The Empty Egg

 

Created in Adobe Photoshop. Digital painting/AI tools

I like to share this Easter Message from Paul Harvey’s “That’s The Rest of the Story” radio program. “It comes with acknowledgement of Rev. Harry Pritchett Jr., then Director of All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta, who is said to have called Mr. Harvey’s attention to a boy named Phillip.”  

A message from a child that so many of us tend to overlook, that “I have new life because the tomb is empty”. The love Jesus demonstrated at the cross nearly 2000 years ago is incomparable - a love meant for us all, big, small, short, tall, old, young, African American, Native American, Caucasian, or Asian. 

Jesus, an innocent man who knew no sin, sacrificed himself on the cross for you and for me, but what happened on the third day after his death was monumental; it brought hope to a dying world. 

Jesus' resurrection served as the ultimate historical confirmation of Jesus Christ’s divinity. It fulfilled prophetic scripture, showed victory over sin and death,  established the foundation of the Church, and gave the world hope.

The empty tomb offers a living hope, for without it, there would be no hope, and the cross would be incomplete. “The empty tomb isn’t the end of the story—it’s the beginning of new life.”

THE EMPTY  EGG (The Story of Phillip)

He was nine—in a Sunday School class of eight-year-olds. Eight-year-olds can be cruel.

The third-graders did not welcome Philip to their group.  Not just because he was older.  He was "different."  He suffered from Down's syndrome and its obvious manifestations: facial characteristics, slow responses, symptoms of retardation.

One Sunday after Easter the Sunday school teacher gathered some of those plastic eggs that pull apart in the middle-the kind in which some ladies' pantyhose are packaged.

The Sunday school teacher gave one of these plastic eggs to each child.

On that beautiful Spring day each child was to go outdoors and discover for himself some symbol of "new life" and place that symbolic seed or leaf or whatever inside his or her egg. 

They would then open their eggs one by one, and each youngster would explain how his or her find was a symbol of "new life."

So... 

The youngsters gathered around on the appointed day and put their eggs on a table, and the teacher began to open them.

One child found a flower. All the children "oohed" and "aahed" at the lovely symbol of new life.

In another was a butterfly.  "Beautiful," the girls said. And it's not easy for an eight-year-old to say "beautiful."

Another egg was opened to reveal a rock. Some of the children laughed.

"That's crazy!" one said. "How is a rock supposed to be like new life?!?"

Immediately the little boy spoke up and said, "That's mine. I knew everybody would get flowers and leaves and butterflies and all that stuff, so I got a rock to be different.

Everyone laughed.

The teacher opened the last one, and there was nothing inside.

"That's not fair!" someone said. "That's stupid!" said another.

Teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was Philip. Looking up he said, "It's mine. I did do it . It's empty. I have new life because the tomb is empty."

The class fell silent.

From that day on Philip became part of the group.  They welcomed him. Whatever had made him different was never mentioned again.

Philip's family had known he would not have a long life; just too many things wrong with the tiny body. That summer, overcome with infection, Philip died.

On the day of his funeral nine 8-year-old boys and girls confronted the reality of death and marched up to the altar-not with flower. Nine children with their Sunday school teacher placed on the casket of their friend their gift of love- AN EMPTY EGG.

Paul Harvey. Good  Day.*

 

(Amen!)

 

NOTE:  “Reverend Harry H. Pritchett, Jr., the originator of the above story used by Paul Harvey, is currently the Pastoral Associate to the Dean  of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, GA.  Before this, he was also the eighth Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City, from which he retired in 2001, having gone there from All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta.”

Pray you all have a blessed and joyful Resurrection Day!

In Christ,

Carol Moore

Are You Modeling Jesus?

 

Do your words and actions model Jesus? In other words, do your words and actions line up with Jesus? Do you portray Christlike characteristics, or do you portray characteristics of the world? Does being extremely rude to a salesperson at the door show others that you are a follower of Christ? Did you ever think that maybe you could have planted a seed in that person’s life when you opened the door? Now that opportunity to share the Truth with that person is lost because you chased that person away. Does being rude to people at a grocery store show others that you are a follower of Christ? How would you want to be treated? Would you want someone to be rude or mean to you, or would you want someone to treat you with grace and love? There is an important verse to remember in Luke 6:31 (NLT) that Jesus shared with his followers and the crowds of people at the sermon on the mount  “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

That is a powerful verse - "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." And the greatest role model for us all is Christ Jesus. Throughout his ministry he treated others with love, grace, mercy, and kindness. Jesus loved even those who persecuted him and mocked him. As Christians, we need to model these same characteristics. Remember, all of us are sinners, all of us were once difficult people, and all of us do not deserve His grace.

