1 and 2 Peter

Life Project: 1st and 2nd Peter Candice Roberts When I was a little girl I had the opportunity to listen to missionaries speak at my church on many occasions. I would always look forward to their visits. I lost myself in their stories of adventure and passion. They always spoke with such fervor about their mission field and I dreamed of one day going on the mission field myself. I wanted desperately to bring the Good News to the farthest corner of the earth. And here I am, in Utah. While Utah may not have been exactly what I had in mind as a child, I do believe that I am on a mission field. And furthermore, I believe my Christian brothers and sisters across all of America are on a mission field. 1st Peter 1:17 calls us Christians “foreigners”. 1st Peter 2:11 calls us “strangers and aliens”. So while I may not be surrounded by Aborigines, I am surrounded by a mission field, because I have been called to represent Christ to a world that does not know Him. God’s ultimate goal is redemption of His creation. He desires that every man, woman and child would come to Him. In fact in 2nd Peter 3, we are told that God is not slow in returning but patient as He does not “want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God desires to use our lives as witnesses to those around us. For this reason, Peter’s charge to the first century church is still compelling us today. “I urge you, friends, as strangers and aliens, to abstain from sinful desires which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day that He visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11-12. Good lives. Good deeds. That is the missionary calling that has been placed on my life. You see, it is much more than the words that come out of my mouth. The real power of my witness resides in the way I live my life. There is a name for this way of living- Lifestyle Evangelism. Matthew Crane gives this definition of Lifestyle Evangelism: “Christians living such an amazing and sin free lifestyle that it causes all the non-Christians to ponder why we are so different. As a result the non-Christian searches for the answer and realizes that God is real and living all because of an amazing lifestyle of a Christian. “ From this definition (but ultimately from God’s Word) we can identify two components of Lifestyle Evangelism. One is a sin free lifestyle. Two is an amazing lifestyle; the Bible calls it an abundant life. Our charge, should we choose to accept it, is to live in this manner. We are also called in 1st Peter 3:15 to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have.” When your lifestyle causes others to stop and question what makes you so different, and it will, you tell them, JESUS!! When I think about the grace I have received and the family of faith I have inherited, I am humbled to have this calling of missionary on my life. I am sure you have felt the same way. Undeserving but inspired to be a witness for my Savior. I would like to leave you with a few quotes from some of our most respected co-laborers in this great Missionary work. “We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.” DL Moody “Where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me.” DL Moody “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can” John Wesley “When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn.” John Wesley

Book of James

The Life Project: James Candice Roberts James doesn’t pull any punches. I like this about him. James’ whole book is dedicated to putting your faith into action. His premise is that faith which does not affect our lives practically is no faith at all. James specifically targets our speech as an area in the Christian life that must come under the control of Christ if we truly have a faith in Christ. In James 1: 26 says, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless”. See? I told you James didn’t pull any punches. But the truth is the Bible has a lot to say about our speech and for good reason. James 3:2b, “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.” If we were able to tame our tongue, we would be perfect. This speaks to both the impossibility and the importance of taming the tongue. With our tongues we have the capacity to gossip, slander, tear down, discourage, lie, curse, be prideful, tell course jokes, and many more evils. We also have the ability to encourage, love, speak truth, and the hardest thing to do; be silent. So what do you choose? If you are having trouble taming your tongue, join the human race. But also consider these scriptures. · Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. · Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. · Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. · Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. · Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. · Matthew 12:34-35 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. · Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. · Psalms 39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,so long as the wicked are in my presence.” · Titus 2:8 ....and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. · James 3:6-10 How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. These scriptures do not constitute all the Bible has to say about the tongue. They are a mere sampling. Plato once said "There is no harm in repeating a good thing." We would be wise to listen. It is a simple truth; watch your mouth. Simple to understand, difficult to put into practice. I am challenged to try. And as a side note, I might add, we should watch our social media as well. I am sure that if Facebook existed in James day, he would've said, "your Facebook posts are set on fire by hell."

