WRITE THEM DOWN

You've heard it said from time to time that there's a difference between being active and being productive. You see that a lot with diets. People will make some sacrifices and then become discouraged when they don't see the kind of results they were hoping for. Before too long, they'll give up and convince themselves they're just not capable of becoming as fit as they would like to be.

 

The same kind of thing happens spiritually. We'll acknowledge the need for and the benefits of spiritual disciplines, and we might even get up early on a couple of occasions and have a quiet time. Without a way to really see what God is doing and all that He has done in the context of those meetings with Him, we become satisfied  and drift off into a very little of Christ-likeness; and the benefits of really being connected to God are shrugged off.

 One way to prevent yourself from falling short of your spiritual and physical goals is to write them down. Deuteronomy 6:2 provides a great biblical template to consider in terms of documenting that which you want to govern your behavior. 

 In that passage, you see God specifying how He wanted the Israelites to remind themselves of the Law and the priorities they were to live by. In verse 20, He says to write His words on the doorframe of your house.

 Whether you want to write Scripture on your front door is up to you;and I grew up with Joshua 24:15 hanging on my wall . In addition, I keep a spreadsheet of my prayer requests, and I journal what God's showing me in the context of my quiet times.

When I go to the gym, I write down what I want to do before I start working out. , I write down what I plan to eat the day before my first meal.

 The cool thing about writing your daily routine is that it yields measurable and motivating results.So write them down!

What do you want to do?

When do you want to do it?

How do you want to get it done?

 Document what you want to shape in your behavior, and your life will begin to take the shape you're shooting for physically and spiritually.

ULTIMATE GIFT

 

What Happened: Late last year, Jenni Lake gave birth to a healthy baby boy, just a month  before of her 22nd birthday.  She knew probably wouldn't be a mother for long.

 

 Before becoming pregnant, Jenni had been diagnosed with brain cancer. A barrage of aggressive and sickening treatments had helped shrink her tumors; but when the girl learned she was pregnant, doctors gave her a choice: Stick with treatments and terminate the pregnancy, or carry the baby to term and stop the chemotherapy.Jenni decided to keep her baby, knowing that stopping treatment would endanger her own health. The day after her child was born, doctors told Jenni the cancer had progressed to a point where it was, in fact, untreatable. 

Just 12 days later, she was dead.Jenni was apparently at peace with her decision. "I'm done, I did what I was supposed to," she told a nurse. "My baby is going to get here safe." The baby, named Chad, will be raised by the boy's father, Nathan Wittman, and Jenni and Nathan's parents.

 

Talk About It: We talk a lot about sacrificing for others, but it's easier said than done. Is there anyone for whom you would risk your life? Who would risk their lives for you?

Imagine being Chad, growing up knowing your mother gave her life for you. How would that knowledge affect you? Would it make you think differently about your life? About your future?Jenni's sacrifice might remind some people of Jesus' own sacrifice for us—giving His own life for ours. Knowing that you, too, have been given an incredible chance for another life, does that make you want to live differently? To look for opportunities to make that sacrifice worthwhile?

 

What the Bible Says:"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" (1 John 3:16-17).

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom. 12:1-2).

 

JESUS LOVES YOU

DO YOU KNOW JESUS??

Life’s Purpose


For starters, we believe that it’s actually possible to have a real and personal relationship to God. The Bible tells us:
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (The Gospel of John 3:16)
Jesus himself said that he came so that people “may have life, and that they should have it more abundantly.” (The Gospel of John 10:10)
In fact, the Bible tells us that God has an amazing plan he desires to work in the lives of each individual:
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
However, if you look around you notice that there are very few people actually enjoying this abundant and meaningful life. That’s because there’s something which stands in our way of being able to enjoy this wonderful plan.

Our Predicament

The reason that most people never enjoy this real and personal relationship is because each one of us have things in our lives which cause division between ourselves and God. Even the best among us have made decisions based on selfishness or pride which take us away from God’s purpose for our lives. This willful seeking after our own desires is what the Bible calls “sin.” The Bible says:
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6)
The problem is not that God doesn’t want to work in us. Rather, our sin places a barrier between us and God, preventing us from enjoying the life God offers. Unless the barrier is removed, this separation becomes permanent, for the Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23).
If our sin separates us from God, how can we enjoy the abundant life that God offers?