Human relations can be difficult, but we all have our faults and shortcomings. We are all like broken vessels that have many cracks. But now, Christian brothers and sisters, we have been made new by the Master Potter. We have a chance to be used by the Master Potter to help grow the seed or to help water the seed. How? By showing love to others, by being tolerant, by showing grace to others, by being kind, by having empathy toward others, by being humble, by giving of oneself, by practicing hospitality, by being fair and reasonable, and by striving to be holy. And it has been said that the best manual on human relations - is the Bible. There are many passages in the Bible that can guide us in how we are to treat others. For example, Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Or another great verse is in Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

We are accountable to God for all of our own actions and words. How we respond to others bears witness to this. Will you practice what you read in the Bible; or will you practice what the world has taught you? What can you model that will show others how great Jesus is and might soften their hearts to want to get to know him? In Ephesians 4: 17-24 Paul testifies how we are to model ourselves as new vessels, 

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

We are new vessels now. We no longer have impurities that can weaken a vessel. We have been made new, created after His likeness. How can we, who have received forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace from God, not show godly characteristics towards others? If we do not, how can we call ourselves Christians.

As Christians, we are to love and show grace and mercy towards others, even to those who are non-believers or those who are difficult. We cannot do this on our own. We must seek God and his Word. Lean on Him. Only with His help will we be molded and shaped into followers that model Him. Perhaps in showing love and kindness towards others, hearts will be softened, and seeds will be planted, and our words and actions will show others what the Gospel message is all about - love and redemption.

Heavenly Father,

You know our hearts and minds. We who fail time and time again, yet You continue to show us love, mercy, and grace. Help us to do the same. Help us to be models that exemplify You. We humbly thank you Lord for allowing Your Son to die on the cross all those years ago. Just as Christ Jesus was nailed to the cross, so were our sins nailed to the cross. We praise You, we thank You, and we love You. 

Amen.

A Voice in the Wilderness

Photo by Carol Moore

 A Christian thought to ponder ...

If you see evil at work, do you remain silent, or do you take action and point out the evilness?

It is something I have been pondering for quite some time now. Today, if you raise your voice to point out that what someone, some organization, or some government is doing is evil and wrong, you are canceled, thrown in prison, or even killed.  

Almost 89 years ago, in 1933, many people sat idly by while an evil, tyrannical dictator began his attack on the Jews, people with disabilities, homosexuals, and anyone else the Third Reich deemed as an enemy or not superior. The Nazis established a boycott against the Jews, set up Nuremberg laws, and anti-Jewish policy to ostracize and ban the Jews. They confiscated all Jewish property and gradually removed the Jews from all economic life. In 1938, it became legal to take all property from the Jews. Homes, apartments, businesses, cultural and artistic treasures were all seized from the Jews. The Third Reich set up concentration camps, and then they began their satanic scheme of the persecution and genocide of the Jews.  An evil dictator whose people believed he was the savior of Germany and could do no wrong.

Does any of this sound familiar to what is happening in the world today with unvaccinated people or people who have different political or religious beliefs? Canada? Australia? China? Russia? United States? Primo Levi once stated, "Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act with out asking questions." There are evil monsters spewing propaganda worldwide, and the lost sheep believe every word.

Evil will grow if we allow it to, and people will continue to cancel, ostracize, condemn, and hate anyone who may have different beliefs, ideas, or agendas.  Will Christians do nothing and let the darkness descend and see history repeat itself once again? Will Christians not point out that people will face the wrath of God's judgment if they do not repent of their evil ways? When did the church become so soft and so silent? Was John the Baptist silent when he saw people who were sinning? No, he was not. In fact, he pointed out to Herod that he committed a great sin by marrying his brother's wife in Luke 3:19 "John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done." John was a great preacher. In Matthew 3:1-3 it states he was a voice crying out in the wilderness, and he was not silent. He warned people of their un-repenting sin, and he prepared people for the coming of the Christ. John preached with great power and spirit. 

Matthew 3:1-3 

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”"

Just as John prepared the people for Christ's first coming. It is our job to prepare the world for Christ's second coming. It is our job to be the voice in the wilderness. God has placed us in this world, during this generation, at this moment for a reason. God called us to be His children, to take up the cross, and preach and share the Truth. God calls us to be loving, kind, patient, merciful, good, and to be of good moral character. We are called to scatter the seeds of Truth and let God do the rest. 

Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to tolerate sin, to be silent about sin, or allow sin to continue unopposed. The world will say we are racist, hateful, evil, Nazis, communists when we point out the sin or expose the evil. But the world is wrong, for we love everyone, just as Jesus loved everyone. It is our task assigned by the One who called us to point out the evil and wrong's in the world because we do not wish for anyone to face the second death and go into the lake of fire for all eternity. Jesus repeatedly called out the hypocrites and pointed out their sin and evil ways. As a result, they grew to hate him and conspired to have Jesus killed. Jesus was not silent. He pronounced seven woes upon them in Matthew 23:13-36. 

Matthew 23:13-36

13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. 14 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, you will be severely punished. 15 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! 16 Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding. 19 How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 When you swear ‘by the altar,’ you are swearing by it and by everything on it. 21 And when you swear ‘by the Temple,’ you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. 22 And when you swear ‘by heaven,’ you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne. 23 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. 24 Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! 25 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. 27 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. 28 Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.  30 Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’ 31 But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.  32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.  33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? 34 Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.  35 As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation."

Pointing out sin and evil offends and stirs up hatred. If we do not speak out against sin and evil, who will? Who will be the voice in the wilderness in this generation, in this day, and in this time? Will we let evil silence us from speaking the Truth? Will we be complacent? Simon Wiesentnal once said, "For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing." Will we do nothing as evil flourishes, or will we be a voice in the wilderness?

What Are You Chasing?

 

A Christian thought to ponder ...

What are you chasing? Are you chasing after riches? Are you chasing after some woke notion? Or are you chasing after the One who created all things, including you?

Chasing after the things of this world will never bring you true happiness. Chasing after materialistic items on this earth will only bring you heartache and destruction. Even if you possess all the treasures on this earth, you will always be empty deep down inside your heart and soul. You will never have true happiness or peace.

In 1 John 2:15-17, we are told not to love this world because the things of this world will come to an end, and those who rebelled and turned away from God will face His wrath.

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever."

There is only one thing that can bring you true happiness and peace, and that is Jesus. He is our Redeemer. He is our Guide in this life and the answer to all of your problems. He is faithful and true. He gives you strength when you are weak. His love is everlasting. Chasing after Jesus will bring you peace and wisdom. The peace and contentment that Jesus gives will satisfy you just as it states in John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Rest in the love of Christ. Lay all your worries and troubles into his hands. 

Chase after Jesus! Reach out to him and say his name. For it is only He that can truly satisfy your heart and soul and bring you true peace. 

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for you Son. Thank you for giving us a Redeemer and that he gives us true happiness and peace. Thank you for Your promises and for the freedom to come before You and seek You in times of trouble. Help us to stay on course. Help us to guide others to You. Help those who are blind to see the Truth, and help them to see that it is only You who can truly satisfy one's heart and soul and bring true peace. 

Amen.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol Moore

Forgive Others

 

Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

Loving and forgiving one another is one of the hardest tasks that God asks us Christians to do, and yet it is a very central part of our faith. As it says in Colossians 3:12-14, God calls us to love one another and to forgive one another. However, when one is experiencing pain, hurt, and brokenness, forgiving someone who has caused that hurt and pain doesn't seem fair. Pain, hurt, anger, and brokenness can chain one to the ground. It can bring discontent and unrest to one's soul and heart. There is a tendency to focus on oneself, elevating the unforgivable act that gives one no peace, no joy, and no contentment. Satan is good at manipulating and convincing people not to forgive, not let go of the bitterness and anger, and not let go of one's pride.

Pride is in bed with unforgiveness because it calls for one to admit that they have messed up and have wronged a person or that one has failed in forgiving a person. Bitterness and hatred can begin to grow and take hold of one's heart and soul, which in effect can hinder one from being a spokesperson for Christ and being an example of Christ. One must call on God to empower them to forgive. A person cannot truly forgive on their own strength, but only by God's strength can one forgive. Why? Because we are human, weak, and wretched. Place all of your pain, hurt, anger and brokenness into God's hands. Call on God to help you love and forgive those who have hurt you, and He will fill you with an amazing peace. Not only that, it will show others how Christ resides in you.

Remember what Christ said when he was dying on the cross in Luke 23:34 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Even after everything the people put him through,(they mocked him, they spitted on him, they beat and flogged him, and they nailed him to the cross), he was still asking the Father to forgive them. Forgive, just as He has forgiven you. Let Him heal your shattered heart, wipe away your tears, and bring rest to your heart, soul, and mind.

