Extras

There are no extras in life.

In the background of our favorite movies, actors called "extras" fill in all the gaps to make scenes look realistic: a crowd at a baseball game, diners in a restaurant, people walking on a busy sidewalk.

Everyday, in our real lives we see people in the background too.  I was at a concert recently (shout out to Casting Crowns) and I looked around at the crowd.  There were about 3,000 people there and suddenly I realized that God knows every single one of them.  He knows each name, each life and every thought of each of those people. 

The entire Bible teaches us that God loves every single person.  He loves us all unconditionally and equally.

No one is "extra" to God.

No one has a "bit part".  Your waitress, your neighbor, the guy behind you in traffic, your coworkers, your classmates and the girl standing in your way at the grocery store are not "extras" in your life.  Each one of them is someone that God loves, someone that Jesus died to save.  Just like you.  Each one is made in the image of God and is just as important to God as you are.  And never forget that you are never "extra" either.

This is an amazing truth that should affect your life. God tells us to love our neighbors (Mark 12:31), our enemies (Matthew 5:44), other Christians (John 13:34-35) and-oh yeah-EVERYONE:

1 Thessalonians 3:12a "And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow,"     

"For God so loved"...who? Smart people? Attractive people? Friendly people? Interesting people? Important people? No.  

"For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NLT (emphasis mine)

Stop condemning, comparing and coveting. Don't get down on yourself or up on yourself. These are all sins that I struggle with and they are not good for me.  They don't add anything to my life. They steal a lot of peace and joy, in fact. 

Remind yourself of who you are and who everyone else is and you won't regret it.  You are LOVED by God and so is everyone else. 

God has given you invincible love, grace and joy, so overflow!  Spread the love!!!

In God's Universe, There Are No Extras. 

White Coat Hypertension

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I thought I'd share a technique I've been using to try to make myself less nervous. I try to think of the doctor and nurses (and all of the other people whose titles include various combinations of the words assistant, tech, clerk, student and practitioner) as stylists, masseurs and general well-being pamperers.

  I imagine those montages that occur in chick flicks right before the leading lady goes to the big party.  You know what I'm talking about.  When she gets her hair done and her friends shower her with outfit options.

  If you're getting a colonoscopy (which thankfully I am not) maybe you can imagine your doctor is one of those masseurs who rubs you with hot stones or beats you with birch branches.  :)  
    My point is that, whatever the appointment is for, you pay medical professionals to contribute to your well-being. Even though they are experts, they work for you.  And no matter what unpleasant treatments and tests they convince you to undergo, ultimately they are caring for you and trying to help you.

I know this little mind trick is not a Biblical truth but here's a Biblical truth: When you're anxious or afraid, it should help to know...

1. How God feels about you - "Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?  ...for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us." Romans 8:32, 33b-34 
2. That you and your loving Savior are literally inseparable -  "No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39
3. In spite of circumstances, Together You can say no to fear - "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?"Psalm 27:1

Children of God

This is my FAVORITE music video.  I cried the first time I saw this.  It gives me shivers...






John 1:12 "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. ¹³ They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.¹⁴ So the Word [Jesus] became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness..."  NLT

Galatians 4:4 "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. ⁵ God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. ⁶ And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, 'Abba, Father.'" NLT

"Slaves to the law" means we were trying to earn our way to Heaven- an IMPOSSIBLE task.  But God sent JESUS CHRIST to rescue us by dying in our place and earning Heaven for us.  Now when we believe and accept Jesus we are ADOPTED- we are Children of God and we call our Heavenly Father, "Daddy".

It's beautiful, isn't it? Anyone can be adopted into the family of God.  No matter who we are.  WE ALL CAN BE ADOPTED!!!  And then we're all family :D


 

MeTV

What if I was the star of my own reality show? Life With Emma. What would the SUPER EXCITING Grand Premiere episode be like?
 
Interior- Dimly Lit
Woman puts dinner plate into dishwasher.  Walks to couch. Watches eight hour Mentalist marathon...
 
Okay- that sounds like a really boring reality show!  What about my job?  Dealing with all those shoppers, my day has to be broadcast worthy.
 
Grocery Store- Harsh Fluorescent Lighting
Woman waves cereal box over scanner. Beep. Coffee. Beep. Cheese. Beep. Small talk... 
 
Nope, my life would not make an entertaining reality show.  Big Surprise! :) But sometimes I'm so self-conscious I act like I'm live on national television.  How should I act?  How do I look?  What should I say? What will people think?
 
