Sinner or saint? Or both? I think NOT!

So I saw this picture on a facebook page....and I want YOU to know...this is NOT truth.  It sounds good and makes sense to why we feel a struggle inside- but it's not truth.  Like my good friend, Will Gunter says, "Your emotions are real but not always truthful."

The Bible makes it CLEAR that a person can only be in two states.

A sinner- or a believer, a saint.

As a sinner you are in Adam, - in Satan.

As a believer you are in Christ.

You cannot be both.

"It is not that you have a little of the Lord at times and a little of the devil at times.  There is no such thing as Jesus coming in parts, pieces, bits or blessings.  The Spirit does not deal with the sinner to bring him SOME salvation.  He brings him to the Lamb, and salvation is total and complete, based on the finished work at Calvary.  Likewise, at the moment of belief, the Holy Spirit places Christ in the awakened sinner.  It is not a thing, it is not an idea, nor merely a blessing, but the total Christ and His total Person with all His personality (fruit) and all His ministries (gifts), making the believer ready and prepared- to live the life of Christ!" - from Jesus Lost in the Church by Warren Litzman

16 miles today : )

But this will be my limit.

The Camp Croft Trails Half Marathon is two weeks from tomorrow, November 9th.

The Irecycle Half Marathon is two weeks after that, November 23rd.

I am going to spend some time next week hitting the trail hills at Camp Croft and the track at Dorman High School.  Time for hill repeats and speed training.

: )

This picture is for my dear runner friend and sister in Christ, Amy B!

 

Lord, I CANNOT do this, unless You enable me- Brother Lawrence

I feel the same way as this monk who spent his life in a monastery kitchen- peeling potatoes and the like.

More and more- almost daily- I find myself repeating these words.

But God, I pray...I seek Him.  I settle into Him.  I CANNOT do this, unless You enable me.

Ease my heart, O Lord.  Through Christ, who IS my Strength, I can do ALL things.

Amen.

Rest

Sunday evening Nick and I came to Raleigh,NC. He has training for his work. He asked me if I would like to come.

"You are always talking about spending a few days alone in a hotel, here's the chance!"

So I worked out my schedule. And here I am!

I don't get enough rest. Down time. I am busy most days and evenings. Just like most women I know. We just don't get enough quiet rest.

I am a physically active person. I usually don't sit down until I go to bed at night. I clean houses- and some days that is just hard. Especially if its a house with 2 floors and multiple bathrooms AND I have an office to do that evening.

I feel like I am always on GO. I really don't know how to relax. There is always something to do. On the other hand- I am never ever bored.

But theses last two days, I have rested more than I have in- a very very long time. Monday I ran 4 miles on the treadmill, took a shower and then laid in bed until the next day! Even when Nick brought supper in!

One thing my beloved did was to watch a YouTube video on piriformis/SI joint massage. He has been massaging my leg/back/backside to ease the sciatic nerve pain! It's really helped! I've slept without pain the last two nights!

Tuesday I spent ALL DAY at the desk reading my Bible. Studying and making notes. What a great day! I've not been able to do that in years.

It's been a wonderful two days. I'm kind of sad to leave. I wish I had more days like this. But I truly am thankful for these days.

My ALL TIME FAVORITE Song/Hymn

http://www.gettymusic.com/hymns-inchristalone.aspx

Love these two quotes from ADT this last weekend...

Every time you see Jesus in the New Testatment, He was loving on somebody!

Your union with Christ illuminates your personality as you become all God created you to be.

Salvation is a Person!

14 miles today....

Despite the sciatic nerve problem I did a long run today. It didn't hurt too much. It really in hurts bad while sitting or laying down anyway : )

My new shoes blistered the insoles of both my feet : (

But I had a decent pace.

New Shoes!

I decided to go with Brooks Pureflow again. Why? These shoes (purple) have lasted 6 months- 600 miles! That's a great shoe!

The hot pink shoes are brand new! Dicks Sporting Goods. $80. Getting their maiden voyage today!

While at Academy I found these Adidas trail shoes for $35. I don't really like Adidas but these felt good on and was a decent price. So, we will see!

Video- How to Fix Piriformis Syndrome

Here's a video that is simple- and it just may help!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFtUgS69rPk

UGGGG!

I have participated in the Camp Croft Half Marathon since the very first Camp Croft Half Marathon in 2010.  This will be the 4th CCHM.  I haven't really ran many trails this year.  I normally run the trails at least once a week.  But not this year.

