New Year...New You...New Me! The WHY of it All

So far we have identified that to be (or to become) spiritually fit is much like being (or becoming) physically fit. Since we are focusing on spiritual fitness in this series let’s review the three most important aspects.

We are blood-bought and must accept this gift of salvation. Surely without that gift we can be of no TRUE service to our Lord, nor our community, nor the strangers that He has placed (will place) before us. There is no way we can share what we do not have to begin with. Jesus, Himself, has commissioned us to go forth and grow HIS kingdom!

Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We must have a two-way communication with Him through the Holy Spirit…that includes listening and patiently waiting upon the Lord for direction. The Bible is full of stories of people who waited and the consequences of NOT waiting. Isn’t it a good thing that He can come in and straighten out the situation? Let’s face it…HIS WILL will come about no matter the mess I make of things…I just don’t want Him to have to do that… I’d rather be a willing servant than a haphazard-I-can-do-this-on-my-own-in-the-name-of-the-Lord servant; don’t you? We have to go no further than the book of Genesis and the story of Sari and Abram to see what happened when they grew weary of waiting for a child…the consequences of that action/decision remains a vivid reminder for us all in the Middle-East to this day.

Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

We know we have to have a strong and healthy spiritual backbone… We have to know the Word of God and stand faithfully planted upon that Word. Never swaying or being led astray…always checking what we hear or read against the one TRUE WORD OF GOD…which is the Holy Bible.

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself and God our Father who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every deed and word.”

Now that we have a good understanding of what it means to be spiritually fit…let’s explore why we want to be that way in the first place. Our reasons might differ a little but we all know we have to be fit in order to be of use by God. I like the way that Wiki definition of physically fit put it: You do not tire easily after strenuous activity because you get sufficient rest. Your immune system stays strong against infection so you rarely, if ever, get sick.

THAT’S why I want to be spiritually fit! So I don’t grow weary doing what it is He has set before me whether it is rocking babies in the nursery, preaching a sermon, teaching a class, cleaning the building, taking care of the grounds, feeding the hungry, taking care of the needy, sitting with the infirm… comforting someone with a hurting heart… for they are all strenuous when trying to accomplish them with a less than fit spirit. I want to be certain I get enough rest in Him that I am serving Him and not working for my church.

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus, Himself, says “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

I want my spiritual immune system strong so I can fight the temptations and struggles that will surely come my way once I am whole-heartedly COMMITTED to serving the One True God and God alone…I want to be immune to those spiritual diseases that crop up when the worldly man beats the spiritual man in the daily running of the race. That truly is the WHY of it all!

Galatians 5:16, 17 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so you do not do what you want.”

New Year...New You...New Me! Back to the Basics; A Stong Backbone

If you have been following along with my posts since January 10 then you know I have begun my quest to physical and spiritual fitness…So far, I know I have to have a clean heart which is in good working order. I understand that I need to ensure that my respiratory system is in shape physically by taking in plenty of good fresh air and that I have to have a true working relationship with God. For as surely as the body needs physical breath the soul needs the living breath experienced only from the Holy Spirit.

As I continue my search for exactly what it means to be physically fit I next examine the musculoskeletal system. This system provides form, stability, and movement to the human body. Not only does the musculoskeletal system consist of bones and ligaments, joints and cartilage it also consists of other connective tissue which supports and binds tissues and organs together. Very interesting… if I do say so myself! So can I apply these three words: FORM, STABILITY, MOVEMENT…to my spiritual fitness?

FORM: The first part of this system, bones (or skeleton) serves as a rigid structure and protects the delicate internal organs and serves as housing for the bone marrow. Most interestingly, bones undergo this process called remodeling. It’s where old bone tissue is gradually replaced by new bone tissue. Did you know every ten years every bone in the body is completely reformed?

Oh, this is a tough one…what is my spiritual form? Is it my spiritual backbone and if so, what exactly is my spiritual backbone? Is it the tenets of faith, the creed, from my denomination? While it might be an important part, I believe it goes much deeper than that. I believe it has something to do with knowing the word of God…whole-heartedly. Knowing it so well that it becomes my second nature…no my first nature. It also includes that one-on-one relationship with God through the Holy Spirit so that when I need to stand…I stand strong. When I need to make decisions, when I need to use discernment…I automatically react and act in a godly manner. When others look at me I want them to only see HIM...now that's the spiritual posture I want to have...How about you?

