Tag: King

Ever Lovin’ Minds

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. 1 Peter 1:14-15

What is this world coming to?

Just look around and you’ll notice.

Parents deferring to screaming toddlers, bribing them to stop.

Grown adults holding fake animals as if they were real.

Students turning to AI so their homework is done in an instant.

Many choosing to believe social media rumors over actual facts.

Whole families bent over individual devices while going out to dinner.

I could go on and on. Deeper and deeper into real identity confusion.

While the world’s problems seem to scream in our faces, pause to see past it all.

What’s behind family division? Student cheating? Stroking your ego instead of peace?

The absence of God.

When God is absent, something else is in charge.

Your flesh. You. Your desires before all else.

As our mind begins to focus instead on self, we lose it. We lose our ever loving minds.

How? Slowly. Once we drink the desires of our flesh, whatever drug that may be, the positive reaction encourages the next sip. The next fix. The next lie.

And before you know it, we’ve gone down the road: hook, line, and sinker.

Look inward long enough, and you won’t recognize yourself when you finally begin to look outward.

Look down at your own feet long enough, and you won’t recognize the path you walk when you finally look up.

God must remain our focus.

God must remain our King.

God must remain our all in all.

Take stock today of your heart. Are you all His? Where have you replaced God, placing yourself first instead?

Where have you sought the pleasures of self before your submission to God?

Repent, confess, and point your compass back to God.

As you purpose to follow His will for each day, your mind will be renewed through His strength, peace, and love.

Let’s keep our ever lovin’ minds focused on God and God alone.

When you do, others will notice your freedom and peace amidst a world where God is not.

Photos by Aleksandr Ledogorov, Helena Cook, Jametlene Reskp, & Katy McCray on Unsplash

The Steps of our Savior

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And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him. Mark 15:20

His steps were so heavy on the way to the cross.

Stumbling over dips in the road, my Savior could hardly carry the load.

The load of the cross and the load of our sin.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but stare. I had heard about His trial. That’s why I was here.

I had to know. To see it all for my own eyes.

As He fell before me, I reached out to help Him. How could I not?

He had healed me. Completely. And now they were sending Him to die.

I’d heard the reasons. Lies. All of them. Jesus was God’s Son. And for that, He was to die. The priests must not believe.

As I tried to help, the soldiers shouted for me to back off. I looked into the face of my Savior and all I could see was love.

He saw me help. He knew I cared. I backed away, unsure of what else to do.

As He walked past, I hung my head. Memories instantly flooded back of all I had seen and heard.

I was one of the 5,000 that day. I was stunned at how He had fed us, satisfying my hungry mind and body.

I was in the crowd when Jesus passed through my town. He talked with us, showing such insight and kindness.

I’ve talked with my friend, who knows Lazarus. You know, the man who Jesus raised from the dead. Incredible!

And my father’s friend has known Jesus from a small child.

And just over a month ago, Jesus healed me. It was an old injury, but after talking with us, I simply asked, and here I am.

I believe Jesus is God’s Son. He’s said it. And I believe him. He’s our Messiah. Our Savior. The King of Kings.

And now, Jesus, God’s Son who has done nothing wrong, is walking to the cross. He is walking there to die. And it’s just not fair.

I stop and realize what I must do. I need to be there for Him. He’s been there for me. I owe Him that much.

Running up to the cross, there are still so many people.

Making my way to the front, I see Jesus, my Savior. His body laboring to breathe. Slowly ceasing to live.

I see the soldiers laughing. Casting lots for His garment. I feel so ill, because they are mocking God, Himself.

As I gaze up, Jesus suddenly cries out, “It is finished.”

What, Jesus? What is finished?

The soldiers stop and look as all of heaven becomes dark.

A loud bang echos as if tombs have been opened. Or the temple disturbed. A cold wind whips by and Jesus is still.

I join the weeping as we mourn His death.

A gut wrenching sob breaks forth while my legs give way.

I wish He wasn’t gone. I wish there was a way He could rise from the dead.

I know he raised Lazarus after a few days, but Himself? Could He?…..

Our personal story keeps going, doesn’t it? We have the privilege of knowing the rest. The finale. The GRAND finale.

Not only does Jesus rise from the dead, but His death completes payment for all our sins.

The sins of the entire world. The finality of death is cancelled. There is nothing more important.

Can you imagine being there that day? Finding yourself in the crowd?

What would you have done? What would you have said?

Would you have shouted with the crowd? Cowered back in fear? Stood there till the bitter end, loving Him from afar?

We owe Jesus our everything. Bring yourself to Him afresh this Easter weekend.

Give back to Him your life. The life He died to save.

Photos by Dimitri Kolpakov, Jon Tyson, Alex Noriega, & Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Remaining Fragrance

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Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:3

I wonder how long the expensive fragrance lingered on His feet.

If the smell remained days later.

Guessing for a few it did.

After bathing? Probably.

Nard was expensive due to its high quality.

It was usually reserved for royalty, sealed in an equally expensive alabaster jar to preserve the special fragrance.

It was the best money could buy.

Mary poured it out on Jesus because of Who He was.

The Son of God.

Our Messiah.

The King of Kings.

How about 6 days later.

Do you think the fragrance lingered still?

That’s when Jesus was arrested.

Through the trial?

Through the flogging?

Through the agony on the cross?

What if God’s timing allowed the fragrance to whiff here and there while Jesus suffered?

Reminding Him of His purpose and identity.

Whiffs of sacrifice and worship while enduring.

How about you?

Do you recognize when God does that for you?

Notice.

Notice the goodness of God amidst the suffering.

Notice the love of God while enduring.

Notice the fragrance of God, who goes before you, stands behind you, and is always right by your side.

Jesus was fully God, yet fully man.

And God was there for Him, too.

Photos by Elena G, Tom Crew, Alicia Quan, & Danie Franco on Unsplash

Walking From Above

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But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

Do you know how God sees you?

Do you know about your assured value?

Daughter of the King. Son of the Most High.

Chosen. Valued. Loved.

Do you live like that matters?

It’s hard on earth, yes?

It’s hard when life is cluttered with noise.

Noise from frustrating situations.

That noise can become louder than the voice of God.

It regularly reduces us to our emotional state of mind instead of relying on our sound mind from God.

Are you shrinking down, low enough to be surrounded by the noise of this earth?

Or are you rising tall, listening instead to the voice of God?

When you look up and remember, the noise of the world fades away as you listen to who God says you are.

Not in an arrogant ignoring your duties kind of way.

But living with renewed purpose.

With a smile on your face.

Because He knows.

He cares, and He is never leaving your side.

Picture yourself in a beautiful gown.

Or if you’re a guy, fitted in a brand new suit.

You are clean and fresh, standing tall in your new clothing.

You stand up. And as you keep your face towards Gods, you grow taller and taller.

Suddenly, the things of this world are tiny as you rise above.

The noise fades and all you hear is God’s whispered words of love over you.

You walk around, barely noticing the cares of this world, as you walk while under His provision.

You are more than the longings of this world.

You are more than the problems of this world.

You are more than the issues you will always need to face.

You are more because you are His.

Stand tall. Rise above.

Photos by Chelsea Bock, Dave Hoefler, Jack Sloop, & Ion Fet on Unsplash