The Christian Corner Ministries

Being Afraid Of Failure.

Failure! At one time or another, we have experienced it. The definition of Failure is lack of success. Let’s face it, Sooner or later, we are going to fail at something. The good news is that when God gets involved, we can wind up winning in life.

Bless This Mess.

Many of us heard the saying-God is not going to bless your mess. I have to differ. God can indeed bless your mess and help you in life. Let’s look at the life of Peter when he and his disciples faced a storm at sea. They saw Jesus walking on the water. As they met, Peter wanted to make sure it was Jesus.

Now, put yourself in Peter’s shoes. You see a man walking on water, and the first thing that comes to mind is that you are hallucinating or seeing things. He asked Jesus a question–If it be thou, bid me come unto thee in the water. (Matt 14:28) Notice what Jesus said-

And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. (Matt 14:29)

The word ‘Come’ had the faith for Peter to walk on the water. He acted on the word and did the impossible–he walked on the water. After a while, his senses took hold of him, and noticing what had happened, he started to sink. His circumstances spoke louder than his faith.

Jesus, full of mercy and grace, took hold of him and walked with him back to the boat. Think about this, the Lord took hold of Peter when his faith waivered. Jesus used his faith and walked back to the boat with Peter. He was about to get into trouble by drowning at sea, but Jesus blessed his mess.

Life Application.

When we meditate on this, we see some interesting things–

Peter stepped out in faith
His unbelief got the best of him
Jesus was there to lift him up.

In life, there are times in which we are going to fail, but the good thing is that God is there to straighten our mess. Peter had little faith and acted on God’s word, but he did not go all the way. He slipped into unbelief. Let us learn from this fact- God is there to help and teach us. His desire for us is to develop our faith to such a level that we will see a breakthrough in life.

The centurion was a prime example. He had great faith, taking God as his word. His faith got the breakthrough needed. Jesus was so impressed by this that he actually rebuked Israel-

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Matt 8:10)

Great faith takes hold of God’s word and does not doubt. Notice Jesus did not even have to go to the centurion’s house. He believed it and took God at his word. Let’s learn from this example and exercise our faith to the highest level. As we do so, it will grow and produce miracle breakthroughs.

This Is A Job For God-Man!

For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

Today, we are going to continue our study of the second member of the Godhead, which is Christ Jesus. You may have noticed our unusual picture above of the Phone Booth. How does it relate to our message? Well, if you read any of the Superman comics, we know that he used a phone booth to change his secret Identity. Think about identity for a minute. The moment that you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you entered a spiritual phone booth and got a new Identity.

A new Divine identity with unique benefits and powers. The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. A genius (Holy Spirit) who lives inside of you, providing the answers you need for life’s most challenging problems. The power to live holy. A release of unspeakable joy when you worship.

God’s Telephone Number.

When thinking about that, it should put us at peace and give us the confidence to go thru the valleys of life. Let’s face it, we will go through tests, persecutions, and challenges. Sometimes, you will want to talk to Jesus when you face a mountain that refuses to move. Times in which you will face sorrows and weeping.

I got good news. God has a phone number you can call. His number is Jer 33:3-

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

If you call on him, he promises to answer. He will unravel the mysteries of life, give you revelation knowledge and bring answers to your problems. You may ask-How do I hear from God? Let’s address some concerns about hearing from God.

Be Quiet And Listen.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

We discussed identity at the beginning of this post, and I will repeat it again. Hearing from God starts with identity. When you accepted Jesus, you got born-again and became his sheep. Now, the first thing is to receive it. Confess and declare that you are his sheep. Call those things that are not as though they were. (Rom 4:17)

During your times with the Lord, don’t do all the talking. Yes, we need to talk to the Holy Spirit. The word says to reason together, and that involves talking to one another. (Isa 1:18) I like fellowshipping and spending time with my closest friends. One thing that I am working on is talking too much (I am being transparent).

Talking can be fun, but one thing that turns me off is that the other person is talking for a long time without allowing you to respond. Imagine doing that to God? You are talking at length for a long time, feeling relieved, and then say-“Later, Lord, I got to go.” Imagine how God feels? You spent an hour talking, and meanwhile, God was waiting for his turn.

He probably had the answer that you needed. Your future could have opened up to prepare for your calling and ministry. Breakthroughs such as healings, provision, and deliverance could have been revealed to you by his Spirit if you had taken the time to listen. Listening can be an asset in your walk with Christ.

