Celebration of Faith in Christ Jesus (Fall 2006-Fall 2009)

September 6, 2009 at 1:16 am (Posts by Becca, The Gospel)

I have grown up in a Christian home all of my life. I have known who Jesus was for as long as I can remember. At age four, I prayed to receive Christ into my life. I understood that Jesus died but, I didn’t really understand why I needed a Savior because I was blinded to my sin. My parents had no reason to doubt that I was a Christian because I knew the answers to simple biblical questions, yet I didn’t believe what I preached to those around me.

Sinful patterns of rebellion were beginning to be planted into my heart during the very early teen years. I did not show it outwardly because I didn’t what people to think badly of me. In my heart I rejected God. I had no desire at all to attend church and would even volunteer to do nursery very often to skip the sermon. I was sinning and being content to live in my sin. At age 13 (2005), God was beginning to draw my heart, yet I was not ready to follow Him. In early 2006, my eyes were slowly being opened to my sin. I didn’t talk to my parents about it because of my sin and my pride! I did whisper a prayer to God to change my life. Little did I know that I was in for a shock.

During this time God was working drastically in my parents. My Dad was feeling God calling Him to leave his 13 year job as a pastor in Iowa and be evaluated to become a pastor under Sovereign Grace. We as kids were somewhat aware of this and the possibility. On May 6th 2006 when my parents shared that we were moving to Minnesota, we were all in shock. God continued to work in my life and in the life of our family during our last 4 months in Iowa. On September 3rd 2006, we headed up to Minnesota to move the first truck full of things into our new house. That Sunday was my first week visiting what would be our new church. I was amazed by how everyone cared for our family. That next weekend, we moved the rest of the stuff up. During our first months, we were blessed with gifts, prayers, meals, and God’s grace was very evident and continues to be!

God used the kindness of of our church, the faith of my parents, the passionate worshiping at church, and the convicting sermons to finally draw me to my knees in Fall of 2006. I was broken over my sin and finally was open to my need for a Savior.

That Savior is Jesus Christ. Even when I was against God he chose me and drew me close to Him. We as sinners are under the JUST wrath of God, but He sent Jesus to die for our sins in our place. We also get Jesus’ righteousness! So when God looks at us, He sees Jesus’ perfection! We will always struggle with our sin but, God has conquered it and it no longer has any hold on us. We are FORGIVEN! Praise God! If you trust in Jesus’ work on the cross and that it is enough to save you from your sin, you can be forgiven! As Christians we await Heaven!

In the past three years, the Lord has changed my desires and my heart. He alone is to be praised and worshiped. I am no more than a sinner saved by the amazing, unchanging, and never-ending grace of God. GLORY TO GOD for he alone has replaced my heart of stone and given me a heart of flesh. Seek Him!!

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” -Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. -Ephesians 2:1-5 (ESV)

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Worldliness: God, My Heart, and Stuff

May 1, 2009 at 8:48 pm (Posts by Becca, Worldliness: A book study)

imagesWelcome to the discussion on the fourth chapter of Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. To learn more about what this group is, click HERE. We also recently started a FACEBOOK page! Click HERE to visit this site. It is NEVER to late to join!! To join, send an email to innominables@gmail.com

I want to encourage all of you to not just read these questions and move on. Please take the time to answer them on paper and to prayerfully consider whether any of these things can apply to your life. So without further ado, here are the questions.

For Your Mind:

Q: Covetousness is a word we don’t often use in normal conversation. What does it mean?

A: Mr. Harvey describes covetousness as the following:

“Covetousness as a glutton for stuff. Through covetous attractions and distractions within the heart, our stuff takes on meaning in our lives far beyond what God intends. Covetousness is choosing earthly trinkets over eternal treasure.” -Dave Harvey

Q: How is it that we can be covetous whether we’re rich, poor, or anywhere in between?

A: It is humbling because no matter our financial status, we are always desiring more. I have seen this all too many times in my own life. When I don’t have any money, I covet. When I do have money, I covet as well. We will never be truly satisfied in life until we realize that we must be completely satisfied in Jesus Christ alone. When we are covetous, we are saying that Jesus is not enough to satisfy us. True to be told…He is enough, He is more than enough. We must seek to be satisfied in Him before we see a decreasing desire for things of this world.

Q: How does the gospel specifically speak to the bondage of covetousness and materialism?

A: When we have the truth of the Gospel, there is no room for condemnation, or guilt over sin. If you have been convicted over sin in ths area, don’t let you response be one of condemnation. The only right response is to worship God and glorify His name because we have been set free from sin’s power over us (Galatians 5:1).

