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.