Happy Valentine's Day, Jesus!!!

A few days ago we celebrated Valentine's Day. I was fortunate enough to spend it with the one I love. We did the usual V-day date and such... we did some not-so-usual things that just describe "us" fitting perfectly together.

I just wonder if any out there know what Valentine's Day really means or where it came from.

The Romans called it the festival the Lupercalia. The custom of exchanging valentines and all the other traditions in honor of Lupercus - the deified hero-hunter of Rome - was also linked anciently with the pagan practice of teenagers "going out". It usually led to fornication. Today, the custom of teenagers dating only one person on a regular basis is thought very modern... But is it? Or is it merely a rebirth of an old custom handed down from the Roman festival of the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of February, when names of young women were put into a box and drawn out by men as chance directed?

The pagan Romans celebrated February 14 as an idolatrous and sensuous festival in honor of Lupercus, meaning the "hunter of wolves". Emperor Claudius II of Rome, also known as Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time recruiting men as soldiers. He believed that the men did not want to leave their sweethearts and cancelled all engagements and marriages throughout Rome. St. Valentine, a priest of Rome at the time, secretly married couples. He was eventually caught, arrested and condemned. He was beaten to death and beheaded on February 14th, around the year 270.

Lupercalia was a feast to a heathen God. Pastors and priests of the early Christian church did away with the pagan custom by replacing the names of the girls with the names of saints. They chose St. Valentine’s Day as the day of celebration for the new feast.

Interesting. Today we use this pagan tradition as a day to spend with the one we love and have hearts, flowers, candy, etc. Don't get me wrong... I love my valentine and enjoyed spending the holiday with her. I just wonder if anyone thought about a greater love...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Jhn 3:16). You see, God loves us so much that he died for us. No heart-shaped holiday will ever compare to that. He is our first love and will always be. No matter what we do or where we go God will always love us. That's no excuse to go out and live it up... however, God's love for you and I is forever.

I wonder why... Me? A sinner, a common man, at times a fool, etc. God tells us My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. 9- For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Is 55:8-9).

So why does God love me...? I have no idea. We may not be able to explain it, understand it, or comprehend it, but it's true. Nothing compares to the love of Jesus. Nothing will ever take the place of His love for you. There is no greater love than Jesus laying down His life for you... His friend (Jhn 15:13) God calls you friend (James 2:23). God calls you His children (Rom 8:16). And nothing will ever separate you from the love of Jesus. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39- nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39).

I know it's late, but Happy Valentine's Day to my first love! Jesus. The greatest love I've ever known.

J.H.

Ready, Set, GET MOVIN!

As a young man in school, I entered into our school's competition for several events. One of which was track. I remember it well... one reason is that I pulled a muscle a week before the competition. I ran in the event anyway. Walking down toward the starting line to take my place, I wondered how I was going to run, let alone finish. To me, I was doomed to fall down and possibly take others with me and make a complete fool out of myself.

Arriving at the starting point, a man with a small gun began talking to me and my four opponents. He told us what to expect; he'd say ready, set, and fire the gun. He explained the penalties if we drifted of into another running lane and so forth.

About to start, I took a deep breath and tried to relax. I felt my right leg sting with pain where the pulled muscle was. I focused my mind and ignored the pain. I heard the man with the gun, "On your mark, get set..." FIRE! I bolted off the line in front of the others. Twenty yards and still in the lead. Then the sting of pain shot through my leg. I pushed on, but slower. One runner passed, then two, then the others. I was dead last. Fifty yards to go and one runner was a few feet from the finish. I heard cheering for the winner and then saw all the others cross the finish line. I kept running... in pain, breathing hard, upset at myself, but I kept running. Finally, I crossed the finish line and collapsed on the sideline.

You see, I purposed in my mind and my heart to run the race before me. I hoped to be first, but in the end I was last. The point is, I finished.

God has placed a purpose and calling on each and every one of us. There is a particular call on all our lives. God has given us the opportunity to go and live the life He has called us to live. Judges 18 tells about a group trying to possess a land for an inheritance. It says, Arise, let's go. The land is good. And will you sit still? Don't be slow to enter and possess the land. 10 - When you get there, you'll find people living carefree lives. God has given it to you. It's a place where you will lack nothing (Jgs 18:9-10).

God has given your calling to you. Go get it! Your destiny awaits you. What are you doing for your calling? In some way, everyone has a calling on their life. I'm asking you, what are you doing to pursue it?

Prepare yourself. God has placed in you a purpose, a plan, and a calling that no one can keep you from. Pursue it! Your destiny is in your possession. Pursue it with everything you have. Soon it will come to pass.

Like my track competition, the race is to be finished. You might have some pulled muscles, you may be sweating, in pain, and feeling faint. But KEEP GOING! DO NOT STOP! Your calling is at the finish line waiting for you. You've got to keep on moving. ...The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong... (Ecc 9:11). You don't have to be the fastest or the strongest. Things will happen, trials will come, people and things will make you second guess your call, but persevere. You might have a rough road, but he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved (Mt 24:13).

