Category Archives: Hope

What’s in the box?

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One of my favorite things to do is to open a new board game. Just taking the lid off the box is fun! All the pieces, bits, dice, cards, tiles, etc. are just so cool! This unveiling does not happen a whole lot but when I can, I thoroughly enjoy it.

game-shelf

P.S. That is not my game library! =-(

Dive in with me now as I unbox Divine Transfusion. Click here to read the full post.

Recap:

In the Old Testament, the high priest could only enter the Holy of Holies once a year. To do so, he had to sacrifice an animal and sprinkle the blood before him. He would die without the blood.

Jesus, as we read in Hebrews, used his own blood and entered the Holy of Holies. He was both high priest and sacrifice. This he did once and never has it been needed to be done again. See Hebrews 4-10.

As I have asked myself and also in my blogs…

So what? What does this mean for me, right now, in 2016?

To answer that all-encompassing question, we need to open the box.

I will begin by citing a verse from Matthew 27. Verse 51 reads,

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.” NIV

The context is that Jesus has been crucified. He is hanging on a cross just outside Jerusalem. It is about 3:00 in the afternoon. After some final words, he finally dies. Matthew records that at that same time, the curtain was torn. I add the King James Version just because I like the language better for this verse.

“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” KJV

Behold! The curtain was ripped, torn, rent so we could now see God.

So we could now see God. Yep, the box has been opened.

I don’t really know what it looked like but who cares because now we can see God. Yes, God has opened the way for us. Notice how the veil was rent from top to bottom?

God did it because we could not. All this is possible because of the blood. No, not animal blood but the Blood of Jesus.

We now have access to God. Don’t bother with second best. Go directly to God with your life. All your problems and issues can be covered in the blood. You life won’t instantly turn perfect and peachy but you won’t walk alone. This is a greatly encouraging fact.

One more verse to rock your world. Hebrews again. Hebrews is a fantastic book.

Chapter 4, verses 14-16:

“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. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Underline is mine.

So be bold today and go directly to God. No worries, he will welcome you with open arms.

And that box is better than any board game I will ever play.

board-game-box

AB+ and 44

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Today is my birthday. It was a pretty decent day. I had some great family time. Work was enjoyable. Had lunch with my wife which is rare so that was pretty awesome.

happy-birthday-meme

Now I am writing this blog. I have not written since late July. Taking time off was planned but not this much time. This blog has been good for me. It helps me to process what I read in God’s word and what I hear God telling me.

Back to the birthday. I am 44 today. Is that middle-age? Whatever 44 is called, so be it.

My life began 44 years ago. At some point, I became born again. For me, there is not a specific date that I can call my “spiritual” birthday. But I know it has happened. On that day, the blood of Jesus washed my sins away.

The blood of Jesus is an interesting thing. Somewhat morbid if you ask me. And then the bible says that though my sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. How can blood do this? What is so important about the blood that Jesus spilled while hanging on the cross? How can I be forgiven? More about this in upcoming blogs.

My blood type is AB+. In my adulthood, I have donated about 3 gallons. Take a look at this chart.

blood-types-red1

According to the chart, only AB+ people can receive my blood. On the other hand, I can receive from any type. Good deal for me.

Again, according to the chart, Jesus must have been O- because anyone can receive His blood.

He is the universal donor. Because today is my birthday, I have been thinking a lot about my life and all the it encompasses.

Of this I am sure: Jesus is my life. His blood purifies me from sin. His blood gives me victory over sin. His blood empowers to live like He wants me to live.

As I stated, I will explore the Blood over the next few posts.

Can I leave you with two questions though?

Do you remember your spiritual birthday?

If not, would you like to have one?

Pressing on, pt. 4 (the final episode)

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Have you ever been relieved to be done with something? Finished with a project? Completed the assignment?

one-hundred-percent-459227_960_720.png

There are some days that I feel like I want to be done. Done with earth. Done with this life.

I want heaven.

I like how Paul ended this section, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:14

More specifically, three words, “called me heavenward”. 