A rule of thumb-take ten minutes daily and practice listening to his voice by being quiet. At first, you may not hear anything in your spirit but continue to spend time listening to the Holy Spirit. Moses had to wait 7 days before God gave him instructions (Exodus 24:16-18). Learning to wait and be patient is key.

Closing thoughts.

In these last days, it is very important to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. Personally, I learned the hard way about the consequences of not listening to God, and it almost cost me my life. Another way that God speaks is through his word. God is speaking to us 24/7 through the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to open his word up so that you can apply it to your life. When you ask God to speak to you, he will answer. He sees your prayers and says–This is a job for God-Man! God bless.

If you are reading this and have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today can be a new beginning in your life. A change of Identity that will impact you, your family, and your friends. Click on the link below for more information on your doorway of blessings.

Salvation prayer- https://thechristiancorner.org/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/

A little bit of humor-https://youtu.be/OHtYBif7Ric

The High Cost Of Salvation

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Heb 2:3)

Our Bible topic today is entitled The High Cost Of Salvation. Here are some eye-opening facts that will help us to see and appreciate what Jesus did on the cross. Scripture refers to him as the second and last Adam. (1Cor 15:44-45) Questions to ponder-Why would a loving and powerful God bother to put on flesh, lose his power and die for us? Here are some thoughts.

Adam’s Fall

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. (Ps 115:16)

When Adam was created, God gave him the earth. Now, ponder on this-Almighty God gave him the earth. The earth, with its resources and lands, belonged to Adam. This world contained the Garden of Eden. Eden was the place that was managed by Lucifer before he fell.

Can you imagine the jealousy and anger that Satan felt when he saw man occupy the place that belonged to him? Man was created lower than the Angels and was now walking in the garden. (Ps 8:5) Eden was under new management. We know the rest of the story-Satan came in like a serpent and caused Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.

Eating of the forbidden fruit had grave consequences. Let’s look at some highlights-

It cost them to lose their covering. Yes, the word said that they were naked and not ashamed. Why? God had them clothed in his glory. The word crown comes from the Hebrew word ‘Atar,’ which means surround. The glory of God surrounded them, and it represented the armor of God. The armor was given to them to enforce their authority over the earth and Satan.
It cost them their lives. The Lord warned them they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit. Let’s think about Adam and compare him to the last Adam (Jesus). When Jesus was resurrected, did he have blood in his immortal body? No, he gave it all for us at the cross. The glory of God was given to him, and it flowed in his veins and his new body. The same was for Adam. The moment he disobeyed God, the glory of God left his veins, and God had to replace it with blood to keep him alive on the earth!
God had a problem with this new management change, so he devised a plan. He spoke a prophetic word to Eve. He told her of a seed that would come and bruise the head of Satan. (Gen 3:15) Yes, it can be argued that God could have come and taken over, but he could not. He had to abide by his word because the earth was given to man.
God, in his wisdom, took on the form of flesh. He took on an earth suit which gave him permission to dwell on the earth. He lost his divine powers, gave us an example to live, and opened the door to salvation and eternal life. This made Jesus the second and last Adam.

Closing thoughts

This morning as I got up, I started to think about the Superman movie part 2 with Christopher Reeves. Superman fell so deeply in love with Lois in that movie that he voluntarily lost his power to be with her. In one scene, while having dinner in a cafeteria, they encounter a bully who harasses Lois. Clark (Superman) stood up for her and, unfortunately, received a beating. Without his powers, Superman was helpless.

Toward the end of the movie, Superman gets his powers back. In the closing scene, he returns to the cafeteria and beats up the bully. (2) An excellent ending to a great story. Consider Jesus- He became sin for us, got beat up by humanity, and rose from the dead. When he resurrected, he got his divine powers back and beat up Satan. It resulted in the beating of the century. (Col 2:15) and opened the way to Salvation for mankind.

So, consider that when you are going thru trials. God, thru Christ, has given you all things in this life. You just need to ask and receive. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, today can be a new day for you. Click on the link below for more information and start a new adventure in Christ. (1)

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

(1) Prayer of Salvation–https://thechristiancorner.org/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/

(2) Additional link for your amusement—https://youtu.be/thQDPxobH0s

The God-Man.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1)

Today, we will continue our studies of the Trinity series. Our focus is on the second member of the Godhead-Jesus! In the last study of our series, we observed the Trinity, its meaning, and how each member worked as a team. In this study, we are going to see the function of Jesus in Genesis 1.