For your Heart:

Q: Christ died to free you from loving stuff too much. What excites you about this truth? How should it influence our daily lives?

A: Knowing that even after confessing sin I will mess up again, it excites me to know that Jesus Christ shed His blood because I am sinful. So not only are my sins covered and paid for but, when the HOLY God of the universe looks at me, He sees the perfection of His Son. This is amazing truth. I am so unworthy of His critic let alone His love! It should influence my life if I daily die to myself, my desires, and my cravings and when I mess up I look and see my Savior who died for me. This will bring true and satisfying joy.

For the most of the rest of the questions, you guys can answer them on your own and remember to apply them and not just let it rest. Don’t be content with knowing…ACT!

Q: Describe a person you know who is regularly generous. How does this person reflect the eternal perspective of the gospel as he or she lets go of treasured possessions to benefit someone else? When was teh last time God was so big for you that you let go of tresured possessions?

Q: Are you giving regularly and generously to your local church? Describe why this is important to you, or what it is not your practice at present.

For Your Life:

Q: This chapter notes that when the gospel gets bigger, covetouness becomes weak. Reread John Owen’s quote on page 108. What does it mean to fill your affections with the cross and love of Christ?

A: I am going to put the quote below:

“When someone sets his affections upon the cross and love of Christ, he crucifies the world as a dead and undesirable thing. The baits of sin lose their attaction and disappear. Fill your affections with teh cross of Christ and you will find no room for sin.”

Q: When this chapter points out that embracing covetousness can be a private sin, but casting it off should be a group project project. Who will you enlist to cast off covetousness?

A: It is SOOOO important to have someone that will hold you accountable to sin and help you bring it into the light. If you are a teen, I highly suggest asking your parents to help you in this area. They see a us sin often and know us better than we sometimes know ourselves (Sin is deceptive!). Bronte and I just started our own accountablility time last month and this has already helped me.

Q: Parents, what steps can you take to train your children to share geneously with others?

A: Well, I don’t think we have many readers that are parents but, for those of you who are parents…I have no ideas for you! :) I am sure that in your wisdom you can consult others for the answer.

Join us JUNE 5TH for a timely dicussion on the area of Modesty! Thanks for reading guys!

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Desires and Conflict

April 21, 2009 at 10:05 pm (Conflict and Cravings, Cravings, Fighting Sin, Posts by Becca, The Gospel, Uncategorized)

Today, as conflict was present in our home again I was led to read the word as tears were filling my eyes. Why? This question was going through my head. Why is there conflict? I had to remind myself again, because we live in a fallen world and that is why we need a Savior!! BUT, God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2: 4-5). In search for the source (or root) or all conflict, the Lord led me to these verses.

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. ” -James 4: 1-5 (ESV)

“Ouch”…..very convicting!! Our passions and cravings that are at war with in us. We want something but, do not have it so we murder (hatred is considered murder in the eyes of our Savior). This is the root of all fighting.

This afternoon, my sister and I experienced this very thing.”BUT, I”. This very sentence reveals so much selfishness and pride! It comes out of my mouth so often. “But, I want to do this”, “But, I want it this way”, “But, I was in the middle of doing something”, to name a few.

Every single day, we all have a chance to lay down our wants and our desires and glorify God by serving others. How quickly I fail, how quickly I speak before I think about what I am going to say, how quickly I become moody when don’t get my way.

As, all of this sin was revealed in my heart today, I was quickly tempted to despair. I love the words to the song, “Before the Throne of God Above”. The 2nd verse particularly speaks against despair.

When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, upward I look and see him there who made an end of all my sin! Because the sinless Savior died, my sinful soul is counted free, for God the just is satisfied to look on Him and pardon me, to look on Him and pardon me. -Before the Throne of God Above (Vicki Cook-Sovereign Grace Music)

images-1Remember the gospel!! The gospel is the the only antidote to discouragement. Remember when the Savior died, and how He died for all of our sins!! Absolutely NOTHING is outside of His mercy for those who are His. Nothing can keep you from the love and grace waiting for you in the arms of the Savior. Run to His side, dear saints. Don’t walk and fall away from the path of mercy, RUN to HIM!

Lastly remember that when in humility (James 4:6) we acknowledge our sin and weakness before the Lord, HIS sustaining grace is ever-present!!

