"There is a God who made you for a reason, and your life has profound meaning! We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives."
Rick Warren
Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for trouble, pain, shame, and grief..."
WAIT WAIT WAIT! DO OVER!!
"For I know the the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
Jesus was all about some change. Heck, He even split time in two! BC/AD. Before Christ. Anno Domini - in the year of the Lord. Can you do that?
He does not change, but He calls us to change to be like Him.
"For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob"
Malachi 3:6
He showed us what to do:
Matthew 3:13-17: the baptism of Jesus. Positive feedback - God was pleased.
Matthew 4 - Jesus was tempted. 40 days. 40 nights. Fasting. Tired and weak. Satan tempted Him. He resisted. And KEPT resisting.
STAND!
"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might..." Ephesians 6:10-20. Read it, then do it.
Jesus showed us what to do- He stood on the Word.
Jesus.
An encounter with Jesus changed every person He saw
The leper
The centurion and his servant
Peter's mother-in-law
The men with demons
LAZARUS!
Some were healed immediately. Some had to make an effort, a contribution
The man with the withered hand had to reach out
The woman with the issue of blood had to 'fess up
The blind beggar had to tell Jesus he wanted to see
The man born blind had to wash the mud off
Why?
What makes them different?
I don't know, but let's look at it. The woman with the issue of blood needed restoration of her esteem and for the "locals" to see she was cool as far as Jesus was concerned. The blind beggar didn't know he was talking to Jesus THE CHRIST. He didn't even know who he was dealing with!
Some of these people were "brain stuck" in their situations. Jesus' touch was the point that identified their need (the woman at the well)
What about you? Ever done anything stupid? What did you do after? Learn from the experience and never do it again? Get "brain stuck" thinking that mistake now defines who you are?
I can't tell you why you are where you are. I can tell you that Jesus provided a way to wholeness in Him. We have to avoid getting "brain stuck" in the mess and allow change, make change, let Jesus do His work in us.
Do you know why horses in races wear blinders? So they can't see what's going on around them. So they can focus on what is right in front of them. So they can't get scared or sidetracked from their goal.
What do YOUR blinders make you focus on? Jesus, or some mistake, injustice, or pain?
What's your goal? Jesus is calling you- do you hear Him? Go ahead, answer the call. Jesus is the best Life Coach ever!
"Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see his as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
1 John 3:2,3
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ALL THIS FROM GOD"
2 Corinthians 5:17, 18. Emphasis mine.