Heavenly Father,

You are the Peacemaker, Trustworthy, Faithful, and True. You are loving, patient, and forgiving. Even though we struggle with obstacles of our sinful nature, such as forgiveness, that hinder us from serving you and being an example like You, You never stop loving us, and You are always there for us. Help us Lord, to place all of our pain, hurt, and brokenness into your hands. Give us strength and heal our hearts. 

In Jesus precious name,

Amen.

Prayer that you all have a blessed week!

Carol Moore

Struggling to Have a Heart like Jesus

stock photo by Lightstock

Struggling to Have a Heart like Jesus

A Christian thought to ponder ...

Have you ever had God speak to you through certain passages within the Bible, through a study, a devotion, a sermon, or even through a song? Usually, the message is about something you need to correct within yourself. Well, more than anything in this world, I want to have a heart like Jesus. Today, I followed a rabbit trail and discovered something amazing and enlightening. For the first time, the light clicked on, and the Lord revealed an amazing truth to me.

I have always had this emboldened image in my mind as to what a person with a heart like Jesus should be like - a bubbly, outgoing, sociable person who had an angelic glow. A person who was always giving and serving. In my eyes, I have failed in achieving to be like such a person. I thought, I will never have a heart like Jesus, for I am so imperfect. I am at a loss as to what my gifts are, and I am not sure where to serve as I am shy, I lack the gift of speaking, I lack knowledge of the Word, and I have health issues. I am dirt poor which makes it hard for me to give or do anything to help out. How can I do His will and have a heart like His when I failed in all these areas? I thought to myself, Lord God, I am not perfect, and it is way too hard of a struggle for me to become like this person.

However, the Lord uses the struggles we go through in life to shape and mold us into being just like Him. I let the enemy’s tactics that plague this world throw fear, shame, doubt, ignorance, and envy at me to bring me down and interfere with what the number one goal of every Christian should be – to have a heart like Jesus and to be Christlike in all ways. Why? Because I have been so hung up on the struggle to become like this perfect person that I forgot that there is no perfect person. Jesus was the only perfect person that ever walked on this earth. None of us will ever be perfect. If we were perfect, none of us would have to seek God for help, guidance, comfort, and wisdom. It is important for us to remember Philippians 4:13 (KJV), “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

The Lord will provide us with the strength to get us through the struggles in our lives. As we depend on Him and seek Him daily through His Word and prayer, the more we will begin to be more like Him and to have a heart like His. If we lack the will and diligence and are bound and determined to have our feet in two worlds (this world and the world in which our Lord resides), we will never discover what it means to have a heart like Jesus and the enemy of this world will hold us back and will delight in seeing us fall and crumble.

The enemy knows I will never measure up. We all fall short of the glory of God. But to strive to be like Jesus and have a heart like Jesus can be shown in many ways daily and throughout our lives; For instance, it can be a smile, a hug, a touch, a prayer, an anonymous donation, providing a meal, or a helping hand. These little acts of kindness can touch someone's heart and show someone that they are thought of and loved. Sometimes we are limited in what we can do or say because of a disability, but that does not matter to Jesus. It does not mean we do not have a heart like Jesus or that it will prevent us from having one. We need only abide his commandment as it states in John 13: 34-35 (KJV), “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another.”

It is important to remember that the enemy does not want us to love one another, be like Christ, or do God’s will. The enemy wants us to be torn, confused, and inflict emotional pain upon one another. The enemy’s goal is to keep us from loving like Christ. We need to guard our hearts against the enemy, seek the Lord daily and ask him to put a hedge of protection around all of our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV), “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

We will continue to walk through this world, facing struggles as we strive to be more like Christ, but if we cast our worries upon Him, obey, and do His will, He will take care of our hearts.

Father God,

Please give us a heart that overflows with love for each other. A heart that is like Yours and one that long’s for Your will and not the enemy’s will. Help us to protect our hearts from the enemy’s attacks that would prevent us from having a loving heart like Yours. Enshroud us with Your love; help us to make You the focus of everything in that we do daily. Guide us, direct us and help us in our time of need.

Amen.

Love to you all and God Bless!