As ALWAYS, God has the perfect answers: 
 
Philippians 2:3 NLT "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves."   - Should I be self-conscious? NO.

Why Not?:
Psalm 118:6 NLT "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" - Because compared to God's opinion, what other people think of me is SO not important!

And...
2 Timothy 1:7 NLT "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
Philippians 4:13 NKJV "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 
- No matter what, God has my back.

When I mess up:
Romans 8:1 NLT  "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." - I have forgiveness through Jesus!!! :)
 
DON'T: Compare myself to other people -
2 Corinthians 10:12b NLT "But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!"
 
DO: Use God's Word to guide my actions -
2 Timothy 3:15-17 NLT "You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work."
 
So it looks like Life With Emma has a target audience of One.  And that One loves me unconditionally and forgives me completely.  Praise God!!! 

How Boring Would You're Reality Show Be?  Leave me a comment and make me laugh! :)

It's Not Over 'Til It's Over

A man on death row. 72 hours to live. The Innocence Project. The race for evidence, witness statements, lab tests...Anything to get a stay of execution. It's a classic crime show plot based on a very serious, real life situation. Ultimately, someone wants to fight the death sentence to the bitter end and someone wants to accept the "inevitable".
 
The "inevitable"? If the "inevitable" is only three days away, why wouldn't you do anything and everything in your power to save the accused?!!! How could the stress or potential disappointments of the emergency investigation possibly be worse than the aftermath of the execution? In my opinion, IT'S NOT OVER 'TIL IT'S OVER!
 
This is how God feels about people. It's not over 'til it's over. Listen to this:

 

"One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, 'So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!'

But the other criminal protested, 'Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?  We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.'  Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.'

 And Jesus replied, 'I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.'" 

Luke 23:39-43 NLT

 

This criminal was being crucified next to Jesus.  This man was dying with only hours left to live.  AND HE WAS GUILTY!!! But when this dying criminal asked, Jesus instantly guaranteed him heaven. 

 



This is how God feels about everyone. We are all guilty of disobeying God (Romans 3:23). But God's forgiveness is free to anyone who asks for it, any time.  You can ask on your fourth birthday or the second before you die. No matter who you are or how bad you are. 

“he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

Death is inevitable. But it's not over 'til it's over.
(So stop making jokes about Hell because it's real, it's coming and you don't have to go there. It's a terrifying reality and it's NOT inevitable!!!)

Love Note

Here's a clip that reminded me of my Savior's love.

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 NLT

“And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:8 NIV

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18 NKJV

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 NLT

The One Who Lives And Sees Me.

Hey, guys!  I just wanted to drop you a little line to share my favorite event from the Old Testament.  This is so encouraging and I hope you love it too.

This is the background:

 God promised to give Abraham and Sarah a son.  A son who would become important and turn their family into a huge and important nation.  The nation that the Messiah (the Savior of Humanity, The Way to Heaven) would be someday born into.  But Sarah got impatient and decided God needed her help with this whole son thing.  So she and Abraham decided that Abraham should have a son with the maid, Hagar.  Hagar got pregnant and uppity and started being mean to her boss Sarah.  So Sarah whined to Abraham and Abraham basically said "do what you want, she's your maid".  So Sarah was harsh to Hagar.  So Hagar, the maid, ran away...

Genesis 16: 7-14

"The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.  The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.   This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”  

Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”  So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered."

 

God sees you.  He lives and He sees you. You are important to Him.  No matter what anyone else says, sees, hears or thinks.  God SEES you.  He HEARS you and He CARES about you. 

Hagar was unimportant.  A maid.  A mistake.  The other woman.  She wasn't part of God's plan to bring the Messiah.  But Hagar was important to God.  He heard her, He saw her and He cared.

 

1 Peter 5:6-11

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.  In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  All power to him forever! Amen."



When You Become the Fist of Goodness...

 

I love this series of DIRECTV commercials!!!  Sooo Funny! But they remind me of something (as usual). 

I was thinking the other day about a bad habit I have.  And then another day about a new bad habit that was cropping up and I remembered these commercials. The series of events on this commercial is like temptation in my life.  I let myself get away with one little sin and it causes another that causes another and then I realize I have this sinful habit!  Woops!

Here's a non-me example so that I don't have to embarrass myself:

 

When you daydream about becoming famous and important, your real life seems hard and boring...

 

When your real life seems hard and boring, you get cranky...

 

When you get cranky, you yell at your boss, have a fight with your friends and break things...

 

When you yell at your boss, have a fight with your friends and break things; you end up jobless, homeless and in debt...