This year, Nick has been so poorly that he didn't feel like biking behind me.  He didn't even feeling like trying to run/walk some of it.  We would start out together then I would run my pace to a mile.  Then I would wait for him to catch up with me.  We would do this the whole way.  But, like I said, he has felt too bad to do so.

I have really felt good this year running.  I started the year out hoping to run injury free.  So I started taking yoga classes.  Stretching, working on core, balance.  I would say I deal with my sciatic nerve to where it has a great deal of pain when sitting, laying down or running only about 10% of the time.  My pace is good.  My time is good.  I feel good running.

But a few weeks ago I asked Cody to run trails with me so that I could get adjusted more since CCHM is Nov. 9th.  It was a rough run.  It poured down the rain and it was MUDDY down in those hollars!  : )  A couple of days later my sciatic started bothering me again while driving.

Yesterday, Sebastian (my dog) and I went to Camp Croft and ran 4.3 miles.  My leg hurt so bad last night I could hardly sleep.  When I woke this morning I was thinking, "What have I done differently?  I've ran a LOT of miles this year.  What is going on?"  Then it dawned on me.  I am running trails again.

As I think back, my sciatic pain started back in 2010 after I started running trails.  My heart is so sad.  I love the trails.  But I just don't want to deal with this pain every day and night.  Am I going to have to give up trails?

I've done some research.  It seems it's not lower back pain or a pinched nerve that causes my sciatic to flare up.  It's a muscle called the piriformis.

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/piriformis-syndrome-causes-symptoms-treatments

As I sit here, my right arm and pinky finger is numb.  My lower back on my right side hurts, radiating up my spine.  The left side of my right foot is numb.  UGGGG.

I am going to research this.  I am going to look for stretches to do.  I am going to pray.

But, I may have some decisions to make.  I may have to give up something I love (trail running) so that I can continue something I love (road running pain free).  Yet as I look at this, in the grand scheme of all things- this is just a little thing.  : )

Stunted Growth

We live in a world, where only a portion of the gospel is preached.  It goes like this:

You are a sinner.
Jesus died for your sins.
Confess you are a sinner.
Repent.
Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
NOW,
Be good, Go to Church, Read your Bible, Go to Bible Studies, Worship, Pray, Serve
Oh, let's not forget:
Tithe.

Doesn't that about sum it up?

But the gospel is so so much more than Jesus died for our sins.

There are two aspects to the work Jesus accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection.
1) His blood was shed for us, to bring us redemption- the forgiveness of sins.  He is our Substitution.
2) He gave His body so that we might be united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection.  We are united with Him.

Jesus!  Came to:
release the capitve
heal the broken
open the eyes of the blind
set free the oppressed
give us abundant life (His life!)
put to death our sin nature
gave us a new nature, His nature- we are partakers of the divine nature
Sin is no longer our master
freedom
made our spirit alive
we have a COMPLETELY brand new INNER man
born again
we are sons of God

And so so so much more!  God's grace is greater than we could ever imagine.  Now remember this, Peter says in 2 Peter 3:18 to grow in the GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord Jesus Christ-  the only way we can truly grow into full stature is to take hold of these facts- Who Jesus is, what He has accomplished for us- fully- and who we are because of what He has accomplished and overcame.  We'll never grow up fully until we do.  We will never fully grow in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE until we do.

Seek to know, this Truth.  Ask God to reveal these truths to your spirit (the most real part of YOU).  Because you don't want to live your life as stunted believer.  Knowing there is something more but not knowing He is that something more.

The New Covenant

Through the Cross

Christ

                 Shed His                                                        Gave His

                 BLOOD                                              BODY                         

SUBSTITUTON DIED FOR US Romans 8:5 1Thess 5:10 1 Cor 15:3 2 Cor 15:14-15 1 Peter 2:24 CRUCIFIED FOR US 1 Cor 1:23; 2:8 1 Cor 2:2 Galatians 3:1 BURIED 1 Cor 15:4 RESURRECTED FOR US Romans 4:24,25 1 Cor 15:4 1 Cor 15:20,22 THROUGH CHRIST’ BLOOD Forgiveness of sins Matt 26:28, Heb 9:22 Redemption Ephesians 1:7 Peace and reconciliation with God Col 1:20 Cleanse conscience Heb 9:14 Cleanses from all sin 1 John 1:7 Released us from our sins Rev 1:5 New Covenant Luke 22:20, 1 Cor 11:25, Heb 12:24