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see so clearly
Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away

-Grace Like Rain (Todd Agnew)

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Updates and Book Recommendations

March 30, 2009 at 5:32 pm (Book Recommendations, Posts by Becca, Worldliness: A book study)

I believe that we need to slow down the book study and take it even slower. This is for two reasons. I think that we need more time to read and study each chapter. Life is very busy and two weeks go by very fast!! The other reason is because all three of us girls have been very busy. We all manage at least one other blog in addition to this one. We need to make school work and helping in our home and in our church the highest priority. So please bear with us during this busy stage of life.

Two ways you can help us are below:

  1. PRAY. Pray for wisdom for us as we discern what to blog about and that the Lord would give us words to speak what He is calling us to say.
  2. We need you to get involved! Would you please consider sharing how the Lord has saved you? When I read other blogs, I love to read stories of others and how they were saved. They encourage me in my faith. We love our readers input!!!!! Please, PLEASE take the time to share any ideas or posts that you would like to see on our blog. You can do this via commenting or sending an email to innominables@gmail.com

That being said, I thought that it would be fun to each of us to share our favorite books and then for you to share your favorite ones with us. So today, I (Becca) am going to give you my book recommendations.

41i9dgebtcl_sl500_aa240_Keeping The Heart: By John Flavel

I just started reading this wonderful puritan book a week or so ago. It is SO, SO, SO good!!! I highly recommend it! I am six pages into it and already I have been convicted by my sin and encouraged by the Gospel. Our hearts are at the bottom of every sin that we face and give into. What comes out of our mouths, reveals what is in our heart. Wow! John Flavel takes time to share how we can preserve the heart from sin only by the grace of God (we will mess up a lot-Praise God for the Gospel!).

“It is observes of an eminent saint, that when he was confessing sin, he would never give over confessing until he had felt brokeness of heart over that sin; and when praying for any spiritual mercy, would never give over that suit till he had obtained some relish of that mercy” -John Flavel

41k5f190ghl_sl500_aa240_The Mortification of Sin: By John Owen

I finished this book just last week. It is VERY good!!! I also highly suggest getting and reading this one! John Owen brings a seriousness to sin that I often don’t experience. It is to be dealt with. Know what circumstances tempt you and avoid them! We must slay sin so that we may become less and Christ more! This is the amazing work of Sanctification! The Gospel was spoken clearly in this book and that is very needed in a book that revealed so much sin in my life. If not for the grace of God, I would have no hope. Praise the Lord that we do have hope! What a Savior!

“It is to be feared that many Christians have little knowledge of the main enemy that they carry about them in their hearts” “Be killing sin or it will be killing you” -John Owen

images1Respectable Sins: By Jerry Bridges

I read this book around a year ago. It is very good and definatly worth buying and reading. Mr. Bridges takes about the sins that we easily excuse such as Anxiety, Ungodliness, Unthankfulness, Pride, Selfishness, Discontentment to name a few. It was so convicting! I read it with our parent-youth small group last year and so we did the discussion questions as well. In fact, buy the disscussion book!

“The primary purpose of this book is to help us face the presence of many of these subtle sins in our lives and to recognize the fact that, to a large degree, they have become acceptable to us. We tolerate them in our lives with hardly a second thought. That makes them more dangerous because, in addition to the basic sin itself, they can open the door of our hearts to greater sin. Discontentment, for example can easily lead to resentment or bitterness toward God or other people. – Jerry Bridges”

Well, that is three books of many more that I love! In the near future, Bronte and Grace will both be posting their favorite books. Thank you for your extreme patience!

We will be posting in between each discussion of Worldliness each month. By the grace of God, Lord willing we will post about some topics that you (our readers) share with us via email or comments.

Join us on this coming Friday (April 3rd) as we discuss together the questions from the 3rd chapter of Worldliness: God, My Heart, and Music.

In His amazing grace,

Becca for the Innominables

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Worldiness: Is This Verse in Your Bible?

February 20, 2009 at 8:00 am (Posts by Becca, Worldliness: A book study)

imagesWelcome to the very first discussion on the first chapter of Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World. To learn more about what this group is, click HERE. We also recently started a FACEBOOK page! Click HERE to visit this site. It is NEVER to late to join!! To join, send an email to innominables@gmail.com

Well guys, it is February 20th. I applaud all of you for the grace that is evident in your life by taking this step to learn about resisting worldliness! Not many people would join a group like this.

I want to encourage all of you to not just read these questions and move on. Please take the time to answer them on paper and to prayerfully consider whether any of these things can apply to your life. So without further ado, here are the questions.