Book of Hebrews

Life Project: Hebrews Candice Roberts A large portion of the book of Hebrews is dedicated to the discussion of high priests, priesthood and some obscure priest named Melchizedek. To be honest the mention of priests conjures up images of medieval times with guys in long robes living in stone castles chanting hollow sounding prayers. But I guess since this discourse is in the Bible, it is probably important that I understand it. So if you, like me, have ever wondered who the heck Melchizedek was and why priests are so important, read on. In the Old Testament, high priests were a necessary part of the religious system. Priests were actually God’s idea. But what exactly did they do? In Hebrews 5, the author lays out the job description for an Old Testament priest. There are four main principles regarding the priesthood. Principle 1- the priest was to be chosen from among the people. Principle 2- the high priest was to represent the people in matters related to God, especially by offering sacrifices. Principle 3- the weakness of the high priest allows him to deal gently with the people; he is required to offer sacrifices for himself as well as for the people. Principle 4- God is the one who appoints a high priest. So basically the high priest was a guy that God chose to offer sacrifices for the people for the forgiveness of their sins. Because a high priest was human and understood weakness he was gentle with the people. But this also meant that he had to offer sacrifices for his sin before he offered them for the people. This makes a little sense. But why don’t we have priests today? We still sin right? Hebrews says we do have a high priest and his name is Jesus. Hebrew 2:17, “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 4:14-15, “ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” These verses mean that Jesus met all the qualifications for a high priest. He was chosen from among the people as He was made fully human. He made the ultimate sacrifice for our sin, through His death on the cross. He was gentle with the people, because even though He was without sin, He understood weakness as He was tempted in every way. And He was chosen by God. Jesus is the ultimate high priest. I think I understand this concept, but then the writer of Hebrews throws in chapter 7 about Melchizedek and I am lost again. Who is this guy? Well Melchizedek was a character mentioned in Genesis chapter 14. In this chapter we find that Abraham (then Abram) went to Sodom to rescue his nephew Lot. On his way home he meets this Melchizedek guy who was both the King of Salem and a priest of The Most High God. When Abraham meets Melchizedek, the priest blesses Abraham. Then Abraham offers Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had. There are a few interesting facts about Melchizedek that are important to know. First of all, old Mel was both a priest and a king which was very unusual. Typically men could be king or priest but not both. It was a sort of separation of church and state thing. Also Mel’s name means king of righteousness. And Salem means peace. This made him both the king of righteousness and the king of peace. He was also not a priest in the lineage of Levi. God had chosen Levi’s line to hold the priesthood, but Melchizedek was an exception. We don’t, however, know what line he came from. There is no genealogy, no birthdate, no date of death or any details listed in the Old Testament on Melchizedek. Again this is highly unusual and makes old Mel seem almost eternal. He is a pretty enigmatic character, this Melchizedek. We will never have more information on him this side of Heaven. But what we do know is that the author of Hebrews quotes Psalms in saying that Jesus is “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek”, he is using Melchizedek as a type of Christ, a foreshadowing if you will. Isn’t Christ after all both a King and a Priest? (Not to mention a Son). Isn’t he both the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. He was not from the lineage of Levi, but wasn’t He chosen by God? And isn’t Christ eternal making our need for another priest obsolete? Hebrews 7:26-28, “Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”