{insert your own picture of heaven because Google is way too diverse}

This life will be over at some point. By death or by rapture, it all ends. Are you called heavenward? Do you have a spot saved? 

Because the apostle had a new life in Christ, he was able to be confident about the after-life. In verse 9 of chapter 3, gives the gospel in short order, “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

You and I can be assured of heaven. Read that again and let it sink in. 

BUT, we don’t stop running until we get there.

That is what these verses are speaking of. We cannot, under any circumstances, put confidence in our own flesh. We will fail.

But in Christ, he will help us back up when we fall. I don’t care if you fall a thousand times. Just be sure to get back up a thousand and one times.

I have a friend that still deals with anger.

Another with depression.

I follow a blogger who dealt with eating disorders.

Some people work too much.

Pornography is my battle.

But we keep getting back up. Why?

Because I am a new creation in Christ and I have a mansion in heaven with my name on the door frame! 

Walk with Jesus through your day. He will be right there every step.

Thanks for reading my blog. Every time I write, I challenge myself. I hope that you are also encouraged or challenged in following Jesus.

I am taking the month of July off. My family and I are moving into a new house near the end of the month and so I have packing to do. There is a portable storage unit in my driveway and my house is full of boxes! 

Along with all things moving, I am also taking this time to work on some new material for this post. There are stirrings in my mind and heart but I need to give God time to solidify things.

Thank you again and you will hear from me in August!

Pressing on, pt. 2

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Ever trap a monkey? It is a simple process. You set out a cage and put bananas in it. Then lock the cage. Once the monkey sees the banana, he will reach through the cage and take hold of the banana. At this point, a person could walk up and capture the monkey.

Why? Because the monkey is still holding on to the banana. He won’t let go of the prize!

Even when danger is near, the monkey still values the banana enough that he won’t let go.

He won’t let go, ever.

 

This is a multi-part post on Phil. 3:12-14. Click here for part 1. 

Today is about verse 12. I have been pondering it all week. 

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

The first half is easy to understand. Paul has not achieved perfection. He still has room to grow. I get that. In fact, it is way too easy sometimes to realize that I have a long way to go to get to the goal. But the second half of the verse is more complicated.

“But I press on…” Paul keeps pressing on so I must do the same.

“to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Now hold on!

What does that even mean!?!?

Remember the monkey? The banana was valued so much by the monkey that he would be willing to be captured or even killed because he wanted the banana so bad. 

He loved the banana.

God loves us so much that He was willing to do anything that have us. He even let His son go to the cross and die. All because He did not want to let go of us.

Back to Phil. 3. “which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

When he took hold of me…

He took my sin away.

He forgave me.

He gave me purpose.

He now has plans for me.

His Holy Spirit now resides in me.

I became a new creation.

I can now share my life with Him.

Think about that for your life. 

How would you finish this sentence?

When Jesus took hold of my life, he…?

 

Pressing on, pt. 1

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Sports purist. That is the title I have given to myself. Because I live in Green Bay, most would assume that I am a Packers fan. But then I tell them I moved from Minnesota. Their face kinda squirms and they ask, “So does that mean you are a Vikings fan?!?!” 

Their tone implies I have done something horribly wrong. How could I cheer for another team. Then, I begin to explain that I am a sports purist.

It does not matter the sport, the team, the player, the gender, or the age. If I see a person going flat out to make the play or win the game, that makes me happy. This is the reason that I would rather just watch the Top 10 Plays of the Week on ESPN. They have the best plays of all the sports! Pete Rose, pictured here, shows what I am talking about.

Pete Rose and Roy Staiger

Pete Rose

Although his career was tainted because of his gambling issues, he still remains a great example of giving it all.

Paul writes in Philippians 3:13, “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,”

There was a sense of purpose. Paul said that he did not have it yet. He was reaching, striving, straining for it. He was going flat out. Fill tilt.

I love that about Paul. He is the kind of person that I would watch. I am sports purist and Paul would certainly, without a doubt, make any top 10 list.

Are you going all out? Full tilt, not looking back but reaching for the goal that God has put before you? God can and will give you the power to get there. Just keep pressing on!