God’s Provision

Since we are all imperfect, sinful creatures we are powerless to remove the barrier ourselves. Fortunately, the same passage in the Bible which warns of sin’s deadly penalty also reveals the way out of our predicament:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
God himself has acted to break through sin’s separation on our behalf. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus Christ has bridged the gap between us and God:
That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. ( 2 Corinthians 5:19)
. . .God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, Himself man, is between them to bring them together. . .(1 Timothy 2:5)
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. . .( 1 Peter 3:18)
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Christ has opened the way for us to enjoy God’s offer of an abundant and meaningful life. So, how do we receive this marvelous gift?

Our Response

According to the Bible, we receive the benefits of Christ’s work into our lives by admitting our need for him, placing our trust in what he has done and inviting him to take control of our lives:
For it is by grace you have been saved, though faith, and that is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. (The Gospel of John 1:12)
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
If you sense that God is calling you to accept Christ into your life, you might pray something like this:

Dear Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner and that I need you. I accept that God sent you to die for my sins and raised you from the dead sOUo that I could be brought back to Him. Please forgive me for the wrong things I have done and come into my life. Help me to trust you and follow you. Amen.


If you have prayed this prayer from a sincere heart, you can have the assurance that God has heard you and answered it. The Bible promises us “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) Also, there are some things you may do to nourish this new relationship with God:
1. Get to know God through studying the Bible and setting aside time to talk to God about what you’ve read.
2. Talk to God in prayer on a regular basis. For starters, ask him to help you with your daily struggles and to help you grow in your understanding of him.
3. Find and join a group of fellow Christians who believe the Bible and try to practice what it teaches. Regular fellowship with other Christians is a great help in learning more about God’s gift of abundant life.
4. Tell others about your decision to follow Christ.



JESUS LOVES YOU

JESUS GIVES LIFE RIGHT NOW

     Many Christians hope they'll live forever in heaven, but
            aren't sure.

     The Bible says we can be certain, because eternal life begins
            the moment we believe.
          1) Not in the distant future.
          2) Salvation is not something we must wait for, but a present
                possession and joy.
          3) Past tense - we HAVE crossed from death to life.

     Being alive in Christ should give us a new perspective on life.

         Festo Kivengere is a Christian bishop in Uganda, Africa, a
            country that was terrorized by dictator Idi Amin.
         In 1973 three men in his church were executed by firing squad.
            Festo told of what happened.

 

         "People were commanded to come to the stadium and witness the
            execution.
         Death permeated the air as a silent crowd of 3,000 watched.
         I had permission from the authorities to speak to the men before
            they died, and two of my fellow ministers were with me.
         They brought the men in a truck and unloaded them.
            They were handcuffed and their feet were chained.
            The firing squad stood at attention.

         As we walked onto the center of the stadium, I was wondering what
            to say.
         How do you give the gospel to doomed men who are probably
            seething with rage?

         We approached them from behind, and as they turned to look at us,
            what a sight!
         Their faces were all alight with an unmistakable glow and radiance.
            Before we could say anything, one of them burst out:
         "Bishop, thank you for coming!
            I wanted to tell you.
         The day I was arrested, in my prison cell, I asked the Lord Jesus
            to come into my heart.
         He came in and forgave me all my sins!
            Heaven is now open, and there is nothing between me and my God!
         Please tell my wife and children that I am going to be with Jesus.
            Ask them to accept him into their lives as I did."
         The other two men told similar stories, excitedly raising their
            hands, which rattled their handcuffs.

         I felt that what I needed to do was to talk to the soldiers, not
            to the condemned.
         So I translated what the men had said into a language the
            soldiers understood.
         The military men were standing there with guns cocked and
            bewilderment on their faces.
         They were so dumbfounded that they forgot to put the hoods over
            the men's faces!

         The three faced the firing squad standing close together.
         They looked toward the people and began to wave, handcuffs and all.
            The people waved back.
         Then shots were fired, and the three were with Jesus.
         We stood in front of them, our own hearts throbbing with joy,
            mingled with tears.
         It was a day never to be forgotten.

