IN CHRIST I AM - BOUGHT

Okay this may sound a little extreme and absurd to some of you.  The idea of being "bought" brings up very wrong ideas.  To say I have been "bought" may make some of you cringe.  Or maybe you will close this out and stop reading it because the idea of being "bought" is something you may never think about.  Back in the old days slaves were bought by masters, many things can be bought for a price.  So the word "bought" brings up many different feelings, emotions and realizations.  It makes us put a price in something or someone.  And quite frankly putting a price tag on a person just seems wrong.

Be patient with me as I try to get through this because quite frankly, we need to wake up to the reality that we are bought with a price.  That's right, we do not belong to ourselves.  No matter how determined we are to handle our own selves, our bodies, our plan, our mission, our purpose, we are not our own.  Don't like hearing that?   Disagree with me?  Go ahead!  Make my day!!

Listen I am sorry to offend anyone, but our bodies are not ours!  If you don't believe in God, you may have a hard time understanding this, but for me it is easy!  You see I grew up in a religion that told me that God's presence lived in the tabernacle of the church.  Church was a place to be quite and respectful.  It was not a place to carry on conversations or laugh or God forbid, clap your hands.  That church building was holy ground and not a place to mistreat.  

What I learned was so wrong!  The church building is not a holy place where God's presence dwells.  My body is a holy place where God's presence dwells.  

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies

My body, soul and spirit have been purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ was tortured and died a hideous, criminals death on a cross.  Not because He was guilty of anything, but because He was innocent.  He did that for you and I, so that our sins could be forgiven and we could become temples of the Holy Spirit, who is God.  God's presence lives inside of me!  His very nature, His very spirit, His very presence lives inside of me!  Do you get that?  I pray you do.

You see this body I have was hand crafted by God Himself.  He created this body and me for a purpose, His purpose, not mine.  He gave me this personality with all my little quirks and insecurities. He gave me His spirit to live in this body of mine and all He asks of me is to obey Him and to take care of this body.  I know you probably think I am strange, and I am!  I am Debra Barron, bought and paid for in full by the blood of Jesus Christ.    

I am not my own!  I am responsible to God and God alone.  I am tired of living a mediocre lifestyle.  I am tired of living on the fence.   My God allowed His One and Only Son to die a cruel death so that His Holy Spirit could dwell in this body.  If  He could do that for me, surely I could get up off my fence (and my lazy boy chair) and start living my life like I should.  It's time I treat my body the way God wants me to.  After all this body is His Holy Temple.

I have been bought with the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross.  My sins have been washed away. My body is now His!  My mind is now His!  My soul belongs to Him!  I am the Temple of God!! My life is not my own!  My body is not my own!  

Lord, I realize that I was bought with a price, help me to honor you with my body.  Create in me a clean heart and purify my body with your blood.   I am yours!  My body, my soul and my spirit belong to you. I surrender all of me in Jesus name I pray, amen.

IN CHRIST I AM - BORN AGAIN

I was baptized as a baby.  I don't remember any of it except for what I have seen in pictures.  Different religions believe different things and have different rituals.  I do not want to dive into a debate here about rituals or sacraments or regulations.  That is not why I am writing this.  I am choosing to write about my personal experience.  That's it!  

For me personally, my life was not altered because of my baptism or even my confirmation.  These were rituals that was expected to be performed at a certain age.  Of course my baptism was chosen for me by my parents.  It was what was expected of them and they truly believed in what they were doing.  I am grateful for their guidance through my faith.  I went through Catholic schools and went to church every Sunday.  I watched my parents pray every night, I watched them recite the rosary at funerals and in times of trouble.  Their faith instilled a deep faith inside of me.  

For my confirmation I was given a list of prayers to have memorized along with certain questions I had to answer correctly.  I had a choice to wait but felt that if I did I would be ostracized and criticized.  After all it is what was to be expected.  I pictured a flame of fire appearing above my head, that didn't happen (never has).  I thought I would feel different, or special.  Nope!  I thought confirmation was being "born again".  I was wrong.

