Jesus Builds a Bridge
Jesus Builds a Bridge
The crux of our faith is so simple:... 5that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us-Jesus, 6who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.
That is the best news that we, as sinners, could ever hear.
We simply cannot get rid of the burden of sin on our own. The result of sin was that we couldn't get to God. Because of sin, we actually try and get away from God.
Yes, sin caused a valley so wide and deep to open up between us and God that we would never have reached God. There is absolutely nothing that mankind could ever do to reach God. When we sin, whether it's a little white lie or fraud, whether it's stealing or murder, or simply not doing what God wants us to do - it only makes the valley deeper and wider. No good deed or even ten or a thousand could fill the valley between us and God.
Understand this: Man cannot do anything to right what he did wrong. There is no eraser for sin, nothing that man can use to get rid of sin. A horrible story with a horrible end.
But thank God that He overflows with love for his creatures. He cannot keep himself from saving mankind. Thank God for sending his Son to build the bridge for mankind so that we have a chance to escape eternal death.
There's this drawing of man standing on one side of the deep valley. There is no way that man can get to the side where God is. In the next box is a drawing of Jesus' cross forming the bridge over the valley. In the third drawing man walks across Jesus' cross to get to God's side.
The message of salvation is simple. But we can never take the price that was paid for it lightly. God's Son not only had to humble himself by coming to earth, He also had to allow people to kill Him.
Jesus was the only solution for the difficult situation in which mankind found itself. You see, only someone with no sin could qualify for this task and only Jesus is without sin. I wonder what Jesus was thinking when He and God decided that He would have to give his life for a bunch of sinners. Fortunately, God and Jesus have so much love that nothing could stop them from putting this rescue plan into action.
Wow! Do you realise how special you are that God was prepared to sacrifice his Son for you, so that He could build the bridge for you to cross to God's side?
If you realise that, you will have no choice but to overflow with gratitude every day. Then you and I want to, will, can, may look for places and ways to show our gratitude everywhere to make a difference in other people's lives.
Scripture
1 Tim 2:1-7
Reflection
Do you understand what God has done for you?
Is God's salvation part of you?
How do you live it?
Prayer
Father, You have such great love for me. Thank you seems so inadequate. I am so grateful; I want to live it every single moment. Everywhere I go I will look for ways to live my gratitude for your love. Amen.
A Tree With Strong Roots
Paul sends Timothy out into the world to do his work with the following words: 18I'm passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we're in.
One thing's for sure: Timothy was called by God to proclaim his Word in the world. Timothy was young and would experience many things on his journey. Some days things wouldn't go so well; some days he would be filled with doubts wondering what he was doing. Some days he would receive much more criticism than positive feedback. On those days he needed to hold on to one thing- his calling.
The more he would focus on and live his calling, the stronger the winds would blow. We all know the higher the tree, the stronger the winds up there. That is why Timothy had to be grounded, his roots grown deep into the foundation so that he could remain standing strong in the storms.
Why are some trees blown over in the storm and others not? Normally, trees that have a good root system would remain upright. Timothy had to ensure that his roots were well established. He had to plant himself in God's words. And then, when it felt as if the wheels were coming off, he had to hold onto the calling spoken over his life.
Abigail's story (not her real name) is about the storm winds that blew so hard in her everyday life that she was nearly uprooted:
This was not an easy year. I was planning my wedding, had a lot of stress at work, and had to complete my master's thesis.
Two weeks ago, I called off my wedding. I prayed to God for guidance and through various things that happened He gave me clarity.
God gave me the strength to call off the wedding. I had to adjust my focus and repair my relationship with Him. I focused more on my fiancé - to such an extent that my values and my relationship with God broke down.
It wasn't easy, but I'm grateful that I could remain true to my calling.
Without realising it, everyday things come between us and God. Without realising it, everyday things come between us and our calling. Slowly but surely our own dreams to come out at the top move in and gradually we shift God to the edge of our lives. We don't have time. Life becomes chasing after wind and before we know it, the wind uproots our tree and blows it over.
God planted you where you are now. God has beautiful plans for your there. The question is whether you still know what they are? Do you believe that God had a plan for you there? Or have you chosen the way of least resistance and not grown so that the winds don't blow that badly?
My friend, don't you want to have another look at your original purpose? Don't you want to stand up like Timothy and Abigail and do the right thing? Do you believe so strongly in God and your relationship with Him that you won't allow anything to come between you?
Scripture
1 Timothy 1:18-20
Reflection
What are you doing there where you are?
Do you believe that you still have to be there?
How big is the difference you're making?
