You Are.....

We have heard and even said to some that "you are what you eat". True statement, lets just ad d this "you are what you speak". Words are so powerful and the content of our conversations make a huge impact.

If this rings true, then some of what we say, is what we believe. But that is hard to define...for some.... Here are a few thoughts.....

I believe . . .
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I believe . . .
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I believe . . .
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I believe . . .
that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I believe . . .
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

I believe . . .
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I believe . . .
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I believe . . .
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done,
regardless of the consequences.

I believe . . .
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I believe . . .
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe . . .
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.

I believe . . .
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

I believe . . .
In God the Father.....Creator of Heaven and earth
In Jesus Christ ... His only son
The Holy Spirit ..... the holy catholic church,
The communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

The Cross of Christ

"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

After spending some time researching of The Apostle's Creed for our upcoming series, I spent a few hours on a topic that many may take for granted. So here is a few things I pondered....

The cross of Jesus Christ is the signature symbol of the central event in the history of civilization. Yet, today the cross is depicted as common. From teacups to T-shirts, rings to earrings, people have used the cross to corner the market on crassness. Merchandisers manufacture this symbol of unlimited atonement into fuzzy things for our rearview mirrors or decorations for our gardens. The cross itself has become big business, but it was never intended to be some lucky trinket. Is it any surprise we have lost the wonder of what happened on Calvary?

The resurrection of Christ was the event that accomplished salvation and verified Christ's victory over death, but it was the cross of Jesus Christ that showed us the grace of God. Everything that God wants us to know about Himself comes together in those crossbeams.

Our entire purpose in life is to elevate the Cross. Think on Jesus Christ there. In your mind's eye, picture Him stretched out against the sky. What's He doing up there? Answer: He's subbing for you and me. He's taking God's wrath for your sin. He's satisfying the just demands of a holy God. He's paying the price that God's holiness requires so that you and I can be forgiven. In the place where our blood should have stained the ground, Jesus hung as our substitute.

You can't understand the Gospel until you understand this idea of substitution. Jesus’ death was in the place of every person who has ever lived. I am in that line. You are too. Each of us deserves to die in payment for our own sin, but Jesus stepped in and took that penalty for each of us.