Books of Titus and Philemon

The Life Project: Titus and Philemon Candice Roberts I have been challenged lately by reading the Epistles of Paul. I have been confronted with how my faith in Christ is manifested in my attitudes and behavior. Do I merely profess a faith in Christ, or do I live it out? One of the most poignant things that occurred to me while reading the Pauline epistles is the emphasis Paul puts on relationships. It seems that our faith cannot be viable, outside of the context of relationships with other people. This is not necessarily good news for me or is it, I imagine, good news for you. I find it easy to understand the grace of God. I love contemplating the work of Atonement on Calvary. I find myself thinking often about salvation and heaven and future glory. I enjoy listening to discussions on doctrine and theology. But relationships are hard; there are so many undeserving people, aren’t there? I say this tongue in cheekkind of. Because while I don’t like to admit it, I am not nearly as good at loving others as I want people to think I am. I imagine many of you can understand my plight. Despite how difficult it is to love people, the Apostle Paul, our Savior and all of Scripture, really, put a heavy emphasis on love and relationships. The books of Titus and Philemon are no exceptions. These two short letters deal with relationships between husband and wife, parent and child, slave and master, and so on. It is as if all of our doctrines, all of our theology, all of our theorizing, aren’t really that important without love. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40 that all the law and the prophets can be summed up in two commandments; love God and love people. He said in John 13:35 that the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. The call to love is unquestionable and irrevocable. It is weaved through the Old Testament, shouted in the Gospels and preached in the Epistles. As Christians we must be a people of love. But saying you love someone does not necessarily mean that you do. Love, primarily, is a verb. In the books of Titus and Philemon, as well as his other epistles, Paul encourages mutual submission, kindness, and showing grace. These are some of the ways in which Christians love. To say that I love my husband is all well and good, but if I don’t submit to him, if I am not kind to him, if I don’t show him grace then do I really love him? I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church. 1st Corinthians 13:4-7, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” This is the kind of love that should mark the disciples of Christ. We should have this kind of love for our spouses, our children, our neighbors, our bosses, our enemies. To love like this is faith in action.

Thankful 2012

I have so much to be thankful for. A good job, a healthy family, a good relationship with my parents, a house to live in and food to eat. The list goes on and on and I thank God daily for all the blessings.

In 4 days I will be traveling with my daughter to the Dominican Republic to spend our Thanksgiving in a village, serving the community and sharing God's Word. I am so excited about this opportunity to love on the kids in this village. We are going to help in their school, teach bible studies, do arts and crafts, and purity classes. Ty and I are traveling with our kids Pastor, his wife (who is in charge of the mission trips), and their daughter... along with 8 other people from a church in Colorado.

I am looking forward to this time with my daughter. She is such a mature 12 year old, already has responsibilities in our church in our kids ministry. She has proven to be a leader and a good example with her friends. She is a good student (for the most part) and a hard worker. But... these are the times when things change. She is almost a teenager. She gets a little sassy at times. I am hoping that going on this trip with instill deep in her heart God's love so she never forgets that. When the going gets tough in life, she will lean on Him instead of worldly things. I hope this time together, serving God, will bond us as mother and daughter.

I just pray for our trip... for all those going, that we may have safe travels and good health. I pray for those we are going to meet. The teachers, the translators, the students, and families. That they all have open hearts and minds to the love of Christ we are going to bring them. I pray for our family members that we are leaving behind... that they may feel God's comfort and support while we are gone. That they make good choices and dont have any problems. I just pray for a life changing experience. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Everyone have a blessed week and Thanksgiving :)

