Recent Headlines:
Mother uses high pressure car wash spray to discipline young daughter
University student body president found shot to death in North Carolina
Boyfriend accused of burning toddler
Murder, abuse, death….ARGH!!! What is happening to this world!? Has everyone gone crazy? Are my children safe? For that matter am I?? It’s enough to make me want to run and hide!! Isn’t there any GOOD NEWS to report?
Good news: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)
Good news: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24 NIV)
Good news: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)
Good news: “He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:6 NIV)
I need to refocus. I need to set my mind on God things.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 ) Good advice from Paul to people much like me…living in a world that was corrupt and full of disappointments…the world that has been overcome by a living, loving, risen Savior!
Hmmm…there is a car wash just down the street from the school….
Sometimes life gets so hectic that I forget the good news. It isn’t that I completely forget it, it just seems like I allow the bad news to bog me down.
THE WORLD SEEMS TO THRIVE ON BAD NEWS DOESN’T IT? I WANT TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THAT…I WANT TO REMEMBER GOD’S GOOD NEWS!
Was it Anne Murray that had that song about needing a little good news … boy was she right.
I hate that I can get sucked into that stuff. I have to admit … I will go through and read every story like that … and save “Spelling Bee winner …” until last. I don’t know why I can become so caught up in the horrible stuff going on in this world. It sure makes me wonder why God doesn’t just wipe us out like Sodom and Gomorah … were they really worse than our world is today?!
I like the good news that you presented above … good things to think about. You always remind me to think God things.
Some of us were talking today about the Old Testament. It’s full of battles and wilderness … drought … famine … murders … on and on with the horribleness of the world. When you look at that … the New Testament really is Good News … Jesus’ message must have been so refreshing.
YOU KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT JESUS BEING REFRESHING. WITH ALL THE BURDEN OF THE LAW, THE CONSTANT REMINDER THAT YOU HAD TO “MAKE-UP” FOR YOUR SINS WITH A SACRIFICE…DON’T YOU KNOW THAT JESUS’ ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL SACRIFICE WAS SUCH A RELIEF FOR THEM?! IT’S PAID! IT’S ATONED! GOD IS SATISFIED! GOOD NEWS OF JESUS…THE “GOSPEL” OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS AND REDEMPTION…THANK YOU LORD!
Good song, too….
I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE AS OLD AS ME TO CATCH THAT…OH WAIT!! I FORGOT, I AM WAAAAAAAY OLDER THAN YOU.
I like oldies!
Yes! Good news. I need to focus on that much more than the new our nation is constantly focusing on.
Hope you are doing okay!
Trey
IT IS A FAVORITE NATIONAL PAST TIME TO DWELL ON BAD NEWS! TAKES MUCH EFFORT ON MY PART TO NOT GIVE IN TO THAT…I WANT TO DWELL ON THE GOD-THINGS…GOOD NEWS…JESUS NEWS! AND I AM DOING WELL..THANK YOU! HOPE THE SAME FOR YOU…
Marks of the curse are everywhere about us. But though they are prevalent and so terrible, they are not the whole story. Though they are powerful, they are not the strongest. Though they have continued through long dark ages of the earth, they will not last forever. Though they breathe out threatenings and slaughter, they can’t touch what is most important. Though they gain ground, they can’t win ultimately. Though they victimize the helpless, the day of reckoning surely comes. And though they claw and scratch at the door of our lives and of our beloved, greater is He Who is with us than he is who with them. Darkness…even deep, cold darkness…cannot quench the power of a single candle. How then will it do when the “sun of righteousness” arises with healing in its wings and we go forth jumping about like calves at play? (Malachi 4:2) Our Son has arisen. That’s all the good news we need, right Sherry? God bless you and yours.
I LIKE THAT MALACHI VERSE! THANKS FOR POINTING IT OUT.
I NEED TO REMEMBER THAT I AM JUST BIDING TIME HERE IN THIS WORLD…I DON’T BELONG HERE. I LONG FOR AND EAGERLY AWAIT MY HOME WITH THE FATHER. THAT IS WHAT IS REAL…THAT IS WHAT MATTERS.
Paige,
Don’t ever mention Anne Murray again! She is like scratching a chalkboard to me…..
NOT A BIG FAN HUH??
This could be good news or bad news….I’m preachin’ Sunday……The Open- west is about to begin…..
FANTASTIC!!! I WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HEAR YOU. YOU WILL DO WELL…YOU HAVE THAT “COACH” GENE AND ENCOURAGING TALKS ARE PART OF YOUR ROUTINE RIGHT? LIKE REX HAS SAID..IF ALL YOU DO IS READ THE WORD OF GOD YOU HAVE DONE A GOOD THING. I HAVE ASKED..AND WILL CONTINUE TO ASK GOD TO BLESS YOU AS YOU SPEAK. LET THE OPEN-WEST BEGIN…WOOHOO!!!!!
It went great! Open West. We studied how God sees his church from EPH 1-3. Then we had a session where I asked them for one thing that they wanted God to do for them and one thing they wanted God to do for our church. Everyone had one and some had more than one each. Of course we had 10 people so it was a near record crowd. Everyone had great things to say- from one woman who felt like she had to keep silent in church but loved that she could speak up and ask of God….to parents that had kids that didn’t follow God to a sick mom ,etc…..It was great and had lots of nice things said about it. One lady said that the lesson had been great for her soul. Maybe this is what I am supposed to be doing? Loved every second of it. Wasn’t nervous at all…..Have a good week. I love my track team too. They are good kids and they love me because I love them!!
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!! THAT IS FANTASTIC..I ASKED GOD TO GIVE YOU THE WORDS TO SAY AND I GUESS HE DID SOME OF THAT. THE REST OF IT IS JUST WHO YOU ARE. YOU BELIEVE IT, HAVE LIVED IT, KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW GOD WORKS…THAT HE DOES WORK IN OUR LIVES, THRU OUR WEAKNESSES…TURNING BAD INTO GOOD. WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THERE MY FRIEND. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE SEEN THE LOOK ON THEIR FACES AS THEY SAW A WHOLE NEW WAY OF THINKING ABOUT AND TALKING TO THE FATHER!!