It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s A Wonderful Life

It has been a long road back this week from the sickness I had dealt with. I do appreciate the prayers and well wishes for those who knew. If you didn’t know don’t worry, I didn’t do hour by hour postings on facebook.

When my head began to clear from the medicine I felt pain in my spirit. (still today) So many people feel like they have no value. Their life is insignificant.

When I thought on this it got worse, and I could not hold back tears.

I shared my thoughts with Betty and it brought to her mind one of our favorite Christmas movies. I want to share some thoughts titled, “It’s A Wonderful Life”

Before I really get into my message, I want to share some short stories about some folks in the Bible, that left a small historical footprint in Bible history.

You have probably hear of Jabez. Mentioned briefly in

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NASB

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.”

10 Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested.

The guy got in 2 scriptures and people are praying his prayer still today.

Josiah became king at 8 years old.

2 Kings 22:2 NASB

He did right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left.

What about Shamgar?

Judges 3:31 NASB

After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel.

There is really only three things we know about the thief on the cross. He was a criminal-He was crucified next to Jesus-When he died he entered paradise with Jesus.

Love this one. Who knows of Elishama? “el-ee-shaw-maw” It means, My God has heard. He was a scribe to the king in the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 36:12 NASB

he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.

Here is what interested me. In 1986 outside Jerusalem a clay seal was found that read, Elishama, servant of the king.

The passage was written approx 588 BC. The seal was dated to that time period proving that He was a scribe to the king.

My heart has been heavy this week. Burdened for the broken, the scattered, the hopeless. People who have found themselves slammed against a wall, with no way to get around it, and no heart to climb it.

“Used Up”

Paul was defining his Apostolic role in his 2^nd letter to the Corinthians, chapter 4.

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 NASB

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

“It’s a valuable treasure”

Your life has meaning. If you could only see the people you have touched. The people you are destined to touch. The used up person that you held the door open for with a smile. They decided to go one more day. “Nothing is insignificant in God’s purpose.”

(We have a treasure to give. It never runs out)

2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NASB

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

“This transformation is a process.”

Philippians 2 Is a great chapter. Read it when you can. I want to share 3 verses.

Philippians 2:8-10 NASB

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

All of this said comes to this.

Matthew 11:28-30 NASB

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

(What a wonderful life awaits you)

#lovewins #hopelives