Book of 2nd Timothy

The Life Project: 2nd Timothy Candice Roberts Paul writes the second letter to Timothy while he is sitting in a Roman prison awaiting execution. He would never leave that prison; never again see his beloved son in the faith. It is from this vantage point that Paul writes. His aim is to communicate some final words of encouragement that might sustain Timothy through the difficult times after his death. We have in 2nd Timothy a beautiful letter of inspiration, wisdom and friendship that has been cherished throughout the years. A letter like this, certainly leaves me wondering what I will spend my final days on earth doing. I wonder who I will be investing in. I wonder what words of wisdom, or folly, I might be imparting to those I love. If I could plan it out, I would be sure to visit each of my children and grandchildren, if I have them by then. I would tell them of the immense love that I have for them and the immeasurable love that their Father in Heaven has for them. I would admonish them to not be afraid to ask questions, but to not let questions get in the way of faith. I would remind them that because they have been shown such great Love and Mercy, that they have a responsibility to show others love and mercy and to help those less fortunate then themselves. If I had it to plan out, I would also encourage my husband and tell him that the joy of my life had been to walk alongside him. I would encourage him to not grow weary in doing good because there are rewards waiting for him in heaven. I would urge him to take an occasional break because it is necessary and will help rejuvenate his spirit. I would remind him that the only opinion that matters is our Lord’s and so he shouldn’t worry too much when people get mad at him. I would certainly remind him that if you wash the dishes right away, food doesn’t get caked on them and they are much easier to clean. To the precious people God has put in my path, I would exhort them to keep pursuing God and His Holiness. I would counsel them that the Kingdom of Heaven is now, and they can live in the freedom Christ purchased for them now. I would plead with them to not get bogged down in the cares of this world, but to keep their eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. If I had it to plan out, this is how I would spend my last days. But life does not work that way. I am not promised tomorrow. In fact today may be my last day. It could in a year. It could be 10 years, 20 years, 50 years from now. But more than likely, I will not have the luxury of knowing when my last day will be. This is a sobering fact. Because if I died today, that would make my last day yesterday and it fell so far short of my plan. Instead of encouraging my children, I got onto them for keeping a messy room. Instead of spending time with my boys, I watched a TV show. Instead of encouraging my husband, I just sat beside him in our house and didn’t pay much attention to him at all. I didn’t reach out to friends. I didn’t serve the less fortunate. I just went through the motions at work, not stopping to thank God for the people He had put in my path. The fact is my life was kind of pointless yesterday. So here is my November 5th resolution. I am going to, in the words of the great Tim McGraw, live like I was dying. I am going to cut down on the wasted moments. I am going to turn off the mindless chatter and become more intentional with my words. I am going to serve more, forgive more, love more. I am going to take a deep breath, and pray to our Father before I step foot out of bed each morning. I am going to do this not because the morning is more holy than other parts of the day, but because as soon as I get up I could be screaming at my kids that they are making me late, rushing past my husband in the hallway and ignoring phone calls from a friend in need. I need a “first thing” reminder to focus on the things of God, the important, lasting things and to just let the trivial stuff go. One of my favorite poems is called The Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I have included it here. Not as perfect as God’s Word, but still a beautiful reminder to seize the day. Tell me not, in mournful numbers, "Life is but an empty dream!" For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; "Dust thou art, to dust returnest," Was not spoken of the soul. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow Finds us farther than to-day. Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act,--act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead! Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing Learn to labor and to wait.

Friday Confessions 11-2-12 and 11-9-12

I Confess... I had a much better week. All around.

I Confess... work is going well. I have been recognized for my hard work, which has been nice. On top of it, my name was pulled for a drawing and I won some money. Yay!

I Confess... home is going better too. The communication and the affection between me and Mister Husband has improved a million times in the past two weeks.

I Confess... I've always thought we had a good relationship... but we ran into a mountain a little bit back and my world felt like it was spinning. But my God is big enough to move mountains and He is... I cant wait to share our Message out of the mess that we've been going through.

I Confess... I love my husband more today than I ever have.

I Confess... my dear friend is going through the same thing as what I've been and it breaks my heart. I spent some time with her last night and seeing her pain brought tears to my eyes.

I Confess.. I leave for the mission trip with my daughter in 2 wks and I am not ready at all. My head needs to get in the right place... I need to get packed... I need to get my focus where it belongs so God can use me. Please pray for me!!

11/9/12 Confessions since I didnt post them "officially" last week...

I Confess... there's been some changes at work. While I hope they are for the best, I am still nervous but so far so good.

I Confess... I am still feeling unprepared for my trip next week. I havent packed a dang thing yet. Better get on that this weekend.

I Confess... I am going to miss my husband and son more than I expected I would. Good thing for FaceTime. Praying my wifi in the hotel works.