Don't end up jobless, homeless and in debt!

 

Here's another one:

 

When you think a lot about how you look, you want to be good-looking...

 

When you want to be good-looking, you get jealous...

 

When you get jealous, you feel sad and angry...

 

When you feel sad and angry, you make fun of someone...

 

When you make fun of someone, someone cries...

 

When someone cries, you get punched in the nose...

Don't get punched in the nose!

 

My point is that sin snowballs.  It grows and builds on itself.  And it ends up with us acting like jerks and getting bad consequences.  So we have to try to cut it out when it's just a dumb, little thought.  Because that dumb little thought is actually a sin.

 

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."  

1 Corinthians 10:13

 

By the way, I don't have anything against becoming "The Fist of Goodness".  But only in a strictly law enforcement, super hero, defending the innocent sort of setting. Because, you know, " 'Vengeance is Mine' says the Lord".

 

Be Encouraging!

As this musician struggles with her recorder, her classmates imitate

Jesus by clapping along to encourage her- WAY TO BE GODLY CLASS!!! Jesus wants us all to be ENCOURAGING!

1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

"Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.

Encourage those who are timid.

Take tender care of those who are weak.

Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil,

but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 
Always be joyful.  

Never stop praying.

Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

 

 

Represent

Well, it's official.  Football season is over...  So here are some funny fan pics to help ease the pain:

        

I get a kick out of looking at their crazy getups but I have to give it to the superfans- they love their team!  They're loyal and they show their passion.  They're not afraid that someone will make fun of them or of hurting the others teams feelings.  They want their team to win and they want everyone to KNOW IT!!!

 

Christians should learn something from these football fanatics.  We have a passion that is way more important than a football team and we need to show it.  The Bible says that with Jesus as your Savior you will spend eternity in Heaven and without Him you'll spend eternity in Hell.  Everyone has to pick a side- Jesus' or not. 

 

With Jesus you will have peace, satisfaction and belonging.  He doesn't ask you to do anything, He just wants your trust.  He's the Ultimate Friend who offers love, hope, forgiveness and protection.  I don't know about you but I'm on HIS TEAM!!!

 

Christians need to be a little more like those crazy football fans and show our love!  Who cares if people make fun, Jesus is Awesome whether they like it or not!  The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.  That hurts people's feelings but it's the truth and they need to hear it if they are ever going to trust Him to get them there.   

 

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes," Romans 1:16a NLT

 

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.   No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."  

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT

 

So get out there and REPRESENT!

 

 

 

The Avengers: Puny God

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Hulk. These are the Avengers. And this is their first mission together. The mission: Save The World, of course! Loki, a powerful alien, is threatening to overthrow Earth and enslave humanity. Loki likes to go on and on about his own magnificence. He thinks that he's God and that everyone and everything is less than him.  But then Hulk teaches him a lesson:

 

 

This makes me think about all of the "puny gods" out there.  The kind of "gods" that ask for worship but don't guarantee Heaven.  Gods that don't believe in an afterlife.  Gods that care more about what you wear than about your welfare.  Gods that encourage injustice, gods that perpetuate abuse, gods that cannot satisfy or comfort, gods that cannot help, cannot save...mostly because they are imaginary.  But whoever imagined them wasn't even creative enough to make them loving or invincible.  And then there is the puniest of all "gods"- the "I don't need a god".  The very experience of life and the very thought of death should make a person realize they need a God.  

 

Don't ever let anyone fool you into thinking anything "puny" about Yahweh- the One True God!  His name is "I AM".  As in: no one made Him, no one controls Him, He doesn't need anyone or anything and NOTHING can EVER get the better of Him.  Nothing happens without His permission and He will never cease to be exactly what He has always been.  His power, justice, wisdom and love are infinite.

 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Revelation 1:8 NLT

 

"Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength."

Isaiah 26:4 NKJV

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him." Psalm 24:1 NLT

"Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty;
the Lord, invincible in battle." Psalm 24:8 NLT
 

 "The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
    His mercies never cease." Lamentations 3:22 NLT
 

I don't know about you but I will only trust and serve a God who ALWAYS WINS.  The true God cannot be injured, thwarted or wrong.  Why would I want a God who is imperfect?  That's preposterous!  Puny!



