Archive for September, 2009
The Thorns of Sin
by PRRussell on Sep.30, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
The Thorns of Sin
Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and traps. Proverbs 22:5
The fruit of sin is the thorns—spiny, prickly, cutting thorns.
I emphasize the “point” of the thorns to suggest a point you may have never considered: if the fruit of sin is thorns, isn’t the thorny crown on Christ’s brow a picture of the fruit of our sin that pierced His heart?
What is the fruit of sin? Step into the briar patch of humanity and feel a few thistles. Shame. Fear. Disgrace. Discouragement. Anxiety. Haven’t our hearts been caught in these brambles?
The heart of Jesus, however, had not. He had never been cut by the thorns of sin. What you and I face daily, He never knew. Anxiety? He never worried! Guilt? He was never guilty! Fear? He never left the presence of God! Jesus never knew the fruits of sin… until He became sin for us.
“He Chose the Nails” by Max Lucado
Victory Over Death
by PRRussell on Sep.29, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Victory Over Death
Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain? 1 Corinthians 15:55
The fire that lit the boiler of the New Testament church was an unquenchable belief that if Jesus had been only a man, He would have stayed in the tomb. The earliest Christians couldn’t stay silent about the fact that the One they saw hung on a cross walked again on the earth and appeared to five hundred people.
Let us ask our Father humbly, yet confidently in the name of Jesus, to remind us of the empty tomb. Let us see the victorious Jesus: the Conquerer of the tomb, the One who defied death. And let us be reminded that we, too, will be granted that same victory!
“Walking with the Savior” by Max Lucado
The Best is Yet to Be
by PRRussell on Sep.28, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
The Best Is Yet To Be
I will, also, give to each one who wins the victory a white stone with a new name written on it. Revelation 2:17
Makes sense. Fathers are fond of giving their children special names. Princess. Tiger. Sweetheart. Bubba. Angel……
Isn’t it incredible to think that God has saved a name just for you? One you don’t even know? We’ve always assumed that the name we got is the name we will keep. Not so….. the road ahead is so bright a fresh name is needed. Your eternity is so special no common name will do.
So God has one reserved just for you. There is more to your life than you ever thought. There is more to your story than what you have read….
And so I plead….. be there when God whispers your name.
“When God Whispers Your Name” by Max Lucado
God Goes With Us
by PRRussell on Sep.27, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
God Goes With Us
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” Genesis 28:15 NIV
When God calls us into the deep valley of death, He will be with us. Dare we think that He would abandon us in the moment of death?…. Would the shepherd require his sheep to journey to the highlands alone? Of course not. Would God require His child to journey to eternity alone? Absolutely not! He is with you!
What God said to Moses, He says to you: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14 NIV) .
What God said to Jacob, He says to you: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go” (Genesis 28:15 NIV).
What God said to Joshua, He says to you:”As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”(Joshua 1:5 NIV).
“Traveling Light” by Max Lucado
A Place to Heal
by PRRussell on Sep.26, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
A Place to Heal
Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. Ephesians 4:11-12
He grants gifts so we can “prepare God’s holy people.” Paul reached into a medical dictionary for this term. Doctors used it to describe the setting of a broken bone. Broken people come to churches. Not with broken bones, but broken hearts, homes, dreams, and lives. They limp in on fractured faith, and if the church operates as the church, they find healing. Pastor-teachers touch and teach. Gospel bearers share good news. Prophets speak words of truth. Visionaries dream of greater impact. Some administer. Some pray. Some lead. Some follow. But all help to heal brokenness: “to make the body of Christ stronger.”
Don’t miss it. No one is strong all the time. Don’t miss the place to find your place and heal your hurts.
“Cure for the Common Life” by Max Lucado
Get Over Yourself
by PRRussell on Sep.25, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
Get Over Yourself
In humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3 NIV
Columnist Rick Reilly gave this advice to rooky professional athletes: “Stop thumping your chest. The line blocked, the quarterback threw you a perfect spiral while getting his head knocked off, and the good receiver blew the double coverage. Get over yourself. “
The truth is, every touchdown in life is a team effort. Applaud your teammates. An elementary-age boy came home from the tryouts for the school play. “Mommy, Mommy,” he announced, “I got a part. I’ve been chosen to sit in the audience and clap and cheer.” When you have a chance to clap and cheer, do you take it? If you do, your head is starting to fit your hat size.
“Traveling Light” by Max Lucado
In the Arms of God
by PRRussell on Sep.24, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
In the Arms of God
Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. John 11:26
We don’t like to say good-bye to those whom we love. Whether it be at a school or a cemetary, seperation is tough. It is right for us to weep, but there is no need for us to despair. They had pain here. They have no pain there. They struggled here. They have no struggles there. You and I might wonder why God took them home. But they don’t. They understand. They are, at this very moment, at peace in the presence of God……
When it is cold on Earth, we can take comfort in knowing that our loved ones are in the warm arms of God. And when Christ comes, we will hold them, too.
“When Christ Comes” by Max Lucado
God’s Name in Your Heart
by PRRussell on Sep.18, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
God’s Name in Your Heart
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 NKJV
When you are confused about the future, go to your Jehovah-Raah, your caring shepherd. When you are anxious about provision, talk to Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord who provides. Are your challenges too great? Seek the help of Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is peace. Is your body sick? Are your emotions weak? Jehovah-Rophe, the Lord who heals you, will see you now. Do you feel like a soldier stranded behind enemy lines? Take refuge in Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord my banner.
Meditating on the names of God reminds you of the character of God. Take these names and bury them in your heart.
God is
the shepherd who guides
the Lord who provides,
the voice who brings peace in the storm,
the physician who heals the sick, and
the banner that guides the soldier.
