Category: INSPIRATIONAL

INSPIRATIONAL

Bragging Rights, Your Testimony

taylorjamesalbert

Do you have bragging rights as a Christian? And do you take advantage of these rights? Do you tell others of God’s glorious goodness in your life? Or,…are you ashamed, embarrassed, fearful of what others will think of you? Is what others may or may not actually think of you, based on your testimony, more important to you than sharing God’s goodness with them?

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe” Proverbs 29:25 (ESV).

What I have discovered over the years is just how camouflaged our real feelings actually are. Oftentimes the impression others give us, is seriously not what is truly in their heart of hearts. Yes, we spend so much energy being busy, careful to avoid those quiet and contemplative moments for fear the silence will overtake us, forcing us to actually give thought to what is truly important.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation” Psalm 62:1 (ESV).

And, what I have also discovered is just how much I am quietly being observed by those seeking a closer relationship with the Lord. Oh, sometimes they don’t even realize it is actually a closer relationship with God they are seeking. Sometimes it is merely a curiosity, wondering just what it is about me that is different. Sometimes I am asked just how I can remain so calm in the midst of my circumstances.

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:5-7 (ESV).

I remember my husband and I being in Nanyuki, Kenya several years ago. Our African friends liked to refer to us Americans as wazungu, a Swahili term meaning going in circles. You see, their concept of time was much more relaxed than ours. The important question to ask when planning on meeting up later was, is that your time or my time, for their time was definitely not ruled by the clock. The point is they lived a much slower and quieter, more relaxed lifestyle than we Americans who thought being productive meant constant motion. And, this relaxed pace afforded them the beyond valuable opportunity to be contemplative and to really hear from God.

“Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” Psalm 116:7 (ESV).

Do I have life all figured out? No, but will continue to lay claim to what the Scriptures say,

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV).

It is this wonderful and glorious Truth which gives me the boldness to humbly say yes, I have bragging rights and will not remain silent, but will share my testimony of God’s goodness. For this I am eternally grateful.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16 (ESV).

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Blessings!

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INSPIRATIONAL

Evolution vs Creationism: Both a Matter of Faith

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I recall being in elementary school and one of our textbooks covering the concept of the theory of the evolution of man. Surely you too, have seen as I vaguely recall, the sketches of an ape as he gradually morphs into a human being. Whether I shook my head and chuckled out loud I can’t say for sure. What I do recall is how my instant and dismissive thought was just how ridiculous this sounded to me, even as a child. Yes, I grew up in a Christian home. Yes, I believed and still believe in creationism as taught in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

~~~Genesis 1:27 (ESV)~~~

A Matter of Faith is a well written movie, which entertains just this concept at the university level as a professor who teaches evolution is challenged by the father of one of his freshmen students. A debate is held for the purpose of creating dialogue, thus opening minds. During the debate the father hands his microphone over to a long ago fired professor who adamantly taught creationism only. “To me the most troubling aspect about this issue is that in our society today evolution is being taught in our schools and universities across this land as a matter of fact. But no one can scientifically prove evolution just as no one can scientifically prove that God created the world since none of us were present to witness it. Both these teachings then become a matter of faith. The evolutionist has nothing but vast periods of time, random chance events and the ever-changing ideas of man to base his world view upon, while the one who holds to creation has his beliefs firmly rooted in the truths contained in the Bible and a personal God who created everything….and my pride, I was the one who was at fault,….not in what I was teaching, but in how I went about it. I should have taught my students to look at both sides of the evidence, realizing that everyone, individually has to make their own choice. Either you are going to look at life through men’s ideas or God’s Word. So, if evolution, follow where that leads. If God, then serve the Lord. We can’t prove anything here tonight. We can only present theories. You can chance your eternity on the views of Freud and Darwin if you want. I’m putting my trust in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sin, was buried and rose again on the third day. I know some of you will call that stupidity. I am calling it humility. And I will trust and I will follow Christ and wait on the hope of eternal life that He offers. May you find that same hope.”

I recall being a young and very naïve college student attending a university where several of my professors most assuredly believed in the theory of evolution while openly dismissing my faith in God as being a bit foolish and simpleminded. And that’s okay. College should be a place where we are encouraged to develop our minds, to be challenged to think for ourselves. College should be a place where we are NOT taught what to think but HOW to think. So, by all means don’t allow pride to prevent the teaching of the theory of evolution, but also don’t allow pride to prevent the teaching of creationism.

Jesus Christ went to the cross for all of us, but it’s a choice each individual must make for themselves, whether to believe in creationism and ultimately choose to receive His forgiveness, or not. God doesn’t push Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection on anyone. It’s simply a matter of faith, which then becomes a matter of choice. Choose well.

“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

~~~Romans 10:9 (ESV)~~~

Image by LAURENCE ROUAULT from Pixabay

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Blessings!

