The Soccer World Cup starts today! Isn’t the awesome! I always think it is so amazing when the whole world gets together around one thing, even it is it sport. Its good to see the people although they have their favorite team, still can realize that we are all people!
Its also interesting to think about this event taking place in South Africa. A few weeks ago, I took advantage of pay per view to watch Invictus, the story of the South Africa rugby, but really a story about the power of forgiveness. Its worth the watch, and its a really powerful story of the way people can work together to make things happen, but really it all started with forgiveness.
So as the world comes together today, putting aside their differences today to play futbol, how about taking a look around you and see how forgiveness can change the world around you.
36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:36-38 (New International Version)
Oh, and for all you Englanders out there, watch out, the Yanks are coming!
I Love the beach. I am so looking forward to my time there again this summer ( hopefully, not covering in tar and oil from that sunken rig). Anyway, as a lot of you do, I really enjoy my time at the ocean on the beach – the sand, the smell, the warmth, the sun, the salt. The Salt. As much as it’s a little trendy, I like these Salt Life stickers people have on their vehicles.
I like them because they are a reminder to me – a reminder of the ocean and a reminder of a message for life. This week I have continually been thinking about Luke 14 and the message there about living the Salt Life.
34“Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing. ”Are you listening to this? Really listening?” The Message
Flat salt is good for nothing. Some other translations say its not even good for the manure pile!
34“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
”He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” New International Version (NIV)
I don’t think I want to have a life that is not even good enough for the manure pile!
I am trying to be salty. I am trying to live the salt life and to impact people – by expressing love and concern for them. By being the spice that makes things better. This is so important that the Christ even asks “Hey – do you hear this? – BE SALTY” .
So today slap that Salt Life tag on your vehicle, on your surfboard, on your keyboard, on your whiteboard, or in the board room. Dream of the ocean and lazy days in the surf, but also, impact others by being the salt of life.
I am still pumped. Yes, it didn’t happen for the Mountaineers, and that, well, that really stinks. But there is another reason to be even more stoked today then a basketball game – even if the outcome had been different. I am stoked, even overjoyed because –
He’s Alive He’s Alive! Christ is Risen from the Dead!
6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:6-8 NIV
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. Romans 6:1-14 (New International Version)
Thats Real! That’s life changing and that pumps me up!
I am especially stoked today! Enough that I am posting a special Sunday edition of the DailyBuffet. Yes, The Mountaineers did make it to the Final Four last night, and that is part of my jubilation today. But today is special for another reason, and even if the ‘Eers had suffered defeat last night, I would still be excited today. Today is the week before the Passover, and the day that is traditionally called “Palm Sunday“. Whats the big deal you may ask? Well this is the day that Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey, while the people of Jerusalem covered the road with Palm leaves and clothing – which signified the coming of a king. This started the week which will end with the death and resurrection of the Christ – the Messiah – the Savior.
And right in the middle of all of this Jesus is told to have the people stop, and he says
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
The rocks will cry out that he is Lord! Wow, that’s one of my favorite verses and a big motivator to me. So I post this today in an attempt to cry out louder then the stones – the Messiah has come. And on a day similar to this one many years ago, he entered the city of Jerusalem declaring his Kingship.
Enjoy the day and think about that “Triumphant Entry”!
Luke 19:28-44 (New International Version)
The Triumphal Entry
28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30“Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”
32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
I stumbled upon this earlier this week while browsing around the web with my mouse hand, while my headphone ear diligently listened to a conference call.
I was immediately blown away, and inspired at the same time! This guy had lost his job, yet he is out giving $10 away a day – to complete strangers. He also has been blogging about his encounters here. This blog is definitely worth a gander as he retells of his encounters each day. Its confusing. its a little mind boggling. He should be saving everything he has correct? Unfortunately, that’s the way we usually look at things like this. But really imagine if we all took approaches like this. I have taught many classes on this concept from Luke:
Luke 6:38 (New International Version)
38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
But this at times is a hard concept to implement. Yes, Ray its not all about money ( sorry that’s a little inside joke to my friend Ray), its about giving and trusting. I am impressed with Reed Sandridge. I am inspired by him and I hope to learn from him.
Today, give. Give because it helps others. (and as I blogged about two weeks ago, that’s good and catchy!) Give knowing that it will come back to you in ways that you will never ever expect.
In January 2008, I began to send out a daily email to several of my friends to provide daily motivation and encouragement. As life has changed, I have decided in November 2009 to publish these musings to the web. So here at this blog, you can find thoughts on life with a little bit of inspiration. Its a way to transform your spiritual mind, and 'buffet your spiritual body' each day. Just a little mental work out to hopefully help you develop, transform and grow.
Your comments are always welcome!
