Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Max Lucado (2012-01-02) from his book, He Chose the Nails   (p. 119). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Max explains, “Yours might be a telegram from the war department, an ID bracelet from the hospital, a scar, or a court subpoena. We don’t like these symbols, nor do we want these symbols. Like wrecked cars in a junkyard, they clutter up our hearts with memories of bad days.” He says, “Could God use such things for something good? How far can we go with verses like this one: ‘In everything God works for the good of those who love him’ (Rom. 8: 28)? Does ‘everything’ include tumors and tests and tempers and terminations? John would answer yes. John would tell you that God can turn any tragedy into a triumph, if only you will wait and watch. “To prove his point, he would tell you about one Friday in particular. ‘Later, Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate if he could take the body of Jesus. (Joseph was...

A thought by Max Lucado (2012-01-02) from his book, He Chose the Nails  (p. 91). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Have you ever had the problem of not being included?   Maybe it was in sports, maybe it was the smartest in the class or the best looking group?   You felt left out.   And that is not fun. Max says, “Universities exclude you if you aren’t smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren’t qualified enough, and, sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren’t good enough.” Again, that is not fun. Max goes on, “But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of his love, he stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know he died loving you.” Max then says, “But isn’t there a limit? Surely there hast to be an end to this love. You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But David the adultere...

A thought by Max Lucado (2012-01-02) from his book, He Chose the Nails   (p. 91). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Here, look at this, “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19: 28– 30 NIV)” As you can see this was the last thing He did before He died. Max says, “Jesus. Lips cracked and mouth of cotton. Throat so dry he can’t swallow, voice so hoarse he can scarcely speak. He is thirsty. To find the last time moisture touched these lips you need to rewind a dozen hours to the meal in the upper room. Since tasting that cup of wine, Jesus has been beaten, spat upon, bruised, and ...

A thought by Max Lucado (2012-01-02) from his book, He Chose the Nails  (p. 84). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is so true, isn’t it?   Max says, “As a result, we hide from our Master.” He continues, “That’s exactly what my dog, Salty, does. He knows he isn’t supposed to get into the trash. But let the house be human free, and the dark side of Salty takes over. If there is food in a trash can, the temptation is too great. He will find it and feast. “That’s what he had done the other day. When I came home, he was nowhere to be found. I saw the toppled trash, but I didn’t see Salty. At first, I got mad, but I got over it. If I were cooped up all day with only dog food to eat, I might rummage a bit myself. I cleaned up the mess and went about the day and forgot about it. “Salty didn’t. He kept his distance. When I finally saw him, his tail was between his legs, and his ears were drooping. Then I re...

A thought by Max Lucado (2012-01-02) from his book, He Chose the Nails (p. 73). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Max says, “Scripture says little about the clothes Jesus wore. We know what his cousin John the Baptist wore. We know what the religious leaders wore. But the clothing of Christ is nondescript: neither so humble as to touch hearts nor so glamorous as to turn heads.”   John 19: 23– 24 (NLT) does say, “They divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So, they said, ‘Let’s not tear it but throw dice to see who gets it’.”   We know that it was seamless.   Tradition says probably His mother Mary made it and gave it to Him when He left home.   But we do know that it was seamless. Max says, “Garments can symbolize character, and like his garment, Jesus’ character was seamless. Coordinated. Unified. He was like ...