Man You Were Dead!

Can you imagine the readers of the Apostle Paul's letter, being read when it first arrived in Ephesus?  I can imagine the cocked heads or looks of relief.  He wrote they were once spiritually dead.  How could that be? Some of them might have been Doctors keeping people alive or even Jewish; Children of God!

By the time the reader completed reading to the group, there might have been tears of joy.  Some men may have shouted "Amen" or Praise the Lord!"  They had once again heard the gospel from the quill of Paul.   They might have been experiencing persecution, false teaching, even temptation to return to religion. When they heard the phrase "Having done all, to stand..." they may have broken out in singing about "Victory IN JESUS."

Paul wrote: " And you He made alive, who were dead in sins..." and later... "even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit in the heavenly places.. In Christ"

Remember when he wrote this?  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any should boast."
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Don't forget when ol' Lazarus died.  Jesus said to Martha; "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.  Do you believe this."

Well do you believe?   We would hopefully answer like some of those at the Columbine school shooting did: "Yes I believe."  How then shall I live?  We hear later about some of those at Columbine had died to this world long before that day.  How's that?

"Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord". -Romans chapter 6:11.

Response time;

Would you pray or begin to talk to God this very minute.

Stagnant

Most of us have seen water that has never flowed or has stopped flowing turn green.  We have to occasionally drain and clean out a water fountain when it hasn't been used for a while, as the bottom tends to get slimy.

That's not a good picture of a body of water.  You and I don't look so inviting, when it describes our lifestyle. 

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Stagnant:  Characterized by a lack of development, or useful activity; as in water/ economy.
Stagnate:   To stop developing or advancing or usefully active.

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What if we drained and cleaned ourselves and filled ourselves up with a flow of say; "Living water", that continually ran and overflowed to others.  We could accompany that with; Gods Word, a good book, informative videos, making informative videos, getting out more and smiling at people, even sparking up a conversation.  Attend Church, stay in prayer and renewing that relationship with God and man.
 Text, post and tweet encouragements!  

Let's be the warm running living current of God's healing water.

Moses, Give up!

Moses, give up. Can't you see?
Pharaoh will never set you free.
Give up? No, I've seen the burning bush.

Moses, give up.  The seas to large. You'll never get around.
Quiet, and follow me we're going through on dry ground!
Don't lose heart. 

God will tear this sea apart.

Moses, give up.  You could have had pleasure.
You could've taken part in Pharaoh's treasure.
This calling of yours is impossible.
Give up? No! I've seen Him who is invisible.

Has God given you, something good to do?
Never give up! Stand on The Word, that is true.

What Jesus wanted for Christmas

Another blog of lists?!  Sorry.

What Did Jesus Want for Christmas?

1. You to become a follower.
2. Our Worship.
3. Your Trust.
4. Your Life.
5. Your Love
6. Us to love others.
7. your "Dirty Laundry".
8. Our Broken hearts.
9. Us to tell others the good news about Him
10. A relationship with You!

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children. Galatians 4:4,5.

                                                                    MERRY CHRISTMAS!