18: 50 Days Freed

I can’t imagine living life in prison with a death penalty. You have done something that has in the minds of a group of your peers is so heinous that your life is no longer validated and to pay for it you must give your life. I don’t think anyone who made a choice to suggest or demand the death sentence would do so lightly. Mankind in the garden of Eden disobedience to God put all mankind under a death sentence. I don’t think God did this lightly, he must have weighed out the cost.

 

“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Ezekiel 18:30-32

 

There are some who have a hard time understanding why a loving God would deal with man’s disobedience in the garden so swiftly and harsh. Man’s disobedience wasn’t the first time God has dealt with this, when Satan decided he wanted to assume the role of God he was cast out of heaven, with no plan for redemption. We don’t see the full account or conversation of what happened there or the extent of what Satan did. But we do see how God dealt with Adam and Eve in the garden.

 

Unlike the way he sent Satan out of His kingdom with no return, mankind was given a second chance of redemption. God must have seen something in mankind that was worth redeeming. He promised of a day where mankind would be able to free themselves of the sin that now bound them and separated them from his presence. As we read in today’s scripture, God’s heart is that we make the step towards ridding ourselves of the bondage of sin. We can’t do this in our own strength. How then can we ever rid ourselves of sin and get a new heart?

 

God had a plan for that. He sent His Son to be born of a virgin. He grew up like any other boy of his time, yet as He grew He never sinned. He wasn’t born of sin, He was God in the flesh, yet fully man. He was obedient to the will of God the Father and knew his role was to be the redeemer of the people of this world. He struggled with this even calling out that if it were possible could there be another way. He submitted to his role as the sacrifice and was lead to die on the cross, sinless. This sacrifice broke the power of sin in the lives of everyone on earth forever. It did not remove sin from the earth but gave away for those who accepted it to be reborn to a life free from the bondage of sin. To cement, the power over sin and death Jesus rose from the gave three days after his sacrifice on the cross. This was no gimmick or illusion. Jesus came back from breaking sins power and displayed for all to see his role as redeemer.

 

God does not have a desire that we die in our sin. Jesus is waiting for each and every man, woman and child to open their hearts to him and ask for a pardon for their sin. If we are living in sin and do not have this relationship with Jesus, believe it or not, we are still under the death penalty. But for those who have accepted Jesus, he already paid the price of death for you. Now you can live as a free man or woman. If you have this freedom, why are you not sharing it with others?

 

Father, thank you for the freedom we can have in Jesus. Once I was on deaths row, but because of your sacrifice on the cross, that penalty of sin is gone. Let me daily thank you for your sacrifice. Give me a passion to share this freedom with those around me. We need to be an example of what it means to be free. Help us to spread your love to all those who need to hear it. Amen

 

 

If you know someone who needs to hear about Jesus and the freedom he offers, I pray that you share this message.

God Bless

Day 21: 50 Days of Impact

No more then ever we are coming to realize that words have more harmful effect then some generations told us. The old saying “sticks and stones may break our bones but names will never hurt us”, was the mantra of my generation as a kid. We now come to see mental illness and other problems arise due to low self esteem and low self worth due to the way people have been treated. Sticks and stones will break you bones, but they heal. Words cut deeper and leave scars that are harder to heal. Jesus is the ultimate healer and he can heal your hurt from the words that have cut you deeply.

 

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Proverbs 18:21 NLT

 

The tongue is the most powerful weapon we have. It can destroy and build up. As the proverb reads ‘bring death or life’. But how can words bring death? Mean words that hurt people based on their appearance, mannerisms or disability has lead to many suicides or even mass shootings from an angry individual(s) looking for revenge and answers. How many women have chosen an abortion because they were talked into it? Our words can lead us down roads we never want to be on.

 

But in contrast our words can bring life. Not only our words. The words of Jesus bring LIFE. He taught us how to live life. He showed us what it means to use words to build others up.

 

Words are only useful and powerful in the giving of life if we open our mouths and use words that bring life. We can sit and talk to our friends about everything from weather, to news, politics and sports. But when it comes to the import things in life like a relationship with Jesus we treat those words like poison.  We think, sure it is honey to our lips, but sharing it they will only be bitter to theirs. Rejection is what we fear. But if we don’t try then we will never know.

 

We need to break these preconceived notions that people are always going to negatively respond to the message of Jesus. If we believe the words that Jesus spoke about life then we need to believe that Jesus not only loves us but he loves everyone and they need to hear about his love for them.

 

Dear Jesus, to often we fear that you will be reject if we speak about you. Prove us wrong. Holy Spirit guide us and show us who to share with giving us the words to speak. We are not given a spirit of fear, so help us to live that way, proud of being a Christian wanting to share the love of Jesus with others. Amen

 

 

 

 

Day 15: 50 Days of Impact

Lately if you have been reading my posts you will have seen a trend of making an impact in our world through sharing the truth about sin and salvation. I am hoping that this is connecting with you and motivating you to move forward in sharing your faith. The amazing thing about this avenue is I have no idea who may be reading this and how it may be showing them the truth. Wouldn’t it be awesome for one day when I am walking on the new earth to have somebody come up to me and tell me that they are there because of something wrote. What you do effects so many people, will what you do be positive and work towards leading them to a relationship with Jesus, or will it hinder them from finding him?

 

“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.”

1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT

 

We sometimes come into a place as Christians where we have been so comfortable in our salvation that we forget or overlook that we were once sinners in need of a saviour. Then we become complacent in our sharing the love of Christ with the list, and become pew sitters.

 

Many of our eyes are blind to the lost people around us. We know their lost but for some reason, apathy perhaps, we don’t care. The calling to reach those who are lost needs to be our life focus, not with a sense of guilt leading it, but a genuine passion to share Gods love with this broken world. The joy that comes when someone receives Christ for the first time is unexplainable, the roar of rejoicing in heaven echoing in our hearts.

 

Dear Jesus, I need a passion for the lost. I am failing in the great commission and want to turn that part of my life around. Holy Spirit give me words to speak, help me past my pride and ego to share your love. Amen
How can I help you today? Do you need prayer? Do you have questions? I would love to help.