2nd Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we live by faith and not by sight. We are also reminded to die daily to self so that we can live for HIM...in that manner(dieing daily) our spiritual bones are remodeled much the same as our physical bones....hummm...now there is something to ponder.

STABILITY: Joints are the junctions between two or more bones. Some joints don’t move while others allow a large and complex range of motions. The components of joints provide stability and reduce the risk of damage from constant use.

So, if joints provide stability in the musculoskeletal system then what is it that provides stability in my spiritual life…church attendance, daily bible study, active prayer life…is there more to my spiritual stability than these? Is it unwavering faith? The praise Him in the good times and praise Him in the bad times kind of faith? The Bible says it so I believe it kind of faith? I think, yes! It is the inexplicable childlike faith that resides in the heart of all believers that provides spiritual stability. Without faith, how can we not become damaged by overuse?

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” ~NIV ~Man that is a good chapter! If you haven’t read it in a while take a minute to read it now.

MOVEMENT: Skeletal muscle is what most people think of when they hear the word, muscle - the type that can be contracted to move the various parts of the body.

The muscles cause movement much the same as the Holy Spirit moves us spiritually…but how are we moved spiritually and how do we know we are moving in the right direction? Is it sending a card to a shut in or to someone who is having a difficult time? Is it rocking babies in the nursery, mentoring a teenager, teaching a class, feeding the hungry? Is it reaching past the walls of our churches and getting down and dirty…in the nitty-gritty of our communities? I think we can all agree with a resounding YES! It is just that and so much more! How do we know we are moving in the right direction? We are known by our fruits, are we not? Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” It is by examining our own fruits that we know we are moving in the right direction.

To maintain good bone health (bone density and strength) the body requires adequate amounts of calcium, minerals, and vitamins and certain hormones. Activity such as weight-bearing exercises help bones strengthen by remodeling. Activity combined with the above mentioned items, bones develop into a complex lattice structure that is not only light weight but strong as well.

Much the same can be applied to our spiritual health. I love that term “weight-bearing.” It reminds me of Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

It all goes back to diet and exercise doesn’t it? This…being healthy thing? Let’s take time to examine where we need improvement…for without knowing where we need to improve we will not know what plan of action we are to take.

New Year...New You...New Me! Back to the Basics; Breathe on Me!

Now that we know our heart is in good condition due to the blood flow we will further pursue this quest to spiritual fitness and what it means as it relates to being physically fit. To refresh your memory; WikiAnswers.com tells us: If you are physically fit, you have well-conditioned cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal, systems in order to perform physically demanding activities such as exercise, sports, or manual work…

The respiratory system consists of organs that deliver oxygen to the circulatory system and assists in the removal of carbon dioxide, thus preventing a deadly build up of this waste product. The air flow begins in the nose and ends in the lungs. Filtering air through the nasal passage prevents airborne bacteria, viruses, smog, dust particles, and other potentially disease-causing substances from entering the lungs.

Much like this system, the Holy Spirit filters potentially disease-causing substances from entering our lives. Not familiar with those spiritual diseases? Greed, apathy, pride, lust, anger, back-biting, envy, despise and yes, even hate…careless actions, words, or emotions that can destroy love in ones heart, is a good place to start. Without the filter the Holy Spirit provides, churches are divided, couples walk away from each other, families are destroyed, and people are eaten alive by their own emotions.

To keep your respiratory system healthy you must exercise…breathe fresh air instead of stale, and a lot of it! The same goes for the Holy Spirit…have you gotten “stale” in your relationship with the Lord? Are you reading with enthusiasm His Word or are you just brushing through a couple of verses a day…cause Christian’s read the Bible daily? Or, tell me, is your Bible collecting dust on the nightstand or do you keep it in the back seat of your car so you have for the next service. OK, don’t tell me… Do you even take it to church with you or since the verses are on the overhead…it’s one less thing to keep up with? I heard a Pastor once say, “If you don’t have your Bible you must have the whole thing memorized.”

Do you have an effective prayer life? You know the kind I am talking about … the two-way kind of communication between you and God. Don’t just give Him your laundry list of bless this person, be with that person, heal the other, give me patience, give me this or that…and oh, by the way, Love ya, Lord, Amen, and think you are good and done. You might be done, but you certainly are not good. Sorry to sound harsh, but you know we have to listen. How in the world can we be led by the Holy Spirit if we don’t listen?

