You Needed Me

I sold my soul, you bought it back for me,
And held me up and gave me dignity.
You Needed Me, Anne Murray, 1978

What does unconditional love look like to you? According to Wikipedia (the online encyclopedia) unconditional love is to love someone regardless of the loved one's qualities or actions. The paradigm of unconditional love is a mother's love for her newborn.

I don't know about you, but I'm not good at unconditional love. Oh, I love people, but certainly their qualities and actions come into play. I am not oblivious to someone's actions enough that their behavior doesn't play a part in how I feel about them. Yet that is what unconditional love is.

God is the perfect example of unconditional love. The Bible puts it this way, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.*" Through sin, I sold my soul. But through Christ's death, he bought it back for me! He held me up and gave me dignity. And He does this for everyone who accepts Him!

You have to have faith. Some people lack faith, and may say to Jesus, "And I can't believe it's true, I can't believe it's you." But I say to Him, "I needed you, and you were there! And I'll never leave. Why would I leave? I'd be a fool. Because I finally found someone who really cares."

In John 15:14, Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command." He even calls us friend. Follow Jesus today. You need him.

Musical Musings:
1. Do you think you are capable of giving unconditional love? How can having Jesus in your life help you be more loving?
2. There are many things we need: Food, clothing, etc. How does you need for a Savior weigh on your mind relative to your other needs?
3. Do you realize how much you need Jesus? Think about the ways you need a Savior in your life. Then thank God for fulfilling that need.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, I need you! You bought my soul back, with the blood of Jesus. You found me when I was lost. You gave me hope when I didn't have it. You even called me friend! Thank you, Lord, for showing me unconditional love and teach me to have a more loving heart like you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Do a word study on the word "need" in the Bible. Look at all the ways God helps the needy and meets our needs.





*Romans 5:8

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving!

Praise the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
Psalm 106:1


Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday! I'll see you back here Monday for another Musical Monday!

Time After Time

If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me.
Time after Time.
Time After Time, Cyndi Lauper, 1984

Have you ever been lost? It's a scary feeling. Not sure where to go, or who to ask for directions. Of course, with today's vehicles coming standard with GPS, as well as cell phones and portable GPS devices, not many folks get lost anymore. Still, it's an empty feeling.

In addition to being physically lost, we can feel emotionally lost. Empty. We can also be spiritual lost, without a Savior. No matter which way you are lost, Jesus can help.

This is the parable of the Lost Shep from Luke 15: Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Jesus was telling them, "If you're lost, you can look, and you will find me." But more than that, Jesus died to pay the price for our sins. As the song continues, Jesus could be saying, "If you fall, I will catch you. I'll be waiting." Jesus is always there for us. Time after time.

Musical Musings:
1. Are you feeling lost today? Why not look for Jesus.
2. Does knowing that the Heaven's rejoice over your repentance inspire you to turn away from your sin?
3. Jesus says to forgive 70 x 7. He forgives...time after time. Why not pray for forgiveness today?

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, Forgive me! I am a sinner. I get lost, and I fall, too often. Forgive me and help me stay on the right path, upright. I want to do your will. Thank you for always being there, time after time. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock on: Read Luke 15, to find three parables about lost being found.

No Deposit, No Return

Remember the slogan, "No Deposit, No Return"? Back in the day, bottled soda and beer came in refillable bottles. You would pay a deposit when you purchased your drinks. Then upon returning your empty bottles, you received your deposit back, (about 2 cents per bottle).

But in the 1950s the manufacturers came up with a brilliant solution; they would simply charge an extra nickel for the beverage and tell the customer to throw the 2-cent bottle away. Hence the slogan, "No Deposit, No Return."

As Christians, we have a deposit on us. 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 states, "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

The Holy Spirit is a deposit put in us by Christ. That deposit gives us value. And when the end times come, whether it be by our death, or the second coming, that deposit will get a return. Our "return" will be eternal life because of our faith and that deposit of the Holy Spirit. Without that deposit we are ensured eternal separation from God; hell.

Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Have your received your deposit of the Holy Spirit? If not, why not seek guidance* today on how you too can be assured of eternal life. Remember...No Deposit. No Return.




* Visit your pastor, a trusted Christian friend, or read this article to find out how to become a Christian and receive the deposit of the Holy Spirit. Be sure to tell someone your decision and find a mentor (pastor or friend) to help you along in the process of growing your faith.

See or PhariSee?

I tend to be good about seeing a situation and sizing it up appropriately. I can read body language and gestures, tone and inflection, attitudes and appearances. Some would call that being astute.

Police officers are trained to check out situations and size them up appropriately as well. By reading body language, gestures, tones, attitudes and appearances, they try to determine what illegal activity may be going on. That is called profiling.

But at what point does sizing up, or inference, become judgment? When do we go from seeing to “PhariSeeing.”

Join me over at Titus 2 in Action, where I am a regular contributor to find out!

I Can See Clearly Now

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
I Can See Clearly Now, Johnny Nash, 1973

Have you ever been driving in a thundering rain storm, and had to pull over because you couldn't see? You know the road is obviously there right under you, but you can't see it in front of you. But just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there. And sure enough, when the rain clears the road is there, like it was all along, "I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way."

Where is God when bad things happen? Or what about during that empty time when he just seems so far away. "God where are you? I can't find you!" Just as heavy rains obscure our view, the storms of life can blind us to God's presence. But that doesn't mean he isn't there.

Just like the road, God is still there when we can't find him. In Jeremiah 29:13, God tells us "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." We have to be looking, and not half-heartedly, for Him. Still when the heavy storms of life are there, we can be blinded by them. It's then that we may need to pull over.

Even though we know the road is there in the pouring rain, we still may need to stop. And even believing God is there, we still may need to stop. Rest and pray. Sometimes it may be a brief shower. Other times may be hurricane force winds, with lots of damage. God is still there.

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Then hopefully you'll be able to say "I think I can make it now, the pain is gone. All of the bad feelings have disappeared. Here is the rainbow I've been praying for." But even when the pain holds fast, remember that with the help of God, it will be a "bright, bright SON-shiny day."

Musical Musings:
1. What are the storms in your life, and are they blinding you to God's presence?
2. What are some things you can do make you see clearly that God is still there?
3. If you are experiencing a life storm, look to God. But surround yourself with loving friends or family to help you as well. Someone just may have an umbrella.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, thank you for being our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Help us to draw near to you and seek you whole heartedly in good times and bad. And help us see clearly. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read the story of Noah, who experienced big storms in life, in Genesis 6-9.