Written Words

Have you ever thought about how words effect you? I think we are not very aware of their power in our lives until we actually hear words that carry an impact on where we are at the moment. I don’t mean where we are in reference to geography but where we are on the inside.

Of course we can talk long and hard about the negative effect that words have on our lives. I think everybody recognizes that. But I want to blog about the positive effect instead. I think this really hit me recently as I was able to hear and read words directed to me that just filled me with an overwhelming sense of God’s grace and love for my life. What a blessing for my life. It is not something one thinks about everyday. What I mean is we don’t go around thinking “I wish people would speak words that build me up today”. And in our society today I believe we definitely lack telling people around us positive things about them. So when it happens it tends to make us sit back and think how awesome it feels to hear positive things about who you are in life.

Words of praise. Did you know that God speaks words of praise to His children all the time? He sure does. Just read what the bible has to say about you. Let me rest my case in the truth that “for God so loved the world (you) that He gave His only begotten Son”. That should be enough yet the bible is riddled with God’s words of love toward us.

Obviously we would all agree that it is important to esteem and bless one another. We encourage our young athletes before they step into the game. We encourage children in our schools that they can do it. Over and over again we employ words and notes to build up people of all ages so that they will achieve more in life as well as have a great attitude.

Here is my point. Everyone is effected for the better as we build them up. Let’s do it more regularly. Let’s make it a point to esteem and edify others in the moment. Not wait for another day or future time. Let’s do it more often. It is a beautiful thing to receive words of affirmation and love that let you know your life is worth living.

Say something good to somebody in your life!

Define Salvation

What is your definition of salvation? Have you really thought it through? When you hear the word salvation what comes to mind?

Moses said to the people of Israel once, "stand still and see the salvation of your God." The Israelites were blocked in by the enemy on one side and the Red Sea on the other. What did salvation mean to them at that moment? I'm sure it meant something more than what we think. After all, they were at the point of dying and there was no way out. So salvation at that point meant living. It meant to be delivered from the hand of their enemies. And probably a whole lot more.

What does it mean to us? I think the usual answer would be that it means forgiveness of sins. Is that all it means? When we talk about salvation through Jesus Christ, are we only talking about forgiveness? I think we can safely say that salvation is a lot more than forgiveness of sins and a free ticket into heaven.

Jesus came and became a man on earth. He was in every way a man like you and I. Yes he was God, but he was also totally a man. You see Jesus came to show us how to live and how to have life. His message was not one of just how to get into heaven but it was a message of how to live with abundant life. Just think about this for a minute. Jesus died on the cross as a man. He literally took our place so that God's judgment would be removed. He purchased right standing before the Father in heaven.

Even though we could expand on all of this for quite some time I would like to focus solely on the word salvation. What does it really mean? I think we have short-changed the meaning of salvation that Jesus has provided for us. We usually only repeat what we have heard over the years. In the normal response to salvation is is that we are forgiven of our sins. But salvation is a lot more than that. Not to minimize the importance of forgiveness of sins, which is a great miracle and blessing from God. But at the same time we don't need to leave out all that God has provided for us. We need to see the whole picture and embrace the truth of God's word. Salvation is all-inclusive and affects every part of our life, spirit, soul and body.

I believe Jesus came to earth to show us the depth of what salvation really is through his life and actions. So here's an oversimplified way to look at salvation. What is going on in your life today that you need said to be saved from? That you can meditate on that for a while and when you come up with an answer you can cry to our Creator, Jesus Christ, saying, "save me Lord!". You see, he didn't pay the enormous price of dying on a cross only to save you from sin. He made the ultimate sacrifice in order that we might live and enjoy the blessings of heaven on earth. I am purposely not filling in the blanks in this blog. I'm leaving that for you to do. I don't believe I can fully define salvation with a few words. Because I think it takes on a new meaning for each individual and situation we are living. The important thing to see is that salvation goes beyond the saving of our soul to get into heaven. That doesn't change just because we don't believe it. It is still true. We need to change our mindset about salvation in order to change our beliefs of salvation. We need to see the realm of possibilities that God has provided for us through the work of Jesus Christ and not limit all that he did by believing only part.