Wednesday... They can change.

They really can. Paul in writing a letter to his friend, Philemon tells of a change that happened to Onesimus. Onesimus was Philemon's servant and he had stolen some money from him and ran. And Paul is writing this letter to tell him that Onesimus had changed. In verse 11 (NIV) Paul writes, "Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and me."

Somehow Onesimus had found his way to Rome where Paul was in prison and found Paul and had found a relationship with Christ and it changed him from useless to useful. And that is what a relationship with Christ can do and will do in each one of us.

Paul then in verses 15-16 says, "Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever - no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother in the Lord." Onesimus' relationship with Christ also changed his relationship with Philemon, his owner. He became a dear brother in the Lord.

Now it was not God's will for Onesimus to steal from Philemon but He used it to make changes in their lives. Maybe some of the wrong choices we make God can use to change us. He uses bad choices to bring about great changes if we let Him.

So keep praying for that one who has wandered off to find a Paul that will lead him to Christ. And maybe that one is you. As Paul puts it in verses 10-11 (MSG), "While here in jail, I've fathered a child, so to speak. And here he is, hand-carrying this letter - Onesimus! He was useless to you before; now he's useful to both of us."

Maybe that is what God wants to do in your life, to change you from useless to useful. Just reach out to Him and ask Him to come into your life and change you. No matter what you have been or what you have done He wants to change you from useless to useful. And He can! Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Monday... He did it by Himself

Isaiah 44:24b (AMP), "I am the Lord, Maker of all things. Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself." Monday... He did it by Himself. Many have a tendency to think very highly of themselves and what they can do. Oh we do have great ability but we are not the source. Yes it is important to have self-confidence but we are limited. The prophet Isaiah in 44:9-10 (NLT) says, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit?" Now later in verse 24 (AMP) he writes, "For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says, 'I am the Lord, Maker of all things, Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself.'" I love that. "By Myself." Now we do need confidence but we are foolish to ma...

Wednesday... It didn't just happen.

Psalm 16;10 (NLT), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." Wednesday... It didn't just happen. We are headed into a weekend of deep emotion. One that we really really love was killed and it didn't just happen. David in Psalm 16:10 (NLT) writes of this happening. He says about God, "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." We read over in the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament in the Bible of the life of God's Son who came to earth to be our sacrifice so that our soul would not be left among the dead. Jesus came so that we wouldn't have to be buried at death and just left there. But he also shares that Jesus who was going to be killed as a sacrifice for our sins would not have to rot in a grave. David many generations before foretold this and that is what happened. Now that had to be a God thing. We can guess a lot about our future and we d...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Todays Beginning

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