Every afternoon after i get home from work i hear the sweet words, "DADDY's HOME!!!". Those words come screaming out of my boys and brings a smile to my face every time.
Daddy is one of the sweetest and tenderest names that a child can call there father. It is intimate and communicates a deep love, appreciation and a longing.
Maybe you can remember back when you were a child and your father returned home. The feelings, the love, the closeness. Maybe you can't.
No matter your situation today, There is a Father that wants you to call Him 'Abba', or daddy. He is waiting for that kind of relationship with you. He wants the deep love, appreciation and longing. He did everything He can to bring you into that fellowship, now He waits for you to call out..."Abba Father"
John 3:16
Romans 6:23
Peace
B
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Hole 14, Par 3, 188 yards...
Hole #14
Hole #14 is a very pretty Par 3 with lots of water surrounding the green. Playing this course it is easy to verify that 71% of the Earth's surface is water.
Well the tee shot looked pretty. It went in the direction of the hole. We made forward progress....Problem was when it came down there was a splash associated with it. Yes we did....hit the water. (We should have aimed for the water, then we would have never hit it) Oh well, when you're given lemons try to make lemonade (we definitely have enough water).
The water shot in golf has the potential to get you behind in the score quickly. The stroke it took you to hit the water, one stroke to get out (or drop a new ball), and then the next stroke you can advance your ball towards the goal.
We probably needed to drop a new ball anyway, ours was dirty and a little scuffed. :o) (lemonade)
Well our third stroke got us on the green....
Wow the water shot in golf and a new believer in Christ. When we approach the cross, when we come to Christ for salvation, we all take similar steps.
We may not all be coming from the same place but we all end up entering in the Kingdom through Christ. That means that we as imperfect (scuffed and dirty) people come to Christ with repentance and belief in Christ. We are washed and cleaned. Our sins are removed as far as the East is from the West, and presented to the Father and a 'new' creation covered and made new through the blood/cross of Christ.
Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
That is a perfect picture of Baptism as well. True baptism by immersion. Not the "a little dab will do you" baptism.
Look at the Ethiopian eunuch:
Acts 8:36-39 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Look at Jesus
He walked ~26 miles to get to John to be baptized in the Jordan.
Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Baptism represents the death/burial/resurrection of Christ.
As you are lowered in the water (death)
Under water (burial)
Raised out of the water (resurrection). Raised to new life in Christ.
We move from scuffed and dirty to new and fresh by the blood of Christ.
We are a 'new' creation challenged to reflect Christ.
Well we made the putt. No need in getting frustrated, happy for the Bogey...it could have been much worse.
on to #15...
Hole #14 is a very pretty Par 3 with lots of water surrounding the green. Playing this course it is easy to verify that 71% of the Earth's surface is water.
Well the tee shot looked pretty. It went in the direction of the hole. We made forward progress....Problem was when it came down there was a splash associated with it. Yes we did....hit the water. (We should have aimed for the water, then we would have never hit it) Oh well, when you're given lemons try to make lemonade (we definitely have enough water).
The water shot in golf has the potential to get you behind in the score quickly. The stroke it took you to hit the water, one stroke to get out (or drop a new ball), and then the next stroke you can advance your ball towards the goal.
We probably needed to drop a new ball anyway, ours was dirty and a little scuffed. :o) (lemonade)
Well our third stroke got us on the green....
Wow the water shot in golf and a new believer in Christ. When we approach the cross, when we come to Christ for salvation, we all take similar steps.
We may not all be coming from the same place but we all end up entering in the Kingdom through Christ. That means that we as imperfect (scuffed and dirty) people come to Christ with repentance and belief in Christ. We are washed and cleaned. Our sins are removed as far as the East is from the West, and presented to the Father and a 'new' creation covered and made new through the blood/cross of Christ.
Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
That is a perfect picture of Baptism as well. True baptism by immersion. Not the "a little dab will do you" baptism.
Look at the Ethiopian eunuch:
Acts 8:36-39 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Look at Jesus
He walked ~26 miles to get to John to be baptized in the Jordan.
Matthew 3:13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Baptism represents the death/burial/resurrection of Christ.
As you are lowered in the water (death)
Under water (burial)
Raised out of the water (resurrection). Raised to new life in Christ.
We move from scuffed and dirty to new and fresh by the blood of Christ.
We are a 'new' creation challenged to reflect Christ.
Well we made the putt. No need in getting frustrated, happy for the Bogey...it could have been much worse.
on to #15...
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