When you sing a “Christian” song are you singing because you like the singer, the beat moves you, or are you singing it as a true praise? When a song brings tears to your eyes, or that twinge of conviction, are you singing along prayerfully?

And then there’s the whole attending church, being an active participant in the activities that go on there, thing. Just because you are a teacher, or a lay leader, or even a minister does not mean that your spirit can’t get stale…or even stagnant. We sometimes get so busy doing the work of the Lord that we forget to serve Him. He really, really was a servant.... If you have forgotten just how much of a servant he was, I suggest you re-read the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

I just don't see how we can be protected from the build up of deadly spiritual diseases if we are lacking exercise in these vital areas. Do you? Examining them (honestly) gives us a good idea of how fit our spiritual respiratory system is and just where we need to apply exercise. Let's face it, how can we assist others in becoming spiritually fit if we are out of shape ourselves? That's kinda like getting dieting advice from someone who is obese...or marriage counseling from someone who's been divorced 5 times!

John 16:7-14 “But I tell you the truth; It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because me do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes He will guide you into all truth, He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.”

Acts 2:37-39 “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

New Year...New You...New Me! Back to the Basics; A Matter of the Heart and Blood

Let’s break it down – a little basic biology: the Cardiovascular System – the heart and blood vessels…did you know the human body has over 60,000 miles of blood vessels? This system supplies all cells with oxygen and nutrients as well as removes carbon dioxide and other waste products. More than that, get this, the heart is the driving force for the movement of this cleansing blood. It actively pumps blood out of its chambers and passively relaxes allowing the next fill up. The “fill up” is not due to the heart sucking the blood in, as one would think; rather it is because of the underlying pressure of the cardiovascular system as a whole.

In the same manner, the heart and blood are the driving force behind a spiritually fit person; a repentant heart and the blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all sin.

What struck me in that definition of the phrase physically fit was the fact that you have to have a well conditioned heart to participate in exercise…unlike what most think…you exercise to get your heart in shape; or was that just me? So…we have to begin with a clean heart? Is my heart clean? Is yours? Let’s go for a check-up…

But before we do, let’s remember John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

We realize and understand that we were all born into sin…you know it’s that Adam and Eve story we all have heard…the fall of man, the tempting of Eve by the serpent, her giving in and eating the forbidden fruit. There's been movies made about it. It’s in Genesis chapter 3. Take a minute and refresh your memory. Oh, you already believe that one? That’s a good start. But you still think you are a good person? You don’t do anything wrong? You help others do you?

When we talk about sin, what are we talking about? How about the Ten Commandments? How many of those do you know? No stealing, no lying, no other God but the One True God, no murder, no cheating on your wife or husband. That’s only half. Better check out Exodus Chapter 20 verses 1-17 for a refresher. Now, how many of those have you broken? Today? Yeah, me too. Not to worry, it’s our human nature – we were born that way.

Romans 3:23 tells us “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So now we know and we know why.

Unfortunately, there is always a price for everything up to and including; sin…and it is death. Romans 6:23(a) states “The wages of sin is death.” Physical death was a result of that original sin, but worse than that... is spiritual death which alienates us from God, for all eternity.

In the book of Revelation it mentions the Lake of Fire …Rev 20:14,15 “Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire.” No, this is not the Biblical version, the Christian version, or the religious version of the televison show “Fear Factor.” I am not trying to scare you into making a decision here and if you have made the decision to follow Christ, as I know most of you reading this have, then thank the Lord, right now for sparing us this fate.

The beauty is in Romans 6:23(b) “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.” Salvation is free…we can’t earn it, we can’t give enough tithes or money to buy it, we can’t do enough good deeds to have it, or teach Sunday school to grab it, we can't work in the church enough to have it benevolently bestowed upon us...or be good enough…to get it! It’s a fact, we just have to accept it.

Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Thus it spares us from that second death…if only we would believe. You see when He died on the cross it was for all mankind, once and for all. His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is our only hope to have forgiveness. His blood is what saves us…not religion, not being spiritual, not church membership.

Romans 10:13 “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved.” If you believe just a simple prayer is all you need. Need clarification? Not so sure you believe? Start talking to Him, buddy. Ask Him. He will reveal Himself to you.

