has finished that work. It's very clear - when we are saved by Christ and redeemed to a life as a part of His people, we are freed completely from sin and death to a life devoted to Him.

He has saved us for a purpose.

This is a radical call for action!  Christ requires our heart and our lives. We cannot be completely His when we are still holding on to our own fleshly desires. We cannot be content giving Him Sunday morning and keeping the rest of the week for ourselves. We cannot be wholly His when we are seeking our own way.

So what is our excuse?  Why aren't we doing?  (And realize when I say that, it is within the understanding of "doing" through His help and with His direction, not as a prerequisite for salvation or grace).  Do we shy away from releasing hold of our lives to Him?  Do we make excuses to continue to live the way we want?

I pray you will ask these questions and contemplate them today.  What is holding  you back from being His?  Tomorrow I will focus on the beautiful fact that we are not alone in this!  I hope you check back in to see the rest of this truth unfold in practical ways.

The Day After Christmas

Hello thinking thoughts... readers!  I hope and pray that your time with family and friends was extra-special during this season but, more than that, I pray that it will prompt us all to live with renewed hope and joy in this coming year.

I have been working on a weighty post about hearing and doing.  It's not quite ready yet ...but I wanted to let you know it should be up tomorrow and Friday (yes, it's a 2 part post).  I'm excited about what the Lord has been showing me during this special Christmas season even if it's been a heavier topic than I'd originally anticipated!

I'm also looking forward to the New Year and some surprises I'm cooking up (not literally) for you, my faithful readers!  I'm talking about more giveaways (maybe of some fun, homemade crafts in addition to books), increased book reviews, and even a little String Along Fiction as I think I'll call it.  I'm toying with the idea of sharing sections of a story with you on a weekly basis.  This would not only cause me to be up to speed on my writing, but will also let you catch a glimpse into my fictional writing - not just my thoughts on theology or books. 

As 2013 approaches, I have felt the Lord nudging me in the direction of publishing more and more.  I have so many book ideas - some finished, some not - and I cannot wait to share them with you!  I am actively working on editing a few finished manuscripts and I am excited to keep you all up to date on the process.  Hopefully 2013 will see me enter into the world of publishing with a bang!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to read about hearing and doing ;)

And the winner is...

Excited to announce that the winner of an electronic copy of Song of the Meadowlark by Sherri Wilson Johnson is....

Kara Peck

I will have Sherri contact you to work out the details of receiving your copy - congratulations! 

I know I'd said I had another Thinking Theology post - and I do - but I was asked to take part in our Christmas Eve program at church and I haven't had the time to type it up from my notes quite yet.  Sorry about that, but I should have it ready by the 26th :) 

I hope and pray that you all have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I pray that your celebrations center around Christ and that you are challenged to live and love like Him more every day.

Merry Christmas!

RE:View | Song of the Meadowlark by Sherri Wilson Johnson

I'd like to introduce you to RE:View - my occasional Friday post devoted to reviewing novels of established and new authors!  Today's novel Song of the Meadowlark by Sherri Wilson Johnson is the first to be featured as a RE:View book.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Sherri for {Writer Wednesday} this week - if you missed the post you can check it out here.  It is such an amazing thing to get to know more about the author of a book you're reading.  For me, it breathes even more life into the characters and the ideas of the book.

I'm happy to announce that Sherri has been good enough to offer a giveaway of one electronic copy of this novel.  How exciting is that?  To enter the giveaway, just comment below and make sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!

On to the review...

Beginning in Lake Murray, South Carolina, we meet twenty-five-year-old Cora Buchanan who has finally decided to move on with the next stage in her life after her husband's disappearance.  The adventure really starts when she faces car trouble in Lewiston, Georgia en route to her parents home in Florida.   Through a set of random events that could only be orchestrated by God, Cora finds herself employed as a nanny for a sweet little girl named Susie who's father, Rex O'Reilly, is a busy rancher.

