That's Not My Job!!!

This is a paper my sister and I found in an old photo album at our Grandmother's house.

It is so funny and yet so thought provoking.
I am ashamed of how many times I have sidestepped a job reasoning that 'somebody' would do it, so why worry about it.

Every time I read this I feel challenged to not let that be me.

But I know that unless I depend on the Lord for strength I can do nothing! 

(Romans 7:18) (Psalms 16:2)

{Guest Post} Tomorrow (don’t count on it)

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” 
                                                           -James 4:14

As much as I appreciate the blessing of tomorrow, I’ve also come to see it as a blessing too often abused. Though most people will readily admit their life could be snuffed out at any time, for some reason we continue to live as if there is always another page to be turned, another chapter to be written. Like the rich man in Luke 12 who fell into the lap of luxury only to “fall into the hands of the living God” when he least expected it (Heb. 10:31), many times we embrace unnecessary responsibilities today while postponing what God says is truly important until tomorrow.

What do I mean by unnecessary responsibilities? Well, let’s start with the obvious. Hunting trips, shopping ventures, and web surfing are all nonessentials. We could live without them if it became necessary. More subtle distractions such as extra-biblical literature and blogging may at times seem indispensible, but even these should be a distant second to our God and our family. We as Christians are called to demonstrate faithfulness, not just in the “big” things, but in the countless smaller responsibilities that shape our character and mold our relationships (Matt 25:23).

Of course that’s not to say whatever is unnecessary can also be categorized as sin. Solomon himself believed “there is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor.” (Eccl. 2:24) Our lives are a gift from God and should be enjoyed in holiness (Heb. 12:14), but putting your family on hold to accommodate a self-induced busy schedule is a sacrifice no one can afford to make.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

               -Matthew 23:23

Just like the Pharisees, how often have we allowed our zeal for God to tear us down rather than build us up? Peter cutting off Malchus’ ear when His Savior’s life was threatened revealed an inner passion worth emulating, but in the end he earned only a rebuke from the One he was attempting to defend (John 18:10-11). Is it any different when a Christian passionate about truth spends more time reading Bible commentary than the Word of God itself, or can quote their favorite theologian more fluently than their risen Lord? We procrastinate making the changes we know are needed but somehow always make room for the lesser things we could do without. Isn’t it true that “procrastination is the thief of time”¹God calls us to redeem (Eph. 5:16)?

God has a special blessing in store for those who make Him, not religion or good works, the focus of their heart and the love of their life. We “shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ”someday to answer for the decisions we’ve made (Rom. 14:10), and this reality should encourage God’s church in the pursuit of holiness and “faith unfeigned.” (1 Tim. 1:5) There’s no need to wait until the 1^st of January to enact these commitments. Act now! Determine what you must do, put your hand to the plow, and don’t look back (Luke 9:62). It’s this kind of dedication we need to break the chains “tomorrow” can so easily ensnare us with.

About the Author

So you're probably reading this expecting that I have some kind of exciting life with all sorts of things to share with you about it. Nope. I'm just an 18 year-old guy who loves the Lord, enjoys writing about Him, His Word, and how to serve Him more fruitfully (Eph. 2:10). My favorite hobbies include memorizing Scripture, photography, hunting, fishing, and raising ducks.

You Can visit Dakota's blog here.

Peter lent a boat

To save Christ from the press,

Martha lent her home,

With busy kindliness,

One man lent a colt,

Another lent a room,

Some threw down their clothes,

And Joseph lent a tomb,

Nothing have I to lend-

No boat, no house no lands;

Lord, here is my life-myself,

I place it in your hands.

We have reached 50 Posts!!!

Thank you all for your participation through comments, input and advice.

We know it's not a very big landmark, but hey, we have to start somewhere. To commemorate this post we have decided to announce an upcoming change to 'Fidelis Deus... '
You see,  we have had several problems with people getting confused because the name is latin etc. To solve this problem we have decided to change the name and possibly remodel the look as well.
So stay tuned and check back to tell us what you thing of the soon to come changes.
May the Lord bless you all with a week brimming with opportunities to glorify Him, and thank you again for your participation.



In Christ,

180'

(If you are reading this through your goggle reader or e-mail you may not be able to see the video)

I wonder how often I do this?

"I Love you Mother!" said little John
Then forgetting his work, his cap went on,
And he was off to the garden swing
And she had the wood and water to bring.

"I Love you Mother!" said little Nell;
"I Love you more than tongue can tell."
Then she teased and pouted half the day,
Till mother was glad when she went to play.

"I Love you Mother!" said little Nan,
"Today I'll help you all I can;
My doll and playthings I know will keep!"
Then she rocked the baby fast asleep.

Stepping softly she brought the broom,
and swept the floor and tidied the room,
Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and good as a child can be.

"I Love you Mother!" again they said,
Three little Children going to bed.
How do you think the Mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?

~Joy Allison~

The Everlasting Covenant

This excerpt is from a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Blood of the Covenant," delivered August 2, 1874.

"In olden times when men made covenants the one with the other, they generally used some ceremony to bind the bargain, as it were. Now, under the old dispensation covenants with God were always confirmed with blood. As soon as ever blood was shed, and the victim died, the agreement made was established. Now, when our heavenly Father made a covenant with Jesus Christ on our behalf, that covenant was true and firm, “according to the sure mercies of David,” but to make it stand fast there must be blood. Now, the blood ordained to seal the covenant was not the blood of bulls or of goats, but the blood of the Son of God Himself; and this has made the covenant so binding that sooner may heaven and earth pass away than one tittle of it fail.

God must keep His own promises. He is a free God, but He binds Himself; by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for Him to lie, He has bound Himself to bestow covenant blessings upon the flock which the great Shepherd represented. Brethren, you and I, as honest men, are bound by our word. If we took an oath, which I trust we would not, we should certainly feel doubly bound by it; and if we had lived in the old times, and blood had been sprinkled on an agreement which we had made, we should regard the solemn sign and never dream of running back from it.

Think, for a moment, how impossible it is that the Lord should ever break that covenant of grace, which He spontaneously made with his own Son, and with us in Him, now that it has been sprinkled with blood from the veins of his own well-beloved Son. No; the covenant is everlasting. It stands fast for ever, because it is confirmed by blood which is none other than the blood of the Son of God."

Its Been 2 Months!

Wow,
It looks like it has been quite some time since we have posted anything, and I am really sorry about that, and as if it would make it up to you I do have some excuses.
You see my sister Beth has been taking several classes in preparation for training to be a midwife, so she hasn't had very much free time, outside of studying, and what time she does have usually gets eaten up by her painting. (I should post some of her pictures on here for you all to see! I think they're beautiful!)
So, with Beth out of commission for the time being, that kind of left it up to me. What can I say? Obviously that didn't turn out so well, (and though I am making light of it for the sake of relieving my guilty conscience, I am truly and sincerely sorry.)
There are multiple reasons I could give for not posting for almost two months, but the ones I have chosen to submit to you are first of all my participation in  program called NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and secondly the building of my second blog  Books on Trial... from a Christian perspective which, as a side note, I hope you will take a peak at. So those are my excuses for you to judge me by, and I pray you to merciful.

May God bless you all with a wonderful new week!