You can change the world, one conversation at a time..God's word is abundant with verses of encouragement!

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:29-30

I'm reminded of those words in Ephesians and contrast that with what I see in social media, I see-

Flaming arrows coming from every direction.

causing pain to anyone on the receiving end

I see political leaders on both sides of the fence

setting poor examples for the rest of us to follow

I see heartache

I see hopelessness

I see depression

in some cases I see suicide taking the lives of loved ones

Truth be told, God calls us to a higher standing,

a standing calling for edifying speech

a speech that doesn't hurt others,

a speech that doesn't harm

a speech that encourages thoughtful debate 

with respect for others opinion

Through Jesus Christ,

you can be the power of one

the one person who encourages another person

the person who pulls the one tossed under the bus

the person who becomes the cheerleader

telling others "you can do it, I know you can"

Through Christ,

you can be the conduit that can extinguish the 

flaming arrow

before you respond to someone's post,

wisely choose your words

so they encourage the other person

In Christ,

you have the power to make the world a better place,

one conversation at a time!

As I look out over the horizon on this beautiful April 3rd morning, I see God's beautiful cleansing majesties

We put our hope in the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:20-22

Most of us in Minnesnowta are growing tired of seeing increasing accumulations of white powder this time of year. A time where we're accustomed to rain-'April flowers brings May flowers.' Since we just celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, I'm reminded of the cleansing power of our Lord in the lives of those who trust Him. Pure, white snow. Cleansing snow.

Think of the significance of that statement!  No matter what you've been through in this life- the suicide of a loved one, sudden death from a medical complication, financial ruin- Jesus wants to cleanse you in the power of his blood, a blood that restores, a blood that heals, a healing blood that brings you back from a brink. I remember that children's song I use to sing with all the others in Church.

"Jesus loves me, yes I know, for the Bible tells me so"

That sweet, sweet song gives me a visual of our Lord Jesus wrapping his arms around me when life isn't going so well.

Then there is that verse from Psalm 18:2-6:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.

When I think of a rock, I think of something that is immovable, something that is secure to stand on! In this age of social media where there are competing voices all trying to grab our attention- some positive and more that is negative, it is refreshing that we have our Lord Jesus to give us a secure foundation, a positive voice to counter all of the rest!

Little ones to Him belong;

They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain:

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Don't let anyone tell you that the Bible is irrelevant today, that it's a made up fairy tale.  I can assure you from my own life of many upheavals that my Savior, Jesus, hears the cry of my voice an utters the right words of encouragement at a time I needed them!

Jesus loves me! He who died

Heaven’s gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

That white cleansing snow, a symbol of God's love for us!  A simple truth worth sharing with others in your life!

When I'm weak, He is strong

Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Jason had hidden in the bushes just outside the area where they laid this Jesus. He was just 12 years old when he snuck away from his house because he couldn't sleep. The images of what they did to him on that hillside were too much for his imagination. 

He stood on the hillside the evening they watched this Jesus being laid on this cross. He watched as the guards nailed these stakes into his feet and hands and tied this very prickly rope around his arms to the cross. 

Then, he remembers watching them lift this cross into the hole and drop it in with a thump that he knew must have sent slivers of pain throughout this man's body. He hadn't done anything worthy of this type of death. 

He couldn't help but feel the humiliation of what this Jesus was going through as some in the crowd were casting insults toward him. He remembered walking across this courtyard when this woman was about to be stoned- when Jesus seemed to have the right words for the right time. He remembers those words: " “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he watched one by one, as each person in that angry mob threw their stone to the ground and walked away.

 Jason also remembered being with his parents on the hillside listening to this Jesus talk about great truths on many subjects. He remembers how intrigue his parents were as they sat all day listening to this man. He also remembered how hungry he was as the day grew and witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fishes as he lifted the two trays and witnessing an abundance of food to feed the thousands, like him, who sat on that hillside.

Jason could see that this heavy stone had been rolled away from the entrance of the cave where his body was laid. In the corner of his eye, he saw one of Jesus's followers, Mary standing by the stone when he thought he heard a voice saying to her. "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.  He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.  Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Jason remembered when he saw this man Jesus, angry at the merchants on the temple steps when he overturned their tables because they were trying to profit from the people. Then he recalled Jesus saying, " "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." At the time, Jason didn't really know what he meant but standing here the truth of what Jesus said meant the resurrection of his body.

What Jason had witnessed was good news- Jesus was the savior of the world!

Over the course of time, there have been millions of people positively impacted by the truths of God's word, just as they were during his brief ministry before and after his return. 

He has quite literally taken the sting out of death by giving us the assurances of God's word and giving us the hope as we grieve.

Jesus has risen, He has risen, He has risen indeed!