Rex, a handsome widower, appears tough and unruly, giving Cora cause to keep her distance, but are things really as they seem with him?  After several suspenseful surprises and a lot of genuine conversation, Cora may have to reevaluate her first impressions of Rex. 

This lovely story has strong themes of the beauty and purpose of purity, the breaking down of pride, and a great picture of what true growth in the Lord can look like.  The characters are honest and real, having flaws as we all do, but overcoming the difficulties by turning to the Lord.  This is a must-read if you enjoy great descriptive language as well as true and honest characters. 

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Don't forget to enter the giveaway by commenting below and, if you're aren't fortunate enough to win, make sure and get your copy of Song of the Meadowlark by clicking on this link. I'll be announcing the giveaway winner on Monday so check back for that as well as a Thinking Theology post about being a doer, not just a hearer.

____________________________

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.  

{Writer Wednesday} Sherri Wilson Johnson

Please welcome to {Writer Wednesday} author and speaker Sherri Wilson Johnson!

Recent comments by her readers state:

"Song of the Meadowlark is a well-written, wonderful story of second chance love."

"Sherri Wilson Johnson describes her settings and the reader feels as if she is there in the moment. The reader won't know until the last pages which is the bad guy."

To pick up her newest release, "Song of the Meadowlark", click [here].
To connect with Sherri check out these sites:
Sherri's Facebook
Sherri's Website
Sherri's Blog
Sherri's Goodreads page

Author Interview | Sherri Wilson Johnson

You & Writing 

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I am an Inspirational Romance novelist, a speaker, social media junkie, and a former homeschooling mom. I love to make people laugh and share stories of God’s blessings with them. I live in Georgia with my husband and two children. I love to dream of romance–good, clean romance, that is. I am passionate about purity and sexual integrity. I’m a bird-watcher, love the ocean, ice cream, my family and my Chihuahua, who faithfully sits by my side every day when I write. I am the author of To Dance Once More (OakTara) and Song of the Meadowlark (OakTara).

...The obsession with writing started when I was about eight years old when I wrote my first short story and it kept getting worse from there. I’ve tried to quit many times because I wasn’t getting where I thought I should be. But God keeps giving me words to write. I guess it’s kind of like therapy to write. It helps me express the pain of life and the joy too. Some people are artists or musicians and that’s how they express themselves. I write.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
I love the Victorian era and I love the beach. To Dance Once More displays both of those things. Although I’ve written more books and hope to write many more, To Dance Once More may always be my favorite because it contains so much of me and the things I love in it. Since it was my first full-length novel and it took me ten years to write it and sell it, I think it contains enough blood, sweat and tears to keep me loyal to it for a long time.

What was the hardest thing about publishing?
...The hardest part to becoming published was the rejection. Since publishers and agents rarely tell you why they are rejecting your manuscript, it was tough getting those rejections and not knowing which direction to go to make it better. I found that I could turn around and resubmit a proposal as soon as I received a rejection but if I didn’t explore the potential reason behind the rejection and try to improve upon my writing, then I was simply a sitting duck waiting for another rejection. 

...The easiest part? Jumping up and down with exhilaration when I got the email that my novel had been accepted.

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book or what you’re working on currently. Why are you/did you write it?
...Song of the Meadowlark is a Contemporary Inspirational Romance full of hope, forgiveness, and second chances at life and love set in South Georgia on a ranch with an ornery cowboy.

...Here is Song of the Meadowlark’s synopsis: 

When trusting others only leads to pain and rejection, and loving ends only in loss, what will it take to restore hope again? Shunned by the uncovered truth about her missing husband’s secret life, Cora Buchanan sets out on a road trip for home to mend her broken relationship with her parents. When her car breaks down, she’s stranded in a small Georgia town. While staying at the struggling Southern Hope Ranch, she meets little Susie O’Reilly, who unexpectedly fills a void in Cora’s heart. But Rex, Susie’s rugged cowboy father who lost his wife a year earlier, seems to go out of his way to either confront or avoid Cora. It doesn’t help her comfort level that the news continues to report missing and murdered women in the area. Cora has no idea just how close to home the crimes will hit…or how much the sweet sound of the meadowlark’s song at the ranch will impact her future.