         Though dead, the men spoke loudly to all of Kegezi District and
            beyond.
         There was an upsurge of life in Christ, which challenges death
            and defeats it.
         The next Sunday, I was preaching to a huge crowd in the hometown
            of one of the executed men.
         Again, the feel of death was over the congregation.
         But when I gave them the testimony of their man, and how he died,
            there erupted a great song of praise to Jesus!
         Many turned to the Lord there.
                                                                   
   

        New life in Christ brings three new relationships.   (William Barclay)
      A. A new relationship with God.
          1) Instead of a judge, he becomes our father.
          2) Old sins are not held against us.
          3) A special closeness and courage flows into our lives.

      B. A new relationship with our other people.
          1) Hatred should become love.
          2) Selfishness should become service.
          3) Bitterness should become forgiveness.

      C. A new relationship with ourselves.
          1) We are usually our own worst enemy.
              a) Weakness becomes strength.
              b) Tension becomes peace.
          2) Inward change, both sudden and gradual.
              a) Old habits conquered.
              b) New way of thinking.

   JESUS LOVES YOU 

I ASKED JESUS HOW MUCH HE LOVED ME ????

I read a long, long time ago that I will never forget. It goes like this: 

I asked Jesus how much He loved me

He answered "this much"

Then He stretched out His arms and died for me.

Jesus stretched out His arms so wicked people could nail Him to a cross.

That's how much He loves us.

He stretched out His arms to take on the sins of the entire world.

That's how much He loves us.

He stretched out His arms so His blood could be spilled as a sacrifice.

That's how much He loves us.

He stretched out His arms so we wouldn't have to.

That's how much He loves us.

The Cross of Christ is the clearest, loudest, most powerful "I love you . . . infinity!" ever proclaimed.

If you are anything like me, whenever you think about the Cross and the love that Jesus showed, one word keeps popping into your head.

"Why?"

Why would He willingly face the most agonizing and unbearable scenario ever invented?

Because it wasn't.

Believe it or not, there was an alternative scenario that Jesus was unwilling to face. It's a scenario where He is separated from the ones He loves. It is a circumstance where, because of our choices, we have no choice but to spend an eternity in a place called hell.

And that's the scenario Jesus would not allow to happen. Our evil sins against a holy God broke our relationship with Him, and no earthly plan could ever fix it. Which is why Jesus left heaven and took on flesh as a human. In order to pay the price for our sins, He had to give up His life.

Think about it - Jesus chose death over living life without you. Here's the way the Bible describes it:

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's judgment. For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God--all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God. (Romans 5:6-11)

Did you notice how often Paul uses the word "us"? As in you and me. What makes it even more powerful is that when Jesus was crucified, He took on your and my personal sins. It was a Cross meant for you and me, but Jesus took our place.

There is a play where in one scene you see a little boy working in his parent's carpentry shop in first century Jerusalem. He is arguing with his parents because that day his job was to make a cross. The parents insist that he help because Rome is paying them to make crosses, and without the money they will starve.

A few scenes later you see the boy weeping. "What is wrong?" his parents ask. He sobs through the tears, "I went to the market place and I saw Jesus of Nazareth, the Man we love to hear preach. Mom and Dad, He was carrying my cross! They took Him to Golgotha and nailed Him to MY cross."

The parents try to reassure him, "Oh no, son, that wasn't your cross. There are many other people in Jerusalem who build crosses. That couldn't have been yours."

"Oh yes, it was! When you weren't looking, I carved my name on the cross I was making. When Jesus was carrying His cross, He stumbled right beside me, I looked, and my name was on His cross!"

All of our names were on that Cross, so that all of our names could be written in the Book of Life.

So the next time you see a cross and ask: "why", picture Jesus saying - "Because I love you." And the next time you are down and discouraged and ask - "How much do you love me?"

Remember that He stretched out His arms and died for you.

Head: What you need to know about this truth

Jesus died on the Cross to take our place and make complete payment for our sins so that we could spend an eternity with Him forever in heaven! He chose to die for us rather than live without us. 

Heart: What you need to feel about this truth

Absolutely and completely loved. Jesus died for us when we were His enemies, He lives for us now that we are His friends. Other people in our life may let us down now and then, but Jesus never will. As a Christian, you can never truthfully say that no one cares about you or loves you, because Jesus proved His love by His sacrifice. Take a few minutes and meditate on this truth.

JESUS LOVES YOU