Have you ever dissected something? High school biology? Perhaps college anatomy? If you’ve been following Alive and Active Life, you know you can dissect Scripture, too. Thankfully, I’m not talking about heavy–duty, theological stuff. Rather, this is a lighter approach to dissect something meaningful – with practical action steps for your life.
Much like you command a kitchen knife, you must learn how to wield your Sword – the Scriptures. So, why not dissect something meaningful with me today?
How many times have you heard – “Did I happen to mention . . . “ and then someone finishes a thought. Indeed, every mention can become a conversation. Incidentally, this is exactly what Jesus does. He mentions things. In fact, He’s a master at mentioning critical information.
Every nation goes through seasons of change. This election year in the United States brings a responsibility to remember who we are. And I, for one, still believe in this country of opportunity. Additionally, I’m thankful for freedom. As complicated and challenging as democracy can become, it’s still quite a worthy experiment. Matter of fact, Winston Churchill once said: “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” If that is true, then what responsibilities must we faithfully carry forward to preserve this country’s foundation? What is required of us to be worthy citizens, as well as followers of Jesus?
Most people have felt alone at least once in their life. What about you? Perhaps you’ve been forgotten by friends or family, and you feel set aside. It could be your child or spouse dies, and you are left. Sometimes, you stand alone in conviction when others around you do what you know is wrong. Then, there’s a scenario you are seriously ill, so you must fight to survive. Maybe, you’ve taken a critical moral stand everyone is against, and you suffer by yourself. Unfortunately, you may have had to leave your home, and you have no idea if/when you can return. Perhaps you’re in a marriage you thought was a partnership, but you realized over time you are alone. To all these situations – and many more – I strongly encourage you to believe the truth. You’re not alone!
As we discuss the mark of a Christian in this content, we need to look at a modern, booming industry – marketing. Have you considered specific “marks” of your business, career, organization, and even your lifestyle? Think with me about some examples of “marks” – a logo, a saying or jingle, even a color.
For example, the color brown is trademarked by UPS. Did you know the background color orange is trademarked by Hershey’s for their Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? What about a red circle with a red dot inside it – like a target? That’s right, the mark – the logo – of Target stores. Or consider the Olympic logo: 5 intersecting colored rings – blue, black, red, yellow, green. Then there’s that one-liner from the 1980’s commercial – “Where’s the beef?!” So, what do you think of? Wendy’s restaurants, right? What about the cute jingle – “I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener!” Guess what that mark was for? Yup! Oscar Mayer hot dogs!
Considering all these examples of marks, what’s the mark of a Christian?
You’ve heard it now for generations: How to live a healthy life. In fact, one of the popular “sign-offs” for emails and letters now is – “Be Well!” So, what does this mean? Truly, all over the world, you hear talk shows, podcasts, seminars, and even friends talk about being healthy:
Use My Plate – to help eat a balanced diet.
Drink plenty of water – stay hydrated and promote your internal systems.
Stay active – keep moving with exercise, biking, jogging, tennis, golf, etc.
Get outside – enjoy fresh air. See the beauty of creation. Be quiet and calm. And, breathe deeply.
Spend time with friends – enrich and nourish your inner person.
Be well-read or well-listened – know what’s going on around the globe to have an accurate perspective.
And I add – Get into God’s Word – for key points and action steps you need to guide your life.
Plus – Get God’s Word into you – grow and change by doing what Scripture says. Remember, what you practice is what you become.
In conclusion, all these – and more, help you live a healthy life.
Recently, I looked at a picture and saw the most beautiful landscape. Upon further study, I realized – it was upside-down. A bit stunned, I figured out I was looking at the perfect reflection of a landscape on a calm, serene lake. It got flipped!Interestingly, God flips some things, too.
Remember Downton Abbey – the television series and movies? If you watched this excellent period drama, I’m sure you’ll remember frequent times the Dowager Countess and Cousin Isobel are completely indignant toward one another. Their continual sparring is a unique dimension of their very unusual friendship. So, what exactly is “indignant?” Let’s look at what it means and who uses it.
Growing older? Me, too. We all are.The days seem to fly by. And over time, people change. As your life goes on, are you the same person you were as a youngster? I know I’m not. Recently, we explored an all-around good guy who had lots of troubles. Remarkably, he’s given 3 chapters in Scripture – very unusual. So, he deserves another look as he grows older.
Have you given much thought to what Jesus predicted? All my life, I’ve heard about end times. When I googled “the end of all things,” I saw all kinds of entries –
A book title.
Definition of “the end of all things.”
A song.
Movie.
Cartoons.
Videos.
Even the Lord of the Ring – When Sam helps Frodo on a journey of hardship to destroy a ring of evil power in Mount Doom.
But none of these give any definitive help in exploring what life will look like in end times. So, let’s look at what Jesus predicted.