Now before any of you get in a tissy and  through a fit and hurl accusations at me, let me finish.  FOR ME, none of these ritual sacraments changed me.  Oh my faith in Jesus Christ was strong, I was one of those weird Catholics who actually listened to the prayers I repeated over and over.  I believed what those prayers said, that Jesus Christ was my Savior.  I took my time and actually concentrated on the words and soaked them into my heart.  In fact I would get angry and upset when I would see others say those prayer like some rogue routine.  The attitude of "let's get this over" upset me.    Let me be frank, there are many people who sit in churches of all denominations and act this way, not just Catholics.  Jesus was clear though when He said this fooling verse.

John 3:3  Jesus replied, "Very truly I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."

What is born again?  A born again Christian is someone who has repented of there sins and turned to Jesus Christ for their salvation and as a result has become a part of God's family forever.  All this takes place when God's Holy Spirit comes to work in our lives.  It doesn't depend on your age or what knowledge you have, it's a heart issue.  It's an acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Savior issue.  Buddha cannot help you be born again, only Jesus Christ can!  

Jesus Christ became my Savior in the Catholic church, but honestly I wasn't born again until I verbally, out loud, in front of 17,000 people, stood up and proclaimed that Jesus Christ was my personal Savior, that He died so that my sins could be forgiven, that He rose from the dead so that I could have a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father.  That was the one point I missed out on in the Catholic church.  I thought I had to go to a priest, who would go to God for me.  Or pray to a saint who would pray to Jesus on my behalf, who would go to God for me.   Wrong!  

I am sorry if that offends you, but I am not concerned about offending you (ouch) I am concerned about offending God.  Like I said I am not here to debate to argue, this is my personal truth and my personal experience with God.  When I was born again through the blood of Jesus Christ, I was forgiven of my sins.  Instead of going to a priest, I went directly to God (still do).  Instead of praying to a saint for help or guidance or healing from God, I go directly to the true source, the tone true God.

Baptism didn't make me born again, confirmation didn't make me born again, I was born again when I verbally declared that Jesus Christ is my Savior and allowed Him to change my heart.  That day I said that, my life, my world, my heart and my soul changed forever.  I felt different, I felt new, I felt clean.  Being born again is a heart issue.  It's about surrendering.  It's about falling to your knees and letting go of the steering wheel of your life.  

Lord Jesus Christ, you are my Savior!  Come into my heart today and create me anew through your blood that you shed on the cross.  Forgive me for my sins and create in me a new heart that longs for more of you.  I surrender to you and give up control of my life.  Fill me with your peace in Your Holy Name I pray, amen.

THE DAY THAT LOVE CAME DOWN

As I sit and stare at my Christmas tree, my thoughts drift back over 2,000 years ago.  The King of kings, Lord of lords, the Son of God, born in a stable filled with messy animals.  Jesus Christ left heaven with all it's glory to be born into the human mess.  With all the sin and daily struggle that ensued back then, and now, I wonder why He left His comfort zone.  Could it be He really loved us that much?  After all we rarely see any kings or princes leave the palace to live with the commoners.  Oh they may visit us common folk for a hour or two, but the thought of living amongst is unfathomable.  It just wouldn't happen.  

Let me be frank here.  Jesus lived in the lap of luxury.  He lived in a place surrounded by peace and joy.  No tension, no stress, no pointing fingers, no blame, no shame, no gossip, no hatred, no jealousy, no war, no worries, no strife, no illness, no disease, no death existed where He lived His entire life.  Can you imagine such a place?  A virtual Garden of Eden?  A place where life was great and the darkness didn't exist?  Why would anyone leave such a place voluntarily? Why?

LOVE!  Are you searching for love?  Are you looking for someone to love you?  Are you alone and desperate for love?  Is there an emptiness in your soul that longs to be filled with love?  Well let me tell you my friends, LOVE came down in the form of a baby over 2,000 years ago.  This LOVE is something so miraculous, so unbelievable that many deny it.  This LOVE is so rare that many become afraid of it and run away because they feel so unworthy.  This LOVE is so deep that the story has continued throughout all of history. 