Points To Consider.

Jesus was part of the Trinity as the word. It became flesh when he came to Earth (Jn 1:14)
He created the Heavens and the Earth. (Col 1:12-16) Earth was created by words. When God released the word, the Spirit was activated and created all things. The Word and the Spirit worked together.
I want to call your attention to Gen 1:1-2. We see that in the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. (Verse 1) Verse 2 says that it was without form, void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. (KJV) Let’s look at what the Amplified version has to say-
“The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.” (Gen 1:2). Observe the sentences…Primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth. Friends, the Earth was created long ago until it fell into judgment. (2 Peter 3:6)
The Earth was not created in 7 days. The Earth was created before it fell into judgment by the first flood. Scriptures tell us the garden of Eden was on Earth before Adam, and God delegated Satan to manage it. (Isa 28:13-15) Satan rebelled and was cast out from heaven. (Rev 12:3-4) Notice in Rev 12:4, it says that he and his angels was cast down on Earth. Due to Satan’s rebellion, the Earth was flooded, and all life ceased. As we read Gen 1, we see God at work restoring the earth in seven days, God restored the Earth to what it used to be.

Life Application For Us.

Summing up our lesson, we see that Jesus is the Word. He has given us his word for our benefit. When all hope was gone on the Earth, God restored it in seven days. He will do the same for you. Learn to take his word and recreate your world. Remember, he promised to give you days of Heaven on Earth. ( Deut 11:21)

Prayer–Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me. Thank you for giving me the word. Lord, I admit that sometimes I have made a mess of my life. Father, help me to use the word and recreate my world. You are the Lord of Restoration. You are restoring me. Thank you for giving me joy and peace. Thank you for giving me days of Heaven on Earth. Today is the best day of my life because you are with me. In Jesus’ name, we pray-Amen!

Bible verses by http://www.Biblegateway.com

Overcoming The Loss Of A Loved One (Part 2)

…Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (Luke 6:21)

We are continuing our study of dealing with the loss of a loved one. In our last study, we saw how important it is to get healing and comfort. Today’s study will deal with the next step-Restoring the joy of the Lord in our lives. Having joy is very important, especially when walking thru this valley of sorrows.

In Luke 6:21, we see that laughter is a part of the joy of the Lord. When our family was trying to comfort my mom, we gathered at our sister’s house. We wanted it to be a time of celebration and joy-my father just graduated and went to heaven! I encouraged my mom to gather with us; it was a wonderful event.

Laughter Brings Healing.

(Note-My family and me. I am at the left with our ministry logo hat. My sister, mom and brother are sitting next to us)

At the gathering, we were determined to remember my father through pleasant and funny memories. My father was a funny guy, and one of the things that he was good at was dancing. At any party gathering, he would call the people’s attention by how he danced. We also remembered many other funny incidents in his life.

The atmosphere in that place had changed, and I saw how laughter began to bring about healing. My mother seemed happy and comforted. I believe that if my father had been present, he would have been happy too. Joy and laughter are powerful tools for the believer.

Many times, I would practice laughing. I remember one time I had pain in my knee. I focused my mind on laughing, and the pain left. Another time, I was visiting some relatives in Florida. While I was riding with my cousin around the area, we ran into some wildfires. This affected my breathing, but I did not panic.

I started to remember funny incidents in my family’s life and shared them with my cousin. We laughed so hard that this helped me get healed from my respiratory ailment. Folks, take some time to laugh. It will relax and assist you in the long run. I have enclosed below some medical information concerning the wonders of laughter. (1)

Release Your Loved One as A Seed.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ( John 12:24)

This verse above talks about Jesus ( John 12:23-24). He compared himself to a seed. During his death, he was planted, and we see what impact this had made throughout history. The power of a seed is amazing.

A way to deal with the death of a loved one is to offer them up as a seed in the hands of God. As you do this, God will give you a new beginning in life. He is the God of new beginnings. Let’s look at an example–If you lost a child and you plant him as a seed, you will harvest many spiritual children. God will give you the heart of a mother/father, and you will enter an exciting phase of ministry in your life. Death is not the end but the beginning of a doorway for blessings in your life.

An Arena Of Blessings.

Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. (Heb 12:1-Living Bible)

Think about this. You are not alone. If your saved family relative has departed, then they are looking down on your spiritual progress. Picture a big stadium of all your departed loved ones cheering as you run for the Lord. Many athletes have shared that when their home crowd is cheering them on, it motivates them to win.

