Going to get a hairscut. Have you ever noticed words or phrases we use that we know what they mean, but they really don't "say" it correctly. For instance, let's examine haircut. I do realize that the grouping of hairs on the top of our head is referred to as our hair and therefore haircut is the term we use when we go to the barber (OK, I go to a barber if you wish you can call yours a stylist), but in all reality we have hairs cut and depending on the particular area of the head they are cut at differing lengths.To me "hairscut" is a much better term for describing what you get when you go to the barber or stylist.

Do you take care of your teeth on a daily basis? Brushing is essential to keeping Mr. Tooth decay away and as my dentist used to day - "Floss only the teeth you want to keep." Did you use a toothbrush today? Which tooth did you use it on? No, wait a minute, you can't use a toothbrush on anything more than one tooth. It is called a toothbrush. Can you imagine the crying and gnashing of teeth this question of which tooth to brush would cause across the nation? Kids would not get to school on time. Dad's would miss their commuter train. Mom's would be late to their aerobic class. All because of trying to make a rational choice on which tooth to brush today. I however have a very simple solution. Let me introduce to you the teethbrush. Problem solved.

"Once saved always saved" is a statement used as a simplification of the doctrine known as the "security of the the believer." I believe wholeheartedly in that doctrine which is based, in part, on two main scriptures: Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast"; and John 10: 28-29 - "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand." The bottom line is: if we have been saved and regenerated by the Holy Spirit through God's grace, which was manifested in the blood of Jesus shed for all sinners, then we will be saved forever. Since we didn't do anything to earn it, we can't do anything to lose it. True believers are secure in their salvation past, present, and future.

Just like the terms "haircut" and "toothbrush" expounded on earlier, I think "once saved always saved" has, for many, given us the wrong picture of the impact and influence The Gospel (The Good News of Jesus) should have on our daily lives. Hang on...I'm getting there. Where "haircut" doesn't take into account all of the hairs and "toothbrush" doesn't take into account all of the teeth, "once saved...." doesn't take into account the impact God's marvelous act of grace should have on each of us every moment of every day. Because of that short phraseology many who have had a true salvation experience in the past have "left" that life-changing encounter with God and closed the chapter on their salvation. "Been there done that." "Fire insurance policy signed sealed and delivered." That by no means is what God intended with this free gift. It was instead given for building a growing, maturing relationship with the one and only Holy God. It was to draw us to Him on a daily basis. It was intended that we might adore Him, exalt HIm, and cherish Him.

So, what do we do? Milton Vincent says we should "preach The Gospel to ourselves daily. We need to remind ourselves, relive that day, expand our grasp fo the truth, meditate on the riches of the Gospel every day. In doing that, we grow to love God with all our heart, mind, sould and strength. We begin to treasure Jesus more than anything else in this life. We live in a constant state of thankfulness and gratetude for what God has done for us. "Once saved always saved" becomes not a one time event but an all-the-time awareness.

Richard

Falling on my rear-end 20,000 times. I was reading some research on world-class figure skaters. Why I was doing that I have no idea, but there was a great principle to be gleaned from the statistics. Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal in figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. She was twenty-four and had been skating since she was age five. She won primarily because she was able to execute a "layback Ina Bauer" - which is bending backward almost double with her feet facing in opposite directions (ouch!) - leading into a three-jump combination. Ta da!! For a extremely difficult move like that to be perfected, it takes hours upon hours of practice which usually results in her sitting on her rear end in the middle of the ice. Falling is a predictable result of ice skating and even more so for those who practice the most difficult of maneuvers. For me, I prefer the "ice snail" approach. Cling to the sides with great tenacity and dare anyone to pry my cold, frozen hands from the rail. Anyway, falling is a very real part of really trying. Falling only happens when you are trying something that is beyond your skill level at the time. Falling will occur if you are actually trying to get better, to achieve a worthy goal (or gold...medal that is), or attempt something someone else hasn't like a "layback Ina Bauer."

How many times have you fallen on your rear-end? Yes I guess ice skating counts, but I was kinda thinking about something a little more substantive, but certainly becoming a better athlete, performer, or artist are worthy goals also. How many times have you fallen on your rear-end in your relationship with Jesus? Oh I hit a sore spot that time didn't I? Well, I didn't really hit you on that spot because I know that I shouldn't have physical contact like that, but you know what I mean...that question got you in the heart (ohhh, that sore spot!) didn't it?

When it comes to falling on my derriere in my relationship with Jesus, 20,000 times doesn't even come close. If I were receiving a grade on "relationship with Jesus" like from a school teacher, zero would not be low enough. There wouldn't be enough extra credit to make up the difference. My grade would still be "F" but (no not the other but_, but it does present an excellent heterograph (words with different spelling, different meanings but same pronunciation)) for the grace of God! If I have a place in my life where my ineptness towards Jesus just buries me, it is in my "performance" for him. I am all the time on my rear, sitting on the cold hard ice, looking up and saying "Yet again Lord."

As our church is led by Pastor Paul to have a better understanding of the Gospel and what we should understand about the fullness of God's love toward us, I am drawn to two verses in the Word. Romans 5:1 - " Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:20 - "...where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." In short, here is what I see and how it applies to my 20,000 (and counting) falls. This peace with God is something we have all of our life beyond our initial salvation experience. Look at the verse again - "...we have peace" not we had peace back then but we have it now because of what took placed back then. Also, in 5:20, there is grace for fall #20,001 and 20,002. The more falling I do the more grace is poured out. Hey I don't have to be able to grasp a love like that, but it encourages me to attempt a spiritual "layback Ina Bauer" again and again.