Look Up and see a greater future!

Luke 24:25-27 records: “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

I know when I hear a fantastic story or an unbelievable account of events, I am slow to believe. The two walking with Jesus after his resurrection were depressed and struggling to believe the testimony of those who had seen Jesus alive. Jesus addresses their doubts with proof. When the two on the road to Emmaus looked beyond their depression and doubt, they saw the truth. They believed. The same is true for us. When you and I look beyond our doubts and depression the truth of a risen Jesus emerges and we believe. 

Look up and may He open your eyes to a personal resurrection!

You know I love ya, Don

Resurrected Hope, Future, and Dreams!

Mark 5:36 – “Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

So, they go to the house, people are in full mourning.  Shouting.  Making noise.  Wailing. Grieving.  In anguish.  Jesus tells them to be quiet.  She’s sleeping.

What a cruel joke to play on the parents.  How would he know?  She’s dead.  The doctor called it.  No pulse, no breathing. --- Jesus gets rid of them…the text says “he put them out” …just like you put out a dog to go do his business. I don’t know about you, but I am glad that Jesus puts out bad, ugly negatives when he arrives.

Taking the parents and just a few disciples, they go to the child.  He reaches down, picks up her lifeless hand and says, “Little girl, get up.”  Speaking in Aramaic … her native tongue. Jesus restores the dream of daughter, a family by meeting them in their native surroundings.

Immediately, just as the woman was restored immediately to full health, the little girl is immediately resurrected to full life.  She walked around and everything! We can well imagine the joy in that house that day!  We can well imagine the wonder at this man who can heal, and also raise the dead!  What a miracle!  Who can do such things?  Only Jesus, the Son of the Living God!

Resurrection is not limited to when our heart stops beating. Jesus resurrects hopes, resurrects futures, and resurrects dreams everyday.

Success is found when you and I approach Jesus … we have to water and cultivate our faith and trust in him just like Jairus and the Woman did. If you don’t, your hope, your future and your dreams die.

The first week at Park Chapel CC, I noticed in the foyer / hallway to the worship center was a large pot with basically a stick protruding out of dirt with one leaf on it. The plant was completely dry. I felt sorry for it, so I started watering it…six months later the stick was covered in little green leaves. I did not know that the custodial staff was intentionally ignoring it because they wanted to throw it out. We laughed about that…When we moved to HCC, after seven years … that plant was taller than I am now and covered in large, beautiful leaves. What resurrected that plant? Water!

My Friends, what do we learn from this scripture? Go to Jesus to find water, let him reach out to you and he will resurrect your hope, your future and your dreams.

You know I love ya, Don

Merry Christmas ... Experience His Presence

Christmas Peace is opening your heart, your mind, and your strength to Experiencing His Presence in your life. This is not easy in a busy world … it is stopping, listening, and waiting. It is taking a deep breath and breathing in His Spirit. It is to look to God (for God is With Us!) and say … “I love you.”

On Christmas Day some years ago, a little boy was seen going in and out of his church several times. The boy would walk up to the nativity scene and stare and then walk back out. After several times, the boy was asked, “What gift did you ask of the Baby Jesus?” he replied, “I didn’t ask for anything. I was just in there loving Him for a little while.”      

The baby is born to you and to me. Merry Christmas. Don't forget to love on Jesus today and receive His PEACE!

You know I love ya, Don 

Scriptures that describe heaven.

Matthew 18:10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

Revelation 5:9-13 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:1-5  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

You possess more than you can even imagine!

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Jesus continues to tell the messengers to tell John, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”

The best weapon against the dark times is knowing that it will not last.

During World War II, the Germans forced many twelve-and thirteen-year-old boys into the Junior Gestapo. These boys were treated very harshly and given inhumane jobs to perform. When the war ended, most had lost track of their families and wandered without food or shelter.

