Author: nick

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Germ Busters

I went to lunch with my wife and kids today. I stopped in the bathroom before we were seated, and had a thought for a new TV show, or at least a commercial series called Germ Busters.

I did not see if it was a customer or an employee, but some man walked out of the bathroom stall and did not even think about washing his hands. One of my cousins will make comments to people as they are walking out of the door like, “Yep, 85% of all people leave the restroom without washing their hands!” So I had a thought:

Why not have camera crews waiting outside of a restroom and when the show or commercial host sees people leave without washing their hands, he tracks them down to their friends and family with the camera and calls them out. I could see it now: “Ma’am I would not let your husband feed that chip to your baby, he just stunk up the bathroom and didn’t think twice about washing his hands!” I can see some serious embarrassment, but probably some seriously angry people as well. I can also see an increase in people leaving the restroom with clean hands, you never know where a camera might pop up!

I kind of had this thought a while back as well, when I saw and smelt a man in one of the stalls in the restroom. He flushed, but then he walked straight out of the door without stopping to even look at the sink. It happened to be in the mall and this guy had a guy friend and a girlfriend with him. As I walked out I noticed he was only a few feet ahead of me, so it didn’t save much time to skip the soap and water. He then went to his girlfriend and had his hands all over her!!! I was about to walk by and say, excuse me ma’am but you might want to ask your boy toy here where his hands have been, and I can assure you that they aren’t clean!

Just a thought!?!

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Thoughts from Colossians: "Remember My Chains"

I started reading Colossians 1 & 2 yesterday. Today I read Colossians 3 & 4. One thing in particular stood out to me while studying Colossians 4…Here goes I will try to explain!

Colossians 4:18 this is what Paul said, “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

I am still trying to think through the part where he informs us that he wrote the letter with his own hands, I guess he wants the people that read the letter to know how important it is to him, that he would write it himself, versus having someone else write it? I am still wondering the significance of that statement (if any).

What stood out more to me was “Remember My Chains.”
In verse 3, Paul says, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”

Now my outlook on this may be so elementary compared to all of the Christian big wigs. I am not a theologian, heck I don’t even have a seminary degree which many look down on, I guess God cannot speak to me as clearly as he would if I had a piece of paper…anyway, this is what I took away from this chapter because of Paul’s statement:

  • I believe Paul saw his chains and his imprisonment as an avenue to a new opportunity to share the Good News of Christ. His request, in verse 3, was for the people to pray that God would open a door for their message.
  • When Paul says, “Remember My Chains.” I feel as if he is telling me to remember his example. He viewed his suffering as an opportunity to share the Good News. It’s almost as if he is telling the people of Colosse, if I can do it, you can do it…remember that!
  • Do we do as Paul did? Do we take the situations that we are facing in our personal life, whether it is a positive situation or a struggle and see how we can share the Good News through it? Do we ask God to open a door during that time so we can share our message or our story? Paul had several stories that he could tell. My father-in-law has a story for just about every thing that has taken place in his life. I can only imagine the stories that Paul had, but his desire was to share Christ through that story and through that message. I think Paul is saying to remember his chains, so that no matter what comes our way, whether sickness, death, torture, or loss we can find the strength and the ability to ask God to provide an opportunity to share Christ. I know this is easier said than done, in fact this is speaking to me, if anyone, I am not acting as if I have this down, because I don’t, but I share it because it did speak to me and I thought others may get something as well.
What Chains have you faced in life? Even though you may be free from the bondage, are you using those times of suffering to share Christ, and the chains he endured for all of mankind. Maybe you are chained up as you read this? Can you find the strength as Paul did to ask God to open a door through your suffering, for his honor and his glory? It kind of makes us realize that it truly is all about him…not us!

Nick

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Thoughts from Colossians 1

I just finished going through Romans and started reading and studying Colossians 1 (NLT) today: I’ve had a desire to deepen my prayer life, because, well it has just really been horrible in comparison to what it should be. As I went through Colossians, here is some of what I found (and of all things it dealt with prayer!!!) I desire to pray like the great people of the Bible prayed, so here are three things Paul said he prayed for the people of Colosse for, I think they are transferable both to pray for others and ourselves:

1. To have complete understanding – of what God wants to do in our lives (not what we want to do in our lives).

2. That God would make us wise with spiritual wisdom – So that our lives will reflect a life that honors and pleases the Lord.

3. To be strengthened with God’s glorious power – To produce the patience and endurance that we need in life.

** One last really cool thing I got from Colossians 1: Paul is talking about Christ’s death on the cross, and how that has made us His friends…even those of us who were “far away from God!”
He says as a result of Christ’s death we stand before God holy & blameless – without a single fault, really cool. Read Colossians 1 for yourself!!!

– Nick