A Great Turn-about - July 27, 2009

Good Monday morning! I hope the weekend has left you refreshed and ready for the new week. Have you forgotten your freedom somewhere? If Jesus has paid the price for our sins, why then do we insist on living as though the hammer is about to fall? Have we returned to the days of weekly sacrifices and stonings in the streets? In our reminiscing about the good times of the past, I don't think that anyone wants to return to those days when people were stoned for a variety of offenses against the Law. Jesus has set us free from the penalty of sin!

In these times of economic woe, people around us need some good news. How about the good news that Christ died on the cross to take away our burden of sin and guilt? One of the greatest turn-abouts in this world is living a life where we refuse to sin because we love Jesus, and get away from living under the burden of avoiding sin because we fear punishment. This transformation may not happen overnight. We tend to think that God's correction is punishment for something we have done. If you look at Jonah's story as one of correction, God sent the storm to get him back on the right path, instead of punishment, we begin to get the right picture. God even sent a big taxi to get Jonah back to shore safely. :-)

Think of the stories of the Bible where Jesus wanted to get someones attention and turn them around. Saul of Tarsus did not meet Chris wielding a sword on the road to Damascus. Saul was blinded by the bright light of Christ in person. Jesus took the time to get Saul's attention and then turned him into the great apostle Paul. We read that Paul did not immediately begin preaching and writing but took three years to study and work out his new salvation. Just this weekend I heard a story from Liberia where the chief Muslim cleric started his call to prayer from the minaret only to be stricken dumb. He too met Jesus; at the top of a minaret no less! What did he have to say to his followers when he could speak again? "Jesus is God!" Bear in mind that in Islam they teach that Jesus was just another prophet.

Turn-abouts in life are happening each day. The Holy Spirit of Christ moves among the nations even now. The enemy will let people believe anything but that Jesus is God and died for our sins. Share the Good News that Jesus has saved us from sin and death!

Bucky