Are You AWARE? If You Are Like Most People, You May Think That You Are. Though You May Be In The Regular

Are you AWARE? If you are like most people, you may think that you are. Though you may be in the regular habit of reading news on-line, watch what is happening on TV – daily read a newspaper and generally are up on what is happening in the world, the country and your community you certainly are well INFORMED, but according to the words of Jesus you are not AWARE.

The definition of 'Aware' is to warn, admonish, heed, (or) watch out. If that is the case, then watch out and warn about what?? Today’s scripture is a warning about the blindness that many have, namely that without being healed from sin and the curse of death, they will be lost in an eternity caused by their blinders of choice.

The Bible says that “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17) but in order for Faith to take root, you must take off your blinders, open your ears, sharpen the mind, and be receptive in the heart.

Are you 'AWARE?' If not, turn back from your regular habits! Look instead at the Word of God and SEE what is real and good and pure that God is promising you in His assurance of eternal life and starting seeing what really is important.

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

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The great hockey player Wayne Gretsky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” and in a related thought later also said in essence, “I don’t go to where the puck IS. I go to where IT IS GOING TO BE.” In both of these, there is a strong exercise of faith in both visualizing and believing that he will succeed when he puts both of these strategies into action. This same principle is also true in our spiritual walk.

God has given us many promises in the Bible and if you apply Gretsky’s thinking and don’t take the initiative to seize those promises, they will not just simply come to you. Applying your faith and believing is the spiritual equivalent to 'skating to where the promise is and will be.' Once you do, then and only then will you be able to receive those promises.

Professional athletes are disciplined to work out, go to practice each day, learn their plays, and study the strategies of their opposition. We likewise have to exercise the same disciplines in our life by daily getting into the practice of reading God’s Word, understand His 'playbook' and apply His wisdom and know the pitfalls and dangers of the opposition we all face in life. However there is one last vitally important element that must be present and that is that you have to BELIEVE you are going to win and receive that in your heart!

God has so much to give us, and we can and will receive it, but we have to do our part because –

“Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him: for He that comes to God MUST BELIEVE that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that Diligently Seek Him.” - Hebrews 11:6

BELIEVE and you will RECEIVE!

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

Fred Rogers of the iconic 'Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood' is an American treasure of wholesomeness and goodness. As a child, if you are old enough to remember, you couldn’t wait to tune in to his TV show! While always delightful to watch, you unknowingly and innocently would learn strong character values and good manners by his example that would stick with you for the rest of your life.

His influence caused me later in life to develop two Christian character and etiquette books that I taught to children and teens, and like 'Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, 'the joy of seeing the light bulb go on in kid’s eyes when they discovered something wonderful about God and Jesus gave me a joy beyond measure, all because of his example.

On one of his programs, with the kindness and poise he always displayed, he softly said to the audience...

“I’d like you to close your eyes for ten seconds and think of ten people who have greatly influenced your life. I’m going to watch my clock.”

As he did, the camera panned across the audience. All eyes were closed, and some had tears streaming down their faces. Everyone was deeply touched by this precious man’s calm, kind and centered demeanor. His soft, yet purposefully intended suggestion caused them to pause and reflect upon their lives, and how deeply those in their pasts had touched them.

Likewise, pause right now from your busy day and close your eyes and ponder — Who has greatly influenced YOUR life? Who has made a real, even profound difference and guided you to become who you are today? Make a list of each one that has because just like today’s scripture, these people have given you instruction that has made you wiser. Thank God for them, because you are who you are today because of those that have come before you.

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

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As today’s scripture verse states, at the crucifixion of Christ there were two men with him. The one on his LEFT mocked Christ saying in essence, 'If you are who you say you are, save yourself!' but the one on his RIGHT retorted that 'We criminals are deserving of this punishment, but this man is not.' Then the man on the RIGHT said, 'Lord remember me in your kingdom,' and with that simple confession of faith, Jesus told him that he would be with him after death.

Like those two thieves on the cross, we all have robbed from God and are 'malefactors' of sin worthy of death and deserving of punishment. However, the Bible says that “Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.” [ Psalm 68:20 ] and He provides that through faith in Christ to deliver.

The man on the right made that confession, but the man on the left cursed him that would provide his way of escape. All of us are on one side of the cross or the other.

Which side of the cross are you on?

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

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There is nothing like a fresh, sunshiny bouquet of flowers and likewise, a newborn baby is fresh and vibrant too, but be they babies or bouquets as time goes on they both shall wither and die. Then the question is: WHAT’s NEXT?

Job framed this eloquently in today’s scripture verse in that while the middle of the three stages of life may also be a flowering field in the sunshine, it can also be “Full Of Trouble” as well — as anyone that has been alive can attest! However when the flower of our field through life ends and the only flower left are the ones on our grave, the question then is indeed “What’s Next?”

The GOOD NEWS (literally 'Gospel') is that Jesus has conquered death and the grave and HE ALONE has the keys that can eternally free you from “Death and Hell” (Revelation 1:18) but in order to be unlocked from these two things “You must be Born Again” (John 3:7) and the way you do that is by agreeing with God that Christ is your only hope.

Friend, for you, the “What’s Next?” does not have to be Eternal DEATH, but Eternal LIFE. But how do you get there? Simple.

Agree with God that you are a sinner and ask Him to Save you from death and the grave and He will, then commit yourself to make Him #1 in your life, and not yourself.

Remember! That middle square called 'LIFE' will one day end, and only YOU have the power to walk through an unlocked door to the goodness of God’s blessing of eternity waiting for you. Do You believe this? And if so, will you do that today?

God Bless Your Day Jesus Loves You

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