In sports we talk a lot about events that are “game changers”. In history we also look at events that have changed history. The greatest of these in all of time was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we celebrate as Easter. Many, many, people still don’t get the significance of this event. From a faith and spiritual standpoint the death and resurrection of Jesus was the biggest “game changer” in his and our stories. It ushered in forgiveness, grace and unconditional love for all that call upon the name of the Lord. The song Amazing Grace says it all with these words…” Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found t’was blind but now I see”.

John 11: 25-26……I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

HE HAS RISEN!

In sports we talk a lot about events that are “game changers”. In history we also look at events that have changed history. The greatest of these in all of time was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we celebrate as Easter. Many, many, people still don’t get the significance of this event. From a faith and spiritual standpoint the death and resurrection of Jesus was the biggest “game changer” in his and our stories. It ushered in forgiveness, grace and unconditional love for all that call upon the name of the Lord. The song Amazing Grace says it all with these words…” Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found t’was blind but now I see”.

John 11: 25-26……I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

HE HAS RISEN!

I think most of us ask this question numerous times in our life. But as the world becomes spiritually darker and darker for many reasons, I wonder why people are becoming more and more hateful. Do they really think we are here because of some big cosmic event? Do you believe you are here because of some big cosmic accident or do you believe you were created for a purpose. I most definitively believe that I have been created miraculously by God. I believe that Jesus is God and I will go live with Him in His Kingdom when I pass away from life on this earth. I believe He is the Way and The Truth. I believe in the Holy Bible is the word of God Its all good in the end for those who choose God.

God says you are either for me or against me and there is no middle ground. YOUR CHOICE.

When I came to Jesus He gave me the opportunity to rethink the way I was doing things in my life. The Bible calls this repentance. Repentance is defined as a change of heart towards sin, the world, and God. An inner change that gives rise to new ways of living. Jesus is the Way and the Truth. He has answers for our problems and the challenges of living our lives in this fallen world. He loves us and will not abandon us. We need to come to him and trust that he is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. We need to confess to him our problems and hopes and dreams and he will lead us in his way. Thus, we rethink our life. We turn away from harmful behaviors and our harmful past and look forward everyday to following Jesus and his ways. The greatest psychology book ever written is the Holy Bible. The Bible plus God’s forgiveness and unconditional love can and will lead us to a new and fulfilling future.

Phillipians 3:9 NCV…….Now I am right with God, not because I followed law, but because I believed in Jesus.

God Bless You and have a great week.

Failure is important. Every winner loses, But not every loser wins. When you fail let it teach you valuable life lessons like…..1- You don’t always get what you want…2- Being right, doesn’t mean you’ll win…3- Heart is more important than skill…4- Never take anything for granted.

Jesus never gave up on us. He could have walked away from the cross at anytime. He chose to die for us and all our imperfections, once and for all, unconditionally. So as Jason Meraz sings in this song, ” I Won’t Give Up”……I don’t wanna be someone who walks away so easily. I am here to stay and make a difference, that I can be the difference.

As I close I am reminded of an old saying…..Giving up is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

May God Bless you and keep you this week.

Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be Strong and Courageous. Do not be afraid: Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

1Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Writer Dallas Willard writes about the drive to significance as “a simple extension of the creative impulse of God that gave us being”. Willard goes on to say that we were built to count as “water is made to run downhill”. As I have written before, we all count. Most of us do not think that we are enough and that we don’t count. Somewhere in our lives we were probably told that lie by a teacher, parent or another person. Unfortunately we took it to heart and our lives began to reflect this lack of self-esteem. We can change this. We need to right now believe our life can be a significant one, directed outwardly toward others. As Willard concludes, “the search for significance is hardwired into our natural drive and calls us to follow God and use it for his own significant ends”.

Matthew 4:14 – Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people.

Romans 8:1 – There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Spiritual indifference is when there is a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for God. Our lives become dull and we no longer care about the truth, especially about God. We just don’t care. I think that pretty well defines where we are today. Social media among other things has robbed us of our desire to know the truth. We only want to be seen or heard regardless of what is true or false. We simply want to count our followers and we will sell out who we are in order to boost our numbers. In the Bible the scripture from Revelations 3:15-17 talks about being neither cold or hot, but being lukewarm (indifferent). Jesus goes on to say that He is about to “spit us out of his mouth” because we are lukewarm. He further states that we are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. In Matthew 13:15 Jesus states that people’s hearts have become calloused; they hardly see or hear the truth. We can change our condition if we would turn toward the truth and let Jesus heal us…. Might be something to think about…..Yes?

Matthew 13:15….. For people’s hearts have become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.

Revelation 3:15-17…. I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth…..But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked……

The Holy Bible in John 1:1 reads as follows, ” In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word refers to Jesus Christ. Obviously words were big in the Bible. God spoke the world into existence. Don’t ask me how He did it. But I believe it. Words are important. .. Very important and should always be taken seriously. However, words have lost much of their power. We need to reclaim the power of the spoken word. What we say is very important. When we say “I love YOU’ we can give another person new life and new hope. When we say, “I hate you” we can destroy another. Author Henri J.M.Nouwen puts it this way, “Lets join God in using words to create goodness, being quick to breathe words of love in the lives of those we know and meet”. AMEN

Genesis 1: 3-4 God said “Let there be light” and there was light. God saw that the light was good.

Do you wonder what Christians believe? The following lyrics from Phil Wickhams’s song, “Song of the Saints” answer this question. Following are some of the lyrics….. This we believe that we have a Father……creator who was and who is and will be ……..who sent us his son, and poured out his spirit with power to heal, resurrect and redeem……glory to God the Father……glory to Christ the risen one…All hail the King with heaven sing……This we believe that we have a savior…….Jesus the Christ for our sin crucified……We believe that on the third morning gone was the stone , for He rose back to life forever He reigns, let his praise fill the skies.

We believe in the saving Gospel

We believe in the living Word

We believe in the Holy spirit moving in His Holy Church

We believe in the King of Heaven

We believe that Jesus is coming again

We believe in the blood that washes

We believe in the cross that saves

We believe in the Resurrection

We believe that Jesus is coming again

We believe our King is returning

And He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

This is what Christians believe…..

AMEN

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I think you get the picture.

I think that most people who hold the Holy Bible in low regard have not spent much time, if any, reading it. I know it can seem overwhelming, especially at first glance. It can be confusing and lots of folks say, “where do I start”. But if one would be patient and give it a chance it would open up a whole new life to them. I have always thought of the Bible as God’s instruction manual for how to live our lives to the fullest. He created us, so it makes sense. It will answer all of one’s questions if one stays the course and makes the Bible reading a part of there daily lives. It is a beautiful and fascinating look into the life of Jesus from the beginning of time through the present and beyond. The scriptures are the best medicine for everything that is ailing mankind. Give it a try. You will not regret it, for it is life saving..

John 10:10….I have come so that you may have life and have it to the fullest.

Proverbs 4:10….Listen, my son, accept what I say, and years of your life will be many. I will instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go ; guard it well, for it is your life.

Romans 12:2…….Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…….

John 14:6……..Jesus answered, “I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life….