It's Either To Hot, Or To Cold!

The other day I found myself think of a few things I had to do outside.  Where I live it’s winter right now,  40 Degrees Fahrenheit.  I said to myself “it’s to cold to do that”  you know, In a way that was complaining.  I then took stock of the normal temperature in Houston Texas…. Troubling.   It’s more often hot here then it is cold.

If the conditions are never right to move forward… then maybe it’s not the conditions that are the problem.   There is something for having an optimistic outlook in every situation.   A can do attitude about the opportunities in front of you or the obstacles in front of you. 

It’s a season to where a jacket, rather than swim shorts!  Enjoy it! Don’t let the cold be an excuse, but rather an opportunity to experience something new and different.

It will be unbearably hot before you know it!

Living From Victory!

Every day we make choices, what clothes we are going to wear, what cereal we are going to eat for breakfast. My personal favorite is Cinnamon Toast Crunch by the way.  We also have a choice to make about how we see ourselves.  Do we see ourselves through eyes of failure? Always messing things up. Guilt and shame from things we have done in the past. Are we going to spend our lives being the same old person?  Or even more frustrating... is it only going to get worse? Is that thing I struggle with only going to be a bigger problem for me in the future? Maybe you’re tired of being mean to people but you can't break the cycle.

Have you ever bought a car? Cars that have been damaged badly and then repaired have what they call a "salvage" title. It alerts potential buyers to be aware that this car was so badly damaged, that it was destined for the scrap yard to be discarded. But someone bought it back and fixed it. It will always have problems, it will never be right. It has a "salvage" title.

Many Christians think that this is their lot in life. They were damaged goods and Jesus came along and cleaned them up.  But, they will always be damaged goods. They will always have a "salvage" title.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he explains to them that if they have come to Jesus, they are new creations.  That's right NEW CREATIONS!  The old things are gone and the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old you is dead and Jesus has made you a new creation.  His payment was not just powerful enough to remove sin and reconcile you to himself.  But to make you brand new and fill you with Himself.  To take that wrecked car and makes it show room new again. 

You can’t afford to see yourself any other way than the way Jesus sees you!

He has made you to live from His victory.

You are powerful

You say “no” when temptation comes

You are a whole person

You react to heaven, not your circumstances

You were God's original idea, God doesn't have bad ideas

You are a prince/princess

Jesus trusts you

You are a son/daughter of God

You choose to live from His victory

The Prince of Peace: Der Freidensfurst

Visiting my family in Canada this year has brought back so many great childhood memories.  From the Christmas baking to seeing old friends and family. Driving down streets I grew up riding my bike or skateboarding on. But the thing that has captured my attention the most is singing Der Friedensfurst (The Prince of Peace).  Its tradition to sing on Christmas morning in the church I grew up in Emmanuel Mennonite Church.  I have been reading through and translating the lyrics they really are amazing and encouraging.  So here they are... in German!!!

Der Friedensfürst
Horch, die Engelchöre singen,
Horch, die Engelchöre singen,
Dir, o mächt’ger Friedensfürst,
Du Heiland aller Welt.
Hört sie lieblich schallen,
Holde Freudenlieder,
Dir, o mächt’ger Friedensfürst,
Und ein Hosianna tönt auf Erden wieder,
Dir, o mächt’ger Friedensfürst.
Uns ist geboren heut’ ein Kind,
Uns ist geboren heut’ ein Sohn,
Und seine Herrlichkeit
Füllet die weite Welt,
Und er heisst, und er heisst
Wunderbar, Wunderbar,
Der mächt’ge Friedensfürst,
Wunderbar, Wunderbar,
Der mächt’ge Friedensfürst.
Drum besingt den Ruhm des Herrn,
Ihm gebührt der Lobgesang,
Dich erhebt das Herz so gern,
Friedensfürst voll Preis und Dank.
Ehre sei dem Herrn in der Höhe,
Ja, Ehre sei dem Herrn in der Höhe,
Und Friede auf der weiten Welt,
Gottes Friede auf der Welt.
Seid fröhlich alle Völker
Und singet Freudenlieder,
Bringt Ehre und Anbetung, Ihm,
Dem Friedensfürsten dar.
Singt Hosianna, singt Hosianna,
Hosianna bringt dem Gotteslamm,
Singt Hosianna, singt Hosianna,
Hosianna bringt dem Gotteslamm.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.