Hope to the Hopeless

22 December, 2009

Mick Christianity , , Leave a comment

In Mark 5:21-43, we read that Jesus brought a little girl back to life when all hope seemed to be lost.  When Jesus shows up on the scene, everyone thought this 12-year-old girls was dead.  It’s interesting that Jesus gets rid of the people who have little faith here, and only lets a few people witness the miracle.  Maybe it’s because Jesus knows that even a miracle would not convince those people of his divinity.  Maybe it was because these people were tearing down the faith of those who did believe in the power of Jesus.

Do you have people who tear down your faith?  Maybe it’s time that you move forward and stop letting them cause your faith to be shaken.  Surround yourself with other Christians.  This is why it is so important to be part of the Church.  One’s person faith alone will crumble, but ‘many strands are not quickly broken.’

I am not suggesting that you create a ‘Christian bubble’ around yourself in which you no longer have non-Christian friends or refuse to listen to non-Christian music.  I’m just saying that we need to be careful who we spend quality time with.  If you are consistently being made fun of or challenged in your faith with no one to encourage you, what will become of your faith?

Here’s another question: Do you face a situation that seems totally hopeless?  Are you in financial disaster?  Is your marriage is falling apart?  Are you having difficulty understanding what you should be doing with your life?  In all these cases, know that God is there with you.  Jesus can bring comfort, healing, and purpose into your life.

Even when life can seem hopeless, Jesus can make the impossible possible.

Jesus brings hope to the hopeless.

Christmas Traditions

19 December, 2009

Mick Christianity, My Thoughts , , , , , , 4 Comments

Christmas is a time when so many families carry out annual traditions.  Every family has their own, whether it be to gather around a piano and sing Christmas carols or enjoy the company of family and friends.

Every Christmas Eve, my dad would cook breakfast.  His most legendary achievement is what we have come to call JBP (Jim’s Breakfast Pizza).  Don’t get the wrong idea, the only thing that made this a ‘pizza’ was the fact that it was round.  I don’t think that eggs on a pizza crust would be appetizing.  The closest I can come to describe it is a breakfast casserole.  My parents will be in town for Christmas, and hopefully I can learn from the master how to make this wonderfully delicious meal.

We would always go to a candlelight service at our local church.  This was probably my favorite part of the holiday.  Often times, the sanctuary would only be lit with a few stage lights and candles burning around the perimeter.  The service would go through the story of Jesus’ birth, and then end with a time of prayer.  Even as a kid I loved just sitting there and praying while people would quietly take communion and leave.

Once we got home, we would open one present before going to bed.  Then the long, sleepless night would come.  Often times I would be so excited about the next day that I couldn’t fall asleep.  Oh the joy!

On Christmas morning I would jump into bed with my parents and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Jesus.  I know this is probably not the actual day that He was born, but it’s when we as Christians celebrate his birth.  So what better way to start than by singing ‘Happy Birthday.’

After opening presents, I would run off and play with my new plunder of toys while mom and dad would slave away in the kitchen for our big dinner.  Most people cook a ham on Christmas, but we always did another Thanksgiving dinner.  It was awesome!  After taking a nap from all the food we would gather around the table, eat snacks, and play Clue.

This routine happened almost every year while growing up, and I loved every moment of it.  Now that I have my own family, new traditions will be started.  There will be some from my childhood, some from my wife’s childhood, and some new one’s that my kids will be able to enjoy.  I know one thing is for sure… we’re having breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve.

Jesus Messiah

17 December, 2009

Mick Christianity , , , , , , 5 Comments

One of my favorite songs is Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin.  Particularly, I love the line, “He became sin, who knew no sin, that we might become his righteousness.”  This is actually a direct quote from 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

How much have you thought about those lyrics when you sing/hear the song?  Jesus came to earth and was tempted by all the same things that we face today (Hebrews 4:15), yet he remained blameless.  Then he died in one of the most painful ways designed by the Romans as a means of capital punishment; a crucifixion.  Only to come back to life on the third day defeating death and sin both.  He did this so that our sin can be taken away and WE may be the righteousness of God.

I love songs that speak scripture.  I love songs that make you think about the lyrics on a deeper level than ‘I love God, and God loves me.’  Well done Chris Tomlin.  Keep up the good work.

Michael Jackson & Sonic 3

14 December, 2009

Mick Miscellaneous , , , , Leave a comment

I couldn’t pass up sharing this with all of you.  Aparently Michael Jackson helped create the music for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which was originally released on the Sega Genesis back in 1994.  He wanted his name removed from the credits however, because of the poor quality of sound.  Don’t believe me?  Watch this video.

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-94/1380785

The Prodigal Son

10 December, 2009

Mick Christianity, My Thoughts , , , , 1 Comment

How many times have you heard the parable of the prodigal son? I know I have numerous times.  What is crazy is that I have always been taught that it was about the father who welcomes the lost son home, when really this parable is speaking about the older brother even more so than the younger.

If you look at the beginning of Luke 15, Jesus was talking to both tax collectors/sinners (the younger brother type) and Pharisees (the older brother type).  In the end of the parable, it’s the older son that has left ‘the family.’  He stuck around for selfish reasons and ended up sinning by obeying.  How crazy is that?

Are you an older brother?  Are you judgemental of younger brother types?  Do you obey God for your own good?  Think about it.  Challenge yourself to really sit down and discover if you act like the older brother.  If you do, then there is a change of heart that needs to take place.

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