Field Guide to Heaven

Romans road to salvation

 

The road is marked by a selected group of verses from Romans in the New Testament. If you walk this road, you will hopefully end up understanding how to be saved, and why it is necessary. If you are already saved, then you will have at your fingertips and disposal everything you need to help bring others to a relationship with our Father. This road defines who needs salvation, and why. How God provides us with it, and how we receive it, and the results of doing so. This road is not as long as you think, and it all starts with a single step of faith.

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Admit that you are a sinner. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. No one is perfect, no not one. And all of us fall short of God's holy standards. So who needs this salvation? Everyone. Why? Because we are sinners, we fall short, we do not deserve, yet if we ask we will receive it.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Understand that you deserve death for your sin, and ask God to forgive you for your sin. We receive eternal life as a free gift. Repent and be saved.

Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Give your life to God. His love poured out on the cross for you is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of slavery to sin. His love is what saves you, not religion, not attending church. God loves you. He demonstrated His love for us, His enemies.

Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
We must trust and surrender to Jesus Christ. We must confess it with as mouths as well as believe it in our hearts.

Romans 10:13 "For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Call out to God in the name of Jesus. There is our assurance of salvation through Jesus.

If you believe these words put forth by Jesus, pray to Him, tell Him, and then be sure to seek out a Bible-believing church that will nurture and help you grow in your relationship with God in your newfound faith. It is vital for your spiritual health. Be sure to tell someone, let someone know of your exciting news, find someone who is saved to help show you how to jumpstart your growth. Then shout it from the mountaintops, proclaim it to the world, for none are worthy, no not one, but all are in need of this Savior.

Loving You, Just as You Are

Learning to love you, just as you are. The struggle can be real. We read magazines, watch movies, and just live daily in a world filled people that we view as more "perfect" than ourselves.  Her hair is cuter, her legs are longer, her eyes more beautiful, her laugh more contagious. You have to learn to love yourself. To accept your self-perceived "imperfections." Once you love yourself, you can love others. If you cannot find room within your heart to love yourself, then loving others will also be impossible. You are made in God's image, and if you think of anything less than perfection when you think of our Father, our King, the one and only God, then you are just silly. He is perfect, He is the standard of perfection, He is the definition, the creator, and the entire essence of perfection.

Thus, so are you!

I have never been the skinny girl. I was never the girl that had boys just lining up, wanting a minute of my time, a second to talk to me. I never went more than a minute in front of a mirror without criticizing something about my body, my never-been-flat-ever stomach, or the way my pants make me look even more fat, which seemed impossible, and that pesky blemish on my face. Never walked past a skinny girl, and not wished away the extra pounds on my body, just to look  like her. Not that I wasn't active, not that I ate a lot extra, I was a typical teen, I was active in sports all throughout each school year, and loved being outside doing things in the summer.
 

Every girl you ever meet will be able to tell you one thing they don't like about themselves (and every guy for that matter, but my focus is the ladies) . I guarantee, it is only human, but I know even if it is that her feet are too big, arms too flabby, stomach too round, her straight hair, or something sillier, they will have something immediately come to their mind. Thank you world. Thank you for teaching us as young girls, that skinny, blemish-free, and toned are the only beautiful. Thank you for driving young girls to this increased negative self-worth. But you don't have to accept it, don't conform. Take care of yourself, and take time to love yourself. If you need motivation and encouragement. Take a minute, write down the things you love. Even if it is a short list, because you self-criticize so much, write what you love. Write it on your bathroom mirror. "I am beautiful." Write it on a sticky note throw it on your dresser. Set an alarm on your phone, reminding you that God made you just the way you are, and He loves you the way you are, you are EXACTLY what He intended for you to be. Do what you need to do to remember that you are beautifully and wonderfully made by our perfect and amazing heavenly Father.

We don't have to be perfect. We are forgiven and loved. We will fall down, we will make mistakes. No human is without sin, thank you Eve and Adam. We are all guaranteed eternal life when we give up our lives to Him. Whatever happened in your past cannot even come close in comparison to what God has in store for your future. In order to change your future, you have to change your focus. Focus on positivity, focus on the good things, focus on deleting the negative influences in your lives, and even more importantly the negative thoughts. Smile. Today will only be as good as you let it. Make it a great day! And remember, God loves you, because of who God is, not because of how you look or what you did to "deserve" it today, but because God is love.