You have departed loved ones seated in the heavenly stadium. They are looking down at your progress and cheering you on. They are rooting for your success! Remember in the midst of tragedy, you are more than a conqueror. Run to win because Heaven is cheering you on!

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

(1) Medical studies on laughter-https://mayocl.in/3OI4XMt

Overcoming The Loss Of A Loved One (Part 1).

…Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (Luke 6:21)

Today’s topic is on the subject of grief. Let’s face it, we live in a fallen world, and suffering is real. The pain of losing a loved one or pet hurts. Many do not get over this process, which consumes them, resulting in health problems or death. We will look at how to deal with this pain and start a new beginning with the Lord.

My Personal Story

I came face to face with this reality a month ago when my father passed away. In fact, I thank God that he prepared me for this because he should have been dead a year ago. He was having problems with Dementia and severe intestinal issues. I credit the extension of his life to my Mom. She is a mighty prayer warrior.

I prepared for this a year ago because he was 94 years old. He was blessed to live a long life, and I was ready to let go. My mom, on the other hand, refused to let go. She stood in the gap for him and prayed. My main concern was my mom and her care for him. Thank God for my brother and sister, who lent her a helping hand.

Even with all this help available, it was wearing out my mom. I saw her body get worn and battered. Honestly, I felt some relief when my father died because it helped lift up that heavy burden from my mother. Yes, death is always sad, and she took it very hard. They were supposed to celebrate their 70-year anniversary in October, which was painful.

Let The Healing Begin.

(Note-The above picture is my father sitting down with a friend. He had served with honor in the Army during the Korean War conflict.) In dealing with the pain of a loved one, there has to be a healing process. Friends, don’t take your loved ones for granted, especially those lost or backslidden. Pray and never stop believing in their redemption through Christ Jesus.

My Dad had accepted the Lord many years ago but strayed away. Upon his deathbed, he re-dedicated his life to Jesus. I am comforted that he is now walking the streets of gold with his Savior. Thinking about that brings relief and comfort even though we miss him.

While the grieving process is normal, it is not healthy to stay in that mode. There has to be the healing of a broken heart. I prayed for my mom to get that healing, and within a few days, she was comforted and strengthened. Enclosed below is a prayer for a broken heart. (1) You may not be going through the death of a loved one, but we will have times in our lives in which our hearts are broken.

Having this in mind, I want to encourage you to pray it over yourself. It will give you the comfort that you need in your life. Remember, God is the God of new beginnings. I am adding a video family tribute (2) made for my Dad. His nickname was Manolo. The Spanish ending is translated as —Until we meet again. We will remember you always.

(1) Prayer for a broken heart–Father, I come to you because I have a broken heart. I ask you to remove any root of bitterness inside of me. I forgive those who have hurt me. I receive healing in all areas of my life. (Grief, sadness, and loss of a loved one). You said in your word that you have come to heal my broken heart. Lord, heal me now. Restore to me the joy of salvation. Bring laughter back into my life. I receive this now and am excited about my new beginning in life. You are the Lord of new beginnings, and I thank you for your comfort, in Jesus’ name-Amen.

(2) In the third frame at 12 seconds is my Father and me on top of a slide. (I was one year old)

Suffering For Christ.

But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ‘s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ( I Peter 4:13)

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase-“Suffering for Christ?” In my younger years, I struggled with Asthma. Many well-meaning Christians encouraged me, saying I was suffering for the Lord. Over time, I accepted that until God opened my eyes to the truth. I did not have to suffer for Christ in my sicknesses because Jesus took it to the cross. (Isa 53:5)

Another point the Spirit called to my attention is that Christ did not suffer sickness on Earth. We tend to confuse afflictions with Christ’s sufferings. Let’s take a good look at what is implied in the above verse. The writer of I Peter 4:13 shows us another aspect of suffering. Let’s think about what kind of sufferings Jesus went thru.

Persecution And The Flesh.

Jesus went thru persecution. His family called him crazy. When you live for Christ, you will suffer persecution, and the enemy will use those you love. Another point to consider is that he had to deal with the flesh. Rom 8:3 says that Christ came in the form of sinful flesh. Jesus had to deal with many temptations.

I get frustrated when people think that all you have to do is stop sinning. Friends, the reason why we struggle against sin is because there is pleasure attached to it. Sinful pleasure is an emotion that will blind us and get us out of the path of righteousness.

