Monday, February 14, 2011

The Greatest Love Story

You may think that you have already heard about the greatest love story. Most likely, you have not heard about it on your local radio station. You have not necessarily seen it on television or on the big movie screen. You probably have not read about it in the local newspaper or in a magazine.

“The Greatest Love Story” began over 2000 years ago. It was not widely known at the time. The usual ways of communicating today were not the same ways back then. Most of the news was found out about through other people. It was primarily done by word of mouth.

Now, it is my turn to share it with you on here. With this being the celebrated Valentine’s Day, it seemed more important to tell you now about “The Greatest Love Story” of all time.

A Father loved His one and only Son very much. He asked His Son to do something that most fathers today would not ask of anyone. However, this Father was not the usual father. The Son definitely was not the normal kind of son. That is where this story begins now.

"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)

My Father God loved you sooo much that He gave up His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you.

Why did He do it?

He did it to show His unconditional love for you. He also wanted to give you everlasting life.

What does that mean?

When you accept or receive His Son, Jesus, into your heart, you can have life not only now but afterwards.

How do you accept Him?

Just ask Him to come into your heart and life. After asking Him, believe that you have received Him into your heart. (Matt 21:22, Mark 11:24) Then, confess Him as your Lord and Savior.

God’s Son, Jesus Christ, accepted His Father's will for Him. He did not have to do it, but He chose to follow His Father's instructions. He loved His Father very much, so He was obedient to Him.

Therefore, He laid down His life for you. (1 John 3:16)

Would you do the same? Would you lay down your life for someone you did not even know yet?

He had not met you in a personal interview. He had not talked to you on the phone. He had not even run into you on the street. However before even seeing you, talking to you, or meeting you face-to-face, He paid the ultimate price for you. He laid down His life for you. (1 John 3:16)

He let people torture Him. He allowed them to beat Him. He submitted to nails being pierced in His sides, a thorn crown being placed on His head, and His body being hung on a cross.

Would you do the same? Would you die for someone else so that he or she may live? More specifically, would you die so he or she may live for an eternity?

Therefore, the next time that you tell someone those three little words…I love you. First, ask yourself this question. Would I lay down my life for this person? If so, then that is closer to the kind of love, which makes for a great love story.

However, this one is “The Greatest Love Story” of all time.


Copyright 2011 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

The Dwelling Place

What are you thinking about at this moment? What are you dwelling on right now?

Have you ever thought about this…?

Whatever you think about…whatever you dwell on…becomes bigger or larger to you.

For instance, when you look through the eye of a microscope at a tiny little piece of sand, it gets bigger. When you use a magnifying glass to look at a coin such as a penny, it also gets larger.

Therefore, what are you focusing on now? What are you looking at in your life? What is grabbing your attention during this time? It could be your current living situation. Perhaps, there are problems at your workplace. Maybe, the people around you are a distraction.

Whatever it is, it can be catching your attention or hindering you in your life.

Natural circumstances can temporarily steal your comfort, peace, and happiness in this world when you focus on them. Sometimes, you can give them the power to do so.

What is your dwelling place? Who is your refuge? Who is your dwelling place?

The same way we look at things in this natural world is the same way we should see things in the spiritual world at times.

Let us look at God’s word, and see what He has to say about this subject.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)

Notice what our Father says, “…meditate on it day and night.” By meditating on His word, we will be successful.

What are you meditating on now? What are you dwelling on at this moment? What is your dwelling place?

It should be God’s word and God Himself.

When we do what our Father tells us, He and His word will become bigger. Just like when we focus on natural circumstances, it becomes larger than life. All of the little things in life will actually appear much smaller when we take Him at His word and meditate on His word. Both He and His word will then become huge. By comparison, everything else will fade into the background.

God’s word puts issues, concerns, or problems into perspective. By looking at His word more carefully and closely on a daily basis, God takes His rightful place and everything else falls into its rightful place behind Him. Therefore, let us magnify God because He is the solution to every minor issue in this life.



Copyright 2011 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Speaking Life

Have you ever thought about your words? Do you know that your words affect you? Do you know that your words also affect other people? Actually, your words affect your own world or your reality.

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21)

We have two choices. First, we can choose good and positive words that bring life to us. By life, I mean good and positive results in our lives.

On the other hand, we also have the choice of using poor and negative words that ultimately bring death to us. In this case, I mean bad and negative results in our lives.

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live..." (Deut 30:19)

Our Father tells us to choose life, because He wants the best for us. He also means in our choices of words.

In the book of James, we read about taming the tongue or guarding our mouths.

"We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check." (James 3:2)

James compares our mouths to that of animals specifically horses.

"When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal." (James 3:3)

In just the next verse, ships are compared to our bodies.

"Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go." (James 3:4)

We need to be careful when choosing our words because of their effect on our path in life as well as on ourselves.

"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." (James 3:5-6)

Our Father tells us that we cannot "tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8)

It is only with Him that we are able to do anything, which includes taming our tongues. (John 15:5) By that, He means training our mouths to say what He wants us to say. He does not want us to say anything that is not of Him. However, we must submit our entire bodies to Him. That includes our mouths and our choice of words.

He also talks about the contradictory behavior of praising and cursing people with our mouths.

"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be." (James 3:9-10)

Therefore, let us watch what we say and how we say it about our circumstances, our individual lives, and ourselves. Let us honor our Father with our mouths. Be careful in the words we choose to speak to other people as well.

Afterall, life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)


Copyright 2011 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.