Thursday, January 31, 2013

Unconditional Love

I turned on the TV yesterday morning to see a screen filled with top ranked anchors on a popular morning show, sitting at their desks with silly smiles on their faces, each holding a sweet, precious puppy.

These accomplished professionals melted in their seats with joy holding puppies that asked nothing except to be loved and in return gave love freely without any demands.

Wendy, our precious poodle, has taught us much about unconditional love in the last 10 years.

She is sad when we leave her but greets us enthusiastically with squeals, sneezes and yowls when we come home. We have explained to our worried neighbors "it's her happy sounds". Not a day goes by that she doesn't look at us with "love eyes".

Not long ago I came home from an unexpected 6 day "vacation" in the hospital. She never left my side. She cuddled up with me in bed that night with her paw draped across my chest. I woke up several times to find her big brown eyes looking at me to make sure I was really home and well. She then would sigh contentedly, lick my face and drifted off to sleep, inching closer and holding me tightly with her paw.

Jesus paid the debt of our sin on the cross- past, present and future.

Our Father sees us full of His righteousness, already perfect and holy in His sight. We please Him because of His Son.

Each day He showers us with unconditional love.

Each night He sings over us with unconditional love.

Total acceptance - no barriers - nothing but love!

Unconditional love - No condemnation! - nothing can separate us from this love!

There is now no condemnation 
for those who are in Christ - Romans 8:1

Neither death nor life
neither angels nor demons
neither the present nor the future
nor any powers
neither height nor depth
nor anything else in creation
will be able to separate us 
from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!-Romans 8:37-39

For God so loved the world
that He gave His one and only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish
but have eternal life.
For God did not send His Son into the world
to condemn the world,
but to save the world through Him.
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned!-John 3:16-18









Reflection! again . . .


But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you
for My power is made perfect in weakness."
 2 Corinthians 12:9

And we, who  with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory,
are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
 2 Corinthians 3:18

We are sponges.

Human beings reflect what we are exposed to frequently.

So what we read, watch often, listen to influences us directly. Who we spend time with, what we do repeatedly, what takes up our thoughts -  impact us in a much greater way than what we realize.
A New Year is always "reflection" time - a season to "improve" ourselves, change our habits, do things better.

The truth is we can't do much improving on our own. We fall easily back into those comfortable habits and remain unchanged.

So what is the solution?

We become "jars of clay" filled with God's transforming power to reflect God's eternal glory!

His Job?
He floods us with His light
He showers us with His grace
He fills us with His power
He transforms us

Our Job?
REFLECTION!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Doomsday!

The world will end December 21st.

The economy is going to crash with all this debt!

We will die in a pandemic!

The government will take over our lives!

Doomsday predictions, rising feelings of panic, fear and depression!

The truth?

The world is going to end - look in Revelation, Luke 17, Matthew 24.  The economy will crash and a government will take over the lives of those that haven't died of  plague, battles and natural disasters!

The good news?

We won't be here!!!!! We will be attending our WEDDING FEAST with our Bridegroom JESUS!

There will be tremors of this change prior to our going Home -

Our assignment? 
To keep our eyes on Jesus and  
REFLECT
 His character in the difficult times!