Ok, so now you believe what's next? Romans 10:9,10 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him (Jesus) from the dead you shall be saved; for it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” If you feel God is knocking at the door to your heart – and you will know it is HIM…open up- invite Him in…come on now…let the changes begin!

Jesus said in Revelation 3:20(a) “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…”

Just like in the cardiovascular system where the heart yields to the pressure being built up by the flow of blood , we also yield to the Holy Spirit’s pressure as He knocks at the door of our hearts.

Believe in Him, ask Him to come in to your heart by faith. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you…He will do it! Open the Bible to the Gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again. God will help you…He loves you! Now that's a way to have a good,strong and healthy heart, if you ask me!

For some reason the song, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus is running through my mind even though The Katina’s in the background are belting out a rousing rendition of Yes, Lord.

New Year...New You...New Me!

I Resolve No Longer To Linger

No matter whether you call yours a New Year Resolutions List or New Year Goals pretty near the top of most people’s list are the words; diet and exercise, lose weight, be more physically fit…or something to that effect. I know it’s on mine every year and sometime around Spring I get around to moving the coats that have hung conveniently on the treadmill throughout the winter. Now, before you think this is a weight-loss post or even a new year’s resolutions post… please, be patient and just keep reading.

I was overwhelmed as I searched the web for information on this subject. I did find an interesting fact discovered by John C. Norcross, a professor of psychology at the University of Scranton. After conducting (at least three) studies on resolutions in recent years he found that six months after January 1, only 46% of those who make resolutions have fulfilled them. Well, there you go; once again, I am in the majority…just normal…an average, ordinary American… that’s me!

But, you know what? I don’t want to be average or ordinary, do you? So I searched even further and found on another psychology website the six stages of weight loss and helping you keep your resolution. Hum….interesting and kind of funny… because realistically, I don’t care if I lose weight or not. What is more important to me is my spiritual health...but I kept reading anyway.

Topping the list of tips was “commitment to change.” Then there were words like: “mindful of your actions and addressing emotions.” Included in this six-step program to achieving your weight loss goals were preparation, action, maintenance, and of course, they covered what to do in the case of relapse.” Praise the Lord!! It’s an outline to improving your spiritual life as well!

Let’s begin with the obvious…COMMITMENT. Duh, ya think? It’s paramount to achieving any and all goals…it is the very root of success… commitment. That I can do! So when I say I want to be more spiritually fit what exactly do I need to be committed to? What is “spiritually fit” anyway and why do I want to get that way in the first place?

I guess in actuality I need to make this phrase more than just words, right? Do I want to memorize more scripture? Check! Do I want to apply more scripture? Check! Do I want to participate in more activities in church? Check! Do I want to help others? Check! Do I want to be used of God to lead others to Him? CHECK, CHECK! Wait a minute… those are actions, verbs if you will. What I need are nouns!

WikiAnswers.com tells us: If you are physically fit, you have well-conditioned cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal, systems in order to perform physically demanding activities such as exercise, sports, or manual work. You also have to have low body fat which means your weight is reasonable with your height, gender, and age. This means you pay strict attention to your diet by eating low-fat foods rich in fiber, potassium, carbohydrates, and calcium. You do not tire easily after strenuous activity because you get sufficient rest. Your immune system stays strong against infection so you rarely, if ever, get sick.

So if that is what being physically fit means can I apply this and define what spiritually fit means? You guessed it…I actually went to ask.com and typed in the same question this time I substituted the word spiritually for physically…you should try it sometimes…you will be amazed and probably even get a laugh or shake your head with concern. I think I will just take my chances and let the Bible and Holy Spirit lead me in defining just exactly what it means.

I invite you to join me in this quest for spiritual fitness as we journey over the next several blog posts. Please use the comments section freely. I am interested in your insight, revelations, and information. I like a good dialog! Together may we embark on a fitness program that will benefit not only us, but all those with whom we come into contact!

Hebrews 12:1,2 "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witness, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."~NIV

[I apologize to my doctor friends who might be reading this…you know who you are, John and Ken; and to the nurses and nursing students; Kim, Cate, and you other guys. I know the descriptions are very simplistic and not at all as deeply involved as complex as the function of these systems truly are…please feel free to use the comment section to correct any errant facts. It has been a long time since high school and college!] That’s my disclaimer and I am sticking to it!

