Could or should?

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2016 is almost finished. I would think that most people would reflect and look back on what the year has been for them. Not a bad thing to do.

Unless you stay there. Unless you get stuck wishing you should have done things differently. The mud of the past is very sticky.

“I could have given more this year.”

“I could have read more books.”

“I could have sent more thank you notes.”

“I could have…”

The past is past and there is no changing it.

I hear a song recently. The title is All is Well. There is link to the video as well after the lyrics. Here are the lyrics:

 
All is well all is well 
Angels and men rejoice 
For tonight darkness fell 
Into the dawn of love’s light 
Sing A-le 
Sing Alleluia 

All is well all is well
Let there be peace on earth 
Christ is come go and tell 
That He is in the manger 
Sing A-le 
Sing Alleluia 

All is well all is well 
Lift up your voice and sing 
Born is now Emmanuel 
Born is our Lord and Savior 
Sing Alleluia 
Sing Alleluia 
All is well

Christ has come to earth as a baby. All is well.

He then lived, died, and was resurrected. All is well.

jesus-will-be-right-back

Sorry the image is blurry. This picture is of my page-a-day calendar. The white square in the middle says “Jesus will be coming back soon.”

And then all will be well again.

Don’t waste time think about what could have been. Instead, think about what you should be doing for 2017.

2017 is full of great things! God is good like that.

Happy New Year!

Come back next week for the start of a new series; Alphabet Soup.

 

A stone and it’s waves

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Christmas time…celebrating a birth. The Christ child laid in a manger. The star showing the way. We all know the story, right? Hang on a minute and we will get to that very story.

But first…

Two weeks ago, I had a conversation with a good friend. It seems that every time we talk, something good comes from it. Thanks Nick!

One of the take-aways I had from the conversation was about influence.

We all have influence in our lives. Like a shadow covering the edge of the light, we don’t always see the influence we have on people. Why is that? Does God hide the influence so that we don’t see our total impact on people? Not really sure.

Imagine a stone. Now throw that stone into the water. What happens?

ripples

We have all seen it. The stone creates waves. Those waves are like influence. 

Some thoughts of mine regarding the stone and the waves:

  1. The waves all originate at the place where the stone entered the water.
  2. The waves are uniform in size and shape going out from the stone.
  3. The waves will continue until they hit the land.
  4. The stone, after creating the waves, sinks.
  5. The waves, once began, cannot be stopped, only redirected.
  6. Bigger stones make bigger waves.

Let’s bring this together now.

We are the stone. At least that is the way I feel that God designed us. We were made to splash! Waves of influence are the destiny to which we have been called. 

Will I let God toss me? Once I make that decision, God pulls back His mighty arm and lets go! Can you see Him throwing rocks?

Now that I have been thrown by God, my life is not my own. See Galatians 2:20.

Here is the catch, I am meant to sink. Rocks do not float.

I don’t mean sink as in fail. What I mean is that God uses a rock to create waves.

Waves equal influence.

Okay, back to the Christmas story. I want to recall a few “rocks” of historical note.

Mary.

Joseph.

The shepherds.

The Magi.

King Herod.

Baby Jesus.

If you look in the waters of our history, you can still see waves radiating outward from these rocks. 

God is using the influence of these rocks to impact you and me.

And it is about time we realize that we too, are making waves.

The choice is yours and mine to make. Let God throw you today!

Are you this one?

rock

Or this one?

ripples

 

 

 

Page 715

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Page 715 in my bible only has three words on it. It is blank on the back.

All it says is “The New Testament”. Here are some pics.

Page 714 ends with the last verses of Malachi. Page 718 starts with Matthew.

Think about the bible for a moment…

It covers thousands of years of history. There are many genres and writing styles used by 40 some authors. Can you count all of the people of which the bible speaks?

But yet, in all of that amazing stuff there is a period of silence. Page 715 

That single page represents silence. History tells us that the silence between Malachi and Matthew is 400 years. 400 years of nothing.

No prophets. No judges. No stories. No wars. Just…nothing.

Where was God?

Is your life stuck on page 715? Do you feel like God is not there? No voice? Nothing happening? There is silence and it is deafening.