No Christmas is not about Santa Claus, it's not about presents or cookies or even about Christmas trees.  Christmas is not just a celebration of the birth of Jesus, at least to me.  Christmas is about how love came down from heaven and rescued me.  Christmas is about a baby born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago who had a love so deep and pure that it scared people and still does today.  It's hard to understand a love like this because we are humans.  It's hard to accept a love like this because it is so unbelievable.   

Luke 2:11-14 "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you; you will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests."

The Promised Messiah has been born.  The Lord of lord and King of kings.  I can honestly hear the sound of the angels crying at His birth.  The wonder of it all, the sheer majesty of heaven born as a baby.  Innocent and pure, without sin and filled with love for everyone, even those who would deny His existence. 

LOVE was born in a stable in Bethlehem, a LOVE that was very different and hard to comprehend.  LOVE sent down from heaven to rescue those who believe in the magic of Christmas.  LOVE came down to rescue me and you.

Listen I know that this story may seem unbelievable, but it's true.  This LOVE is available to you this Christmas.  As you gather together tonight and tomorrow, or maybe you're all alone this year.  There is someone who LOVES you, Jesus Christ.  He loves you right where you are, in all your mess, in all your sin and shame, He LOVES you!  He came down to rescue you!  He wants to fill your soul with an everlasting love like you have never known.  

Read the lyrics of this Chris Tomlin song and let it sink into your heart and soul this Christmas time of year.

I was lost
I was in chains
The world had a hold of me

 My heart was a stone
I was covered in shame
When He came for me
I couldn't run, couldn't run from His presence
I couldn't run, couldn't run from His arms

Jesus, He loves me, He loves me, He is for me
Jesus, how can it be, He loves me, He is for me

It was a fire
Deep in my soul
I'll never be the same
I stepped out of the dark
And into the light
When He called my name
I couldn't run, couldn't run from His presence
I couldn't run, couldn't run from His arms

Jesus, He loves me, He loves me, He is for me
Jesus, how can it be, He loves me, He is for me

He holds the stars and He holds my heart
With healing hands that bear the scars
The rugged cross where He died for me
My only hope, my everything

Jesus, He loves me, He loves me
Jesus, how can it be, He loves me, He is for me
He loves me, He loves me, He loves me
He loves me, He is for me
He loves me, my God it's amazing
Jesus loves me

Jesus I believe in you!  I place my trust in you!  I want the love you have for me.  Fill me to overflowing with your love and peace, in your name I pray, amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

IN CHRIST I AM - BOLD

Sometimes being bold is a bad thing.  Speaking your mind with no consideration for others because what you have to say is so important, cutting people off in traffic because because you have places to go and people to see, shoving your opinions down peoples throats because your right and everyone else is wrong - this bold is not the bold I want to discuss today.  Frankly that kind of bold is rude and if I may be honest, it's more about pride than being bold.  

The bold I want to discuss today is the bold that takes risks, the bold that is confident, not cocky, the bold that is courageous, not boisterous.  We all know people who fit into patterns of bold that is the opposite of what I want to discuss.  We all know people who speak bold words without the knowledge or people skills to back up what they are saying.  We all know people who speak bold words who should just keep their mouth shut.  Sorry am I being too bold?  

Take this bird for example.  In the middle of Disney World, surrounded by (what seemed like) millions of people, this bird had the boldness to stand by tables where people were eating.  Within a foot or less of this bird was tables filled with people eating.  Normally these birds fly away at the least little commotion or movement, but not this bird.  He was bold and stood right by that tree until he got some food.  He was courageous because anyone could have reached out to grab him.  He was confident that he would get the food he came for.  He took a risk.

Okay maybe the bird analogy seems a little goofy but being bold in a crowd is risky.  Being bold with confidence and courage can seem overwhelming.   To be frank, the bold I am talking about can be downright scary at times.  Think about it for a moment,  Being bold, standing up for what is morally right, having the courage to speak the truth, having confidence that whatever comes our way, we can deal with.  Bold is not just about a strong color choice, or being verbally abusive or physically abusive.  The bold I am discussing is the bold that stands up with love and peace in a heart and speaks truth.

