R-E-A-L News

RISE above the “white noise” of this world to reach people for Jesus! This is an action statement not for the faint of heart. Fear of the unknown and great change seems to bring out the worst in “us”. Despite differences in ideology, must our discourse always devolve into anger? Maybe our emotional responses to uncertainty overpower the ability to use the brain God gave us to reason, think logically and make positive choices.

While today’s political climate could be highly akin to the paragraph above, I was specifically thinking about a passage of Scripture from my morning devotional:

Matthew 27:23 “ … But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify Him!’ ”.

Fear of the unknown – great change – emotion – it’s been going on for over two-thousand years. Pray today that “we” can RISE above the white noise to share the news of that ONE MAN – what He did and why He came!

But Carolyn, didn’t even that ONE MAN get angry?  When His Father’s house was being desecrated, yes.  Perhaps you believe your reason for anger is parallel to His?  Think hard.  Are you angry because God’s house is being desecrated?  If not, then your rage is something you will have to take up with Him if indeed you’ve chosen Him. 

EVERYONE makes choices every day. God gave us that opportunity. Of course, if you don’t believe in God, His Son, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit then you may not see the world in terms of “God giving opportunities”. In effect, you have chosen to not be in relationship with God. Maybe you don’t see the value of such a relationship?

Look at your life. You are reading this article. You’ve been born into this world with a pair of eyes to see. Yesterday I found myself in the emergency room wondering what the “lightning bolt” flashes along with the black dots in my peripheral vision meant. The ER took me in right away as they thought I was having a stroke. While nervous at first, I chose to calm myself and my husband by turning to God.

“I will be fine. God’s will be done. All will be well.” And, by His grace I wasn’t having a stroke and next week I am sure He will provide more answers. Not all my choices over the years have been met with calm; yet as I age the window of opportunity for choosing is rapidly closing. I pray that EVERYONE will look to the ONE who gives us our “todays” to make choices.

“AND the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.

Isn’t this what we all truly desire? A peaceful understanding. In the height of ambiguity – whether it is political, relational, medical change or whatever isn’t peace what we desire? Getting out of our own way to let God transform our hearts, our minds full of emotions and our lives is control that we seem to not want to relinquish. Philippians 4:6, the sentence before, says all we need to do is “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Can you do these things to get to the “AND”?  If so, maybe you can get to the life He envisioned for you.

LIVE and breathe the life God gave you. Maybe it’s just too much to think about giving your life to Jesus? Isn’t that, after all, at the heart of anything going on in this world? How is the crowd shouting “Crucify Him” any different from what we witness today?

Without Jesus, it is easy to immediately choose to be angry or fearful. There are some who say, “He was a good man, not the Son of God, but a good man.” Others still say “What’s in it for me if I say yes to Jesus?” Others still deny Him as God’s Son and His promised return; much like the angry mob who crucified him. And the list of excuses goes on and on.

Will you be among those who share the REAL news and say “RISE – EVERYONE – AND – LIVE.” If not, what’s your excuse?