You don't have to wait anymore. Step through the door God has placed in front of you. Pursue your destiny. If you want what God has for you, you better get moving! If you want things to happen, you have to get moving! You want it, go get it, in Jesus name.

So, you ready? You set? Go!

J.H.

God of Wonders

Ever look around and think, "How'd all this get here?" Things we see everyday we pass up and don't even notice. Things that are unseen don't even occur to us. Do you ever think of all that God has made? He holds time in His hands, the entire world is His footstool. The stars and galaxies, heaven and earth, etc. It's an amazing thing that all things were spoken into existence by Him.

I've heard some people say, "If God is so wonderful, then why doesn't He work things out for me?" Well, God can and God will. He can do anything. His Word says to cast your problems on Him and He will take of you (Ps 55:22 NLT). If we would just pray and tell Him our problems and our situations, He would answer our prayer. He knows what we need before we even ask (Mt 6:8). So what do you need? What are you searching for? What kind of miracle do you need in your life?

I'm reminded of a story in Joshua. The children of Israel were about to cross over Jordan and take the city of Jericho. Joshua told them to sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you (Jsh 3:5). Before you can expect wonders, you must live right. Sanctify yourself, live the way God wants... not what you want. His will, not your own.

In the next chapter it tells of the priest who carried the Ark of God stood in the Jordan river and all the people crossed over. What stands out to me in this is that it says that when the waters parted, the people hastened and passed over (Jsh 4:10). When you arm yourself with God's Word and He begins to work in your life, you can run full-force into what lies ahead. Rise up and hasten to your season! Your new beginning is on the other side of the river in front of you. Run and pass over it. Pass over your problem and leave it behind.

Joshua and the children of Israel walked around the walls of Jericho once for six days. On the seventh day, it says they rose early about the dawning of the day and marched around the city just like before; only this time they walked around the walls seven times (Jsh 6:15). When they finished walking, when the priest blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout; for the Lord has given you the city (Jsh 6:16).

Sometimes this life isn't easy. Sometimes you feel like you're walking in pointless circles; but just hold on. God is with you. When you don't know what to do, when you don't know how the bills will get paid, just take the hand of God and walk with Him... wherever He leads you. God will lead you and guide you and never lead you wrong. He's put you in this place for a purpose. You may not be able to see how things are going to end or where you'll end up, but remember God is leading you. He will place you in His perfect plan, and you can shout because God has given you your city. He will give you the answers to problems, to whatever is hindering you and holding you down.

Just think about it... the same God that created the universe, the same God that brought an entire city's walls down flat, that same God is with you and will work for you in your life. He is going to do something great in your life and in the upcoming year. We simple humans cannot fathom what God can really do for us. He is our God of wonders! He is a wonderful God!

J.H.

A Mile-Long Walk

It seems that every time you find something good, there is something bad to try and stop it. People talk, situations arise, things happen. But isn't it said that everything happens for a reason? I wonder why sometimes... What reasons are there for certain things that happen? There are things in this life that just do not make any sense at all.

We've all been at this point at some time in our lives. We feel the hurt, experience the pain of this life, we get cut down and stabbed in the back by so called friends, etc. We don't understand some things, we can't put our finger on exactly why some things happen. Have we put our faith in our wandering eyes? What we see and experience happening around us isn't always for the reason we think it is.

Before the threads of time began, before any of us were even here on this earth, there was a pre-ordained plan. There was a man to be on this earth and do something no one had ever done or ever will do.

Jesus came to this earth on which we live. His purpose for being born was to die... we know this story, but do we really grasp what happened while He was here??? Jesus came and experienced every single thing a person could go through. He did more than die for us... He came and walked a mile in our shoes. He has been through everything we go through. He did so that He could know just exactly what we feel and what we go through.

We were made in the image of God (Ge 1:26). We were made to serve Him. This was all foreseen before the earth was hung in the universe. I don't know about you, but my life went in a different way for a time. I went astray and I violated the bond that God and I had. I'm not proud of it in any way, but I'm forever grateful that Jesus had already walked down that road I was on. He knew what I felt and what I was going through.

He walked down a dusty road for you and me, forgiveness was His anthem. He experienced all pain, all suffering, and everything imaginable so He would know how we feel. Scientists say that Jesus carried the cross just about two kilometers; that is equal to one mile... think about that; those same feet that walked a mile in our shoes were later nailed to a cross for our salvation, His back beaten for our healing.

So when you think you're alone, when you're hurt and everyone seems to be against you, remember Jesus has already been there. He sees your hurt, He sees every tear you've cried. Remember that He went through it all just for you. He didn't keep Himself away from anything, He is no stranger to the pain you go through.

When you're at your wits end, when you don't know what to do or where to turn, remember that road has already been taken. Give your hurt and your problems to Him. He's already been through it, so He knows exactly how to fix it. Cast your cares and worries on Him, because He cares for you (I Pe 5:7). He's already walked a mile in your shoes.

J.H.