Breaking out of sinful pleasures involves suffering. When we think of those words, we form an image in our minds of the big sins (Murder, Adultery, etc.), but they can be insignificant daily distractions in life. Let’s face it, life is hard enough, and we need some leisure time. I like to see some old-time slap-stick comedy, but when that is robbing me of spending time with my Lord -that is a problem.

Change your Pleasure.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ( Ps 16:11)

We got to be careful with worldly and sinful pleasures. It can take you away from the love of God. Did you know that you can change your pleasure? You can enter a world that will addict you to serving Christ!

Determine to focus your thoughts on the word. Start to spend time with the Holy Spirit. Ask him to give you a holy addiction to serving God. God can change your sinful pleasures and provide you with something better. He guarantees Heavenly pleasures that are out of this world.

A link to further your Bible study—https://bit.ly/3OZ6KOx

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

Understanding The Trinity And How It Works.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Gen 1:26)

Have you ever tried to understand the Trinity? It can be a challenging task. In this Bible study, we will tackle why it is vital to believe in the Trinity and how it works. This study is essential for our spiritual growth and will help us in our prayer life.

Teamwork.

We have heard the following quotes–Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit-Three persons in one! Others have reasoned that if it is Three persons, it is Three Gods. That is a gross error. The Word God is compared to the word Teams. There are many members, but one team.

Each member of the Trinity has its own personality and characteristics. In fact, personality is derived from the Word person. These Three persons are working together to achieve their divine purpose. A close look at Gen 1:26 reveals the following statement-“And God said, Let us make man in our image.”

Teamwork is the key to understanding the creation of man. The Father, Holy Spirit, and the Word (Jesus) were at work. There was no division but unity. Unity and Teamwork were essential in creating man. Man was made in the image of God. God is a Spirit, and Man is a spirit. (Prov 20:27, John 4:24)

Understanding The Threefold Nature Of Man.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and Soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thess 5:23)

Understanding Teamwork begins with us. (I Thess 5:23) Just as God is defined in Three parts, so is man-Spirit, Soul, and Body. At the time of Salvation, our spirit is united with the Spirit of God, but the Soul and Body must align with the Word. This is where mind renewal begins.

The Soul is comprised of three things–

1-Mind

2-Will

3-Desires

We tend to be emotional in life. Our mind is like computer software. Our mental software needs to be updated, and that is where the mind of Christ comes in. The Word Christ means the yoke-breaking, burden-removing power of God. (Isa 10:27)

When we take the mind of Christ, our thinking capacity will increase. Adam had a hundred percent of his mind working before the fall. On average, we use just a low percentage of our brain, although some have used higher thinking capacities. An example can be found in the invention of a machine that changes air into water.

An old army veteran discovered a way to transform air into water. He shared his invention with lower-income people in Flint, Michigan, and Puerto Rico, giving them free water. Brethren, we can offer answers to the problems of this world because we have a genius living inside of us-The Holy Spirit! On this day, decide to get your Soul in order.

Learn to work as a team with God. Remember, you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and a house divided will not stand. Believe it or not, you have the answers to life’s problems because the Holy Spirit lives inside you. Creative ideas and solutions are waiting to be released from inside your spirit. Learn to flow with God and experience the Mind of Christ. God bless!

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for speaking to me. Thank you for showing me the importance of the Trinity through Teamwork. Lord, help me align my Soul and body with the Word. I declare that I have the mind of Christ, and creative ideas and wisdom will come out of my spirit. In Jesus name-Amen!

Lessons from Aaron’s Rod

And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. (Numbers 17:8) (1)

Today we will look at what we can learn from Aaron’s Rod. Looking at the picture above, you may ask what Almonds have to do with this lesson. Plenty! A look at Numbers 17 will show us what God has in mind for us today. Let’s look at some highlights-

1- Rod symbolizes strength, correction, and guidance. Psalms 23:4 mentions the word Rod along with Staff. A Rod was used to correct and guide the sheep gently. It represents authority.

2-As you read Numbers 17, each tribe had a leader represented by a rod. There was much disagreement concerning the priesthood that God had raised thru Aaron. The tribes of Israel were under the covering of Aaron. This incident shows us that all ministries need to have a covering.