Acts 4:31  After they prayed, the place they were meeting was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Can we do what this verse says?  Can we speak the word of God boldly?  Can we do it without shoving it down people's throats?  Can we do it with love and peace?  Can we do it with confidence and courage?  Can we step out and step up?  If we are given the gift of tongues can we speak this way with boldness?  I don't get it.  What has happened to our bold quality that the Holy Spirit gives us?  Why are we so afraid to let our light shine in the darkness?  Why do we hide?  Why do we run away?

Oh trust me, I do this way too often.  I run and hide, I bury my light under a bushel basket.  I am afraid to let people know how much deeply I am in love with Jesus Christ.  I fear the finger pointing and the laughter that comes with writing this blog. I am scared what people will say if they really know the gifts God has given me.   Bold?  Me?  No!  Unfortunately I don't want to seem bold.  Why?  Because there is a fine line between being bold and being cocky.  I never want to seem cocky or full of myself, so instead of being bold, I run and hide.  Am I the only one?

Then there are those who are way too bold and never know when to shut up.  Boldness is not just about speaking your mind with your mouth.  To me being bold for Christ means loving the unlovable, giving hope to the hopeless and showing the love of Jesus Christ to everyone I meet.  It's about stopping your car in traffic, even though you know some people may get angry, to give a few dollars to the homeless man on the street corner.  It's about saying a prayer for that person who just cut you off in traffic.  It's about picking up someone who has just fallen.  It's about giving the coat off your back to someone who has no coat.  

Being bold for Christ is not just about speaking His word to people, it's about showing His love to people.  Words are empty unless you put  action behind your words.  Being bold is pointless if you're not living the way Christ lived.  Jesus was bold.  He stopped when others told Him to keep moving.  He touched when others told Him not too.  He listened when others wanted Him to talk. He helped those that others wouldn't give the time of day to.  To be bold for Christ is to live as He lived.  Are your ready?  Listen bold is an action word, so step up and step out.  I plan to! 

Lord please instill in me the bold quality you desire for me to have.  Please let my actions and my words be bold for you and through you, in Jesus name I pray, amen.   

IN CHRIST I AM - BLESSED

Oh to live a blessed life!  How many of us feel that our lives are anything but blessed.  I mean after all there are some of us who have lost our jobs, our homes and our families.  Sickness and disease, divorce and death, financial disasters and the chaos in this world does not lead us to feel blessed.  Just watch the nightly news and you will discover how blessed we are, right?  I mean that sarcastically of course.  This world is in turmoil.  War and destruction are everywhere, to say we are blessed seems so far fetched and unbelievable.

Crime is on the rise everywhere, or so it seems.  Cancer is spreading like wild fire.  Depression and anxiety are common among people.  Stress is overwhelming and the rat race of life is just extreme.  What do we have to feel blessed about?  What does a blessed life look like anyway?  

Well if we look up blessed in the dictionary, we get a distorted view (at least I think so). When I look up the definition, the dictionary says that blessed means holy, consecrated. those who live in heaven with God.  Well I can honestly tell you that I do not feel holy or consecrated at all.  And I am not up in heaven with God so how can I be blessed?  It all seems a little confusing doesn't it?  

I mean just read the Sermon on the Mount.  The word "blessed" just doesn't seem like the logical word in describing all the feelings we should have when going through hard times and struggles.  I mean come on now, how can Jesus expect me to feel holy when I feel like I am being rung through the ringer of life?  How can Jesus expect me to feel holy when a storm of biblical proportion just swept through my family and destroyed my marriage?  How can Jesus expect me to feel holy when I just got diagnosed with cancer?   Read this verse and let me explain the truth as I see it.

Matthew 5:3 (AMP)  "Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now ans forever]

I love the Amplified Bible and how it defines things for us,  You see the Greek word Jesus used in the Sermon on the Mount, blessed, means to be happy or blissful.  I can be happy under all circumstances.  I can spiritually prosperous no matter what is going on in this world around me.  Why?  Well because I am been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.  In Him I am blessed.  It's not because of anything I have said or done, it's all because of Jesus.