Carol

Failing to Reach the Millions

Failing to Reach the Millions

The people that will be left behind during the tribulation will be people we failed to reach out to in brotherly and sisterly love. Throughout our lives, we have condemned, judged, and despised people. I am eternally grateful that my heavenly Father does not hate us, but he loves us ALL unconditionally. Just as he loves us, so should we love others, for we are to live for Christ. For if God did not love us, there would be no hope in this world, but because he loved us so much, he sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to take on the sins of this world. Jesus reached out to the multitudes of sinners, the lost, and the forsaken and gave them hope. Where many of us condemn and judge, Jesus showed mercy and love. Many of us shut the doors on people because of their past sins. We find them disgusting or vile. Yet, we do not know their true hearts nor the circumstances of their past. We see only what the enemy wants us to see. Only the Lord knows our true hearts, and He has changed the hearts of many.

Ezekiel 36:26

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Copyright © PhotoXpress

The Lord knew Paul's heart. On Damascus Road, when Christ spoke to Paul, his heart changed. After that event, Paul began a journey of sharing the Gospel with many. The Lord also knew Peter's heart, and Peter's heart changed when he followed Christ. He knew Matthew's heart, and Matthew's heart changed when he followed Christ. And why did all these men's hearts change? Because Jesus reached out to them, revealed the truth, and showed them love, kindness, and mercy. The enemy takes delight in stripping others from knowing his love and the truth. We are helping the enemy win his battle when we behave just like him instead of Christ-like.

We are ALL children of God. Because of His love, there is hope, and there is still time to reach the millions who do not know Him personally.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for loving us and for sending us your one and only true Son to die on the cross for all of our sins. As we develop a closer relationship with you Lord, I pray that you will open our eyes and hearts and reveal to us how you want us to share that truth with the millions of people who still don’t know you personally. What you sacrificed for us, there is no greater love. Help us to draw close to you and depend on you at all times and to see others through your eyes. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Ways to reach out to the millions

http://persecutionproject.org/

https://www.opendoorsusa.org/

https://www.persecution.com/

http://www.bibleleague.org/

http://www.prisonministry.org/index.htm

http://hopeaglow.com/prison_ministry.htm

Pray your week is blessed!

Carol

Giving Labels

Giving Labels

Source: http://www.churchleaders.com

I am so thankful God does not nail labels on us as we tend to tack on each other in this world. Labels such as that person is a democrat, or that person is a republican, or that person is an alcoholic, or that person is a rapist, or that person is a murderer, or that person is woke, or that person is retarded, or that person is racist, or that person is a transphobe. Labeling people is something I am very guilty of and try to abstain from, but none of us can say we do not label people. Everyone is guilty of labeling one another, and this world is full of labels. 

I like one of the Urban Dictionary’s meaning of a label, obviously from a teenager, and it is not exactly the appropriate word choices or tone I would have used. However, the definition is clear, “pointless words (emo, goth, skater, preppy, poser, etc.) used to stereotype people because of what they wear or what music they listen to. Most people who label others have NO idea what they are talking about, in fact anyone who labels people are narrowminded ******** who have nothing better to do.”

As one can see, some labels can be very demeaning and very hurtful. Labels tend to stereotype and target people. The media is extremely influential at pushing labels onto people. It is no wonder people from jail or prison have such a hard time adjusting back into society when they get out as the media and people are so eager to place labels on them, showing little compassion or forgiveness. The people in this world would rather throw stones at “those kind of people” even if they have accepted Jesus into their life as their savior. What makes it even harder for them is  the enemy is bombarding them from all sides. The enemy hopes they will fall back into their previous lifestyle and give up all hope. The world hates them for their sins or ideology. How many of you would sit next to someone at church if you knew that person had murdered someone? Yet, just days ago, they accepted Jesus Christ into their life. I know Jesus would sit next to them. Would you let the label convince you to turn your back on them, condemn them, and judge them? Too many churches out there do not show acceptance and the love of Christ. And too many people in this world are focused on the things that hurt, offend, scare, or anger us. Labels are the focus when it should be Jesus Christ.

A passage in the Bible comes to my mind... A young woman was brought to Jesus by the Pharisees. The Pharisees had charged her with committing adultery. The law clearly stated that she should be stoned to death for her sin. They ask Jesus what should be done to the woman? His reply was, "he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." Jesus did not condemn her but forgave her and told her to GO and SIN NO MORE. The Pharisees labeled this woman as an adulteress. They were blind to what Jesus was trying to teach them – that we are all equal in sin. We are all sinners, but God gave everyone a chance to be redeemed through his son Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for ALL of us, not just some of us. We each have the free will to accept him in our life or not. So do not be ashamed of your past sins nor feel you are not worthy. Ignore those who label you and take heart, for Jesus is your rock, and he will help you weather ALL storms.