Prayer
Lord, I know you've put me in a specific place at a specific time to make a difference. Please help me to remain close to You so that my roots can be anchored firmly in Your Word and no storm can uproot me. Amen.
Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument for Adults
It appears that adults who wish to play an instrument become interested because they never had the opportunity as a child to do so. Adulthood allows freedom to pursue and experiment with various hobbies and interests. Learning to play an instrument may also be recommended by medical staff, friends, and family members.
Human beings are living longer and are afforded the luxury of time to enjoy more hobbies and leisure time interests.
Benefits of Playing:
Playing an instrument is mentally advantageous for learning, memory, and focusing.
Music helps relieve mental stress.
Relaxes muscles
It emotionally nurtures creativity and imagination.
Spiritually, music rewards you with freedom, comfort, and a feeling of oneness with the universe.
Learning to play a musical instrument gives many of us a leisure pleasure, the wherewithal to share our talents with others, and it widens our social circle. There is no reason to experience loneliness as music lightens our soul and welcomes friendships.
There are four categories from which to choose. Select from percussion, string, brass, and woodwind.
Percussion refers to instruments that must be struck with fingers, hand, or an object. Drums, piano, and tambourine are three examples.
String instruments usually have metal strings and produce sound with fingers or a pick. The guitar and banjo are two examples.
Brass instruments are made from brass and have a brass mouthpiece. Two examples wold be the trumpet and the saxophone.
The woodwind instruments are made from metal. The mouthpiece is made from wood and is called the reed. Clarinet and flute would be included in this group.
How to Select:
There are many different instruments within each category. If you are not interested in American or European musical instruments, review world-wide instruments. They will have different names but they will fit within the four categories or families.
Select the instrument that represent your style of music.
The instrument should fit into your lifestyle.
Space, storage, and maintenance needs to be considered.
Sample different instruments before purchasing.
Talk to others about their musical experiences.
Borrow from a friend or family member before buying.
Rent before buying.
Consider practice time schedule.
Is there a good teacher available?
Personal example:
I am not a musician but I do respect people who have mastered playing one. The main importance of your selection is that you love it and you enjoy it.
I selected the piano as a child
I tried a flute which my friend liked and discovered I did not have the lungs for it.
As an adult I sampled the guitar, but the strings cut my fingers
Later I enjoyed the drums because I wanted to learn different rhythms.
The crux of our faith is so simple:... 5that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us-Jesus, 6who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.
That is the best news that we, as sinners, could ever hear.
We simply cannot get rid of the burden of sin on our own. The result of sin was that we couldn't get to God. Because of sin, we actually try and get away from God.
Yes, sin caused a valley so wide and deep to open up between us and God that we would never have reached God. There is absolutely nothing that mankind could ever do to reach God. When we sin, whether it's a little white lie or fraud, whether it's stealing or murder, or simply not doing what God wants us to do - it only makes the valley deeper and wider. No good deed or even ten or a thousand could fill the valley between us and God.
Understand this: Man cannot do anything to right what he did wrong. There is no eraser for sin, nothing that man can use to get rid of sin. A horrible story with a horrible end.
But thank God that He overflows with love for his creatures. He cannot keep himself from saving mankind. Thank God for sending his Son to build the bridge for mankind so that we have a chance to escape eternal death.
There's this drawing of man standing on one side of the deep valley. There is no way that man can get to the side where God is. In the next box is a drawing of Jesus' cross forming the bridge over the valley. In the third drawing man walks across Jesus' cross to get to God's side.
The message of salvation is simple. But we can never take the price that was paid for it lightly. God's Son not only had to humble himself by coming to earth, He also had to allow people to kill Him.
Jesus was the only solution for the difficult situation in which mankind found itself. You see, only someone with no sin could qualify for this task and only Jesus is without sin. I wonder what Jesus was thinking when He and God decided that He would have to give his life for a bunch of sinners. Fortunately, God and Jesus have so much love that nothing could stop them from putting this rescue plan into action.
Wow! Do you realise how special you are that God was prepared to sacrifice his Son for you, so that He could build the bridge for you to cross to God's side?
If you realise that, you will have no choice but to overflow with gratitude every day. Then you and I want to, will, can, may look for places and ways to show our gratitude everywhere to make a difference in other people's lives.
Scripture
1 Tim 2:1-7
Reflection
Do you understand what God has done for you?
Is God's salvation part of you?
How do you live it?
Prayer
Father, You have such great love for me. Thank you seems so inadequate. I am so grateful; I want to live it every single moment. Everywhere I go I will look for ways to live my gratitude for your love. Amen.