UNION DEAD WITH CHRIST Romans 6:3-5,8 Colossians 2:20 2 Timothy 2:11 1 Peter 2:24 Philippians 3:10 CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST “I have been”- Galatians 2:20 old man- Romans 6:6 flesh- Galatians 5:24 world – Galatians 6:14 BURIED WITH HIM Romans 6:4 Colossians 2:12 RESURRECTED WITH HIM Romans 6:4-5,8 Romans 8:11 2 Cor 4:14 Philippians 3:10 Colossians 2:12 THROUGH CHRIST’ BODY I participate in His death, burial and resurrection. I am dead to the Law Romans 7:4 I am Christ’s body and an individual member of it- I Cor 12:27 I have been sanctified- Heb 10:10 I am dead to sin- Romans 6:10-11 I am seated with Him- Eph 2:6, I am set free from the law of sin and death- Romans 8 Christ lives in me- Galatians 2:20, Romans 8:10

He deals with our “sins”- verb                         He deals with THE “sin”-noun

What a GREAT interview with Tullian Tchividjian! YEP, Billy Graham's Grandson!

http://jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com/2013/10/02/tullian-tchividjian/

Not To Be Outdone!

Oh Cody!

Happy Happy Happy!

Message in a bottle? I don't think so! Message on a pair capri's? YES!

I moved a little table and two chairs to the back of our property last week.

Mainly to get it off the front property!  : )  I will be moving some herbs and trees back there so I thought I might need a table and chairs back there.

One day, I found this pair of capri's on the table.  A LITTLE pair of capris.   I assumed it was my little neighbor girls.  I wondered why she left them there...it was kind of funny.  So I took the capris, left them on another chair near the road, near their house.

But as I went out to run this morning, the capri's were back on the table, with a note:

 So, I wrote her back : )

How fun is that?

5 years of VICTORY from Jesus, the Victor!

5 years, it's hard to believe.

At this very moment 5 years ago today I was preparing for work.  When I came home from work, Nick and the kids were going to a Dorman game, so I decided to clean the house.  I was working on a bible study in Colossians every spare moment I had so my house had gotten messy.   It was the perfect time to clean with everyone gone.

Then my friend and  momtor, (mentor+mom=momtor), Connie called and told me I had something wrong with the study I was writing.  I won't go into that- but I got VERY upset.  Not with Connie, but with God!  I was so upset with Him.  I was doing all this for Him and He allowed me to be led the wrong way!

Everything inside me just- crashed.  I can't explain it.  I still can't after 5 years of trying to explain it!

Something inside of me, clicked.  Shut off.  While on the phone with her, I put away all my "Christian" stuff.  I was SO tired of all the stuff.  You can read about it here:

http://vinejohn15branch.blogspot.com/2008/11/one-monthmoment-by-moment.html

These last 5 years have been glorious.  I can say that I do have intimacy with Christ.  I can say, He is my life.  I adore Him.  He has set this captive free.  He has healed this broken broken broken person.

Once I was defeated, now Victory lives in me.

Once I was an unbelieving believer, now- my hearts desire is His hearts desire for me- to trust Him.  To live my life, trusting Him, Who He is, His finished work- for me and in me from Him.  I knew no other way but to trust in my self and outer resources but that wasn't my hearts desire to do so. And He knew that.

Once, I lived in chaos in my inner man, now Peace lives in me.

My LORD God, Elohim- Father, Son and Holy Spirit, had to strip away all the false teaching and concepts I had learned.  So that I could KNOW, intimately, the Truth.

I had to become weak, so that He could be my Strength.  His Grace is Sufficient.

I had to sink deep deep deep into Him- immersed.  Baptized and anointed in Truth through revelation.

Mere Christianity is NOT enough for me.  Changing the behaviors of the outer man is NOT enough for me.

I wanted to know who I am at the very core of my being.  I wanted to know WHAT my very core being IS!  I wanted to know what IS the BIG DEAL about Jesus.  Truly, know.  I wanted FREEDOM.  I wanted the ABUNDANT LIFE.  I wanted JOY.  I wanted PEACE.  I wanted to experience LOVE in every part of every part of my whole self.

I wanted to know WHY I did the things I did.  I wanted to know HOW I learned to do the things I did.

If God IS REALLY REAL, then He was a big enough God to be REAL and GOD to me.  I asked Him to- prove- Himself to me.  Strip away the untruth.

And He did.  Cleansing and real.  The most real thing in my life.

There is no other life I want to live but the abiding Life.  The trusting Life. The abundant Life.  The resting Life.  The joy-filled Life.  The peace-filled Life.

Immerse yourself in these words from the great Apostle Paul- allow the Holy Spirit to anoint you and teach you Truth:

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.