Flesh Denied

I remember getting my first car... the one in my name and that I was paying for. It was a 2006 Jeep Liberty, dark navy, grey leather interior, power everything, 6-CD player, the works. I was unaware how involved getting the new car really worked. I found out quickly that you need a lender and then have to work out all the many details. I was thinking, "People get new cars all the time. This should be a quick and painless process". Little did I know, the next day I went to the car dealership only to see my stack of papers that said, "Loan Denied". I couldn't believe it!

Well, the story goes that I eventually got the car and enjoyed it thoroughly. I kept thinking about the first lender we tried to use... why did they deny me? What did I do wrong? I wanted that new car, but it seemed like I was looking in the wrong places.

This got me thinking... we have all this 'stuff' we can buy and it supposedly makes us happy, but give it time... when the new wears off, we go right back to getting that new car smell in our lives. It's the same with religion and churches today. We live in an age where Christianity has become a product. From Christian mints, to bobble head Jesus figurines, the faith has been commercialized to the point that we go to the church of our choice, we rate the preacher or music, we'll even opt for online community because sacred space and live people seem to be too inconvenient. We've created consumer Christians who are more dissatisfied their spiritual walk than ever.

However, the true Christian message is one of denial, not convenience. A cross-less church becomes stale bread and cheap wine. It has no power and therefore can be easily parodied and marketed.

Jesus said it this way, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself or be cast away? (Lu 9:23-25)

Looking for that new car smell in your life? You must deny your flesh daily. It's not about all the things we want, rather what God wants for us. His will and His timing is perfect. If we deny ourselves, lose our lives, and follow Him, then we will find our whole life and our entire reason of existence in Him. What good are material possessions? It's just stuff... you can't take it with you when you leave this world.

If you're in the market for something new, or the honeymoon stage in your life is long gone, I challenge you to give Jesus a chance. If you give up living for yourself and deny yourself, then your life will really be saved in Him. Deny yourself, and save your life.

J.H.

Genesis II

I've been reading in the Old Testament lately. Reading and rereading to understand God's Word more. As I was reading I was thinking about how all this began. The Bible days, the first man and woman, the very beginning. The first book of the Bible is Genesis... where it all started. "In the beginning..."

Genesis is where it all began. I'm sure at some point all of us have thought about going back and redoing certain things in our lives. Reliving those times where we've made wrong decisions and bad choices... a new beginning of sorts. I wonder how we could have a new beginning...

I looked in John 1:3 - All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. So God made everything. This tells us Jesus' creativity. All things were made through Him and nothing was made without Him. He was involved of every aspect of creation. The Greek word for "made" is "ginomai", from which we get the English word "genesis". It means to come into being, to happen, or to become. God brought everything into being out of nothing. Everything in this universe was spoken into existence by God Almighty.

So if God made everything, that means He made you too; and if He made you once, it is safe to say that He can make you again. All throughout the Bible there are people who failed and sinned greatly, but were still made something great for God. David had an affair, Saul killed Christians, and the list goes on. In the end these men and women in the Bible were still used greatly for God and His kingdom.

Putting this all together... God made you in the beginning. He can make you again. He can and will give you a new start. The mercies of God are never consumed... they are new every morning (La 3:22-23). If you've fallen (and we all have) don't stay down. You're not forgotten and you are not alone. Get up and go on. Your past is over. You can have a new start today! The making of you life story has just begun. Pick yourself up and move forward with your new beginning in Him!

J.H.

Rise Up

As a young boy I had a tendency to fall a lot... Yes, I know it's funny. I usually fell while playing sports or something, but there were those random times I'd just trip and fall for no apparent reason. Now that I'm older, I've graduated from falling to just running into things. You know, doors, walls, etc. I realized as kid that if I didn't get up when I fell, I'd never get anywhere. I would just lay there defeated and never get any better or get past what made me fall in the first place.

Going through this life, we all have our times when we fall down. We face situations and circumstances that test us and put us through what we think is the worst thing ever. However, the Word of God states that tribulation works patience (Ro 5:3). Did you ever think that what you're going through is just God trying to teach you something? It's the testing and trying of our faith that make us strong.

What you have to do is remember what God said in His Word, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" (He 13:5). God is with you no matter what. No matter what situation is staring at you, God is right beside you.

Bounce back from your circumstance. You have the power, God is with you, and no weapon formed against you will prosper (Is 54:17). You don't have to sit silently while the enemy screams lies in your ears. You don't have to sit paralyzed with fear of what the devil tells you. RISE UP! Stand on the Word of God, claim His promises, stand against the enemy and he will be brought down by the power that is in Jesus name.

God has a plan and purpose for you and your life. The callings from God you feel on your life are irrevocable. They never change or expire. You're not here by accident. You are here to fulfill a divine purpose that God Himself has designed for you.

Wait on God's timing, listen to His voice and follow His instructions, then watch what He does with your life. We pray and ask God to guide our steps, but we have to be willing to move our feet in whatever direction He takes us.

You are here for a reason. Don't doubt that for a second! Don't question what God has already told you. You may slip and fall, but don't stay there. Get up, dust yourself off, and rise above it. It's time to rise up!

J.H.