Short & Sweet: The Final Four by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for the soul.

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

The air is full of madness, March Madness. Throughout the dismal days of March, we’ve all been glued to our devices with our crumpled brackets in hand, cheering for our favorites. (What else is there to do in March?) Now we are down to the Final Four.

As I watched the news this morning, I was moved by a photograph of a player from Duke, arms out-stretched, muscles quivering, body straining, and eyes intensely focused on the prize–the basketball. I admired his determination and perseverance to pursue his goal against all odds, sacrificing himself for the prize.

We have a final four as well: Self. World. Sin. Jesus. They all vie for our attention in a battle for mastery over our souls. Which ever one we focus on we will master us. Where the eyes are focused, the body will follow.

Action Points:

Where do you want to end up? Are your eyes focused in the right direction?
Do your current habits help or hinder your goal?
How can you better focus your eyes on Jesus?

The 12 Days of Easter: Day 11, Everlasting Life

Day 11: Everlasting Life

But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. Romans 6:22

everlasting [ev-er-las-ting, –lah-sting]

adjective

1. lasting forever; eternal

2. incessant; constantly recurring

3. lasting or continuing for an indefinitely long time

Antonyms

1. transitory.

Everlasting life. Ever lasting life.

When I was a much younger Christian, I was very afraid of death. It kept me awake at night, tossing, turning, and wondering about the great unknown that would one day separate me from everything I had ever known.

Life after death seemed to be death after life. Everlasting, never ending death. I did not understand this life is only a shadow of everlasting life; silhouette on black and white, a cardboard cut-out, a distant echo of a beautiful melody.

Like a baby carefully cradled in the womb of his mother; life on earth is life in the shadow-lands. Until one day … we are born (again) into a new world of light, color, possibilities, and opportunities, and placed in the arms of our Father. Forever. Forever-lasting life. Everlasting life.

Death, where is thy sting?

Point to Ponder:

Please fill in the blanks below ( I did the first two to get us started).

In Jesus I have:

everlasting joy, everlasting love, everlasting ___________, everlasting ____________

everlasting _____________, everlasting ____________, everlasting ____________

Prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the gift of everlasting life; a life that never ends in death. We can live forever in Your Presence when we accept Jesus death on the cross as payment for our sins. One day we shall see Him as He is, and every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Please help us to remember that in Jesus, for every Good Friday, there is an Easter Sunday. One day we will rise to everlasting life, and live with You forever and ever.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:4

This Easter, please accept the gift of everlasting life. Please click on the links below to learn how to enter into everlasting life.

Ever Lasting Life (article)

The Way To God (video)

everlasting. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/everlasting (accessed: March 08, 2015).

Short & Sweet: Use It or Lose It, by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for the soul.

“Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.” James 5:3

On my earring rack hangs one lonely silver hoop earring. I lost it’s partner three years ago during Christmas play practice. It fell out of my ear, rolled across the floor, and was crushed beyond recognition underneath the size 12 tennis shoe of a 6th grade boy. Since they were sterling silver, I couldn’t bring myself to throw the remaining earring away. I hung the lone hoop back on the rack and forgot about it … until the other day.

I was searching my rack for a fresh pair of spring-like earrings (yes, the snow has finally melted in Michigan), when I spotted a dull black earring, hanging by itself in a dark corner of the rack. What is this? I asked myself as I picked up the dingy earring. As I turned the earring over in my hand, I recognized my long-ago favorite hoop earring, now corroded from neglect and disuse.

All of my other silver earrings gleamed on the rack. What kept them shiny? Not polish, but daily use. Slowly my mind made a connection to a Bible verse from the book of James. If we do not use our gifts and our resources, but let them sit idly on a shelf, they will corrode. They’ll turn black and dingy from disuse, and will eventually disintegrate. Ultimately, no one will benefit from our gifts; they will be a complete loss.

God gives us gifts to bless others, and we reap blessings in return. Let’s dust off our gifts and use them today.

Action Points:

Are your gifts corroded or shiny from daily use?
What do you love to do, and how can you use that gift to serve others?
Find a way to use your gifts to bless someone today.
Ask God to show you your gifts and how to use them for His kingdom.

The 12 Days of Easter: Day 9, Bread of Life

Day 9: Bread of Life

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

bread [bred]

noun

1. a kind of food made of flour or meal that has been mixed with milk or water, made into a dough or batter, with or without yeast or other leavening agent, and baked.