As part of an aid program to post-war Germany, many of these youths were placed in tent cities. Where doctors and psychologists worked with the boys in an attempt to restore their mental and physical health. They found that many of the boys would awaken in the middle of the night, screaming in terror. One doctor had an idea for handling that fear. After feeding the boys a large meal, he put them to bed with a piece of bread in their hands, which they were told to save until morning. The boys then slept soundly because, after so many years of hunger, they finally had the assurance of food for the next day.

Do you have Jesus as your Savior? If you do…

You hold the Bread of Life in your hands and therefore have the assurance that you will not go out of this life in terror and fear.

You have the power to look at the dark times and know there is hope and there is a future greater than we can comprehend.

You have the ability to shine light in the darkness and illuminate the stage of your life.

You have the presence of God. Don't miss it. You know I love ya, Don

What's Your Purpose?

Purpose is the reason for which something exists. Purpose is an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal. Purpose is the determination and resolute attitude the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. .

Living a life of passion and significance requires knowing what your definite purpose in life is. Defining and living your life purpose gives you an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and meaning to your existence because it provides a way for you to use your values and passions and directs them towards a meaningful objective. Your life purpose is the essence of who you are as a person. Once you know what your purpose in life is, you will be able to wake up each morning knowing that every action that you take that day will move you one step closer towards your ultimate purpose in life.

Paul told the Christian in Colossi in 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.”

Our purpose is to put on Christ and whatever we are faced with will be accomplished through His purpose. Which is to shine the light of hope in every aspect of life.

You might be thinking, “Don, I can not do all things…” the reality is that God has created you to all the things he has gifted you to do. Which is much, much more than you allow yourself to do.

Look at the above graphic... If I were to draw two circles… in the first circle I would write, “Find your gift” and in the second circle write “share your gift” – where these to circles over-lap is your purpose. What do you feel gifted in doing and how are you sharing it? This is the purpose God has intended for you!

You know I love ya, Don 

A new heaven, a new earth, a new EVERYTHING!

 Revelation 21:1-7

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Heaven....

To our earth-bound minds, Heaven is an abstract concept, a realm foreign to us. We accept by faith the reality of this spiritual realm, but it’s difficult to imagine what Heaven must be like. The Bible only gives us hints at what Heaven is like, and the descriptions we have appear in the form of poetry and metaphor. Galileo remarked, “The intention of the Holy Spirit is not to teach us how Heaven goes, but how one goes to Heaven.” The glories of Heaven far surpass our perception. Heaven is a real place, and the reality will exceed all images and symbols. The Apostle Paul was given a vision of heaven, but words failed him. Human language has limitations. All Paul could say was that he experienced things so astounding that they couldn’t be told (II Cor 12). Heaven is a reality unreachable to any of our senses. It’s like explaining the world to an unborn baby.

Heaven is “Paradise restored”. Because of sin, Adam made a grave of a garden, but Christ has made a garden of a grave. Sin resulted in expulsion from a garden, and salvation is restoration to Paradise. Some things will be missing in Heaven. There will be no death, no pain, no sin, no curse, no tears. God declares through the prophet Jeremiah 31:13, the Message: “I will turn their mourning into gladness, their weeping into laughter, lavishing comfort, invading their grief with joy.” The injustices and deprivations of earthly life will be fully and forever corrected. In Heaven we will be liberated from every loss. We will find Heaven a place where the Lord’s Prayer is fulfilled--where God’s Name is hallowed, His Kingdom is come, His will is done.

In heaven. Sad thoughts of earth such as murder, rape, divorce, deception, death, destruction...memories of loss and sadness, depression and hunger, disease or disability just won't have a place in heaven. These horrors of the fallen flesh will all be mitigated and eclipsed like the stars are eclipsed by the rising sun. Because the brightness of the risen son will be brighter than any guilt, any shame, any sorrow, and anything sin might might have used to destroy. We won't forget, but we will have no need to remember. 
 I look forward to that great day...more to come. You know I love ya, Don