Christian Paradigm Shifts

Happy Easter everyone!!

I found this song last night. I thought it would be a perfect start to the Lenten season... Jesus is sufficient for all our needs. He will meet us where we are. All he asks is that we come... Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Let's start with a video.... If only friendship were this easy. Friendship is not about formulas or algorithms. Friendship develops over time. One important aspect of friendship is sacrifice. Sacrifice means "an act of giving up something one values for the sake of somethings that is of greater importance." This trait can be seen so clearly in the lives of King David and his friend Jonathan. They had a deep friendship and covenant. Both made sacrifices for one another. Saul, Jonathan's father, became very jealous of David. This was due to the fact that David received more accolades from the people after Israel's success in battle. Saul was so angry that he told Jonathan and all his servants to kill David. Jonathan interceded on David's behalf [1 Sam. 18:4-7]. David makes a covenant with Jonathan and his household. David promises that he will not only show kindness to Jonathan while he lives but that he will also show kindness to his household forever...

The apostles were the ones sent forth as ambassadors. They were ambassadors who represented Jesus, the one who sent them. The twelve were a very diverse group - some were fishermen, some were tax collectors, some were zealots. They left all to follow the one who called them. Their commonalities were many - 1. They were teachers - Mark 6:30 - The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 2. They wanted Jesus to increase their faith - Luke 17:5 - The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 3. They performed signs and wonders - Acts 2:43 - And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 4. They were instructed by Jesus of His suffering - Matthew 20:17-19 - And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,  “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scrib...

Let's start with a video... Abraham was a friend of God. He was called to leave his family and his land to go to a land God would show him. God would make Abraham into a great nation. He would bless those who blessed Abraham and curse those who cursed Abraham. 2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23 declares that Abraham was called a friend of God. Why? Because Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him as righteousness. Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible states - "...he was loved by God with an everlasting love, who showed acts of friendship to him; called him by his grace, and blessed him with spiritual blessings, and increased him with the increase of God; favoured him with near communion with him, honoured him with high characters, and distinguished him by peculiar marks of his favour, and reckoned his enemies and friends as his own; Genesis 12:8 and Abraham, on the other hand, loved God, and showed himself friendly to him; trusted in him, an...

Let's start with a video...   Mary and Elizabeth had a lot in common:   1. Both were visited by the angel Gabriel.   2. Both were told that they would have a son.   3. Elizabeth's son would be the forerunner of the Messiah in the spirit of Elijah  and Mary's Son would be the Messiah come to deliver His people from their sins.   4. Both learned patience through their unique experiences. For Elizabeth, the patience of waiting so long to have a child and that her reproach would be taken away from her. For Mary, the patience of knowing that she would have a child without the usual act of conception and bring the Messiah into the world.   We must remember the promise given to Mary in Luke 1:37 - For with God nothing shall be impossible.   Patience is not my strong suit. I have to work on that area on a daily basis. I know I can be patient from the Bible tells me that patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. ...

Amazon Author: Lynn Austin   Title: Until We Reach Home   Setting: A small village in Sweden, Ellis Island, Chicago in the late 1800s   Main Characters: Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia Carlson   Summary: This is the story of three young sisters from Sweden. After, the death of their parents, the Carlson sisters experience many hardships. Because of these hardships they decide to leave for America and join an uncle who lives in Chicago.   They dream that America will be different than their life in Sweden. They imagine that they will be well off, have servants to do the work, and that they will spend most of their time in leisure. But reality soon sets in while on Ellis Island. They experience sickness and separation from each other.   Finally after time on the island, they are finally able to go to Chicago. They arrive and soon realize that they are not going to be served but that they will be the ones doing the serving. ...