But, (and there is always a But), God. Yep, He is still there. 

Let’s jump to page 867 in my bible to Galatians 4:4. This is my favorite Christmas verse.

Here is the first half of the verse in various translations:

New International Version
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son,

New Living Translation
But when the right time came, God sent his Son,

Berean Study Bible
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, 

New American Standard Bible 
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, 

King James Bible
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, 

International Standard Version
But when the appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, 

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But when the end of time arrived, God sent his Son

GOD’S WORD® Translation
But when the right time came, God sent his Son [into the world]. 

 

After 400 years, God sent His son.

From silence came the Word.

From nothing came a Baby.

From darkness came the Light.

my-bible-3

 

Have hope this season. Christ is alive and well. You don’t need to live on page 715.

So turn the page and keep reading! God has great things for you this December!

Stay tuned next week for another Christmas post.

Have a fantastic day and Merry Christmas!

 

 

 

 

It is Finished!!!

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It is finished! Frankly, I am glad to be rid of the negative commercials and all the hateful stuff that seemed to surround this election. 

The American people have spoken. We have elected a new president. I hope all you fellow Americans got out to vote. It feels good to vote. I played my part. Freedom is wonderful.

This blog is not about to get political so don’t be concerned. I did, however, have a thought when I saw this map.

2016-electoral-map

***This map is not accurate***

For instance, I live in Wisconsin. After some checking, I found that Wisconsin should be red on a map like this.

So please don’t get picky about certain states. I want you to look at the whole picture.

You see mostly the color red. Red is the color of the Republican candidate. In past elections, there may have been more blue states.

Here is the thought that passed through my brain when I saw this map.

What color does God see when he looks at America? 

No, I am not talking about a certain candidate. I am speaking about a far greater and much more important issue.

Sin. 

In the Old Testament, we have a vivid picture of what God sees when it comes to sin.

Here is a summary from Exodus 12:12-13, 21-23:

“12“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.

21Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.” Bold emphasis is mine.

passover-door

The Israelites needed the blood to survive that night. If God saw the blood, they were spared. 

Jesus shed his blood on the cross. He cried out “It is finished!”

You and I can now have a covering of blood. We can be washed of our sin!

Again, What color does God see when he looks at you?

On a personal note: Has Jesus covered you with his blood? Are you forgiven by Him?

On a public note: Can we pray for our country to be covered by the blood of Jesus? In fact, not just the United States of America but all the countries of the world. Jesus died once and for all!

 

White Blood Cells

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***Warning: Graphic image in this post***

4,500-10,000. That is the normal range for a white blood cell count per microliter.

white-blood-cell

But isn’t blood red? Exactly what you were thinking, right? No worries, I am not getting into deep scientific stuff here. I’d be in over my head!

I just want to explore the reason white blood cells exist and how that can be encouraging to someone who wants to follow Jesus.

The main purpose for white blood cells is to fight infection. Bacteria, germs, and viruses that invade the body are attacked by the white blood cells.

If all goes well, the infection is eradicated. If not, sickness will follow.

wbc-attacks-virus

The blood that flows in our bodies has fighting power. Healing power.

It is amazing to know that God created our bodies with this inherent ability!

With that in mind, read Isaiah 53:4-5,

“4Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

This passage has the title of Suffering Servant. I feel that it is describing Jesus even though is was written hundreds of years before he was alive!

Please read that last sentence again. By his wounds we are healed. His wounds came from the torture and crucifixion that led to his death. Scourging. Whipping. Nailing. Cutting. Stabbing. The blood of Jesus flowed that day.

jesus-on-the-cross

And now we can have healing. Primarily healing from sin. But secondly, from disease.

Having my sins removed (think white blood cells eradicating a virus) is so wonderful. That is the ultimate reward. Thank you Jesus!

But I think physical healing can be drawn from these verses as well.

Maybe an instant miracle.

Maybe a successful surgery.

Maybe a lifestyle change.

Maybe death which takes a believer to heaven thereby receiving a full healing!

I am not sure if you need healing (spiritually from sin or physical from sickness) but I do know that by his wounds we are healed.

We ARE healed. Believe it today friend!

As always, feel free to message me if you have more questions about the healing available to you today.