Well happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there!  I'm posting in pink just for you.  We had a delightful time with my mom this afternoon, although most of it came while we were waiting foreeeeever to eat. All the restaurants were packed, even though we waited until mid-afternoon to go out. Oh well, we had a lot of good laughs while we waited! * My stitches are out - praise God! The knee is healing wonderfully; thanks to all of you who prayed. * The other day I mentioned that we should examine ourselves in light of Scripture to ensure that we are of the faith, as Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 13:5. Well, I wanted to pass along what I consider to be possibly the best way to examine yourself in light of Scripture: the six discipleship statements of Jesus.... In Luke 14:25-33 we find the first three... * Anyone who does not hate his mother, brother, etc. can't be His disciple...."If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26 * Anyone who doesn't take up his cross and follow Christ, cannot be His disciple...."Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:27 * Anyone who does not give up everything he has, cannot be His disciple....."So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:33 Three positive statements come from John.... * If you abide in His Word, you are truly His disciple....."If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32 * You will know true disciples by their love for fellow believers...."By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35 * You prove yourself to be His disciple if you bear much fruit...."By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." John 15:8 Now I'm not trying to say that if you are missing one of these then you're not a believer. However, if you don't have any of them, according to Jesus, you can be sure you are not of the faith. Quote of the day: "The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise God-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer | 
