EMPOWERED!

I read this prayer several times a week to remind myself of the power that is in the Christ follower – the same power that raised Jesus from the grave!  After dwelling on this passage, I feel I want to do something significant with my life, and there is nothing I cannot handle.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:17-21 NIV)

Dick Robinson

I Need Good Friday!

“I wonder why God has done this to you” is the most troubling comment made to me since my diagnosis. I wish I  had a voice to respond, because I wonder why any Christ Follower would say that God capriciously hands out suffering.

I do not know why this has happened, nor do I care.  There are many things I have seen in life that I do not understand; that is what I think “walking by faith” means.

That’s why Good Friday is important to me. I will marinate my soul in the wonder that Christ “loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) and align my life more perfectly to His will.  In light of His love for me, I will ponder the assurance it gives: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to  come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:37-39 (NASB).

Dick Robinson

Happy Easter

Several years ago a Presidential election turned on the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid!"  The mantra meant that the key issue was the economy.  

I was raised not to call anyone stupid, and I don't except for occasional outbursts when I'm driving.  But I would like the world to know -- "It's the resurrection, __________!"  It all boils down to the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, then He is not the Messiah, the Christ, Lord or Savior.  But if He did...then He is all those things and more.  If He did rise from the dead, then He did die on the cross for my sins; then He is the way, the truth, the life and there is no other way to God except through Him; then He has a rightful claim to be Lord of my life; then I am lost without Christ; then there really is a heaven and hell; then there is eternal life; then He is coming again.
  
"It's the resurrection, ___________!" means that because of Easter there is forgiveness, and life, and hope, and an eternity.  It means that God loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son.  

Happy Easter! 

DON’T FEEL SORRY FOR ME – I MIGHT HAVE A “LEG UP” ON YOU!

The Grammarian defines the idiom, “leg up” as a “position of advantage”.  Early in my diagnosis, I came to see II Corinthians 12:8-10 in a new light. That passage is where the Apostle Paul talks about his physical problem that was so aggravating he prayed three times for God to heal him. What arrested my attention was God’s message too him, “…my  power is made perfect in weakness.”  When people say, “I feel so sorry for you”, I want to say, “Hey, I have a leg up on you in being filled with God’s power”! 

Perhaps, as Christ followers, we should all say, with Paul, “Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”  (II Cor. 12:10 Message)

“Leg up” Robinson

Volunteer Week

I just heard today that this is National Volunteer Week!  So let me say how proud I am of all our volunteers at Woodview -- we literally could not do everything we do if it weren't for you!  And let me say a big, huge "thanks" to each and every one of you!  You are awesome!

The Bible says that Jesus came to serve, and if we are going to be like Jesus then we have to serve also.  Serving is more about attitude than it is placement.  Some serve by teaching, or leading, or cleaning, or helping, or driving, or cooking -- the list goes on and on.  But it is legitimate serving when we do it in an attitude and spirit of humility.

Someone wisely said, "You know if you are servant by how you react when people treat you like one."

Thanks again for your service, volunteers!

Cravings!

Why did Jesus say that we should hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5:6)?  I know that food and water are the basics of life - I get that.  It's just that usually I crave things that aren't that good for me.  You know, I crave ice-cream or Little Debbie Swiss Rolls or more bacon.  I wonder if I could suggest to Ben & Jerry that they try making an ice-cream flavor of Swiss Rolls and bacon?  I'd buy it!

How does someone get to the point where they really do crave what is good for them?  I guess if you are crawling through a dessert and you feel yourself dying of thirst you'd accept a glass of water instead of asking for a Chai tea with a sprig of mint.  So maybe the way to crave the good stuff is to get really, really desperate.


It seems that another way it would work is if we were able to somehow retrain ourselves so that the stuff that is good for us becomes the stuff that we really want.  You know, retrain our brain so that Brussels sprouts actually do taste better to us than a candy bar.

So far I've kept this conversation about food...but it really applies to all things.  I need to crave righteousness in my thoughts and relationships and words and actions and finances and -- you get the idea; all things.  So how is it that we get to the point where that is really, really, really what we crave?


First, we have to see the damage and hurt and pain and foolishness that result from craving what isn't good and we get desperate.  Second, we have to recognize that part of what happened when we came to Christ and were baptized is what the Bible calls a "new birth."  That means that the Holy Spirit did a work inside of us redirecting our true desires.  Now, there is a part of us, the real part of us, that craves righteousness.  We just need to break the habit of settling for what is easy or common or accessible or our old routine.

Leave it to Jesus to say something profound with few words.