Day 2

Another encouraging day at Island Grace Church. I am so blessed to be able to sit under such Christ honoring, God fearing teaching! When our Pastor started praying, he asked that God would speak, that we would hear the voice of God.  I'd have to say, that God spoke to my soul! The word of God fed my soul!

We're continuing going through 1 Thessalonians. This week was on chapter 4.  Sanctification.  How appropriate since its a new year and of course with a new year everyone wants to have resolutions.  Resolutions...haha...it's a really funny concept.  We,at one point or another, make resolutions in the new year. And how many of those resolutions failed on January 2nd? I know many of mine did.

One of the things that really stuck out to me, Sunday morning, was a quote from our Pastor in California.  You've heard the saying, "Once saved, always saved"?  Well, our Pastor's quote is "Once saved, always changed"! Isn't that so true?  "Once saved, always saved" gives the implication that just because you've said a prayer or made your way up to the alter means that you're saved and no matter what you do you're saved because you've said that prayer.  There's no sanctification (meaning, set a part to be holy) in your life. A saved person, a born again Christian, will surrender their life to God and will continually change from their old way of living to a new life living for Christ.

"Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.  For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.  For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;  that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.  For God has not called us for the  purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.  So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you." 
~1 Thessalonians 4: 1-8

May this continually be my desire as a new year begins.  No more resolutions...just change!