For Your Mind:

1: When the apostle John warns us, “Do not love the world or anything in the world” (1 John 2:15 NIV), what does he mean by “the world”?

2: Why is this warning relevant for every Christian?

3: How does 1 John 2:15-16 turn our focus away for externals to the matters of the heart?

For Your Heart:

4: Can you relate to any of these reasons for neglecting Scripture’s command not to love the world?

  • “Resisting worldliness” is just another way to say “out of touch.”
  • I can’t evangelize the world if I don’t relate to the world
  • No one has the right to tell me how much of the world I can take.
  • My friends need this book more than I do.
  • I’m not tempted to worldliness because I go to church-in fact, I attend Sunday meetings and a small group every week.
  • If I think too seriously about it, I might have to let go some things that I enjoy. (My biggest reason!)

5: Is your Christian life marked by increasing love for the Savior? Or was there a time when you were consistently more passionate for God, and more characterized by extravagant devotion and love for the church, then you are now? If the latter, why do you think this has happened?

6: What are you passionate about? What preoccupies you when your time and thoughts are your own?

For Your Life:

7: Is there something in the world you’re presently attracted to or pursuing? It’s probably whatever you have been thinking about as you read this chapter. If, so, how can you seek accountability and help from a godly friend, parent, or pastor?

8: As this chapter points out, the antidote to worldliness is the cross of Jesus Christ. This is why Charles Spurgeon’s counsel to “dwell where the cries of calvary can be heard” is so valuable. What does Spurgeon man by this? What is one way that you can begin to follow his advice?

*These questions are taken from the back of the book, Worldliness in the discussion questions section*

Throughout the next two weeks leading up to the discussion of the second chapter (God, My Heart, and Media) we will be posting more ways that we have been convicted and how we can put to practice what we are being taught.

Join us on MARCH 6TH for the discussion questions for chapter two: God, My Heart, and Media by Craig Cabaniss.

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What Can I Bring?

February 2, 2009 at 5:01 am (Gospel-Centered Songs, Posts by Becca)

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This song has really been very encouraging to me the past few weeks! It is very gospel-centered and it presses the truth, What do I bring to the Lord? I bring nothing but my sin!

What Can I Bring: By Jeremy Riddle

This is my song to You
A melody of thanks for You
An expression of wonder
At Your beauty and Your splendor
No other cry have I
Than to know You more and lift You high
Oh, God of infinite glory
Above all You are worthy

What can I bring to You
Simply a song of love
And boundless gratitude
My whole life for You
You’ve rescued me from death
Given me Your kingdom
And blessed me with Your love
Countless mercies from above

Had I riches, I would bring them
Had I kingdoms, I would lose them
Had I the world, too small a gift
Would it be for You

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Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World

January 22, 2009 at 11:54 pm (Posts by Becca, Worldliness: A book study)

imagesOver the last month, I (Becca) have been reading the book Worldliness. I am on the last chapter and I have been so convicted, encouraged, and challenged by the Holy Spirit through this book! Some of the chapters include: God, My Heart, and Media (by Mr. Craig Cabiness), God, My Heart, and Music (By Mr. Bob Kauflin), God, My Heart, and Stuff (by Mr. Dave Harvey), and God, My Heart, and Clothes (by Mr. C.J. Mahaney).

So, the innominables is officially beginning our very first book club! This is how it is going to work. While we sort out the details we will have a drawing for a copy of Worldliness. I actually bought it on Sunday and it is ready to be given to the winner!

  1. To get you name entered once, send an email letting us know that you are participating in this club. Include your name, blog or website (if you have one), and your email address so we can contact you if you are the winner!
  2. To get you named entered twice, send us a testimony of how God has drawn you near and been working in you. If you are open, we would love to share these stories of God’s amazing grace throughout the following months.
  3. To get your name entered for the third time, spread the word! You can do this by referring others to this club, posting on your blog about it, etc. Then let us know by email or commenting.

Guys- you can join this group too!!! Please do the hard thing and be involved!!!!! We don’t desire for this to be just our thing, we want you to be a part of what God is doing!

Send your emails to innominables@gmail.com

Also, if you ever have any suggestions or ideas for this blog, the email that I just listed is the best way to contact us other than commenting.

The drawing is now open and it will close at 12:00am on February 3rd, 2009. Please don’t wait until the last minute. Let us know as soon as you can so that we can prepare effectively.

Once the drawing is over, the book club will work something like this. We will have two weeks to read one chapter because there is a lot to cover and we don’t want to rush through it! So the first week we will have a testimony or something related to fighting worldliness. The next week we will post some questions that are in the back of the book and discuss them.

