GOOD NEWS

One of my favorite things to do is watch the news, but now I don’t really enjoy it.  Everything that is reported seems to be bad news.  Terrorism is rampantly moving all over from one country to another.  Nuclear battles, war and killings are shown in various areas of the world.  Threatening situations are all around us.  So where is the good news?

The good news is that Jesus lives.  He lives within us.  He was crucified, died and was buried for us.  He was the sacrifice not merely for the sins of Christians but for the sins of the whole world.  He rose again.   Trough Him we have hope.  This hope gives us blessings by living for Him.  Through His death He saves us.   This is the only news we need to know. 

You may question that He lives?  So I go back to that old hymn, “You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart!”  Allow Jesus in your heart today and you will have nothing but good news.  The good news-  Christ saves us all. 

PREDICTION

Many people make predictions.  This is a statement a forecast of what is to come or at least what is thought to be in the future.  Weather is something that is predicted all the time, but most of the time it doesn’t pan out how they say it will.  Have you ever predicted anything?  Has it turned out like you thought or when you thought?

Today there was a blood moon.  A blood moon is a total lunar eclipse.  This eclipse is a series known as a tetrad.  This is part of what a man named Blitz predicts is a sign of the beginning of end times.  There are four blood moons that precede the second coming of Jesus.  The first was in April 2014, the second in October 2014, the third today and the fourth in September of this year. 

The idea of the blood moon and the end times comes from the Book of Joel.  It is written that the sun will turn into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.  How can great and terrible be in the same sentence?  The same as Easter can be labeled as great and terrible.  This weekend we celebrate the life of Jesus.  The resurrection of He who saves us from our sins.  It is the culmination of Jesus spending 40 days alone in the wilderness before starting his ministry.  Even though it breaks our hearts to think of the terrible death of Jesus it is great that He died for all of us. 

So the prediction of the second coming of Jesus will be great and terrible.  No one will know when He is coming. (Mark 13:32-33) Yes there are many predictions, but just like the weather, predictions aren’t always accurate.  How do we prepare for this day?  We give our lives to Him.  We go to Him daily with our sins.  We live for Him and His will for our lives. 

Just as we prepare when we are given the prediction of bad weather begin preparing for Jesus’s coming.  As it says in scripture be alert at all times praying for strength.  What we do know is that Jesus will take care of us during these times.  God will provide a way for the faithful to be protected.  All you must do is seek Him.  He will care for those of us who faithfully serve Him.  Prepare yourself spiritually be confident in hope and joy.  Celebrate His life tomorrow the day of His resurrection and the days to come. 

TOUCH

I was blessed with the gift of voice.  I love to sing especially in church.  There is something about it.  I still get very nervous however when I open my mouth in the sanctuary the words flow very easily.  Tomorrow night I am honored to sing a song entitled “Come Touch the Robe.”  Every time I sing this wondrous song it brings tears to my eyes.  There is much emotion in the words. 

This song tells the story of the woman who touched Jesus’s robe.  She had blood flowing from her body for 12 years.  In biblical times this bleeding made women physically sick and socially unacceptable.  No one was able to relieve her or her suffering.  This woman had a plan. She traveled 30 miles fueled alone by faith.   When she saw Jesus’s she didn’t run to Him or try to get His attention.  She simply, without saying a word, came up behind Him and touched His cloak.  Immediately her bleeding stopped. 

There was so much faith in the touch Jesus turned and said, “who touched my clothes?”  The woman stepped forward and fell at His feet.  Just one touch, can you imagine healing with one touch?  It wasn’t actually the touch. It was her faith.  It was her knowing that through Him there is healing.  It is the miracle of faith. 

Touch His robe with faith. Go to Him all who believe and receive the healing power.  No one is denied when you go to His side.  You will feel the power flow through you.  Simply touch!

Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48

Come, Touch the Robe; Pepper Choplin, orchestrated by Stan Pethel

ENJOY

“Enjoy everyday, love each other, don’t argue, don’t fight, tell one another you love each other!”  These were the words spoken to me by the mother of the deceased.  Her daughter had been killed in an accident.  This was one of those situations where you don’t get to say your goodbyes.  You are left with the if’s, and’s and but’s.  You aren’t prepared or ready. 

This led me to thinking about this week and Jesus’s death.  How did Mary handle that?  How did she handle seeing her son nailed on the cross brutally tortured?  The son that was given to her was now being taken away. 

Mary handles all of this because she knew she was God’s servant.  She did everything during her lifetime to glorify Him.  She had a deep relationship with Him from a very young age.  Mary stayed in faith even during the difficult times of ridicule and gossiping.  From Jesus’s birth to His death Mary knew that her son was here for a purpose.  She understood that her son’s reason for life was for mankind.  She had a responsibility as a mother to lay the foundation that Jesus would follow in the days to come.    

Do not wonder do not stray, stay in faith no matter what the circumstance. Enjoy everyday you are given and be like Mary faithful everyday.  Follow the instructions that the bereaved mother gave me.  Love and care for one another. Venture out into the world and fulfill the purpose that God lays out in front of you.  Enjoy every day on earth. 

BLOSSOM

Storms rolled through our state last night.  In our area we had wind and rain.  In other places the weather was more severe.   Tornados were produced out of some of the clouds.  When I awoke this morning it was still raining, cloudy and gloomy.  As I drove around town I took note of how many trees and flowers were blooming.  Tulip trees, redbuds and daffodils were starting to show their colors.  Even though the weather had brought potential danger the blooms were still intact. 

Life can bring storms into our lives.  Some may be a simple rainstorm while others may be like a tornado.  When we have to confront the storms of life remember that with Him we can bloom through anything.  The Lord is that in which we hold onto when the wind tries to blow us away. 

The Lord gives us a protective covering to shelter us from the storms we encounter.   Put on the armor of God and clothe yourself with Him.  When we do this He becomes our shelter from the storm. 

The Lord will help you to bloom no matter what storm you are facing.  He wants you to produce fruit that coincides with His will for you.  With Him you can withstand any storm.  Spread the beauty of your blossoming colors for Jesus and bloom.