Go On - A Family of Misfits

 

NBC's freshman sitcom Go On is both deep and deeply funny!  Ryan King (Matthew Perry) is a sports radio personality who joins a support group after the death of his wife.  The strange members of the group are all very different but the one thing they do have in common is that they each need help.  They commit themselves to sticking together and the results are both hysterical and heartwarming.  They throw birthday parties, cat-sit and dress up in ridiculous Halloween costumes just to support each other.  They even show up at Ryan's house in the middle of the night when they know he's lonely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        When I watch Go On's group of misfits, I cannot help but think of my own experiences with other Christians.   Have you ever been around a group of Christians?  We are a weird, mismatched bunch!             

             

             

 

 

 

 Think about it...the central message of the Bible is that ANYONE and EVERYONE can accept the salvation that God offers through Jesus.  So Christians are people of different ages, appearances and pay grades.  People with different kinds of lifestyles, different family situations and work histories and many with extraordinary life experiences and sometimes criminal backgrounds.  We're all different but the One Thing we do have in common is that we know we need help: our Savior Jesus.  So take all of these strange characters and then put them into an environment where everyone is supposed to be accepting and loving.  It's amazing and strange and I love it! 

 

 

 

God tells us over and over in the Bible that Christians are a family.  Brothers and sisters!  He commands us to commit ourselves to sticking together no matter what.  So we should be more like the goofy friends of Go On and be so supportive that it's ridiculous! 

 

John 13:34-35

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." 

 

Quick Quote

"And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth."  Deuteronomy 4:19 NLT

"Look now; I myself am He!

There is no other god but Me!

I am the one who kills and gives life;

I am the one who wounds and heals;

no one can be rescued from My powerful hand!" Deuteronomy 32:39

"You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about His relationship with you." Exodus 34:14

 

-Captain America from The Avengers

Music Video - Headphones by Britt Nicole

 

I love this song.  Britt Nicole is a ray of sunshine.  I always think of the Bible as my "headphones".  When I'm feeling sad, scared, insecure, discontent, cranky or whatever; I can always go to the Bible and read about HOW MUCH God LOVES me!  No matter what the rest of the world says or what I say to myself, God says "I LOVE YOU!!!".  Just like headphones, I can use God's wonderful words to block out all the bad stuff and just hear His sweet, comforting love.    

God created me and He has loved me every second of my existence.  And He feels the same way about you.  He gives us His attention, His hope, help, wisdom and love.  And the Bible explains it all.

  Most importantly He has given us the promise of Heaven and forgiveness through His own Son, Jesus.  He wholeheartedly offers us His love and all we have to do is say yes!

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NLT

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39 NLT

Let the Bible be your "Headphones" and LOVE will ALWAYS come through!

"I will be glad and rejoice in Your unfailing love,
for You have seen my troubles,
and You care about the anguish of my soul."
Psalm 31:7 NLT

     Anytime you feel alone put on your headphones.

Vengeance is Mayan?

 
Well, we made it.  It's December 22, 2012.

Jesus is right again when He said:
"Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.  And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!"   Mark 13:31-33

VENGEANCE IS NOT MAYAN!
God the Father decides when the world ends and He wants us to be ready! :

"We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.  For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood."
Romans 3:22-25a

If you haven't trusted Jesus as your Savior- YOU NEED HIM and HE WANTS YOU!  He loves you.  Don't waste any more time because the world will end someday- your world will definitely end someday- and you NEED to be ready.  You can be totally ready, you can be safe and assured! 

When Jesus is your Savior, it doesn't matter how many crackpot archaeologists, wild-eyed preachers, Nostradamus believers or numerologists proclaim the end of the world because you know the Truth and the Truth has your back.

" For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  Hebrews 10:30-31

A Three Decker Sauerkraut and Toadstool Sandwich With Arsenic Sauce

The Grinch!  He's the Christmas villain, the infamous meanie from Dr. Suess' How The Grinch Stole Christmas.  His heart is two sizes too small.  He is full of hate.  He hates Christmas and his happy neighbors in Whoville.

There is an entire song dedicated to his ickiness.  Among other things, the Grinch is a monster, a rotter, vile, foul and nasty.  His heart's an empty hole and his soul is full of gunk.  He's the king of sinful sots!

Look at this "grinch song" from the Bible:
“As the scriptures say, No one is righteous—  not even one.  No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.  All have turned away; all have become useless.  No one does good, not a single one.  Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.  Their tongues are filled with lies.  Snake venom drips from their lips.  Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.  They rush to commit murder.  Destruction and misery always follow them.  They don’t know where to find peace.  They have no fear of God at all." 
Romans 3:10-18
That's talking about us- everyone.  We're all Grinches!  In other words: your soul is an appalling dump heap, overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable!
"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3:23
God's punishment for sin is Hell but He loves all of us Grinches.
 ^"Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.  For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood..."  Romans 3:24-25
And just like the Grinch's heart grew three sizes; our dirty, sinful hearts are washed clean when we accept God's forgiveness through Jesus.  And even though we still sometimes act like nasty,wasty skunks; God no longer holds it against us.  We know we'll be with Him someday in Heaven and we can truly have a merry Christmas.