God directed Moses to tell each tribe and Aaron to give him their rods with their names on them. Moses was going with the rods to enter into the tent of the Lord’s presence and present it in front of the covenant box. God had told Moses that the rod of the chosen one would sprout. (Number 17:5)

3- God performed a miracle confirming the election of Aaron. His rod blossomed and brought forth almonds ending all disputes. What lessons can we learn from this?

The first thing to observe is how God manifests his power with signs and wonders. These rods were wood taken from a tree. It had no life separated from the tree. The fact that life was manifested in the form of almonds was a miracle. It represents death and resurrection. In some Middle Eastern countries, the Almond trees wake from their winter sleep and give birth forth Almonds. Almonds represent the Lord Jesus Christ.

In these last days, pray for your Pastors and Leaders. Make sure they are following the Lord and not deviating from Biblical teachings. Receive correction from your leaders and be willing to allow the Lord to guide you with your decisions through the Holy Spirit. He knows what is best for you. God bless.

Side note–Did you know that Almonds have health benefits? Click on this link for more information…https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269468

Picture courtesy of Felipe Lopez Ruiz, whose works can be found on http://www.unsplash.com

(1) Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

God’s Magic Marker -Greg Plants (Guest Blogger)

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

I was born in 1947 and accepted Christ as my savior in about 1961, BUT on December 16, 1984 (at 36 years old), Christ became the LORD of my life. (Thank you, Alex and Linda!). On that day, in my mind’s eye, I vividly recall the image of a huge dry-erase board with all of my ugly past written on it. Then I saw a giant hand use an eraser to wipe all of that “past” off that board, and it was now a blank slate. (Those who don’t know what a slate board is will have to ask their grandparents, they’ll “school” you on it!)

That same hand gave me a magic marker pen and said, “Now, write on here your new future”! Wow! What a privilege! I have God’s permission to rewrite my future completely. I had never experienced anything like this before, but my spirit immediately recognized the opportunity God was giving me.

What a relief to have visualized that all of my past mistakes, flaws, and insecurities had been eradicated from God’s memory of me. (Praise God!) I certainly needed that change and that relief!! In the 39 years since God gave me my “clean board,” I have written many new things.

Having The Proper Mindset.

Those things have reshaped my future and even my present life, but I have noticed a couple of strange occurrences. (I think God’s magic marker pen may be broken). On my new dry-erase board, I tried to write down “I don’t feel loved!” God’s magic marker wrote, “I love you with everlasting love.” I tried to write down “I feel lonely!” God’s magic marker wrote, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Strange, but good!! I tried to erase God’s words and rewrite my old thoughts but discovered that God’s magic marker uses permanent ink. I thought that was stupid, and God’s pen wrote: “You have the mind of Christ!”. Eventually, I realized that trying to write down old thoughts about me was not going to be allowed on God’s new dry-erase board.

Initially, I thought God’s magic marker pen was flawed because every time I tried to write down an “old thought,” it always came up as one of God’s new thoughts about me. (DUH, I finally caught on!!). But wait, there’s more!!!! Another strange occurrence was that now and then, I would look at my dry-erase board, and someone had written, in red ink, old condemning reminders of my past. I knew I hadn’t written them, and God reminded me, “Use your eraser!”.

The Power Of 2 Corinthians 5:17

This red ink was NOT permanent, and each time I erased these old condemning “recall statements,” God’s magic marker wrote “2 Corinthians 5:17” in its place. Every time I erased it, but then “2 Corinthians 5:17” showed up on my board! (2 Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are become new KJV).

As I have become more knowledgeable in God’s Word and embraced a more intimate relationship with Christ as my Lord AND Savior, there are fewer and fewer red markings on my board. God’s magic marker pen seems to automatically write His thoughts over my thoughts, even before I think them. My life with God’s magic marker pen has become so much fuller since I now need to read what God’s thoughts are toward me from my board. He even gives me new thoughts about my future and His hopes for me, as in Jeremiah 29:11. (Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope- KJV).

An invitation.

God has a dry-erase board and magic marker pen waiting just for you. It’s waiting for you to use! Pray Romans 10:9-10 and then visualize your new “blank” dry-erase board, eraser, and pen. (Romans 10: 9-10 If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made until salvation. -KJV).

Thank you, God, for the vivid illustration of Your dry-erase board in our relationship. Please give “everyone” the vividness of their very own blank “dry erase” board and God’s magic marker. In Jesus’ name, AMEN- Revelation 12:11! (Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…KJV) To receive Jesus as Savior, click on this link…https://thechristiancorner.org/2021/02/01/the-sinners-prayer/