Encouragement

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DAILY/EVENING REFLECTIONS
John 3

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.--NIV

I don’t know why, but I was shocked the day someone asked “Why did Christ have to die?”, but the more I reflected on it, the more I could understand the point of view of the question. As the person pointed out, couldn’t he had lived to a ripe old age, continuing his teachings and be just as effective?

Well, the question made me think, so I researched the musing and writings of those who know a bit more on the subject. In the end, what I received was sound and made logical sense.

1) Let’s say Christ lived to be a hundred and died. Well, what was to distinguish His ministry from that of any of the other “great prophets?” Despite all His miracles, people could say, “Yeah, but he just seemed to be like any other guy; he even died like ordinary men.” In the history of the creation, no one has made the claims of Christ alongside verifiable and recorded miracles, and no man has died in the manner of Christ with the express purpose of saving the world.

2) The spectacular nature of His death and resurrection displayed not only His divine origins, and the motivation behind his life ministry, but the message that human resurrection was entirely possible. God showed and proved He was true, not only through words, but action, before His death, and miraculously, after. Now, a non-believer could say “No one has ever proven the fact that Jesus rose on the third day” but to that I say, historians know that Christ did indeed exist, and to this date, although doubtful, have not disproved the claim of His resurrection. Denial is merely based on speculation with no verifiable fact behind it.

3) As the bible states, Christ was a sacrifice that made it possible for man to reconcile with a God that was perfect and could not tolerate the presence of sin in any form. The Old Testament attests to God’s intolerance for sin and the often times harsh penalties for it. Finite minds may not comprehend the requirements of an omnipotent being, but that is just the nature of our particular existence. God is the head of all and requires what He requires. But He also loved us, and did what He felt was necessary to bring man closer to Him.

4) The scriptures as well as Christ foretold that He would die and in what manner. He had to die in a way that he could not orchestrate Himself, so no one could say, “Well, sure he died like the prophets said, because he made sure of it.” The steps and events that lead to His death could not be planned in any way shape or form by Him. For example, the Scriptures say before Christ is born that he would be hung on the tree (cross) but even though Christ was stirring up conflict, He could have died any numbers of ways. Heck, the Pharisee could have jumped Him in the streets and killed him. But the events took place to the letter of the prophecy regarding Christ.

Therefore, the fulfillment of prophecy in regards to his death is yet another testament to His divinity, solidifying His message. In other words, His death was another way to prove He was who He said he was.

These four reasons alone are great enough, but the fifth is the most famous and perhaps the greatest of all:

5) 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.-John 3:16 NIV--ARN under the instruction of THS.

EVENING REFLECTIONS-FAMILY

The importance of family can never be stressed enough, and in a progressively high tech, more individualist world, such bonds can be taken for granted. As someone who has lost a parent fairly recently, I have to say that we should grab a hold of our loved ones and tell them how dear they are to us. It is my fervent prayer that you are able to freely give and receive love within your family, and if for some reason you cannot, then to do so in the “family” you have created for yourself. Much love to all!

Gail Lumet Buckley
Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.

Martin Mull
Having a family is like having a bowling alley installed in your brain.

Don Marquis
I would rather start a family than finish one.

George Santayana
The family is one of nature's masterpieces.

Unknown
None but a mule denies his family.

Robert Frost
The greatest thing in family life is to take a hint when a hint is intended - and not to take a hint when a hint isn't intended.

Richard Bach
The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life.

Chinese proverb
To understand your parents' love, you must raise children yourself.

Ogden Nash
A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.

Ring Lardner
The family you come from isn't as important as the family you're going to have.

Ed Howe
Families with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other.

George Bernard Shaw
If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.

FUNNY BONE YARD
God granting miracles

A religious man is on top of a roof during a great flood. A man comes by in a boat and says "get in, get in!" The religous man replies, " no I have faith in God, he will grant me a miracle."

Later the water is up to his waist and another boat comes by and the guy tells him to get in again. He responds that he has faith in god and god will give him a miracle. With the water at about chest high, another boat comes to rescue him, but he turns down the offer again cause "God will grant him a miracle."

With the water at chin high, a helicopter throws down a ladder and they tell him to get in, mumbling with the water in his mouth, he again turns down the request for help for the faith of God. He arrives at the gates of heaven with broken faith and says to Peter, I thought God would grand me a miracle and I have been let down." St. Peter chuckles and responds, "I don't know what you're complaining about, we sent you three boats and a helicopter."


"Some people live and learn, others just live"

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