2. food or sustenance; livelihood:

3. Ecclesiastical. the wafer or bread used in a Eucharistic service

4. necessary food; nourishment: give us our daily bread

Bread. Lehem, in Hebrew; artos, in Greek. For the ancient Hebrew and Greek, bread was the mainstay of every meal. Mid-westerners like bread too, especially during the bitter cold of winter. After shoveling a foot of snow from a long drive, there’s nothing so comforting as hot soup and warm bread.

In the verse above, Jesus reveals He is the Bread of Life. Why did He call Himself this unusual title? Please read John 6:4-11. What amazing event had just occurred? When Philip had admitted their inability to provide even a bite of bread, Jesus, the Bread of Life, born in Beth lehem (the house of Bread), freely provides bread for the 5,000. Not just a bite, John 6:11 says, Jesus provided, “as much as they wanted.”

Jesus is the Bread. We are the hungry. We can have as much as we want. This Easter, what are you hungry for … love … purpose … respect … righteousness … peace? Whatever your hunger, Jesus is the Bread of Life. He calls us to come, eat, and be filled and to taste and see that the Lord is good.

Point to ponder:

Concerning the Bread of Life, where do I fall on the scale below?

1 2 3 4 5

famished snacking breakfast, lunch, dinner 3 square meals + dessert feasting!

Prayer

Dearest Father,

This Easter, we come to you hungry. You are the Bread of Life; the only One who can fill us. Just as You rained down bread from heaven for your people to gather each morning in the desert, You rain down bread for us. May we come each morning to gather our Bread of Life, fresh from your Word. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen.

bread. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bread (accessed: March 08, 2015).

Short and Sweet: Green Pastures by Mary Kane

Nourishment and refreshment for the soul.

The LORD is my shepherd:I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Psalm 23:1-3

Because Jesus is our Good Shepherd, will lack for no good thing.

Knowing that God supplies everything we need pertaining to life and righteousness, our souls can find rest.

In order to experience His rest, we must lie down, but not just anywhere. According to our verse, God “makes His sheep lie down in green pastures.” I began to ponder why God made His sheep lie down in green pastures and why sheep find green pastures particularly peaceful. The answer?

Food.

The sheep rest peacefully because they are surrounded by their favorite fodder, green grass. The flock did not need to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow was already provided for … as far as the eye could see.

We are God’s sheep. We also find peace by resting on our green pastures, the word of God. “For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” We can rest because our tomorrows are already provided for, and we can partake as often and as long as we like. The more we feast upon God’s word, the more peace we shall have.

If your life lacks peace, and your soul is troubled, come to God and rest in His Word.

Action Points:

Set a consistent time to read God’s word. My favorite time is morning. Get up 15, 20, 0r 30 minutes early and start your morning feeding your soul with God’s Word. You will find healing and restoration for your heart and soul.
Download an audible version of the Bible. Listen while you are driving, running, or working out at the gym. I listen at night while I’m drifting off to sleep (double peace!).
Set a goal for Scripture memory. Copy meaningful verses on note cards and memorize them while waiting at traffic lights, in checkout lines or while walking.
If you’re a techy, you’ll enjoy joining an online Scripture memory group such as Siesta Scripture Memory. Click on the link and sign up today!

Short and Sweet: Come and Rest by Mary Kane

Refreshment and nourishment for your soul!

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

If you are tired and weary, Jesus is calling you to come. In the Greek, come is an interjection, which means we must take immediate action. It is not God’s will for us to live in chaos and turmoil. He is the God of Peace. Our health and our relationship with God will suffer if we are torn apart by stress.

Weary refers to those who are exhausted from physical labor or grief. Heavy burdens, (in Greek: phortizo) means a load, a load with a consciousness of sin.

Carrying our sin is a heavy load … one which we cannot carry. Knowing our weakness, Jesus calls us to come to Him, permanently lay down our sin at the foot of the cross, and rest in Him.

Our daily responsibilities can become a burden if we do not take time each day in God’s Presence to regain strength and courage to carry on. I notice my responsibilities become burdens when I start living in the future; trying to figure out how I will manage this present situation for the next 2 weeks, 6 months, or 10 years. The questions roll through my mind; How can I do this another day? Where will the money come from for tomorrow? Living in the future drains my energy and causes me to squander God’s provision for the present day.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, take time to rest in God’s presence. Open His word and find healing for your soul. Ask Him to provide for you. Thank Him for how He is helping you. Rest in Him.

Action Step:

Get a note card and list the situation that is causing you stress.
Look up a scripture that applies to your situation and write it down on the card.
Pray the scripture out loud into your situation throughout the day.
Thank God for how He is already working (even if you can’t see it yet).