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INSPIRATIONAL

Allow God’s Word to Direct & Bless Your Choices

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What would you think if someone prayed a blessing over you asking God to treat you just as you have treated them; “And Lord, I ask that you treat Jay just like he treated me today in this deal”. Would it stop you in your tracks long enough to consider making adjustments, making changes within your heart? Would you truly make heart changes so evident to those around you no matter the consequence, so evident by your words and actions, so evident they knew it was for real?

Flywheel is the first of many well written Kendrick Brothers movies. The purpose, to stir a change of heart so evident others will be blessed “…as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” Luke 6:31 (ESV).

Sherwood Baptist Church (Albany, Georgia) Senior Pastor Michael Catt “You’re in the shape you’re in today because of the choices you’ve made. Your marriage is in the shape it is in today because of the choices you’ve made. Your relationship with your wife and with your children is in the shape it’s in because of the choices you’ve made. You’re in financial bondage today because of the choices you’ve made. God’s Word would set you free if you would read it, but you’re in bondage and you’re stressed and you’re under all the dirt and the stuff and you feel like you’re a slave to your debt and to a relationship because you’ve not listened to the Word of God. And until you listen to the Word of God, you will make the wrong choices, go down the wrong road, lose your family, lose your home, lose your security, lose your investments because God has a way to live life. And you and I cannot live life on our terms and ask God to bless us. And the reason that many people that I’m talking to today are in bondage and in frustration and in defeat is because you don’t really want to know what God says, and you don’t want to live it God’s way”.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

~~~2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)~~~

While I have watched several of the first class Kendrick Brothers’ movies, I only just recently watched “Flywheel”. I must say it is well done, especially considering it was their very first movie. While Alex Kendrick’s childhood dreams of becoming a filmmaker have truly been blessed by God, in the I am Second film he candidly reveals the challenges it has had on his own relationship with God, his marriage and family, and how God wonderfully uses these amazing movies to not only challenge, but bless his obedience.

“God said something to me. It’s like He spoke to me so clearly I heard Him word for word. And He said Alex, would you rather have an easier rode with less fruit or a harder rode with more fruit” Alex Kendrick.

Image by Mimzy from Pixabay

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Blessings!

INSPIRATIONAL

Stop Trying So Hard, Just Lean into Him!

taylorjamesalbert

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” Mark 16:16 (KJV).

While I was saved and baptized as a young teenager and loved the Lord, I was just busy getting on with my life, dreaming of the future, college, marriage and family,…I read my Bible, I attended church, prayed and naturally wove the topic of my faith into my conversations and life choices, I truly did believe, but…

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” Ephesians 6:4 (KJV).

During the summer after high school graduation I worked at the little local Carnegie Library. At noon I would walk a couple doors down and eat lunch with my grandparents. Thankfully they always made a point to challenge my thinking. This particular day I had made a bold statement about having my own faith and convictions. I remember his smile and her chuckle. And then my grandmother explaining how I had been living my parents’ faith and convictions. How, now entering the adult world and especially that of going away to college, my faith and convictions would be tested as I developed my own.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6 (KJV).

Leaving our little “Mayberry” and entering the world of academia, my college educated and God loving grandmother was obviously correct. It wasn’t that I doubted her and of course, I definitely trusted her, it was that I just didn’t have a clue, as she herself knew, and as I was beginning to understand.

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” James 4:8 (KJV).

As I initially felt engulfed by all that this new world had to offer, I stayed true to my parents’ faith and convictions. I felt engulfed because I had left the protected and safe world where I honestly had never really dealt with dishonesty, where all the adults could be trusted and truly did care about my well being. While I would end up having college professors who were Christians, I also experienced like a deer in the headlights, professors who introduced me to a very foreign way of thinking. One atheist professor’s agenda was to destroy my faith in God. Yes, I was a (naive) Josh Wheaton being angrily challenged by my own Professor Radisson.

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV).

Did I waffle? Yes. Did I doubt my faith in God? No, but I did waffle a bit. How? I did question my wholesome upbringing by becoming curious about decisions my college friends were making, seemingly oblivious to the consequences for their actions. I mean, I was an adult now. Wasn’t I mature enough and wise enough to dabble in some of the same choices as my free-er thinking college friends?

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” 1 John 2:15-17 (KJV).

I did feel a mixture of emotions, guilt, shame, even regret for some of my own choices. I couldn’t understand what the difference was between others and their choices and me and my choices. How did they seem to not bear the weight of their own choices? Why weren’t they losing sleep and losing themselves?  

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Romans 8:1 (KJV).