Jesus commanded us to love one another, not persecute, judge or label one another but to LOVE. As He states in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

I hope you all have a blessed week!

Carol

Pleasing God

Pleasing God

photo by sxc.hu

 

A Christian thought to ponder ...

One constant battle I have within my marriage is my husband is always telling me I need to be more social. Well, I am not the social butterfly that my husband has become. I am the opposite of my husband. I am an introvert and a loner, and I have difficulty speaking to people I do not know. Sometimes I even stutter or freeze up because my brain doesn’t want to move with my mouth. Nevertheless, you know that saying, “Opposites do attract.” However, I often feel I can never please my husband because I am not the social butterfly he wants me to be. 

The enemy will often lead me down a road of depression, doubt, and fear. I often feel that my husband should have never married me and that he should have married someone more like himself. I often feel like an outsider at church, struggling to get into the gate, unsure of myself, scared of what others may think of me but knowing there is a fierce burning desire inside of me to yell out at the world how great God is and share it with everybody. Unfortunately, I let the enemy control my anxiety, fears, and doubts, and many times I let the enemy hold me back from sharing the Truth. But I have discovered through prayer, trusting God, and learning God’s Word that being a wife is not only about pleasing my husband; It is about pleasing God. 

There are several ways I have discovered to please God through the Word that I think is important for Christians to strive for each day.

Faith -  The first way to please God is through faith. One must have faith in God and believe that God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, and that Jesus died on the cross for all our sins so that we may have everlasting life. “But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.

Love - The second way to please God is to love God. He is our creator. He gave us life, and He loves us. How could anyone not love the creator who created the beauty that is all around us and gave us life? “…to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,” Deuteronomy 11:13.

Trust - The third way to please God is to trust in God. Trusting God is a hard step for many Christians to follow because we live in a world that is all about "me". When the enemy is lurking about, it is a constant struggle to depend upon God. The world teaches us to do everything on our own. We tend to forget that the Father wants us to call upon him and rely on Him. We need to lay everything into his hands, and believe that he will take care of everything. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.

Forgive - The fourth way to please God is to forgive one another. A forgiving spirit is a quality many of us fall short of and something we should all strive to attain; our example is in Jesus, and what better role model to follow as he forgave us all and died on the cross for all of us.  “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32.

Thanks - The fifth way to please God is to give thanks to God. Giving thanks to God is something many of us forget to do. It is important to thank God for the blessings he bestows upon us. Would any of us be where we are today and have the things we have if it were not for God?  “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Prayer - The sixth way to please God is to pray. We tend to let the things of this world be our excuse as to why we do not pray, such as, I have to go to work, I have to go to the gym, or I have to cook dinner. There can be no end, but you would not be able to do any of these tasks or partake in any of them if it were not for our Heavenly Father.  Why do we only seek Him in our most dire time of need? We need to be seeking Him at all times, telling Him how much we love Him and how thankful we are for all the blessings he has given us. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”  Philippians 4:6.

Obey -  The seventh way to please God is to obey God. Obeying God should be the heart of our Christian walk. Sometimes we fail, and we mess up; or we fall away and are disobedient to God. We should seek God's forgiveness and start anew. Our goal should be to strive to be Christ-like,  thwart the enemy’s plans, win over sin and temptation, and serve as witnesses for the Lord.  “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”  Luke 11:28.

Worship - The eighth way to please God is to worship God and only God. Do not worship idols or false gods. “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”  Chronicles 16:9.

Knowledge - The ninth way to please God is to grow in the knowledge of His Word. Dedicate time daily to His Word. Spend time with him, seek his Words and get to know him. “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians 1:10.

Rejoice - The tenth way to please God is to rejoice in the Lord. The Lord is like a brightly burning candle. However, if we let the winds of the world blow in, that bright candle flame will get snuffed out. His light burns brightly in each one of us. We need to rejoice and share that light with others. Rejoice in all things of the Lord – for his blessings, rescues, miracles, companionship, and life. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4.

Spiritual Gifts - The eleventh way to please God is to exercise the spiritual gifts that He has given to us. He does not want us to neglect these gifts but to use them to spread and share His Word with others who may be lost. "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-7.

Giving - The final way to please God is by giving. Being generous is not only tithing, but it also is giving of our time. For example, helping someone in need, helping at a church event, visiting someone who is sick. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.”  Deuteronomy 16:17.

Pray you all have a blessed week!

Carol