Monday July 18 2016  WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE LIKE…

Do you ever have days that do not go as planned?  Or maybe I should rephrase the question, do you ever have days that DO go as planned?  Sunday Sabbath is usually a laid back, semi-unplanned day.  I never lack for things to do so I am usually just as busy on a Sunday as I am any other day except I do not go and work out for two hours. 

Yesterday I had a different plan.  I decided to work on photos so I could get all the post production work accomplished before a family needs them for their infant’s funeral.  I started about 1:30 p.m. and due to the size of the project I did not get to bed until 1:00 a.m.  Yes, I know I could have stopped at any time,  but I so wanted to have them completed before I retired for the night.  I did not want to be facing a Monday with so much work to do.  Well, I did it but I also suffered with great fatigue today.  Though I don’t want to admit it, I do think that my aging is catching up with me.  Maybe I should start running a little faster.  Or, maybe I should just slow down and act my age!

Remember the question I asked, “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?”  Do we ever get to the point when we really think of ourselves as old?  My spirit is eternal, and since my spirit is as young today as it will continuously be throughout eternity, and I view myself from the inside out, I experience myself as eternally young (that is, until I look in the mirror).  The way I think of it, I live in a beautiful place.

And the thing about my beautiful place is that it is only beautiful because God made it that way.  And thankfully, He comes into my secret quiet space and sanctifies it each and every day.  I am not perfect and never will be until I am transformed in His presence.  Until then He loves me, forgives me when I stumble, fills me with joy, purifies my thoughts, instills His peace within me, and refreshes me as His River of Life flows in and through me.  And my heart overflows with gratitude for His grace and mercy. 

Life is not always a piece of cake.  I both see and experience pain and sorrow.  I see the destruction taking place in lives around me and I know the world, so to speak, is going to Hell in a hand basket.  It sorrows me and gives me impetus to share more love to those who are in pain and suffering.  But most of all, it spurs me on to reach the lost who are actually on the road to a real Hell.  How someone CANNOT believe that God is real is totally beyond my understanding.  I have seen and experienced so many miracles, miracles that others might consider nothing more than coincidences.  I have experienced the renewing of my mind and the cleansing of my soul.  I have been filled with His joy.  And my heart grieves with the heart of God for those who hear and turn away in unbelief. 

If you do not have a personal experience with God, the creator of the universe, He stands at the door and knocks for you to let Him in.  God’s Son, Jesus gave His life on the cross, spilled His blood to atone for your sins and all you must do is invite Him to come into your heart by asking for forgiveness and He will receive you into the family of God.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that life will be a bed of roses from that point on, but it will mean that He will be with you continuously and will abide in you and give you a beautiful place that is made beautiful because you have invited God in.  You too can receive a renewing of the mind.  You too will feel the love He pours into you and He will forgive you when you stumble.  He will fill you with joy, purify your thoughts and instill His peace within you, which is above and beyond what you can even imagine.  And that is just the beginning.

WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE LIKE

By Kathleen Martens

July 18, 2016

Just think what the world would be like

If Jesus was never born.

There would be no salvation plan

In a world full of scorn.

Man would be empty inside.

Our soul would have a deep dark hole

As it chased idols to fill it up,

Yet remaining forever, an empty soul.

What would I be like

If Jesus was not in my life?

There would be no eternal hope,

Only great sorrow and strife.

So many things would not be present

In the world we live in now,

Without Jesus in my life,

To exist, I wouldn’t know how.

A world without Jesus would be different.

He even made our calendar new.

Our centuries are numbered in their sequence

BECAUSE HE SPLIT TIME IN TWO!

Time is measured by His birth

Before Christ is B.C.

And calculated after His birth

THE YEAR OF OUR LORD; Ano Domini.

Luke 2:10-11 

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Lord, thank You that You did come into this world 2,016 years ago.

Thank You that You brought hope to sinful world.

Thank You God for being my redeemer.

Thank You too for being the lifter of my head.

Thank You for Your forgiveness.

And Thank You God that though You are the King of kings, you are also my Lord.

Lord, thank You for warm running water.

GOOD NIGHT.  GOD BLESS YOU.