Safe // Mary Swafford

This is the final blog in the “Romans Road to Salvation” blog series and I have to say, these have been THE most difficult blogs to write for me.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’ve gone about 3 weeks without a blog and that’s totally MY fault.

Not only am I a procrastinator, as I’ve shared with you before, but every single time I dedicate time to reading and praying over what to write my day goes to pot.  I’m so tired I can’t stay awake, I have sinus crud, I’m so stressed I’m a ball of nerves or my emotions are all over the place and I just want to sit in a dark corner and cry.  My son has promised to watch the puppy quietly in the other room so I can concentrate, but all I can hear is him squeaking her toys, yelling because she’s chewing on something or complaining about her smelly farts.  Yes.  I just mentioned farts in a women’s ministry blog.  

But this is SO important.   This message is SO important.  This ministry is SO important.  God’s word is his love letter to his people.  The book of Romans is Paul’s love letter to God’s people and this blog is my love letter to you.  

God’s promise was ALWAYS to bring a savior for EVERYONE.  

In our first blog of this series, we discussed Romans 3:23 and how we are all sinners and fall short of God’s glory, but because of God’s love for us we can rest in the fact that;

“God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” 
Romans 3:24.”

And the penalty of our sin was death.  That’s what we deserve.  God knew that we could never measure up on our own.  There aren’t enough laws or good intentions that will ever get us into eternity with God.  So he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross, taking our shame and guilt in our place and nailed it to the cross with him.

“He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.”  
1 Timothy 2:6

We have freedom in Jesus.  All of us.  Everyone.  And the good news is that this freedom is available to you and to me.  

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 
John 14:6

He bought the ticket and he stands ready to hand it over to me and to you.  And you know how we receive it?  We must receive him.  We must believe that he is the son of God.

“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

That’s it.  YOU.  Right here.  Right now.  Get right with God.  It’s as close as your mouth and your heart.  For it is with your heart you believe.  And it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.  It’s so simple.  But why is it so important for these two things to occur?  Think about it.  Your heart directs your life.  It’s your decision driver.  And your mouth is your commitment maker.  Proclaim Jesus as Lord of your life and that’s all it takes.  If you believe that Jesus is alive and that he conquered death then you are saved.

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 
Romans 10:13

Just like Paul wrote in the beginning of chapter 10, I paraphrase for you.  

Dear sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the women of Shaken & Stirred, Sand Springs and beyond to be saved.  Some don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself.  They refuse to accept God’s way.  They cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to follow rules or keep up appearances.  But Christ Jesus has already done the work.  As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. 

This is my prayer for you today and every day.  Whether I seem to have it all together and I’m getting things done or I’m stuck talking about puppy farts with an 11 year old boy.   I love you! 

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash

Sin // Chelynn Broughton

I was only eighteen when I got married for the first time. That marriage lasted for twelve years. I will spare you the details of how it ended, but I was divorced with two children shortly after I turned thirty. This was something I had never imagined for myself. None of my immediate family had ever been divorced. My parents and sister had moved to Washington State right after I married, so I was navigating these strange waters alone.  

I was still very naive and immature when I met my second husband less than a year later. I think I fell in love with his family and their church more than anything. His father was a preacher, and his mother was an English teacher like me. They had been missionaries in Africa for a while and were very involved with their current church. They were two of the nicest people I had ever met, and they made me and my kids feel very welcome and loved. Everyone in the church was so nice to us, also. Less than a year after we met, we finished marriage counseling and had a big church wedding. God tried to tell me I was making a mistake when I had a panic attack on the wedding day, but I was the runaway bride who didn’t run away. I am a person who avoids confrontation at all costs, so there was no way I could disappoint a church full of my family and friends.

Less than a year later, I was miserable; my kids were miserable, and I figured out that most of what I thought I knew about the man I had married was mostly half-truths that he had only let me believe.  I tried hard to persevere, but I couldn’t do it anymore, so I asked him for a divorce. 

A week later, I received a call from one of the church's elders, who I knew and respected. He wanted me to meet with him at the church. Of course, I agreed, and a day was scheduled. When I showed up, I was invited into a room filled with all of the church's elders (five men). They had me sit down at a table with them and then drilled me with questions about my motives. They then told me that divorce was a sin and that I would go to hell if I went through with it. I left there angry. I had listened to the minister of that church preach multiple times that no sin was greater than any other sin and that

 “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23

Yet these men were telling me that divorce was an unforgivable sin. I’m thankful I knew the verse that follows that one:

“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
Romans 3:24

I know where I’m going when I die; it definitely won’t be hell. 

