Tag Archives: Jesus

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The Name Of Jesus!

Before you decide to skip this one, please just take a moment, because you might find something worthy here. Even if you do not consider yourself to be a “believer”, if you will just give it a chance with an open heart and mind, I think you will be amazed at the difference the name of Jesus can and will make in your life. I mean, honestly, what do you have to lose by just opening yourself up to something different and new? I’m not talking about religion here, but I am talking about what could be the beginning of a beautiful new relationship…

This past Sunday, I finished preaching a series of messages on Jesus and as I was looking back on my notes for the past month, I could not help but be reminded at what a meaningful, sweet and powerful name the name of Jesus really is. Jesus is the name that is above every name. Jesus is a name that has to be explained by a thousand other names in order for us to truly grasp the depth and width of just how amazing our Savior really is.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. -Philippians 2:9-11

The name “Jesus” means Savior and that is exactly what Jesus is. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus saves us from our sins, failures and mistakes. Jesus saves us from our past so that we might grow in our present and enjoy our future. Jesus saves us from living a wasted life and enables us to live a life of purpose that brings us blessing and fulfillment.

Jesus helps us to understand the great power that flows through obedience to God’s will and way. Jesus defends us and stands up for us when no one else will. Jesus has no limitations and can do whatever we need Him to do and He loves to perform miracles on our behalf and for God’s glory. Jesus is the beginning and the end and gives meaning to the in between. Jesus has chosen me and so I choose Him. Jesus is writing the story of my life and willing to take an active part in it’s success. Jesus has always watched over me and He watches over me now. Jesus is my food when I am hungry and my drink when I am thirsty. Jesus is my light in the darkness, my Captain through the rough seas, my shepherd leading me beside the still waters. Jesus is the Lord of my life, the King of all kings and the only way that really matters.

There is something about that name. I want to encourage you to think about it, speak it and believe in it, because it is the not so secret source of strength to every challenge you will ever encounter. At the very mention of His name: Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…

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Three Reasons For Gratitude!

”Upon awakening, let the words Thank You flow from your lips, for this will remind you to begin your day with gratitude and compassion.” – Wayne Dyer

The first thing I do in the morning, between the time I wake up and before my feet hit the floor, is to sit up on the edge of my bed and say: “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!” It is my expression of Gratitude to my God and Creator, the One Who sustains me. It is my way of showing true appreciation for the gift of Jesus, forgiveness and everlasting relationship. It is my acknowledgement that I cannot do this thing called life alone and I am open and very glad for the help of the Spirit, who walks with me through and in between the moments of life.

I am saying thank you for a good night of restful and rejuvinating sleep, thank you for allowing me to wake up and face a fresh new day, thank you for the adventure and learning that is getting ready to unfold before me. I am intentionally beginning my day with gratitude, because I am truly grateful and I believe that gratitude realigns my life with all that really matters.

When I begin my day in this way, I find that gratitude walks with me all throughout the day. It is never far away from me and it helps me to see the unseen, hear the mysterious and experience the magic that so many times we tend to miss in the hustle of life. Below are a three reasons why I think gratitude is so important and worth the effort:

1. Gratitude Rewires Your Brain! There is actually since behind an attitude of gratitude and the difference it makes in your brain. To put it simply: Gratitude helps you to focus on what really matters and empowers the right things in your life and thinking. In a world where we are continually bombarded with negativity, it is both necessary and a blessing to be able to take on and take out the negative with the positive.

2. Gratitude Realigns Your Spirit! When I am grateful, I cannot help but focus on my blessings and more importantly the source of my blessings. The SOURCE is our power, our purpose, our everything. Gratitude helps to remind me that I am a spiritual being (a soul) getting to live a human experience and that almost everything I experience in this life time is teaching me to be true to who and what I really am.

3. Gratitude Rewards Your Life! The temptation of this life experience is to focus on what we don’t have, which often causes us to not appreciate what we do have. When we practice gratitude, we focus on the reality that we are loved and created to love and when we get love right, then the blessings really begin to flow to and through our life.

I encourage you to practice gratitude. Think about starting your day with it, you will be glad you did…

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Trouble Free Heart!

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.”     John 14:1

When Jesus speaks these words, he is not offering a suggestion to be accepted, he is giving a command to be obeyed, a principle to be followed.  It is not optional, it is the very foundation to our getting the spiritual life right for His glory.  Jesus was giving this information to his disciples right before he was to be crucified.  Life as they knew it was about to encounter the biggest change and most crazy challenge that they had ever faced.  They were about to have to live in a world without Jesus in the flesh.  Jesus was preparing them, by telling them that no matter what – “Do not let your hearts be troubled!”

Have you ever noticed that most believers and non believers respond in just about the same way to the challenges of life.  This should not be.  Believers should respond with faith over fear, with expectation over desperation and with hope over hopelessness.  Most all of us, tend to respond to the challenges of life with our emotions.  The problem with this, is that if we don’t control our emotions, then our emotions will control us.

The problem with emotions is that they tend to want to run and will run away from your control before you know it.  When Jesus says:  “Let not your hearts be troubled!”, he is teaching us to reign in our emotions before they get out of control.  You can rule your emotions, or they will rule you.  Every person has to decide for themselves – how they are going to handle the tough battle with emotions.

If you decide that you want to deal with your emotions, then you have to learn how not to indulge the negative.  Life is full of negatives.  We are surrounded and bombarded by them from all forms of media.  Indulging the negative is making an on purpose decision to live life in fear, not in faith.  If Jesus commands us to do something, then it is possible and what seems impossible, always becomes possible through the power of faith expressed in our everyday living.

Life is going to throw some challenges your ways this week, I want to encourage you to follow the instruction of Jesus and “LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED!  I promise you will be glad you did!  😉