...I wrote this book because I had written Historical Romance (To Dance Once More) and wanted to try my hand at Contemporary. The characters I had in mind (previously married woman and man) worked best in a Contemporary romantic setting.

Do you have a favorite character in this work? If so, why?
...I like Cora, the heroine, because she’s strong although her circumstances are seemingly impossible and she thinks she’s weak. I like how she grows throughout the book. But my favorite is Rex O’Reilly, the cowboy. He’s ornery and secretive and moody and you just about want to hate him. Until you love him. :)

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...Second chances are always possible. If you commit to making your life a better one and one that will serve the Lord, then you can win!

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters?
...I find my inspiration usually from things that happen in my life or the lives of my friends. I also see things on TV that give me ideas.

Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...They are definitely based on a mixture of real life and pure imagination. I have a vivid imagination. You can ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I concoct crazy scenarios for even the simplest of situations. But I am sane still so that’s a relief.

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories? 
...I hope that people will be encouraged to live a life of total commitment to the Lord and that they will see that although there are trials and heartaches in this life, He never lets anything happen to us that can’t be used for our good. In addition to encouraging them, I hope they feel the hope that love is possible. I long to share with them the blessing that purity can bring to their lives. I do not write what it considered edgy Christian fiction although I do deal with topics that the modern reader can relate to.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Don't ever give up on your dream. Practice your craft. Step through open doors only after much prayer. Be ready for rejection because it’s part of the path to publication. Always write what God puts on your heart and even if you don’t find a publisher for that story, it will honor the Lord. Oh, and establish yourself on the Internet now. Start a blog. Review books that you’ve read. Make friends on Goodreads and Facebook. Publishers look for that kind of thing.

You

What is your favorite snack to eat when writing?
...Coffee! I know, it’s not a snack and it’s not eatable. But I love to have a hot cup of coffee by my side when I write.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
Jingle Bells. I sing it all year long. It drives my family crazy!

What is your favorite thing about the Christmas season?
I’m not normal when it comes to the Holidays. Sometimes I don’t even put my tree up until a few days before Christmas and it’s always down a few days after. Both of my parents are gone and we lost my brother-in-law last year so Holidays don’t look around my house like they do elsewhere. We usually have a small Christmas gathering with my husband’s family and rarely do gift exchange. So my favorite part about the Christmas season (that was the question, right?) is remembering the true meaning of it—Jesus.
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Thank you so much Sherri - what an encouragement to hear you talk about your struggles but about keeping the focus on Jesus!  I can totally relate to your "overall intention" when writing - I love showing how the Lord can bring characters through hard times to come and see that His way was (and always is) best!

I want to invite you all back on Friday for my RE:View post on "Song of the Meadowlark" and another GIVEAWAY!  Hey, it is the season of giving - is it not?  Sheri has been so gracious to offer a copy of her book so make sure you stop by, read a little more about her book, and leave a comment to enter the giveaway.

Featured on A Pew Perspective

Hello, dear friends!  I just wanted to let you know that my previous interview was rescheduled to today on Anne Baxter Campbell's blog A Pew Perspective.  Please hop on over to her lovely blog and hear about "The NaNo Experience" and what the Lord taught me through the month of November. 

Make sure to come by tomorrow for my author interview with Sheri Wilson Johnson!

P.S.  Notice anything different about my blog?  It's a small change but I added a new photo of my dear friend Shelby holding some of my books.  I'm a sucker for any kind of books (though I love them old and worn most of the time) and I wanted a picture that was a little more... author-ly for the blog ;)  What do you think?