A Tree With Strong Roots
Paul sends Timothy out into the world to do his work with the following words: 18I'm passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we're in.
One thing's for sure: Timothy was called by God to proclaim his Word in the world. Timothy was young and would experience many things on his journey. Some days things wouldn't go so well; some days he would be filled with doubts wondering what he was doing. Some days he would receive much more criticism than positive feedback. On those days he needed to hold on to one thing- his calling.
The more he would focus on and live his calling, the stronger the winds would blow. We all know the higher the tree, the stronger the winds up there. That is why Timothy had to be grounded, his roots grown deep into the foundation so that he could remain standing strong in the storms.
Why are some trees blown over in the storm and others not? Normally, trees that have a good root system would remain upright. Timothy had to ensure that his roots were well established. He had to plant himself in God's words. And then, when it felt as if the wheels were coming off, he had to hold onto the calling spoken over his life.
Abigail's story (not her real name) is about the storm winds that blew so hard in her everyday life that she was nearly uprooted:
This was not an easy year. I was planning my wedding, had a lot of stress at work, and had to complete my master's thesis.
Two weeks ago, I called off my wedding. I prayed to God for guidance and through various things that happened He gave me clarity.
God gave me the strength to call off the wedding. I had to adjust my focus and repair my relationship with Him. I focused more on my fiancé - to such an extent that my values and my relationship with God broke down.
It wasn't easy, but I'm grateful that I could remain true to my calling.
Without realising it, everyday things come between us and God. Without realising it, everyday things come between us and our calling. Slowly but surely our own dreams to come out at the top move in and gradually we shift God to the edge of our lives. We don't have time. Life becomes chasing after wind and before we know it, the wind uproots our tree and blows it over.
God planted you where you are now. God has beautiful plans for your there. The question is whether you still know what they are? Do you believe that God had a plan for you there? Or have you chosen the way of least resistance and not grown so that the winds don't blow that badly?
My friend, don't you want to have another look at your original purpose? Don't you want to stand up like Timothy and Abigail and do the right thing? Do you believe so strongly in God and your relationship with Him that you won't allow anything to come between you?
Scripture
1 Timothy 1:18-20
Reflection
What are you doing there where you are?
Do you believe that you still have to be there?
How big is the difference you're making?
Prayer
Lord, I know you've put me in a specific place at a specific time to make a difference. Please help me to remain close to You so that my roots can be anchored firmly in Your Word and no storm can uproot me. Amen.
Benefits of Playing a Musical Instrument for Adults
It appears that adults who wish to play an instrument become interested because they never had the opportunity as a child to do so. Adulthood allows freedom to pursue and experiment with various hobbies and interests. Learning to play an instrument may also be recommended by medical staff, friends, and family members.
Human beings are living longer and are afforded the luxury of time to enjoy more hobbies and leisure time interests.
Benefits of Playing:
Playing an instrument is mentally advantageous for learning, memory, and focusing.
Music helps relieve mental stress.
Relaxes muscles
It emotionally nurtures creativity and imagination.
Spiritually, music rewards you with freedom, comfort, and a feeling of oneness with the universe.
Learning to play a musical instrument gives many of us a leisure pleasure, the wherewithal to share our talents with others, and it widens our social circle. There is no reason to experience loneliness as music lightens our soul and welcomes friendships.
There are four categories from which to choose. Select from percussion, string, brass, and woodwind.
Percussion refers to instruments that must be struck with fingers, hand, or an object. Drums, piano, and tambourine are three examples.
String instruments usually have metal strings and produce sound with fingers or a pick. The guitar and banjo are two examples.
Brass instruments are made from brass and have a brass mouthpiece. Two examples wold be the trumpet and the saxophone.
The woodwind instruments are made from metal. The mouthpiece is made from wood and is called the reed. Clarinet and flute would be included in this group.
How to Select:
There are many different instruments within each category. If you are not interested in American or European musical instruments, review world-wide instruments. They will have different names but they will fit within the four categories or families.
Select the instrument that represent your style of music.
The instrument should fit into your lifestyle.
Space, storage, and maintenance needs to be considered.
Sample different instruments before purchasing.
Talk to others about their musical experiences.
Borrow from a friend or family member before buying.
Rent before buying.
Consider practice time schedule.
Is there a good teacher available?
Personal example:
I am not a musician but I do respect people who have mastered playing one. The main importance of your selection is that you love it and you enjoy it.
I selected the piano as a child
I tried a flute which my friend liked and discovered I did not have the lungs for it.
As an adult I sampled the guitar, but the strings cut my fingers
Later I enjoyed the drums because I wanted to learn different rhythms.
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