The General Store

As our country was being established and people began pioneering into undeveloped territories they didn't have Walmart nearby in which to shop. When enough people settled in a certain area they would build a town and establish a general store. The name says it all. It was a store that carried everything that was needed for every day living in general. This was where you went to get oil lamps or cloth to make your clothes or curtains, flour and coffee and thread and penny candy. It was diverse and yet it didn't carry a lot of frivolties.  Money was scarce and you might have an account that you paid when you received payment from your harvests or you may have traded eggs and butter for flour and thread. If the general store didn't carry it then you probably didn't really need it. Some things that were bigger or more difficult or expensive you might have ordered from a catalog. The General Store pretty much met your basic needs of things that you couldn't provide for yourself at your own homestead.

When I saw this it drew my mind to God's Word or the Bible. It contains everything in it that we need to follow in order to live a godly life while here on earth one day at a time.

We first have to acknowledge we are all sinners and in need of a Savior.

Romans 3:23

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Then we ask for forgiveness and accept the gift of eternal life given to us by Jesus Christ, who died on a cross to take our sin upon Him.

Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Then we can read many different passages that help us learn how to live a godly life and strive to be more like Christ as we wait for His return.

Romans 12:1-2

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Titus 2:12-14

"teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."

2 Peter 1:2-8

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,  to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.  For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This is just a sampling of the many verses that God has given us. Take some time to do a study for yourself and see what verses can help you draw closer to God and live a godly life for Him. He is all we need and if you have Him as your Lord and Savior then you don't need anything else!