This study REALLY needs your input and involvement to be able to work! Please, PLEASE be involved! This book is SOOOOO good and it will be worth the time you invest in reading and studying it!

For the Glory of God!

Becca for the Innominables

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Fighting Attraction: Selfless Love

January 9, 2009 at 2:27 pm (Contentment, Fighting Sin, Love, Patience, Posts by Becca, Self-Control)

When we are attracted to a guy, it is so easy to let our emotions take control. We might think that we must do something to get his attention. I find it amazing that so much sin could be revealed when I like a guy! Pride, selfishness, envy, discontentment, and anxiety to name a few!

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV)

I wrote these two questions to evaluate our hearts on the matter of selfless love:

1. When the guy I like talks to any other girl, am I quick to be envious that he would talk to her instead of me? (Love Does Not Envy – 1 Corinthians 13:4)

2. Am I trusting God to provide what I need when I need it, or do I want things to happen when and how I desire them to? (Love does not insist on its own way – 1 Corinthians 13:5)

Are either one of these things true of you? I am guilty or both! They are many more questions you could ask yourself (read the verses from 1 Corinthians 13 again). We will never be able to be perfect in love. But, by the grace of God, we have the opportunity to learn what true love is now and put in into practice with our family and friends!

Let’s choose to love selflessly no matter the circumstances. This is a good time to learn now before we enter into marriage. I need to learn how to selflessly love my brother and sister. I must confess that I so often fall short of this but, God uses my shortcomings to remind me that I need HIM to help me! Another way is to watch others. Watch your parents and other married couples in the church. This is just one way to focus on others rather then focus on your desires and wants at the present time.

To echo a couple things that Bronte said in her post, it helps so much to share these things with your parents. They have been through crushes before and are wise as they are older than we are. It is also a good thing to remember that the guy you like is most likely going to be married to someone else. This often helps me! One last thing. Remember the work that Christ has done for you on the cross! He has shown the only perfect of selfless love! To Him be the Glory!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” -Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

 

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Waiting For Love

December 31, 2008 at 2:11 pm (Contentment, Fighting Sin, Love, Patience, Posts by Becca)

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“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” -Romans 8:25 (ESV)

One of the biggest things that I have been struggling with lately, is contentment with where God has me right now. I have to trust that God is wholly sovereign over my future (whether that includes and husband or not). The bigger issue at stake is His glory! When I am thinking so much about the future, I am not glorifying God with were I am now. I desire to glorify God and so I need to trust Him with my future. His plan for me will be greater than I could imagine!

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”- 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

In all that we do, it should be for the glory of God. We should watch movies in a way that glorifies God. We should use our money in a way that glorifies God. We should be patient in a way that glorifies God. We should live in a way that glorifies God!

God is glorified when we trust in His glorious plan for our lives. God is glorified when we surrender our life to Him and submit our will for our life to him.

Ask God to give you a trust in him. Meditate on Scripture. I really like the Psalms. They give great reminders that God is our refuge at all times. Psalm 62 and Psalm 46 have helped me. At our church on Sunday, there was a song that is based on Psalm 62.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.- Psalm 62: 5-9 (ESV)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.- Psalm 46: 1-3 (ESV)

Whether God chooses to have me get married someday or not, I need to glorify him at all times. So right now I need to make the most of what stage of life I am at. God has a purpose for everything and want to submit to His will because it will be the best for me.

One last thing that a friend reminded me about is remembering the great things that God has done in the past for you. God is always faithful! We can trust in His great faithfulness!

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Finding True Love

December 30, 2008 at 3:56 pm (Love, Posts by Becca, The Gospel)

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But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.-Romans 5:8 (ESV)

God showed us true love over 2,000 years ago. When God sent his one and only son to die for us on the cross, this was a act of love. Imagine someone that is totally against you and doesn’t acknowledge you. But you love them so much that you give your very life for them! We don’t see this example of love very often. This world is made of sinners. Every single person on the face of this world is a sinner and in need of forgiveness. God is the ONLY one that has been perfect in love! We now know that we will NEVER find a greater love then the one that God demonstrated for us on the cross!

Most people search for true love in another person. They will be disappointed because only God is perfect. God has such love that when we were against him and even hated him, he sent Jesus to die for us. We also get the righteous life of Jesus and escape the flames of hell! This is the glorious news of the gospel and we will never find a greater love!

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” -Romans 10:9 (ESV)

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