Archive for February, 2015
I realized after publishing my Groundhog Day post that it was my 500th post on this blog!
I think it rather fitting that on such a milestone, God let me share the first steps to receiving the Gospel message.
Excellent.
Father, help me to remain a faithful servant and witness for your glory. Empower me with your Holy Spirit to always point our fallen world to the sacrifice and resurrection of your Son, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.
While there may be nothing new under the sun, one constant we can trust is God’s wisdom. Get a taste at Proverbial Thought!
As I type this, the world has been reminded time and again about what groundhogs across the United States have said about the coming of Spring (or the extension of Winter). While the first official day of spring is March 20 (which happens to be six weeks from February 2nd), a lot of people are really wondering if there is going to be six weeks more of snow and cold or if it will come to an end soon.
What has been the primary mode for people reminding each other on social media of this grand revealing by a groundhog of the start of Spring?
Groundhog Day (1993) poster, from IMDb.com
Talking about Bill Murray’s Groundhog Day.
The basic premise of this film is that a bitter man (played by Bill Murray) keeps waking up on February 2nd, the same day, over and over again. It is not until he learns to appreciate life that he can break the cycle.
The Bible touches on this, as well:
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9, ESV
The Bible gives similar, albeit more focused, advice for breaking the cycle of repeating the same things over and over:
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
But this life is not the end. As Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” so we need the full story.
This little story out of Acts 16 (vv. 24-34) demonstrates where the fear of the Lord should lead us:
Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Make your central focus the wisdom of God, and get started at Proverbial Thought!
Here it is:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Hebrews 1:1-4, ESVIn saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.
Ephesians 4:9-10For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:36For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . . And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption
1 Corinthians 1:22-24, 30yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
1 Corinthians 8:6He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Colossians 1:15-20
Here you are:
Central
what do we put our attention on
with so many things going on all around
with this world and all the hocus pocus
even Christians tend to lose their focus
in a world chock full of wickedness and evil
i want to make sure i keep Jesus Christ central
especially since all things were made through Him
and the Word itself says He is God s Wisdom
if He is Central to all of Creation
and God has called Him His only Son
should He not be our primary focus
should we not center our lives around Jesus
i refuse to put my attention anywhere else
for through Him i see everyone else
if Jesus is Central to all created things
my central focus will be the King of kings
a simple man of God 