It would be years of feeling guilt, regret, self-condemnation and shame as I felt the burden of carrying the responsibility of my poor decisions. I just couldn’t seem to give myself grace. Did I doubt what Jesus had done for me?

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 (KJV).

I remember the moment the truth became crystal clear. It was not that I had abandoned my faith during my college days, despite for what I felt condemnation. I was wrong! It was not condemnation, but conviction I felt!! God had never left me, He had been there with me all along. He had gently whispered into my ears the truth, guiding it down into my heart. Freedom is a wonderful thing. I am loved by Him for who I am and not my poor choices. I am loved by Him because I am me.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Matthew 11:28 (ESV).

“Sunset Back Home” by MOI
INSPIRATIONAL

A Miracle! No Doubts, It Was Him!

taylorjamesalbert

God wants there to be no doubt about it that it is He who answers our prayer requests. This is what an every day and ordinary happens-all-the time miracle is all about.

Who prays? You

Who believes? You

Who answers? God

Who gets blessed? You

Who says thank you? You

Who gets the glory? God

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things” Psalm 107:8-9 (ESV).

“…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV).

“Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord” Psalm 118:19 (ESV).

Image by 4653867 from Pixabay

INSPIRATIONAL

Traditional Depiction of Christmas Nativity Scene

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I recall as a child my siblings and I receiving a ‘lift the flap’ storybook in the shape of Noah’s ark. It was fun to open the little windows and see inside the ark. Thankfully children’s Bible storybooks often simplify the biblical accounts found within scriptures. So, while we children thought Noah gathered only two of every kind of animal, as an adult I would come to understand his ark manifest was a bit more detailed: “Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female” Genesis 7:2 (KJV). The traditional nativity scene depicting the birth of Christ is no different.

The history of our much loved traditional nativity scene can be found in the Smithsonian Magazine short essay “The Nativity Scene Was Created in 1223“. As well, during the week long series, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland of Believer’s Voice of Victory joined by their daughter, Kellie Copeland, dig deeper into the biblical history behind our traditional nativity scene.

Many details including time frames, locations, and the wise men’s visit have been composited into one very special night. And that’s absolutely okay by me. Our much loved and traditional nativity scene gathers all the essential, historical and biblical details together for us to reflect, to celebrate, and to honor the much awaited birth of Christ, our Lord and Savior.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” Luke 2:11 (KJV).

Image by Christoph Meinersmann from Pixabay 

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INSPIRATIONAL

Come, Follow That Star

taylorjamesalbert

As children we looked forward to the holidays, especially Christmas. It seemed as if each day, Thanksgiving through Christmas, included some form of holiday festivities, whether a pageant, party or family gathering, decorating or viewing Christmas lights, Christmas specials on TV,…my Christmas memories will forever remain magical. Yes, we believed in Santa Claus. And, once we discovered his real identity, we kept his secret so as not to spoil the magic for our youngest sister.

Being reared in a Christian home we also celebrated the true meaning of Christmas. There was no confusion, no emotional or mental damage done by our parents sharing with us kids their faith in God and the virgin birth, along with the magical and imaginary side of the holidays. Our childhood was safe and secure, innocent, creative, fun,…and filled with hope and love.

While I recall our family watching the traditional Christmas movies together, we kids especially looked forward to the animated Christmas specials such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas“, “How The Grinch Stole Christmas“, “Rudolph, The Red- Nosed Reindeer“, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town“, “Frosty the Snowman“,… I also remember watching “The Little Drummer Boy” and “The Littlest Angel“. As an adult I discovered “Christmas In Connecticut” and was delighted to find the DVD included a short, black and white 1945 film entitled “Star in the Night“. I highly recommend spending the twenty-two minutes to enjoy this Christmas Eve drama with your family as Nick Catapoli discovers his star’s true purpose.

Christmas Blessings!

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” Luke 2:8-14 (KJV).

Image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay 

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INSPIRATIONAL

How Will You Choose to Live Life?

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Have you ever wondered what the real difference is between living life what looks to be the world’s way, compared to the way a true born again by the saving grace of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection lives life? In other words, do you honestly know how a Christian should live as stated in Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).

The book of Galatians speaks of walking by the Spirit in order to not give in to the desires or lusts of the flesh: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” Galatians 5:16 (ESV). Also “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” Galatians 5:16 (KJV).

What are the desires or lusts of the flesh? “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…” Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV). As if we need more confirmation as to why we should refrain from such, verse twenty-one explains “…I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” Galatians 5:21 (ESV).

