Loving Someone to Hell

In today’s society the phrases “Do You”, “Be true to you” or “Do what makes you happy” are very common and are often use to encourage or to validate that someone’s behavior is okay. We in today’s time have come to point where we believe that we are entitled to do whatever we want. In addition, there are people especially Christians who believe the same.



There are certain things (sin) that we as people may want to engage in that may make us feel good but will be detrimental for our salvation. Romans 6:23 warns us “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. When we as Christians, fail to tell the truth and be honest we others, then we are in fact loving them to hell while they are in the midst of their sins.


Now every individual will have to stand before the Lord and answer for their own actions. However, when we know that our friends and or love ones are doing something to cause death then we should try helping them out. Our love for that individual should trump their personal desires when it comes to telling the truth regardless of their final decision. Henry Ward Beecher says “It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.”


Our love for people should lead us to give them good and Godly advice and not worldly advice. If the advice “Do You”, “Be true to you” or “Do what makes you happy” was really good and true then it would be okay for robbers to rob, or molesters to molest, murderers to murder etc. because these individuals are doing what their hearts desire.


I’m so glad to have had parents and others who never upheld me in my sin but in fact spoke against it. I am raising my children the same way. I will not let any past sins or possible future sins keep me from telling the truth concerning God’s word. I am choosing not to love anyone to hell but in fact to give hope in a God who is able to take away sinful desires and or acts. Psalm 79:9 teaches us to pray for our sins “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake”.


Shailer Matthews believes that “Love that seeks to do men good is cowardice when it refuses to prevent them from doing wrong”. It is my prayer that we will not allow our love for family and friends to encourage and or validate them in sin but rather our love will encourage them in the Lord.


Benita

Happily Dedicated

Tonight in my seminary wives class the teacher asked the question, "What word or phrase would you use to describe your marriage?" I think it caught everyone off gaurd because none of us gave an answer. I wanted to but had never thought about like that. As I was washing dishes tonight and thinking about my marriage and the words "Happily Dedicated" came to mind as our motto and I found myself saying these words:

Happily Dedicated to the man I love,

Giving thanks for him to God above.

Happily Dedicated through the good and bad,

Willing to forgive when he makes me mad.

Happily Dedicated through the storms and rain,

Focusing on the good not to complain.

Happily Dedicated in every way,

Honoring my vows to forever stay.

Happily Dedicated and committed to him,

Praying our love will never grow dim.

Happily Dedicated as God commands,

Walking this life of marriage hand-in-hand!

As Ken and I approach our 10th year anniversary this July 15, I give all thanks to God as statistics say that we should be divorced. We have weathered the loss of our first child, the cancer diagnosis and surivival of our third, and the major decision for Ken to leave the corporate world and pursue his calling in the ministry. But by the grace of God we are still together just a dedicated to our love and commitment as the day we said I do. Has it been all good all the time? No but we are Happily Dedicated.

I would like to encourage everyone to ask themeselves the same question. If you can't or don't have a good word or phrase to define your marriage then now would be a good time to start to renew your commitment and try to make your marriage the best that it can be. Marriage may sometimes come with some not so good days but in the end marriage will be what we make of it.

I am a firm believer of having prayer in a marriage. Praying with your spouse and praying for him as well. You can't stay mad a person long of whom you are praying. Marriage can be a wonderful institution when we invite God and keep him in our circle of love.

Praying tonight for your and your marraiges whether now or in the future.

Much Love,

Benita

No Charge

After having our health insurance through COBRA since February of this year, Ken and I decided it was time to change our insurance. For one, our insurance was with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and along with trying to find doctors to accept it we were starting to pay for items that we hadn't in Alabama because we now live in Tennessee. We applied for new insurance and let our COBRA laspe because the process was about 4 weeks or less for approval. Well as fate would have it on Wednesday November 18th, I was working at home and the phone rang. It was the school's secretary telling me that Lauren wasn't feeling well and was coughing. I told them that I would come pick her up. Before I could get to a stopping point the phone rang again and it was the school's nurse telling me that Kennedy had thrown up really bad and wasn' feeling well. Well both girls left home and didn't seem to be sick so I left to pick them up and spent the day caring for them and making them feel extra special as the little sickies in the house. Lauren appeared to feel better but Kennedy continued to throw up. So guess what now I have to take two little girls to the doctor with no insurance. Well, what could I do but take them knowing that I would have to pay in full for their visits which I would expect to cost about $300 or more (Ouch!). I made the appointment and took them in and informed them that we no longer had the BCBS insurance and that we were currently uninsured. The receptionist wrote a big PIF (pay in full)on the bottom of each girls form. The doctor came in the room and examined both girls. This was her first time seeing Kennedy and she had only seen Lauren for 5 year check-up. After examing both girls she started to fill out her paperwork and circling the codes for billling. When she got to the bottom, she asked me why is this PIF on here? Why are you paying in full? I told her the we were currently without insurance but was in the process of getting some. She looked at me and said I'm not going to charge you and you don't have insurance. She took that form marked through the PIF and wrote NO CHARGE. I was shocked and speechless. When I gained my composure I thanked her and said God bless you. I quickly left got in my car to call Ken but he was in class so I called my parents and I just cried and cried. Tears of joy of course because it was just confirmation that God is in control. I am also encouraged to know that there still good doctors out there who doesn't just see dollar signs but people. She cared enough for me and my family and I'm sure others to help us out. I will always pray that she will be able to continue to help others as God leads her. I will always pray for her health and that of her family. I will always try to be a blessing to others as some have been for me. This season of Thanksgiving was made special by the gift of love and compassion on behalf of our doctor who thought it not robbery to care for my girls free of charge! Giving thanks with a grateful heart, Benita