Ladies, you are loved. You are perfect, and imperfect, because You are a sinner, and forgivable. You are never forgotten. You are precious, wonderful, and needed. Your heart that is crying out for attention, turn those cries into prayers. He will always listen, He will always hold you, He will always be there. You want a guaranteed let-down-free relationship? Lean on Him, love Him, talk to Him, cast your cares upon Him. God will always care.

In John 16:33b Jesus says, "in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, because I have overcome the world." No matter the struggle for improvement, no matter the self-perceived imperfections, no matter the obstacles, Jesus wins, He always wins, and you will always prevail when you lean on Him and His ever-present guidance. Ask Him for help, read His Word. He made you, and there is a great instruction manual to go with you in your walk with Him.

So don't waste another minute looking for imperfections in God's perfection. You are perfect, just the way you are.

Love to all you beauties. -Rach

"Mom"

As a dear friend of mine anxiously awaits the birth of her daughter (due date is tomorrow July 15th), the song below comes to mind. All children are a gift from heaven, and I dedicate this blog to that precious bundle of joy, her mother, and all you mothers out there. Though the anticipation is killing those two lovebirds, I know this baby will come when she and God are ready for her to be in this "big blue ball."

Meet Your Mom-by Garth Brooks
(video link at bottom)
A little baby told God, "Hey, I'm kinda scared
Don't really know if I want to go down there
From here it looks like a little blue ball
That's a great big place and I'm so small"
"Why can't I just stay here with You
Did I make You mad, don't You want me too?"
God said, "Oh, child, of course I do
But there's somebody special waiting for you."
---
 So, hush now baby don't you cry
'Cause there's someone down there waiting
Whose only goal in life
Is makin' sure you're always gonna be alright
A loving angel, tender, tough and strong
It's almost time to go and meet your mom
---
You'll never have a better friend
Or a warmer touch to tuck you in
She'll kiss your bruises, your bumps and scrapes
And anytime you hurt, her heart's gonna break
---
 Now, when she's talking to you
Make sure you listen close
'Cause she's gonna teach you everything
You'll ever need to know
Like how to mind your manners
To love and laugh and dream
And she'll put you on the path
That'll bring you back to Me
---
So, hush now little baby don't you cry
'Cause there's someone down there waiting
Whose only goal in life
Is making sure you're always gonna be alright
A loving angel, tender, tough and strong
Come on child
It's time to meet your mom.

That song is so fitting and applies to every Mom and child. Every mother only wants to best for their children, only wishes to soothe their pain, prays away their fears. Mothers are the best example of love and nurturing that God has given us on this earth.









---This is one of the Bible's most quoted and well-known passages on love, and who is a better example of the extent of love that is described in that passage than mothers?

---Mothers are a source of honor, goodness, and loveliness. As in all things pure and virtuous, we are encouraged to think upon such things.

 

 

---All of us, whether we are children, or are raising them, should remember to give honor to our mothers.

---This passage praises God as the giver of children, calls them a heritage and reward from on high.

---Mothers are models of compassion, they never forget their children, and in fact the children can typically be placed before themselves, putting their own needs behind those needs of their child.

---I still remember seeing a pregnancy progress for the first time, seeing the child grow in the mother's tummy, seeing the first sonogram, up until and following the birth of that precious miracle. The role that mothers have in this process is unimaginable and perfect.

---God compares himself here to a mother, bringing the incredible comforting ability of a mother to mind.

---What your mother teaches you should be cherished.

---As children typically spend a majority of their time with their mothers, they tend to be who they learn from most. Mothers are credited and blamed. Mothers suffer the brunt of the attitudes, see the most firsts, and all around influence the child, especially early in age, the most. Mothers are God's biggest blessings to all of us.
 

---This talks about how Christ loved and cared for His mother. This is a prime example and lesson on how we should treat and show love to our mothers.











So mothers, love your children, and children love your moms. They carried you inside their tummies for months, let you beat them literally on the inside. So learn from them, soak up their instruction, and do all that you can to please God through your love and respect for your mothers.


Video link for "Meet Your Mom" by Garth Brooks ---> here!