Quick Quote

"This 'normal' Baby wrote book -you should read." -Fausta, from Go On on NBC.
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son." John 3:16-18

Love Triangle

 

Aah, the love triangle. It's a classic.  Sure to add a little zest to any story. All the pining, angst-filled dialogue and unrequited gazes  can make for a compelling break from the action of your favorite story. 

How can our favorite characters possibly choose who they truly love?  Jack or Sawyer?  Nathan or Duke?  Addison or Meredith?  Abby or Ziva (okay that one's a decision for us viewers...)  Team Edward or Team Jacob?  Mr. Wickham or Mr. Darcy?  Roy or Jim?  Lana or Chloe...or Lois?  And don't get me started on choosing between Adam, Hoss and Little Joe.

Often, our gorgeous and complicated leading lady has to decide whether she wants the good man or the bad boy.  Personally, I have no clue why she needs to agonize over whether she wants the affectionate firefighter or the adulterous criminal.  It just seems like a no-brainer! 

When I think about it, I realize that the Bible is about an epic love triangle.  It's about us deciding who we love most: Jesus Christ or anything else.  Jesus is the good man: the loving, self-sacrificing, attentive, affectionate hero.  And anything that we would choose over Him is the bad boy.  The bad boy might be pride telling us that we don't need God's forgiveness through Jesus or guilt telling us that we're too bad for Jesus to forgive.  The bad boy might be our own selfishness telling us to not even consider Jesus because Jesus wouldn't approve of our favorite activity.

Just like a real life bad boy, the things that keep people from Jesus can be very attractive, charming and fun.  And just like a bad boy, they don't love or respect you.  They'll string you along and then break your heart.  Anything that stops you from accepting Jesus as your Savior is really trying to send you to Hell.  When you look at it the way God does, it's really a no-brainer!  

Even after you accept Jesus, you'll still have feelings for that bad boy.  You'll catch yourself flirting with that stuff that Jesus tells you not to do, the stuff that's bad for you.  The instant you accept Jesus, He is totally committed to you and will never, ever, ever leave you no matter what you do.  But that bad boy can keep you from enjoying your relationship with Jesus.  So send the bad boy packing because the love triangle isn't worth it.  

"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.  For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.  These are not from the Father, but are from this world."
1 John 2:15-16

"Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.  Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy."  Ephesians 4:21-24

   

The Hunger Games

       What an exciting and poignant story!  The Hunger Games presents a country where twelve districts are under the choking control of the Capitol.  Seventy-four years after their failed rebellion, the districts are still being punished by the Capitol.           
        Every year, each district selects one girl and one boy from the ages of twelve to eighteen to be offered as a tribute participant in the Hunger Games.  Selected by lottery, the young participants are taken to the Capitol where they are primped, polished, trained and then forced into a large arena of wilderness where they must fight, hide and die until only one remains.  The survivor is labeled the winner and receives wealth and fame.  The entire spectacle is televised for the entertainment of the people of the capitol and the manipulation of the people of the districts.       

        Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is from District Twelve, a district used for mining and trapped in their poverty by the Capitol.  When Katniss' little sister is chosen as tribute at the annual "reaping", Katniss volunteers to participate in the games in her place.
               I'm sure there are many impressive spiritual metaphors I could find in a story as emotional and engaging as The Hunger Games.  But the feeling I get from it is simple and intense.  People in the real world are suffering under oppressive governments, unfair circumstances, scarcity, poverty and loss.  Some of us have rich and luxurious lives.  We should be doing something to help the suffering.  There are many people who have need and we have excess.  We're a match made in Heaven.                                             
Isaiah 1:17
"Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows"

 
                Like the fictional citizens of the Capitol, some of us have wonderful things and an easy life.  The characters spend theirs being self-serving, cruel, shallow and cowardly.  We should spend ours being champions for the hurting.  Money, time, prayer, encouragement, advocacy.  It's simple:  The suffering are real and important.  They need help and we can help. 

2 Corinthians 9:7 "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 'For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.' " NLT

More importantly, we represent Jesus and we can share the good news of His love and salvation.  That good news is what everyone needs most! 

"In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:16 NLT 

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes" Romans 1:16a NLT