Thursday, March 24, 2011
The "What If" Factor
A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown. ~ Denis Waitley
Scripture:
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 (New International Version)
As a writer, I am often asked; how do I come up with story ideas? My response is by watching the world around me. I’m sure most of you have heard that truth, or real life is sometimes stranger than fiction. Even the most mundane situation can become interesting by asking the question; What if?
What if the world in which we live was colored by the realization that our reality or life as we know it is determined by our thoughts and actions? What if the world as we know it could be changed in an instant by looking at or examining how things could possibly change or be changed by the “what if” factor?
Many of us would like to believe that our destinies have been pre-determined by where we were born, how we were raised and how much education we may or may not have obtained. Many fail to realize that the outcome of our lives can and could be so very different if we decide to make certain life altering choices.
As I thought about today’s message, I was reminded of the Apostle Paul, one of the most notable of early Christian missionaries. Paul's belief in Jesus as the son of God and as the Savior of mankind dramatically changed the course of his life and ours. His conversion from that of Jew hunter to a disciple of Christ happened during a life-changing experience one day on the road to Damascus.
Now many would say that Saul of Tarsus had no choice when it came to his conversion. However, I would like to pose the question; What if? What if Saul hadn’t been on the road that day and hadn’t been stricken with blindness? What if Saul hadn’t been converted? What if Paul has decided to choose another path in life other than that of an Apostle to the Gentiles? Where would you and I be?
What many of us fail it realize it that life is full of choices and there is always a “What if” factor. We make the decision on which road or path we will follow in this life. Just like Saul did that day on the road to Damascus and Just like Jesus the Christ did when he chose to die so that you and I can live.
So today I ask you; What if we didn’t have a Savior who died for our sins?
Prayer:
Father God, so many times in this life, we are faced with hard choices to make. You, have even given us the freedom to choose life over death and all we have to do is accept that Jesus Christ, our intercessor, died so that we could live. We believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths our belief that He died so that we could come before the throne of grace and ask for forgiveness. Thank You Father, for giving us that choice. So many times we allow the world to dictate our choices instead of bringing our worries and problems to You alone. We sometimes don’t see the blessings in our situations because we fail to see that even in our downcast states, we are still been blessed. Forgive us Lord, for taking our blessings for granted. Lord, forgive me for failing to sometimes make the right choice. Father God, continue to bless us, care for us and watch over us. Touch our family and friends who are faced with hard choices today. Help us all to say that we have a choice and today, we choose life. Thank You for the freedom to choose and for Your Son who chose to become a living sacrifice. It is in His name that we submit this prayer. Amen.
Scripture:
through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 (New International Version)
As a writer, I am often asked; how do I come up with story ideas? My response is by watching the world around me. I’m sure most of you have heard that truth, or real life is sometimes stranger than fiction. Even the most mundane situation can become interesting by asking the question; What if?
What if the world in which we live was colored by the realization that our reality or life as we know it is determined by our thoughts and actions? What if the world as we know it could be changed in an instant by looking at or examining how things could possibly change or be changed by the “what if” factor?
Many of us would like to believe that our destinies have been pre-determined by where we were born, how we were raised and how much education we may or may not have obtained. Many fail to realize that the outcome of our lives can and could be so very different if we decide to make certain life altering choices.
As I thought about today’s message, I was reminded of the Apostle Paul, one of the most notable of early Christian missionaries. Paul's belief in Jesus as the son of God and as the Savior of mankind dramatically changed the course of his life and ours. His conversion from that of Jew hunter to a disciple of Christ happened during a life-changing experience one day on the road to Damascus.
Now many would say that Saul of Tarsus had no choice when it came to his conversion. However, I would like to pose the question; What if? What if Saul hadn’t been on the road that day and hadn’t been stricken with blindness? What if Saul hadn’t been converted? What if Paul has decided to choose another path in life other than that of an Apostle to the Gentiles? Where would you and I be?
What many of us fail it realize it that life is full of choices and there is always a “What if” factor. We make the decision on which road or path we will follow in this life. Just like Saul did that day on the road to Damascus and Just like Jesus the Christ did when he chose to die so that you and I can live.
So today I ask you; What if we didn’t have a Savior who died for our sins?
Prayer:
Father God, so many times in this life, we are faced with hard choices to make. You, have even given us the freedom to choose life over death and all we have to do is accept that Jesus Christ, our intercessor, died so that we could live. We believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths our belief that He died so that we could come before the throne of grace and ask for forgiveness. Thank You Father, for giving us that choice. So many times we allow the world to dictate our choices instead of bringing our worries and problems to You alone. We sometimes don’t see the blessings in our situations because we fail to see that even in our downcast states, we are still been blessed. Forgive us Lord, for taking our blessings for granted. Lord, forgive me for failing to sometimes make the right choice. Father God, continue to bless us, care for us and watch over us. Touch our family and friends who are faced with hard choices today. Help us all to say that we have a choice and today, we choose life. Thank You for the freedom to choose and for Your Son who chose to become a living sacrifice. It is in His name that we submit this prayer. Amen.
