The Power Of Scripture And A Ring

This Christmas, my wife gave me a ring as a gift. I’m not much of a jewelry person, but I have wanted one with a cross on it for some time now. When I received the ring, I noticed three words inscribed around the cross “JUSTICE MERCY HUMILITY” and the letters “MIC” on one side of the ring and the inscription “6:8” on the opposite. Lisa and I had not noticed this until we picked up the ring, as I had chosen it from several she showed me.

     Intrigued, I realized the “MIC” stood for the book of Micah in the Old Testament, and “6:”8 but I thought I was unfamiliar with it, so I went to my bible to look it up. Much to my surprise, at some time during my bible studies over the years, I had highlighted and underlined that very verse. It reads “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

     How amazing, that unknown to me, the one ring I chose would be bringing that question to my mind whenever I saw it or felt it’s weight on my finger. I never saw the inscription on it at the store, only when I finally received it and opened the box. So did I choose it or did the Holy Spirit? You think what you want, but I believe it was chosen for me, not by me.

     Throughout my life I have seen the good and the bad in this world, the beautiful and the ugly, and for some time I allowed the bad experiences and the ugly sights to make up my mindset. But when I came to Christ, I began to realize this world is not the one God created, but the fallen world Genesis speaks about. A world that needs salvation to set things right with the Creator. Sin came into the world, but God allowed enough of the good to continue to exist for us to see it if we would just stop to look.

     See, even though I’m no longer a public servant, I still serve the public. This time it’s not for a pay check. It’s because Jesus loved me enough to pay for me with His blood. Because He has shown me what is good, I need to know what God requires of me as His servant. It’s basically the same requirement as Jesus said, to love and treat others as you want for yourself and to love God with all your might and soul. My servitude is to tell others about what Christ did and the Gospel of His good news, to always treat everyone justly and mercifully (hence forgiveness) and to be humble to my Creator in all ways and all things.

     Being a new creature in Christ, I know what is right and wrong, what is merciful and what isn’t, and I know that I can do nothing without Christ. Being human in a fallen world, sometimes I fail the tests set before me. But because they are tests, I can ask for forgiveness and learn from those failures. Isn’t that what tests are for, to see what we know or don’t know and are capable to do or not to do?

    Tests show us our faults or lack of understanding so we can correct ourselves and move forward to the next set of instructions and tests. Where do we go for instruction? The Bible! Who is the author and instructor, God! Have I slept in class or not read my text book? Yes! Have I failed a test? Unfortunately many, but each is a learning experience and a message to go back to the Bible and find the answer.

     It’s funny how God will work through many different ways to get our attention and test us. Was I given a ring as a test, or to remind me of something? It took me back to a verse I once thought important enough to mark, which once again does what it’s supposed to do, point me straight to Him.

     What a wonderful gift a test can be!

Wipe The Slate Clean

 As we come into another New Tear, many once again are trying the News Years Resolution thing. Once again 90% will fail. Isn’t that the way it is when we try to become self righteous, instead of remembering Jesus paid the price, and Grace is given to us? We can’t save ourselves, no matter how hard we try, we will fail. We may resolute to never tell a lie again, gossip, pray every day, read our bible more, but if we could look back every December 31^st, we would see our failures time and time again.

     That is the wonderful thing about God’s grace through Jesus, for when we confess our sins and failures, He promises to forgive and forget. as far as the east is from the west. But I have a question for you, is there someone you haven’t forgiven this New Year? Someone who has hurt you, or broke a promise, or otherwise trespassed against you?

     This year, let’s just forget the resolutions and just forgive others fully, wiping the slate clean. Now would be a good time to just take a deep breath, and pray to God, thanking Him for His forgiveness and to release the burden of unforgiveness of others. Then just forgive those who He brings to mind and release them. Believe it or not, unforgiveness of someone holds YOU in bondage, not them.

     Forgiveness in your heart will brighten your day, your outlook, as well as your Christian walk. It is also a command from God that we must obey. Mt 6:14 says “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will forgive you:”

And Mk 11:25 tells us “and when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.”

     Throughout the New Testament it is stressed many times that we must forgive others, because God has forgiven us. Not only is it obedience to God, but it will also help relieve the stress of being angry or hurt, which can be a blessing to our health. Stress causes many ulcers and health problems. What a blessing it would be to not have anything against anyone! Through Jesus Christ, that blessing can be obtained.

     So this year, just make a resolution to forgive, release the bondages and holds that unforgiveness puts on you, and have a Happy and Inner Peaceful New Year!

The Savior Is Born

Preachers will be preaching, singers will be singing and most of the world will be celebrating the birth of a child over two thousand years ago. A child who was born with a special mission, to finally give the human race a chance to overcome sin and the curse it brought to this world.

     That child had to be a sacrifice once and for all, ending the animal sacrifices that were only a symbolic covering of our sin, to a sacrifice that would erase our sins and transgressions completely in God’s eyes.

     But he could not be just any child. He had to be part of the Creator of all things Himself. He had to freely become fully man and fully God. He had to be born of a virgin fulfilling all prophesy. He had to grow and be an example of a sinless man. He had to teach the truth about God and His Kingdom. He had to heal, raise the dead, and do signs and wonders to show God’s power and glory. He still had to face rejection and persecution. Then He had to die the most horribly painful death imaginable.

     This sounds more like a horror story than a glorious tale doesn’t it? But it isn’t a horror story, it is glorious because after being entombed for three days, that man was raised from the dead, the devil and sin defeated, mankind had someone to turn to and repent, returning to the relationship with God that was meant to be in the Garden of Eden. That Sacrificial Lamb was Jesus Christ! He is not just a story, He was, He is, and He will forever be real. God himself said every knee shall bow to Him, everyone must turn to Him if they wish to be saved. He has been given all authority in Heaven and Earth!

     What material present could ever come close to the special gift God the Father gave to us, the gift of eternal life through His only begotten Son Jesus? Maybe the best gift you could give your family this season is to open your bible and read Luke’s account of the miracle story. God bless each of you this Christmas!