Okay, so how then should we live? In other words, what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,…” Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV). Again, do we need further confirmation as to why walking in the Spirit sounds so good? “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” Galatians 5:24 (ESV).

Honestly, just reading through the list of the fruit of the Spirit makes sense and leaves no doubt in my mind how good life can be for the Christian who realizes just how truly blessed we are.

Despite it being lengthy, should the English Standard Version not be convincing enough, maybe reading Galatians 5:16-26 in The Message will be:

“16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

19-21 It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn’t the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.

22-23 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23-24 Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25-26 Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.” Galatians 5:16-26 (MSG)

Blessings!

“Alone With God” by Deb E

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INSPIRATIONAL

Flying High Faith: IFR Rated

taylorjamesalbert

As I have proudly mentioned before, my amazing husband is a pilot, a top notch pilot. All I have learned about the exciting world of aviation is largely due to being married to my Flyboy. No, for the record he is not nor was he ever in the air force. Irrelevant!

I recall being at the Dreher Park (Palm Beach) Zoo with our then preschool age son the morning following the shocking reports of John F. Kennedy, Jr.’s plane mysteriously disappearing during the prior evening. Amid all the speculations was the obvious concern that he, his wife and her sister had gone missing and were feared dead. Being married to a pilot, with a heavy heart I didn’t want to believe what my husband instinctively knew was the sad truth the rest of the world would soon learn; spatial disorientation was the cause of their deaths.

The more common term for spatial disorientation is vertigo or “Which way is up?“. Using my own definition, a variation of vertigo is when I get motion sickness and could care less which way is up, just please stop the motion! The concern though with a pilot at the controls is, they may very well not realize they are dealing with spatial disorientation due to losing their view of the horizon, thus their visual balance plays tricks with their minds. Fortunately I have never (hmm,…at least to my knowledge) been flying with my husband or any other pilots when spatial disorientation was even a remote concern. However, I have been a passenger in a plane while pilot friends practice flying “under the hood”.

There are two very important and basic terms in aviation which refer to the visual/weather conditions under which to safely fly; VFR and IFR. Not to bore my readers with information beyond my own personal expertise, but VFR stands for Visual Flight Rules and IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules. Should the weather conditions be deemed unsafe (limited visibility) by the FAA, Federal Aviation Administration , hopefully the pilot is instrument rated because Instrument Flight Rules are enforced. To become instrument rated, pilots must practice flying while “under the hood” meaning their visibility is restricted, forcing them to rely on the instruments located on the instrument panel.

Just as pilots very quickly learn, they cannot go by what they see or feel, or will risk spatial disorientation, getting the leans, ultimately spinning the plane into the ground, but must rely on their instruments. So too for the Christian. Our faith in God is not based on what we think we see in the natural or how we think we feel emotionally, but by focusing on our instrument panel which is God’s Word. Especially when life seems too difficult to handle alone, trusting God’s IFR is the only way to keep flying high.

I like what Nick Vujicic says “attitude is altitude.

“…but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV).

I must also give inspirational credit for the development of this post to two ministers who just happen to be pilots: Kenneth Copeland and Jimmy Evans.

And just for the record; I am not a pilot, but have a great amount of respect for pilots, especially my Flyboy.

Happy Flying!

Image by Barrie Taylor from Pixabay 

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INSPIRATIONAL

Jefferson Moore’s “The Perfect Stranger” Will Soften Your Heart & Open Your Eyes

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What if you received a personal invitation to spend the evening dining with Jesus Christ? And could ask Him all those questions no one else seems to be able to sufficiently answer? Would His responses open your ‘Doubting Thomas’ eyes?

“…Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe” John 20:25 (ESV).

Jefferson Moore and Shane Sooter have adapted David Gregory’s novel “Dinner With a Perfect Stranger” creating a thought-provoking film meant to dispel each and every doubt the world has, not to mention those the cynical, the nominal or ‘in name only’ Christian may have as well.

Jefferson Moore steps into the character of Jesus Christ as He spends the evening dining with Nikki, a perfectly put together, in control, and successful by all the world’s standards career woman, wife and mother, yet who has built up anger, even hostility, due to her assuming childhood tragedies were all proof God didn’t really care. So why did she need God? More importantly, why did she need Jesus Christ in her life?

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” Revelations 3:20 (ESV).

Should you be blessed with the opportunity of spending an evening dining alone with Jesus Christ, what would you ask Him? As the evening came to a close, would He still seem a perfect stranger to you? Would your heart soften? More importantly, would you choose to believe?

“Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'” John 20:28-29 (ESV).

Photo Credit: Vicki Nunn

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