Just Breathe

Live Like Jesus Is Coming

Live like Jesus is coming...because He is you know.  Yes, I know...scholars have been telling us for years that Jesus Christ is coming back.  And while we may not understand His timing, we know that this is truth.  Jesus, Himself, tells us in Revelation 22:12, "Behold I come quickly..."

So I guess the question here is...are you ready?  Do you believe in Jesus?  Have you accepted Him as your personal Lord and Savior?  If Jesus came back today, would you be ready?

These questions not only apply to those who are lost and need Jesus in their lives.  These are questions for Christians, as well.  Are we living like Jesus is coming back?  You might ask, but how do I do that?

I Thessalonians 5:1-28 basically tells us how.

1.  Respect your elders and those in authority.  Pray for them; encourage them.
     (I Thessalonians 5:12-13)

2.  Encourage your friends, but gently rebuke them when needed.
     (I Thessalonians: 5:14)

3.  Do not repay someone with evil but with a blessing instead.  (I Thessalonians 5:15)

4.  Rejoice and be thankful for God's blessings.  (I Thessalonians 5:18)

5.  Be faithful in prayer. (I Thessalonians 5:17)

6.  Do  not resist God.  Listen to His "still small voice".  (I Thessalonians 5:19)

7.  Pay attention to God's word.  (I Thessalonians 5:20)

8.  Examine God's word and stick to it.  (I Thessalonians 5:21)

9.  Avoid doing any form of evil.  (I Thessalonians 5:22)

Jesus is coming back. It could be soon. Are you living as if you believe it?  Always be ready...

"Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh."
                                        Matthew 24:44

Just Breathe

How Mighty Are His Wonders

Do you ever really sit back and look around you?  Do you really notice the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that the Lord prepares for us each day?  Look at the colors - some so vibrant while some are so soft and subtle.  And what about the flowers and their beautiful, soft petals?  The colorful feathers of the birds so cheerful and alive!

God's creation is so beautiful!  He is so imaginative, so creative, so amazing, and He's my favorite artist!  And even today, you can still see the wonders of the Lord!  Look at the picture above; it's so sweet and beautiful!  This sweet little lizard was found in the beautiful, brilliant and velvety petals of this flower.  If this is not one of God's wonders, one of His treasures for us to behold, I don't know what is.

I believe God wants us to "pay attention", "to notice" the little treasures that He leaves for us every day.  I think He wants them to bring us joy.  So when you're out and about today, "stop and smell the roses".  Take some time to thank God for His beauty that can be found all around us.

"How great are His signs!  And how mighty are His wonders!'
                                        Daniel 4:3

Just Breathe

The Brush

"The Brush"

Life started out like a canvas,
And God started painting on me.
But I took the paintbrush from Jesus
And painted what I wished to see.

The colors I painted kept running,
And the objects were all out of size.
I had made a mess of my painting;
My way now seemed so unwise.

So I brought my painting to Jesus.
All the colors, all the pieces so wrong.
In the markets of earth, it was worthless,
But His blood made my painting belong.

He worked with no condemnation.
Never mentioned the mess I had made.
Then he dipped His brush in the rainbow,
And He signed it, "The price has been paid".
When I gave the brush back to Jesus,
When I gave the brush back to Him,
He started all over life's canvas to fill,
When I gave to Jesus the brush of my will.

(Chuck Millhuff and Ben Speer)

When I was a teenager, three beautiful ladies in our church often sang this song.  It touched my heart so much back then, and it still does to this day.  How many times have we "taken the paintbrush from Jesus and painted what we wish to see"? I know I have.

So often, I've told myself that I was praying for God's will in my life, when I was actually praying for what I wanted.  We may pray "according to your will", or "thy will be done", when what we really mean is I want this now, and I want it like this.  That's not how it works.  God will answer our prayers, but it will be in His time.  It will be His plans, and those plans might not be what we really wanted.

But when we don't get the answer we want, we keep praying over and over for the same thing.  And sometimes, God will give us what we want only for us to realize that it's not what we needed.  And sometimes what we want comes with a price.  This is where faith comes in.  We have to trust that He knows what He's doing, and He's doing what's best for us; we just may not see it at the time.

The good news is that if you'll just "give that paintbrush back to Jesus", He'll fix the mess you've made.  And everything will turn out just fine.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that
                    love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
                                        Romans 8:28