[Faith-talk] Fwd: Morning Thoughts for March 3, 2011

[Amy Ragain]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Stephen Smith <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Date: March 3, 2011 7:19:03 AM CST
> To: Morning Thoughts 1 <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Subject: Morning Thoughts for March 3, 2011
> 
> For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
> (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)
> 
> - From Bible Promises for iPhone
> http://biblepromises.reigndesign.com/
> 
> How awesome is this!!  The hope for all eternity!!  We are eternally connected through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!!  We are a most honored people, to have been blessed by the invitation from God's Holy Spirit, to join Him for all eternity when we accept His Son, Jesus Christ as our Savior, Lord and King!  Spring is "in the air", just a few short weeks away.  With it will come the several weddings, and more plans for weddings throughout the year.  Pause and think for a moment - excitement fills the air!!  These weddings will result in marriages that, at best, will last the remainder of our lifetime on earth.  Now pause, and think of the marriage we entered into with Jesus Christ when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior.  That marriage will last for all eternity, held together by our stumbling faith, God's Holy Spirit, and His Promise!!
> 
> We, as a people, can only hold our earthly marriages together half of othe time, testimony to our stumbling faithfulness toward one another.  We are faithful, it seems as long as our marriage is going our way.  But let the tide turn, let the stressors mount up, and all too often the love we once shared turns to discontent, even hatred.  We; however, were given the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross of Calvary.  As we return to that cross in repentance, new life is promised, just as God provided fresh manna for the Hebrew nation as it sojourned through the dessert.  The hope and realization of Romans 8: 38-39 is manifest every time we fall to our knees, repent - turning from our sin-filled lives - and seek His forgiveness.
> 
> We are a most peculiar people!  From dust we were created, not by our own hands, but by the hands of the One who, in spite of knowing our every weakness, still sacrificed His only Son for our salvation.  We, who live with the greatest hope of all - the promise of eternal life in Paradise, with our Lord and Savior, so easily stumble and fall into sin in this life.  Were it not for the love of Jesus Christ, our hope would be futile, worthless, empty.  But, we are the benefactors of the greatest miracle in all creation!!  Out of our unrighteousness, God provided His Son, who became our righteousness and saved those who would accept Him.  Just as God created life from dust; new life from dry bones; He restores our souls, hearts and minds as we repent and seek, once again, to follow His Will for our lives.
> 
> I am filled with great hope for you today!!  May you allow God to richly bless every step you take!!
> 
> <3Steve:-))