“The Great House of God” by Max Lucado
What about the free market?
by PRRussell on Sep.18, 2009, under ♥ My Personal Blog
Obama’s Healthcare Reform will mean the end of employer based healthcare plans. There will be nothing left but the govt insurance. Personally, I think there is an unhealthy relationship between employers and employees in regard to health insurance. Costs are so high that employees are now in a position where they have to get their health insurance from their employer. This puts undue stress on the companies themselves, as well. The employee can often become trapped in a job with “good benefits”. They’re unable to move on for fear of losing those benefits in today’s world by not finding another job that offers the same good benefits they currently have. It would be much better for employee and employer alike if health insurance was sold and bought like auto insurance is done. A persons health insurance plan could go with them if they decide to leave their current job in pursuit of something better for them and their family in regards to salary or wage earned. Costs have to come down though for this to be possible. The average American cannot afford healthcare without their employers help of paying a percentage of the monthly premiums. There are more than 1300 health insurance companies in this country. Can you imagine if all 1300 had to compete against each other? The health insurance industry has never faced capitalism at it’s best. The states put mandates on these companies. It’s as if there is a large fence built around each state. No insurance company in Texas is allowed to look over that fence into New Mexico and sell a policy to a New Mexican. No New Mexican is allowed to look over the fence into Texas and buy a plan from a company there. This has led to widespread monopolies through out the the health insurance industry. For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield holds 80% of all health insurance policies in the state of Alabama. They have no competition in that state so they have no incentive to try to curtail rising costs in any way they can. Monopolies destroy capitalism. So what happens if all those fences around all those states are knocked down? Now Blue Cross Blue Shield has 1299 health insurance companies they have to compete against in Alabama! Can you imagaine how much costs would drop? Now ask yourself how one health insurance company entering into the Alabama health care industry would help? That one company being Government Healthcare. Sure, Blue Cross Blue Shield has to drop prices. The government is not interested in profits or saving money. They pay the doctors and hospitals with our money. They have no incentive to keep costs down. If costs rise then they just increase taxes so they have more of our money to funnel to doctors and hospitals. BC/BS competing against 1299 other companies with all of them wanting to make a profit will build a robust industry. BC/BS having to compete with one Government Healthcare company would eventually have to close their doors. How can you compete with someone who can drop their prices b/c they have no desire to see a profit? You can’t. By the same token, as I have already stated, the government will have no incentive to keep costs down….. they’ll just increase their revenue. Their revenue is our money. It’s the fact that companies need to see a profit that costs are kept down and capitalism can work at it’s best. No need for profit=no need to keep costs down. Then you can ask yourself: What if I could buy health insurance like I do life insurance? What if I could buy a policy for a term of 20 years? In year 10 I develop cancer but wait…… I have a 20 year policy. No way the insurance company can drop me and I get treatment in full. Fast forward to year 20 and you now have to sign a new policy with your health insurance company and they say, “Well, you know…. you had cancer 10 years ago so we’ll have to charge you more for your premiums.” Okay….. charge me more…. but charge me too much and I’ll just go to a company that will sell it to me cheaper. Ahhh Haaaa……. well, you might have to pay a little more on the next term but it will be a reasonable increase because there are 1299 other companies you can go shopping at for a new plan. Obama says the government will keep health insurance companies honest. What does the mean????? He will keep them honest by making sure they don’t have fat paychecks and deny coverage? Okay… noble cause…… but tell me, Mr President, how can you do a better job at that then the free market…. then 1299 other competing companies that all want Joe American as their customer? Tell me… please.. because I do not understand.
Just my own thoughts and opinions but these are just a couple ideas that conservatives have offered in Congress and they have been shot down time and time again. Tear down the fences and let all the dogs play together…. I promise you that costs will drop.
Just in case you’re wondering…. I am not a health insurance company operative. I am not a GOP operative. I am an everyday American that is worried for her country. I, also, have 5 autoimmune diseases and require quite a bit of medical care. I have been on the receiving end of that pre-existing condition clause. My doctor had to perfom retinal surgery (victrectomy) pro bono so I wouldn’t go blind b/c my health insurance company had me missing my pre-existing condition exemption period by one day!! So… no…. I am not a lover of health insurance companies. I am a lover of capitalism though. I have seen the very worst and the very best in health insurance companies. I should be the last person anyone would expect would be fighting against Obama’s plan. I can tell you I trust capitalism to give me affordable heathcare a heck of alot more then the government. How much do I trust it? Well, it’s only my 39 year old life at stake so I’d say alot. As far as capitalism giving me excellent healthcare…. I don’t have to worry about that. We already have excellent healthcare in this country. Competing insurance companies won’t lower our level of excellence and that’s another thing my life depends on too.
A Load Too Heavy
by PRRussell on Sep.17, 2009, under ♥ My Spiritual Blog
A Load Too Heavy
Do not be bitter or angry or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Ephesians 4:31
Oh, the gradual grasp of hatred. It’s damage begins like the crack in my windshield. Thanks to a speeding truck on a gravel road, my window was chipped, With time the nick became a crack, and the crack became a winding tributary…. I couldn’t drive my car without thinking of the jerk who drove too fast. Though I’ve never seen him, I could describe him. He is some deadbeat bum who cheats on his wife, drives with a six-pack on the seat, and keeps the television so loud the neighbors can’t sleep…..
Ever heard the expression, “blind rage”?
Let me be very clear. Hatred will sour your outlook and break your back. The load of bitterness is simply too heavy. Your knees will buckle under the strain, and your heart will break beneath the weight. The mountain before you is steep enough without the heaviness of hatred on your back. The wisest choice–the only choice–is for you to drop the anger. You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you.
“In the Grip of Grace” by Max Lucado