spiritualsnippets.com

Seeing life's events in the light of God's Word.

FaceTime Surprise

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2 Corinthians 4:6- For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Yesterday, I got a surprise visit from my sisters on FACETIME. Seeing them really made my day. It was almost as good as physically being with them, except that our conversation didn’t end with a hug!

I look forward to the day when I stand in the presence of our Lord and see him face to face. I cannot even imagine what it will be like to actually see him!

Now, Christians, we see him with eyes of faith, but one day his promise to us will be fulfilled and we will see him glorified!!!!

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Love Demonstrated

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Romans 5:8-But God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

I have read comments about the recent pardoning of criminals, politicians, and so on. 

This post is NOT to state my opinions on them.

It is simply a post on the subject of pardoning, which means to remove the punishment for crimes or wrongdoing. 

EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS EVER LIVED HAS COMMITTED SINS. 

But Jesus died on the cross in our place, taking upon himself our punishment. He didn’t do it because of our innocence. (If we had been innocent, there would have been no need for him to become a sacrifice for our sins)!

This verse in the book of Romans tells us that He didn’t pardon us based on merit or because He believed we were innocent.

By pardoning us, God demonstrated His love for us.

He pardoned us without condition. Without us deserving it.

Because of His Great Love.

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Exciting News

Revelation 21:27- “Nothing impure will ever enter it (heaven), nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

I met a lady recently that asked me a few questions about being an author. A few minutes later, she confessed that she’d been thinking about writing a book because it would be a thrill for her to see her name in print on the cover of her very own book.

What an opportunity God gave me to talk to her about having her name in The Book of Life!

It seems more and more God is providing situations for me to talk to others about grace, forgiveness, and salvation.

These are exciting days leading up to Christ’s return. So many reasons to share the gospel!

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Welcome Home

Psalm 91:1- “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

My husband and I are in the process of pre-planning at our local mortuary. Recently experiencing the deaths of my parents, whose foresight in this area made it easier on our family, we want to do the same for our children when our time comes.

Decades ago, professing faith in Christ gave us the assurance of our eternal home in heaven. Living in His shelter and experiencing his peace and strength daily is just a “preview” of things to come.

I love the wording of Psalm 91:1. It depicts a caring and loving God who not only watches over us now, but one who is preparing a place for His children. He has planned our lives from the beginning to the end. 

And He will welcome us home in the fullness of time. 

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Who Is Watching?

Luke 14:27- “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

It seems that at every turn lately, I hear of a friend or family member who is facing health, financial, or relationship difficulties. The death of a spouse, disrespectful children, disappointments at work.

Each one of us has a cross to bear. And Christians and non-Christians alike are watching to see how we are going to handle our problems.

When we find our strength in the Lord, we are an encouragement to others.

And, we discover our joy in following Christ.

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Xmas vs. Christmas

Do you celebrate Christmas or Xmas?

Oh, yes, they are two very different things.

Xmas, although beautiful and memorable, is a social experience. It’s a gift-giving, cookie-baking, photo-taking season repeated year after year because of its feel-good/traditional/income-generating value.

Don’t believe me?

Look at Christmas. The added elements are the worship of the baby in the manger (who grows up to become the Savior of world); reflections on visits to him by angels, wise men, and shepherds; the revelation (and significance of) the virgin birth; candlelight church services, including the singing of hymns and reading of Holy Scriptures.

I invite you to experience the blessings that celebrating Christmas in its fullness will bring this year!

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The Mediator

I Timothy 2:5- “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

We recently sold our house. 

We used a realtor to write the listing, manage the showings, and see the process through escrow to the day of closing. 

A home inspector did his job and an appraiser set a number for the value. 

All these people played a vital role as intermediaries between us and the buyer.

I felt a new appreciation that Christians, because of Jesus bearing our sins on the cross, don’t need an intermediary between ourselves and our wonderful God.  

Once we have professed faith in Jesus as our Savior, we can come directly to the Father’s throne of grace in prayer. We can have a personal relationship with Him, bringing Him our concerns, our requests, our praise.

 Because nothing and no one can come between us!!!

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Once Lost. Now Found.

Luke 15:8- “What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost’.”

**You are on my heart this morning. I don’t know your name or exact circumstance, but you have a loved one who needs the love of Jesus in their life. I remembered this blog that I wrote years ago. I hope it is just the message you need today. Here is a reprint of my earlier blog post:

Last week, I lost my cross necklace. I reached up to straighten its chain and it was gone!

I checked in our bed, the shower, the car, and on the floor of every room in the house. It just wasn’t there. I was devastated!

I had worn the “lost” cross for more than 15 years. It was precious to me.

“Please God, let me find it!” I asked, fervently. I prayed for Him to shine his light on it…to guide us to wherever it was.

Two days later, I rejoiced with a friend when my husband found it atop a roll of carpet we had pulled up in our renovation. It glistened in the bright morning sun.

I thought of the lady in the Bible who went around her house looking everywhere for a lost coin. She rejoiced when she found her lost silver coin. She even called her friends to let them know.

The verse following Luke15:8, above, reminds us that “…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 

You and I were the reason for their rejoicing at one time, when we repented and came to Christ. When we tell others of His love and forgiveness of sins, and they become believers, the angels will rejoice with us in their salvation, too!

What better day, than today, to ask God to shine His light onto the heart of a relative or friend? 

We can all rejoice together that the one that was once lost is, now, “found”!

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Will They Know?

2 Corinthians 3:2- “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.”

Many years ago, a fellow teacher at my school noticed the cross that I wear daily. She looked at me and said words I will never forget, “I didn’t know that you were a Christian!”

That was one of the saddest comments I had ever heard, but it changed my life, profoundly. I didn’t want people to only know that I was a Christian because of a piece of jewelry. I wanted them to see Christ in me!

I asked God to show me ways in which I needed to change so that others might know that I was His child. I wanted my life to be representative of a daily walk with my Savior… to show my commitment to Christ and be an outward sign of what He has done in my heart… to glorify Him through my life and actions.

Do I mess up? Of course I do! But because He forgives his children, He sends the Holy Spirit to help me move forward.

I still wear my cross necklace, but I trust it’s my actions that show the world who I am–in Christ!

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Eternal Life with Christ

 

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Revelation 1:18- “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

 

Because Jesus took the cumulative sin of all mankind on himself at the crucifixion, he was completely cut off and separated from God the Father. He was punished in hell for the past, present, and future sins of every man.

In order to be restored back into fellowship with His Father, he had to be “reborn.” Revelation 1:5 says Jesus was the “first begotten from the dead.” And, He is now seated at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

When Jesus ascended, all believers were also brought to eternal life with Christ. That is why we are able to say, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”  Galatians 2:20.

All mankind was identified with Him in death, but only those who believe are identified with Him in His resurrection.

 

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