God is our Creator and our Father. Our Heavenly Father should always hold center stage. With Him, all things are possible. Without Him, we are left to wander in the dark.
~ LISA BLAIR
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Psalms 47:1 tells us to shout to God with joyful praise. Why? God is our creator and Father. He is God Almighty. Our God is faithful. The God who sees. The Lord of Peace. He is our provider, a strong tower in times of trouble, and our healer. God loves us.
We should always be filled with great and good thoughts of God (biblestudytools.com). As Christians, we should want to put God first in all that you do. It is vital to recognize Him each morning and thank Him for a new day’s journey. We should go to Him if you need direction throughout the day to avoid unneeded pitfalls. We should praise Him for all He does. And, acknowledge Him for whoHe is and what He has done for us. Believe it or not, there is a miracle in every step we take, and every thought that comes to mind. God left nothing to chance when He created us.
God, our Father in Heaven should always be up front and first in our lives. He sacrificed His son for us, gives us new beginnings, Salvation, and Eternal Life. There is none other like Him.
Today is Good Friday, the day we recognize the death of Jesus at Calvary. Jesus was born blameless and suffered through our sin, and lack of humanity to save us from sin, provide us an avenue of redemption, and eternal life with the Father.
~ Lisa Blair
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The Crucifixion completed Christs’ assignment on earth. He was sent to preach the Gospel, redeem us, and give us eternal life. He now sits at the right hand of God. The Trinity is in place – The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
He left His Spirit to comfort and protect us. The Holy Spirit resides in us. Hallelujah! God is over us, around us, and in us.
”It is finished!” This is one of the 7 final words of Christ. They are referred to as words, but in fact, are statements He made while hanging on the Cross. The statements were made over a span of hours prior to His last breath, and can be found in the New Testament in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Visit this site to view the video explaining the Final Words.
Jesus humbled himself to the point of death to give us life. We should be able and willing to humble ourselves and, honestly, repent for our sins (stating what they are or were) and start anew (fresh). It is never too late, God forgives us when we repent, allowing us to move-on shackle free. Christ gave us the opportunity to rise above who we (presently) are. It is time to change our home location, we are in this world, but not of this world.
Go to a quiet place and speak to God, ask Him to forgive you. You choose the place. It could be in the midst of a train station, bar, standing on the corner in busy traffic. Just still yourself and pray. He will receive you wherever you are at the moment.
God so loved the world, He gave us His only son to save us and give us direction. The most important commandment is to love one another.
~ Lisa Blair
Photo: L. Durden
God does not discriminate. He wants everyone to believe and receive Salvation.
Jesus’ Travels
Some time ago I wrote a post stating that Christ traveled outside of the Holy Lands to spread the Good News which was incorrect. In fact, I took it down. Looking back, I did not mean to write Jesus traveled to other parts of the world, I meant His influence spread across the regions.
Jerusalem was considered the capital City and was a commerce hub during Christ’s life. It was one of the major economic, administrative, spiritual, and cultural centers of the land. Merchants throughout the Middle-east, Arabia, India, and Egypt traveled there on land and across the Persian Gulf. Foreign markets connected the trade routes from Israel through Northern Africa, India, Malaysia, and the Arabian peninsula. (Footsteps of Abraham, by Malachi Martin. NT Times.com, archives. March 13, 1983)
The Disciples traveled through the Middle East Spreading the Good News
Jesus did not travel the world to reach nonbelievers and those following other religious faiths. Knowledge of the Messiah was spread by the disciples, others, and from people who lived in other countries and traveled the trade routes. I think it is safe to say that the Word was carried in part by merchants who learned of Christianity when visiting Jerusalem and other cities/towns Jesus ministered in. They were most likely unintentionally seeding hearts. The Word was spread in many ways.
After Jesus’ death, the disciples traveled throughout the regions as well, see above map, and therefore had many opportunities to preach to Gentiles from various religious backgrounds. Jesus commanded the disciples to spread the Good News bear and far. He assigned us, Christians, to do the same and to spread the Good News, God’s Truth, wherever we are. To this end, we should not be so insular as to communicate God’s message with only other Christians. We must suck it that the Gentiles are anyone that is not Jewish, they are people from all backgrounds and faiths who God claims through adoption. God does not discriminate nor should we.
Map of Middle Eastern Old Testament. Taxomita.com
Images/Maps – Romans 1:16, L.Durden; The Travels of Our Saviour. Pinterest.com; How the World looked when Jesus was born, according to Roman Geographers. by Sarah Laskow. atlasobscura.com; Map of Middle Eastern Old Testament. Taxomita.com
Resources – Footsteps of Abraham, by Malachi Martin. NT Times.com, archives. March 13, 1983; Commerce and the Temple in First Century Jerusalem by David Hendin. Bibleodyssey.org; Teachingthem.com;
God never writes us off. He is here for us if we receive Him as our Lord and Savior, and open our hearts to His Will, His Way, and His life that He has prepared for us. We must return to innocence and reinvest our lives in Christ. New beginnings, new life. ~ LISA BLAIR
Sometimes we have to rethink our lives, our purpose through Christ and embrace the child in us longing for relationship through obedience and reconciliation. Children carry few regrets, are open and full of expectations of a bright future. The Lord shares that whatever is in the past is behind us and we are supposed to look forward into the life He has planned for us. Our chronological age is irrelevant. Regrets are behind us, leave them there. All we have is today and the time God gives us to walk down His path. We should make the most of it.
Lisa’s Daily Inspirations 