What I love About Sunday

• Waking up to the smell of bacon and coffee as Jimmy cooks breakfast.
• Sunday sermons
• Lunch with the kids
• Sitting by the fire with a cup of chocolate coffee (cold weather)
• Spending time outside with the hubs and dogs (warm weather)
• Reading a book and playing on the computer
• NAPS!

Here’s what some of my friends said…

Sharon said, “Going to church, then dinner with family/friends and home to relax and read the paper.” [Like me, Sharon is from the south…so remember down here…dinner is not supper.]

Rochelle said, “Church, lunch and an afternoon nap!” [awww…that sounds like the perfect Sunday afternoon.]

Amanda (The mother of three boys – two of which are twins!) said, “I’m on E by Saturday night… a little time in God’s word and with others I love…and I’m back on F for the rest of the week!” [Believe me I know how Pastor Steve can dish up a heaping helping of spiritual food during a Sunday morning sermon!] Check out Amanda’s Renewed Each Morning blog at http://auntmaymay.blogspot.com or click on the link under the Blogs that Stir my Heart section in the lower left of this blog.

My cousin and brand new mother to baby Sophie; said, “The Sunday paper and football!”

Becca said, “Church and Sunday afternoon naps on the couch. There’s something about peace and quiet! [I know she isn’t insinuating her two precious young sons are a bit rowdy.]

Kristina; Children’s Minister, Associate Pastor’s /Air Force Wife, mother of four home-schooled children, in college-herself (whew) said, “Worship with other fellow disciples of Jesus!!!! What an amazing thing it is to get together with other believers and just praise our Lord and Savior! I look forward to Sundays and other times I get together with other believers and visit about Him. Doesn’t matter the time of week! We also always eat with Greg’s parents…keeps us close.

Ken just said, “CHURCH and FOOTBALL!”

Christina, yes Christina said, "From mid-Feb till November it's NASCAR!!!!! Oh, and sleeping late." [I'm gonna have to work on that girl!]

Judy said, "CHURCH!!!! and a day of rest."

And finally, from my sister, Deb. "It's the only day you can take it easy without feeling guilty."

OK, OK, I have to add another. This is from Damon, stationed in Dover, DE..."Church and football, Amen Ken. Oh, and lunch with friends."

PLEASE leave a comment and let us know… what it is you love about Sunday?

My Favorite Memory of 2009

Be sure to turn off the music player TO THE RIGHT before viewing this short video clip. It is of Jake, Richard, and Hunter singing "Almost Home" by Craig Morgan. Jake has a beautiful voice and his singing is one of the things missed most since he moved out. I am sure I will watch this video a thousand times during the 18 months he is deployed.

This is the last time Hunter will see Jake until he gets home. Jake has always been Hunter's hero... even before he joined the Army. About ten of Jake's buddies were in and out of the house...and it was some kind of hunting season, so the house is really a mess...sorry for that eye sore.

What I want you to see is the look on Hunter's face as he sings with his Uncle Jake. The boys, all of them, and sometimes the girls, sang for a long time - especially after Mom and Dad showed up. I sure wish I had captured the entire song. God bless and I hope you enjoy!

Jake Kyzer - United States Army MP-Delta Company Graduation

John 3:16

John 3:16 It's the one most commonly known biblical scripture; if not in the world, at least in the United States. Even I could quote it and I had hardly been to church more than a couple of times before Jimmy and I started dating.

I wonder though sometimes, is it one of those scriptures we simply throw out without thinking too much about it. Now... don't take offense. As Sunday school teachers, lay leaders, pastors, pastors wives, or simply one who has been raised in church...we can quote us some scripture and you know it. That's good...that's what we are supposed to do...know it, use it, apply it...share it.

I mean, seriously, when was the last time you read, quoted, or used this scripture, this John 3:16 and really thought about just exactly what it means to you. Just exactly how it affected your life? How it STILL impacts your life and those around you?

I'd like to share a little story I recently read with you and pray you take a moment and LOVE Him back... May 2010 be the year of unconditional love for us all!

A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.

He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."

So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son."

She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm..

Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry? " He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"

The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food.. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible.

She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. "Do you understand John 3:16? " she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it,"

She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus . Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure
makes a lost boy feel safe.

You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.