Life is difficult.  It is complicated and it can be downright absurd, but no matter what this life looks like, my eternity is secure.  Because of my faith and belief in Jesus Christ, my eternity will be in heaven.  I have a peace and a comfort knowing that no matter what this life here on earth looks like for me, my forever home will be in heaven.  

Maybe you think I'm a little crazy, okay a lot crazy.  I am crazy!  I am crazy in love with Jesus Christ.  But I would rather live with hope in my heart and peace in my mind and with a smile on my face instead of living with no hope, no promise of eternity and living a life that less than blessed.  Jesus Christ is the reason my life has been blessed.  He is the reason I am here.  He is my hope for a better and brighter tomorrow.  

If your living a life that is less than it should be, I pray that somehow, somewhere someone steps into your life that will point you to Jesus Christ.  I pray that your heart is softened enough to receive Him into your heart.  I pray that I will meet you in eternity where we can discuss our blessed life.

Jesus Christ, you are my Lord and Savior.  Because of your sacrifice for me, I am blessed.  Thank you for allowing me to be your eternal friend forever, in your holy name I pray, amen.

IN CHRIST I AM - ALIVE

Today is one of those days.  I woke up later than usual and my schedule has been thrown off course.  I am dealing with frustration in myself and who I am or I should say who I'm not.   This picture make me feel better, but to say I feel out of sorts would be an understatement.  I feel out of balance and tired.  Why?  I'm not sure.  I'm on a new exercise program and I'm eating better and healthier yet I feel yuck!  Okay to be honest I feel like nothing!

Oh I know I have tried my best to talk myself into feelings better, I have even read some of my own blogs, but nothing seems to make me feel better.  I am struggling.   I know my husband will read this and ask me why I don't talk to him about this, but truthfully, I need to get through this struggle with God.  That is the only way I will ever get out of this pit I feel I am in.  

You know what's sort of comical?  I'm here writing about being alive in Christ and I feel anything but alive in Christ.  I think, no I know, I am under attack by the enemy.  I have been for a while, ever since writing on this topic of who I am in Christ.  It's something that is difficult to talk about let alone try to help someone understand how I feel.   Feelings are neither right nor wrong, but when I allow my feelings to change me, that is when I have to realize that this attack is real.

You see, sin has killed my relationship with God.  My selfishness, my pity parties, my sin has kept me at a distance.  My enemy knows this and has no problem reminding me of my past.  He points out everything I did wrong and he points out everything others said about me.  He brings up all those words that hurt me and all the times I have felt ignored and magnifies them.  He is trying to bring me down!  BUT I will not allow that!  I AM ALIVE IN CHRIST! 

Romans 6:11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  

It doesn't matter what my past looked like.  It doesn't matter what anyone else says about me.  My past sins have been wiped away.  Where I was once dead because of my sins, I am now alive because of my faith and belief in Jesus Christ.   I am not who I used to be, and for that I am grateful.  

You want to hear something comical?  I searched my Bible for references to who I am in Christ.  I passed right by ALIVE!  I almost missed out on this point or I should say someone wanted me to miss out on this.  I am alive!  What should kill me, my sin and selfishness, will not destroy me because Jesus Christ already removed my sins.  Because of His death, because of His sacrifice, I am alive.  He took my sins to the cross with Him.  Because of Him I am alive.

Yes the thief has been trying to steal my joy, and kill my relationship with God and destroy me personally.  But the thief can't steal, kill or destroy anything about me because Jesus already fought the enemy and won the battle!  I AM ALIVE!!   Please don't miss out on this like I almost did.  Even though some day I will physically die, I WILL ALWAYS BE ALIVE IN CHRIST FOR ALL ETERNITY.

You have a choice.  You can live as a "dead man walking".  You can allow your joy to be stolen, your relationship to God killed and your life destroyed, or you can be alive in Christ.  The thief will be happy to steal, kill and destroy you, or you can be alive.  All you have to do is put your faith and belief in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, today I put my faith and belief in you.  I do not want to live a dead life, but a life that is alive in you.  Come into my heart today and show me how to live for you and how to live a life that is alive in you, in Jesus name I pray, amen.