Legalism - good works and faith

So the definition of Legalism is (according to dictionary.com)

Legalism - the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works.

So good works is a good right! As the name implies! It can never hurt to do something good! You don't get in trouble for helping your brothers and sisters, you will never get fussed at for doing your homework too thoroughly, and you will never go to jail for helping a mom with her groceries! You just won't! But legalism teaches that those good things will get you to get to heaven. That is not what the Bible says! And in fact the Bible does talk about works quite a bit! As a Christian you have the desire to do good works! You just do! You want to spread and show God's love! But no matter how much you do that it can not guarantee your place in heaven! That has to be done with a relationship with God! 


But if you want to hear more about that you can email me (bloggeremailcowgirl@blogspot.com) Or you can comment and request a post about that. Right now I really want to talk about those of us who are Christians. 


Okay! So picture this! 
You are that person that anyone could count on! You never turn your phone off in case a friend needs to talk. You never say no and you are involved in everything everywhere. You are constaly volunteering to help with stuff and take on more than you know what to do with! You are a supporter and friend to everyone! And that begins to become what you are known for. You do unnecessary tasks just because it could help someone out! 
And you fall into a pattern of waking up each day with these goals. 
Great goals! Wonderful things! Nothing wrong with that! 
But maybe you don't put enough time into seeking God or growing your faith. 
But you reason with yourself! As long as I am doing good things for God why does it matter! I was once told that anytime you have to justify something you shouldn't do it! And that has shown so true in my life! But that living each day doing good works but not living by faith is exactly the legalism that is very common for so many people! Now I am not saying that you should stop doing good things and spend all day praying. That is not what the Bible says either! The good deeds you do are made perfect to God by your faith! Your good works alone will not grow your relationship with Christ. Only through faith can that be done! That is why they need to work together! One is not complete without the other!


Here are some verses that show us that!


Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
Romans 9:32


Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
James 2:22

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Romans 7:6


Hopefully you enjoy this post and get something from it! If you want to know more please comment or email! I love this topic! :)

Jabez Prayer

So while I was at my dads book signing today I found this book about Jabez Prayer for teens. I was intrigued. So I started reading. It is all about a prayer, a man names Jabez, prayed. It is in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10.

'There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful.He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!" And God granted him his request.'

The word Jabez means Pain. Can you imagine having a name that means pain? Woah! And in their culture a name kind of set you up for life! Solomon means peace as was the first king to rule without war. You lived out your name. And to be named Pain! Ouch! I am not sure what was going through his moms head! But still! He was stuck with it! And he prayed "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!" What a prayer! Right? And God did!

Also, this verse is right in the middle of one of those long "The sons of him and the sons of him and so and so and him and his sons and so forth and so on" sections of the Bible. But for some reason the author stopped to say this about Jabez. So it must be important!

Bless me and expand my territory! What a perfect pair! Because what happens when God bless you? You want to share that blessing! You want to tell the world! You want to help others experience it! Expand my territory! In other words! Lord give me more people to share your blessings with! Okay so here is what most of us are thinking. "Wait a minute! More people? I know lots of people and most of them know I am a Christian. So that is enough. right? I mean lets be serious! I don't always share my blessings with those I already know! So expand! Yeah. I think I am fine the way things are!" And I totally get that! But can you imagine what would happened if you asked God for that! Yes God might totally throw you out of your comfort zone. But wouldn't it be worth it? Could you imagine what God might bless you with and what he might do through you to touch the lives of others! 

Not what you do to touch the lives of others that God blesses. But what God really does through you! Have you ever had those moments where you say just the right thing at just the right moment? And you did not seem to even think about what you said but your timing, tone, and words were just perfect? The words shocked you as they came out of your mouth because they never went through your thought process? And you saw those words touch someone? And later all you can think is wow! God used me there! Those are the moments this prayer is asking God for! When God uses you in someones life in a way only He could! It can blow me away just to think about!

And be with me in all that I do! Have you ever prayed for that? I know I haven't! You might if you are about to take a test or something big is about to happen. You ask God to be with you then. But to say everything! And mean it! I want you in every part of my life! woah! Even if we mean it with all our hearts we all have at least one area we try and hold back. Ultimately God has control over that area of our lives too but, as humans, we feel the need to control it. We really have no control there. But we fell like we should. Forgiveness and trust is are areas I sometimes have a hard time giving over to God! We all have our areas! We are all works in progress at all times. But we need to keep working on those areas and praying through them and seeking God. This prayer does just that!

Keep me from all trouble and pain! For a man named Pain that is a big deal to ask! Keep me from pain! What an amazing thing to ask! I have never prayed for that! Trouble and pain are just part of life. I never thought I could ask to be kept from it! But it is true!

I am not going to post the name of this book in my resources. It had so much good information but was so movement driven and not about the heart that I just could not post it. Praying this verse is about the heart! Meaning it with your whole heart, desiring it with your whole heart, accepting the challenges God gives you with your whole heart, and being willing to change with your whole heart! Not about getting a million teenagers to pray those words.

I am making a commitment to pray that prayer everyday for the next month. But, I would also like to know, what you think of Jabez prayer? Is it something you want to pray into your life? Why or why not?