One thing I’ve learned from this experience is not to rush into anything. Acting without thinking first is usually what gets us into trouble. I didn’t think I would ever marry again after that experience, but God had other plans for me. He led me to a Christian man who treats me like the daughter of the Almighty that I am. 

“And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:18

Don’t get me wrong. I know that divorce is a sin, and I felt the weight of that sin afterwards, but because of what I had read in the Bible, I knew that I would not go to hell because of my sin. If someone has tried to bully you into or out of doing something by using the Word of God against you, please know that God has given us instructions for life, and even though the Bible was written many years ago, it is alive and sharper than any two-edged sword. It is not outdated. It applies to every generation. You can find the answer to any problem you have in it. Don’t trust the words of the people around you. Search the Bible for answers to your trials and tribulations. We should seek His wisdom first in all we do, and we will be wiser and make better life choices. 

“For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. 11 Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.”
Proverbs 2:6

Chelynn is a contributing writer for Shaken and Stirred. She is a long-time daughter of Christ, a wife, mother of two amazing adult children, and Nonnie to four beautiful grandchildren. She teaches Senior English at Charles Page High School and is also a Realtor for Keller Williams. She enjoys all things summer including boating, vacationing, and swimming.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Consequences

In house church we have been going through the book of Joshua. There are many things that God has commanded us to not do. Not because he wants to make our lives harder. But because in our obedience to his commands we find protection and blessings that exceed our expectations.

In Joshua 7, God became angry with the Israelites because someone had disobeyed his commands. Joshua found out about the situation after a failed attack on the city of Ai:

“Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.”
Joshua 7:11-12

God has a reason for all that he commands and there were consequences for Achon, the Israelite that disobeyed, and his entire household. After Achon confessed that he had stolen he was put to death along with his family, and all his possessions burned. Achon’s disobedience had far reaching consequences that he never intended.

After Achon’s death, God told Joshua to attack the city of AI again. This time, they came out victorious and took possession of all that the city had to offer. God blessed his people for being obedient to his commands. After, this Joshua read all the laws that God gave them, so that they would all be reminded and not sin against God.

When it comes to disobedience there are times when it could result in death. Other times it can mean taking a longer, harder path then God intended for your life. When God tells you to do something, you do it. In Deuteronomy 28:1 it says,

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.”

Just like God had plans for the Israelites. He has plans for you as well. But will you be obedient and follow his direction when he reveals it to you? Or will you take a different path because it seems easier?

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

 Photo by Bradyn Trollip on Unsplash

Woman at the Well

Have you ever noticed that in church we talk about things like our testimony, or evidence of proof? When this happens there’s a tendency to start at the beginning of your “walk” with Christ. This can make for a really long testimony if you asked Jesus into your heart at the age of 3, like I did. I’ve actually never loved my testimony, because it feels like nothing has happened in my life. Nothing that could help someone see Jesus anyway. In college, someone told me that my story reminded them of Esther. That while Esther never heard God speak directly to her, she still had faith in Him and that faith gave her the courage to save her people. This really encouraged me and made me more likely share that part of my testimony.

I’ve realized something though in the last few years. My testimony doesn’t have to include my whole walk with God. My testimony can be as simple as a struggle that should, according to the world, make me into a bitter, unpleasant person. The Samaritan woman does what each of us should do when we have any kind of encounter with Christ. Share that moment with the people around us.        

Last week we read John 4:4-42 and we asked the “Question: What do we learn about God?”. This week please read through the story again and ask yourself the question:   

What Do We Learn About Man?

Mankind is Skeptical

After Jesus told the woman who He was, the Messiah, she had to spread the word. She told everyone she met about her encounter with Jesus and because of that people believed: 

“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony […]. So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them […] And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said;
now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
(John 4:39, 42)

But note, it was not until they heard from Jesus, himself, that some honestly believed. This is a great example of what each of us should do after we’ve come to know Jesus. Go out and proclaim who he is to us and to the world. There will be people though that need more than just a testimony. Remember, every time we share the Gospel we plant a seed of hope. But until a person goes to the source, the Bible, they won’t truly know God.

I encourage each of you, take a moment today and write down an encounter you had with God. This encounter could be something that happened in the past or something that happened recently. It doesn’t have to be “big”; it could be as simple as a verse you read in the Bible or an encounter you had in the grocery store. Think about what God is telling you through that moment and share it with someone who might need encouragement.    

…

Please leave a comment about what you learned about man in this chapter.

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Hannah Morgan on Unsplash